Wildrum Kennels Breeding Program

In Pursuit of Perfection....

We strive to achieve perfection in our stock of dogs, a pursuit that is honest and honorable. Responsible breeding begins by understanding that no dog will ever be perfect (ok, maybe one or two). To take a moment to explore and define what that exact dog might be is a very purposeful search.

First, we look to the past, asking “What of my dogs of yesterday?” “Their link to the future – should it be filtered, harnessed, tainted in any way?” The answer to all of these questions is invariably, yes. We must also look ahead. What is desired in our future dogs, and how do we achieve this well-defined goal?

Before and After – Evaluation Criteria

Two elements of successful breeding evaluations are:

1) Evaluations made of the adult dogs we bring together, ensuring sound genetics are carried forward along with identifying any minor faults that may exist in lineage that will need to be monitored as we move forward.

2) Evaluations of as many pups as possible, at various stages of development.

The key word in the above statements is “evaluation.” The following is an overview of the evaluations that are considered in mapping out future breeding plans. As you read each section, keep in mind we are referring to evaluations of both mom & pop and the litter. We can’t emphasize the importance of looking at the results of the breeding to validate whether or not what we have done is worthy of repeating.

Physical Characteristics

What characteristics does one possess that can be evaluated by physical inspection. Breed standards, set forth by the various establishments that maintain our pedigrees, require a specimen to meet conformation. Conformation to breed, simply put, means the dog has no physical faults. Structure, size, posture and proportion are all aspects of physical conformation. Some items in a confirmation detail are aesthetic, while others ensure mechanical soundness of a working, sporting class of dog.

These characteristics also play a role in a dog’s ability to run the field, maintain health and age with grace.

Some examples include:

1) Splay footedness affects a dog’s endurance, as this is the impact zone for the entire chassis of our athlete.

2) The condition of the coat is also a factor in our hunting dog’s ability to penetrate thick tangles of Hawthorn – or in making a retrieve through an ice cold body of water.

Seek to understand the conformation of the Griffon and how to conduct physical inspections of a specimen.

Taking this aspect of physical evaluation one step further, we utilize tests conducted by medical professionals. A Penn Hip test conducted by certified veterinarians will help determine if there are joint problems present. X-rays can be used to evaluate the integrity of the skeletal system. Other tests are available to detect various hereditary problems that may exist.

Suspicion of a fault should be confirmed or rejected by a thorough examination from a professional vet. We use these evaluations in two ways – prior to breeding, by evaluating a select individual and by promoting the evaluations of the off-spring of a breeding. 

Intellectual Characteristics          

A gun dogs ability to achieve top performance levels is affected by several factors. Physical conditioning and conformation are important, however, a canine with poor temperament or intelligence is going to struggle with even basic obedience skills. Today’s bird dogs are asked to do some very advanced work in the field.  We expect them to differentiate between a live bird (point) and a dead bird (retrieve). Advanced dogs will be taught to whoa when a bird flushes, when what they do naturally is break and chase that bird. Although some things are trained into a dog, intelligence will help us reach our goals faster and easier.

Spiritual Characteristics

The ancestors of the modern domestic dog had to hunt to survive. The weak were eliminated by Mother Nature’s graceful hand. The spirit of our dogs is as important to their development as anything. It is also important to their descendants that we do not break this spirit in training. This is why training on a strict schedule is bad practice. If we start to pressure our dogs with yesterday’s heavy-handed methods, we may break their spirit and they will never be the same. Spirit therefore, relates to breeding and training. Let’s take a closer look at the canine’s spiritual characteristics.

A cooperative or biddable dog is happy to please their “pack leader.” These are, therefore, ideal traits for our gundogs to possess; I believe a biddable nature is more spiritual in make up than intellectual. What else of a dog’s spirit? A pedigree shows nothing of spirit. One only knows of this by taking to the field or pond with a potential sire, bitch or pup from a past breeding. If you know of the dog as he leaps through the endless sea of switch grass searching for a rooster, or as he busts through the wind driven sleet to retrieve your downed Drake, then you know of ones spirit.

Bonding Physical, Intellectual and Spiritual Characteristics

How do these three characteristics gel together to create today’s elite gun dogs? The olfactory glands of the canine nose (physical), their capacity to learn to use said nose to decipher various scents and store information (intellectual), and their desire/drive to hunt (spiritual) all come together.

This fascinating harmony of traits can, at times, be mind numbing to us humans.  In responsible animal husbandry, we must take the time to know the pair we are putting together. Our role is to act as a guide, to set parameters and help our dogs achieve their full potential through controlled breeding and structured, comprehensive training programs. To achieve perfection, we know is an ideal, yet we continue to try. If we are to come close, we must breed the most fault free sire and bitch we have.  

Crap Shoot?

If we base our breeding decisions on the principles outlined here, we attempt to control the risks involved in producing puppies. Selective breeding should represent our best effort to harness the desired traits and carry them forward to produce healthy, biddable bird dogs. Any time we put two mates together, we are taking a chance and that is what we must give the dogs if we are to be successful. It is an honorable thing to be involved in, so the utmost respect must be put forth in this endeavor. Respect for the bitch, respect for the pups, the future families of the litter.