The more experienced/intelligent the dogman, the less he's looking for "only one" solution ... and the less of a big hurry he's in to see everything out of his prospect ... before his balls have distended ... or before his bitch has even come in heat ... and the more content he is to just let his dogs mature at their own pace.


Well said. I like dogs that get better each time as they start and begin schooling. I am not overly excited about the fast starter nor am I disappointed with the one who needs more time. One of the mistakes a lot of new guys make is understanding that schooling is not a competition. There are lots of guys out there with dogs who win the rolls, or they put older dogs on young dogs so they (the man) can be the winner. Lots of potentially good dogs are ruined this way. The guy who is 'winning' the rolls very seldom make it to the show. The entire premise of schooling is to learn, not win. Part of schooling is being schooled and that means being on the short end of the stick. Working from the short end of the stick is the only way to see what you really have.
As far as starting I really like the dog who 'starts' at the bottom and works his way to the top not only in the little picture but the big picture as well. EWO