Finishers

[Officially Retired]

Jack,
First of all, Thanks for creating the Forum....It was about time we have a serious forum to discuss serious topics about our dogs.
Congratulations you are doing a good job.

You're welcome, and thank you too for the participation and perspective.

Jack,
I guess we both share valid points using different approach to the same situation. We had 2 examples of what you are describing;
This is for historical purposes only!!!

Indeed!

Jack,
Gr Ch Yellow Buck - His second time out at release your dogs went to the back and broke a main line and at 7 min it was over right then and there in the square. Only one hold.
Ch. Jesse James Rodz - At release your dogs they met in the middle trying to get position at 8 minutes Jesse James went underneath got a hold of chest push up one hold and at 18 min it was over.
Now, Did they ever did it again? No. This is very difficult almost impossible to accomplish.
Did I consider them to be finishers? Yes, but not because of those 2 incidents but because in other situations when in a long race with a real tough opponent at one point they just stand up and finish the race with one final decisive hold.

Thank you for sharing your experiences with two great dogs who possessed this trait. This illustrates the point that not every finisher (even at the highest level) will be able to "finish early" (or even at all) because the other factior in the equation is the quality of opposition. Just as a KO artist in boxing can easily smoke lesser foes, when he moves up in class he will not be able to hit truly skilled fighters as often (or as cleanly) as he can hit lesser men. And so it is in dogs.

Even a stone cold finisher who blows through lesser foes, if he gets on another great dog, is simply not going to be able to have his way like he did with something not at his level. And here is where the other important aspect (what I call extreme gameness and what you call true finish) comes into play, which is the will to keep after it as long as they have to. The fact that both of your great dogs were extended the distance, and finally finished when they had the opportunity, doesn't mean they weren't finishers, far from it. It only means that their opponents were very high-caliber dogs also, that were just too good to be blown through. (Even Tornado and Melonhead had to go 2 hours when they met the right dogs.) So, very good point, even a brutal finisher is going to have to go the distance if he meets something else good enough.

Jack,
Would I love to have a dog that can finish races with one hold? Of course, I will brake my piggy bank to get it.
Would I probably end up with a dangerous cur like you say? Most likely.
So Choose Wisely........

Agreed!

Finish is a trait I am very much hoping to cultivate, but I would never choose this trait "instead" of World Class Staying Power ... I am merely trying to add this trait of consistent finish to the staying power my dogs are known for.

Cheers,

Jack

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