Dogs and The Deep South

Here I was, sending my dog off again after I vowed to keep this one out of the retrieving game. It's a real commitment of time and money, and it's difficult to know which way to turn in this dog world. 

I got Briggs on a whim. I was visiting my other dogs at their trainer in Missouri, and he had a glorious litter of Goldens, two of which were more than were counted for in the womb. The smaller of the two pups  (he was tiny from placement in the womb) put a golden spell on me the minute I held him, and I knew I had to have him. A few moments later, I found myself driving back to Ohio with a puppy in the car. And I swore I would NEVER get a Golden again, but here he was! In all his tiny glory - General Briggs Got Your Six was officially a Field Dog Life family member.

When I arrived in Ohio and held this sweet pup in my arms, I vowed he would be our farm dog, and we would love him up, but without competition aspirations. It was hard enough with my other boys; I couldn't bear to part with the sweetest little pup I ever saw! No! Briggs was going to be our family dog. The sidekick. The Golden teddy bear, love bug, lazy porch dog.

But Briggs had something going for him that would stop that daydream in its tracks: genetics. Briggs comes from one of the best Field Golden kennels in the country, and his sire is a legend in the Field Golden world. His Grand-Sire is the only National Amateur Field Trial Champion - ever! It became apparent as Briggs matured that competing and running down birds was in his blood. There would be no lazy porch dog; a talented, elegant, intelligent, and stylish Golden was here to stay. 

I knew what to do since my training skills were so green. I had to find the BEST young dog trainer with the right style and touch - the right mix of knowledge and finesse - to bring out the best in my Briggs. After a few phone calls to my friends in the Field Trial world, one name surfaced: Hunter Hastings.  

I called Hunter, and we arranged for Briggs to head down and secure a spot on his truck of 7 young dogs. I was thrilled! Briggs was in, but I was apprehensive. This path is challenging for dogs, but for dogs that have retrieving and competing in their blood, it is impossible to take it out of their system. (We'll get to that in another blog.)

Before Briggs went off to his trainer, I had him photographed by Orville MacEachron, which is posted to the right. The intensity in his stare is beautifully captured in this photo of Briggs at six months. His body language is positioned in a pin-point mark, eyes locked and loaded on his target. I was looking at the essence of a future superstar, a specially bred Field Golden with championship lines. 

There was no denying what Briggs wanted to do, and I had to put my desire to have Briggs by my side versus his needs as a future competitive canine athlete. It's a truth to be accepted, not a fact to be proven: genetics sets the tone for his adulthood, and as he matures; his innate skills and desires will eventually overtake his playful moves. He was a Champion in the making.

I haven't had the easiest time finding the right trainer; it's not as easy as it sounds. You have to do your homework, and even then, it can be hit or miss. Finding a solid young dog trainer is tricky because there tends to be a lot of turnover in the dog training world. It takes several years to become a good dog trainer, and you can't have enough experience when you're training dogs, especially when you are developing the foundation for young dogs. Hunter was a rare find since he spent five years training and learning with some of the industry's legendary trainers. And he started learning from these master teachers at the young age of 19.

It was settled. Briggs was picked up by my driver Jim in January and whisked off to Hunter in Oxford, Mississippi. My heart was broken as he drove away, but I knew he was on the path to his destiny.

I was nervous as I turned down the farm's long driveway where Hunter trains. I thought, what if this is terrible? What if Briggs is miserable? Or worse, what if Hunter wasn't a good trainer? What if Briggs wasn't talented, he was completely opposed to working, and he was being forced to retrieve? Hunter was working with a young dog as I pulled into the training area, and immediately my doubts were laid to rest: the pup he was working with was fully engaged in an exercise he was loving. The pup was eager to work. And most of all, totally in tune with Hunter. Briggs was in the best of hands. 

A dog will tell you everything you need to know through his body language. And when Briggs leaped out of the trailer, he was a ball of happiness. He was ready to work, and his bond with Hunter was authentic. I called to Briggs and he came running to me, ears back, tail in a low wag, barely able to contain his excitement for his mom. Briggs was a happy dog. A REALLY happy dog. Finally, I found my way to the best trainer of young dogs - and possibly the best young trainer - in the country. 

I spent the next three days watching Hunter take Briggs through the yard, throwing marks and retrieving them in the water. Each time I saw Briggs work, it was clear that Hunter carefully built his confidence and his resolve. Briggs left a "soft" puppy, and here he was, tackling some difficult retrieves with confidence. Hunter doesn't coddle his pups; he builds confidence with finesse. He's a natural and nurturing leader, so the dogs follow his every move unsolicited. 

Hunter talks calmly and softly; he speaks to the dogs with a soft authority that encourages, rather than commands, his dogs to work. His methods and reasoning are practical and common sense, yet genius. It's the result of training under the best of the best but adding his spin, point of view, and experience as an owner and a trainer. He is judicious in his corrections; the dog understands clearly what the corrective action is for. 

A good trainer quickly picks up on a dog's subtle queues and movements, reacting to enforce or discourage the behavior. It sounds simple, but it isn't straightforward. It is an exercise in psychology and physical fitness - at the cross-section of education and training. Hunter studied to be a teacher and was an avid baseball player, so he is well-qualified. If I could put together a job description for successful dog trainers, I would list these attributes as essential to developing future competitive canine athletes because it is clear it makes for an incredibly effective training approach. 

In the Dog World, if you search hard enough, eventually, the best names fall out. The records speak for themselves. The best trainers usually do not post photos of themselves in highly edited pictures on social media. Yet once in a great while, a dog owner who is outrageous enough to hop on a plane, and drive into the deep South in search of the best young dog trainer in the country, decides to write a blog about her experience.

If you are looking for the best and need to know where to send your future champions, look no further. His name is Hunter Hastings, and he trains my pup, Briggs. 

Did I tell you that I love Mississippi?