I posted this on Cross Timber Gundogs facebook page as well. If you want to see pictures and a video of Case launching into the water feel free to visit that page....
It’s been quite a journey. I am always on the “hunt” for dogs/PP’s, male or female, that exhibit the traits I want in my own hunting dogs, and that I hope to produce for others. I have been pretty honest in detailing my goals on my website so folks can assess whether my goals for breeding line up with what they are after.
I did quite a bit of research a year or two ago looking for a dog I could breed too a time or two that would facilitate my goals as a breeder. Through a few leads (one of which was WillieT on this forum who has a full sibling to Case) I learned of a dog that seemed to have some of the traits I was after. I contacted the owner named AJ Seibert by phone. After some discussion about how his dog hunted we decided that I should drive out and hunt with him for a full day to see if he was what I was looking for. AJ is not generally one who brags about his dogs. He simply said “he runs pretty good and seems to do good in the water to me, but you will have to see what you think yourself.”
Good friend and fellow breeder, Jeff Whitmarsh and I drove out AJ’s way to hunt firsthand with he and Case. I have to say, Case stole the show. He was still hunting well, and at almost a full run, after 5 hours of hunting with the temperature being in the 70’s. He pointed with style countless birds, retrieved softly, and had a fantastic temperament around all our dogs. I was impressed all the way around with Case. After examining his teeth and attributes and having him do some basic water work with bumpers at a local pond, AJ agreed for me to train him for the Utility test to qualify him for breeding.
Three or four months later I met AJ in Shamrock, TX to get Case and bring him to my place for training. By then, AJ had his hips OFA’d, which came back Excellent. When picking him up, I asked AJ more questions about Case’s abilities in the water. He didn’t give me many details, but simply said, “I think you will like what you see.” I didn’t quite know what he meant. I already knew what Case brought to the table in the field from personal experience, so when I began training I started with water work to see what he could give me there. Needless to say, he has impressed just as much in the water as on land. The dog launches into a diving leap with every water retrieve, and he doesn’t give up easily on ducks. I even saw him submerge his entire head under water on a very elusive, diving duck to bring it to hand.
He is a dream dog in the house too. I accidently left him inside free to roam for 5 hours one evening and he didn’t even offer to lick the plates the kids left on the couch that had ketsup and ranch on it. AJ keeps him inside as a full time house dog.
I tested Case in Utility last weekend at the NAVHDA Heartland Chapter in Nebraska and was pleased that he earned a Prize 1 on his first attempt. This is no easy feat given he had never seen or trained on the duck search pond or fields until test day.
I truly appreciate AJ for trusting me with Case. I can’t take all of the credit for Case’s training. AJ already had laid some groundwork on several things that make a good hunting dog, and served us well when training for the test.
I look forward to using him in our breeding program here at Cross Timber Gundogs, and hope he is able to further my goals and produce as good as he is. Time will tell....Stay tuned.
