SPORTING GROUP BREEDERS Q&A
“I think that we, as a sport, need to find a way to share our passion and knowledge of dogs and breeds... and why it’s important.“
Battlefield trails and, before COVID, we had weekly classes at our local kennel club. The best way to season a young dog is a 4-day cir- cuit! Just letting them learn with all the noise and commotion is the best way. Are Performance and Companion titles important to me as a breeder? Pointers are hunting dogs and should maintain the ability to do what they are bred to do. We have about twenty titled hunting dogs, from JH to MH (Junior Hunter, Senior Hunter, and Master Hunter) as well as several obedience and other performance-titled Pointers to our credit. Also, 143 AKC Pointer champions have been bred by us. In my opinion, is my breed in good condition overall? Any trends that warrant concern? I think that the temperaments have never been better. The era of “spooky” Pointers in the ring seems to have gone away for the most part, though you still see one now and again. I’d caution breeders about breeding Pointers with little or no color. This is worrisome to see dogs with little body color, as it can lead to white dog issues like deafness and blue or colorless eyes. Our gene pool is unique, as it is largely unrelated to any other breed here in the States, and as such, we have a database of health information that pertains to our own dogs and takes the guesswork out of the equation that many others have to undergo when you have little or no linebreeding to work with. Do I feel that my breed has a promising future as a family companion? Absolutely! Pointers are the best! Most of ours are in non-show family homes, and the show homes MUST also be fam- ily homes. The best way to not get a dog from us is to say you are looking to buy a “Special”—especially if you have bounced from breeder to breeder. That is not what we want for Team Cumbrian. Do I have any thoughts I’d like to share about the sport of dogs in general? It is a competitive sport. There will be winners and there will be losers. Do both with grace, and remember that you are con- tributing as a breeder to your breed and it should be a positive con- tribution; you are bringing your breed forward and safekeeping it for the future. You should not be doing this just to win a ribbon. For a bit of fun, what’s the most amusing experience I’ve ever experienced with a Sporting Dog? I bought my first show Pointer in 1982 from Henri Tuthill. The puppy was $300.00. However, when I went to pay for her, I only had $299.00. For the last 30-plus years I have heard Henri remind me that I still owe him a dollar! LORI WHORFF
Which show dogs from the past have been my noteworthy win- ners? Our best so far is Group-Winning, Multiple Group-Placing BIS O/H GCHS CH Camellia Love is Here to Stay. Which have been my most influential sires and dams? In 2011, I imported a bitch from Italy that had some old American lines and some European lines. My goal was to improve the front assembly; I was looking for proper shoulder layback, forechest, and length of upper arm. I was blessed to get a puppy from Barbara Gruzzi, Latin Lover Kennel. The pups in the litter that I got “Bettina” (GCH CH Latin Lover Night and Day) from all had proper fronts, and I was excited to start over with this foundation. Once I had that front assembly, I began to work on type, incorporating lines from Honeygait and Reidwood. Can I talk about my facilities? Where are my puppies whelped? How are they raised? We raise our pups in our home, and have a large backyard with dog paddocks for running, playing, and chas- ing doves and squirrels. Our pups are whelped in our large laundry room that is just off the kitchen. It has a sink and counter, and enough room for the box and my cot! We utilize the Puppy Cul- ture socialization program. They are raised in our home with lots of playtime outside. What is my “process” for selecting show puppies? At what age do I make my decision? We grade our puppies at eight weeks of age, looking for balance, angles, topline, and type. I have other breeders over to look at the pups as well. How do I prepare my pups for the show ring? I take them to Tractor Supply, Lowe’s, indoor and outdoor handling classes, and I get them used to other people and to riding in the car. Are Performance and Companion titles important to me as a breeder? This is something that I would like to pursue myself. I do have several puppies in homes where several different titles have been earned, and yes, this makes us just as proud as any conformation title. In my opinion, is my breed in good condition overall? Any trends that warrant concern? I think our breed is in good shape overall. However, I am seeing too many straight shoulders in the ring, and also croup and tail issues. I like to see good heads; our standard gives a good description of the head, and as breeders, we should keep this in mind. Do I feel that my breed has a promising future as a family com- panion? English Setters are wonderful family companions. Do I have any thoughts I’d like to share about the sport of dogs in general? I think that we, as a sport, need to find a way to share our passion and knowledge of dogs and breeds... and why it’s important. The rescue group has a much bigger voice, so we need to share more about purebred dogs. When there is a local dog show, I have started inviting folks to attend through Facebook. I get the word out and invite them to come meet my dogs and see other breeds. It’s been a really great way to get more people to experience the wonderful world of purebred dogs. For a bit of fun, what’s the most amusing experience I’ve ever experienced with a Sporting Dog? I was showing one of my puppies, her first time in the ring, and on the down and back she stopped and perfectly pointed a butterfly.
Where do I live? How many years in dogs? How many years as a breeder? I live in East Texas and I’ve been in Eng- lish Setters for about 22 years. Grow- ing up, my parents raised field Golden Retrievers. I’ve been around dogs all of my life and bred my first litter of English Setters in 2011. What is my kennel name? How many dogs do I currently keep? My kennel name is Camellia English Setters. Usu- ally, we have 6-8 dogs.
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JANUARY 2022 | 277
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