Bad Habits

[S_B]

Ok Jack, now we agree on this, but my decision to not perpetuate a yard full of hole digging, house chewing chain fighters still stands.

I just simply stead clear of lines with those traits, no matter how great they may be. And I never said one wouldn't be allowed to mature before culling. And also as you stated, culling can also mean removing from your yard by selling that problem child to someone else, who doesn't mind keeping a dog like that.

Just like I stay away from lines of turning dogs, cold dogs and those killer "hard mouthed" dogs.


S_B

[Officially Retired]

Ok Jack, now we agree on this, but my decision to not perpetuate a yard full of hole digging, house chewing chain fighters still stands.

Okay, your yard, your decisions have to stand

I just simply stead clear of lines with those traits, no matter how great they may be.

Mmm, that's what I have a problem with. Of course, again, your yard; your rules.
But when you steer away from a great dog, and aim your breedings toward "easy-keepers," you are no longer breeding based on performance but on some other criteria

That reminds me or Robert T Jr's owner ... he never bred to Robert T because he had "mangy feet" and didn't want pups with "mangy feet" ...
Yet in the same breath he said he would sell all 5 of his properties to get Robert T Jr (and another dog named Leroy) back ... because he could win all of that back, and more, with those two animals.

So I asked him why he didn't breed to Robert T and the above was the answer
It made no sense to me!
Here this old man would gladly sell 5 properties to get THE DOG Robert T Jr. back (mangy feet and all) ... and yet he didn't possess the sense to LINEBREED on Robert T to capture and harness his exceptional head-fighting genetics ... which it was clear he had, not just based on his own awesome record, but his sire (the Original Robert T) was the greatest head dog of all time!

Honestly, makes no freakin sense to me. Dude wanted "that ability" ... and yet he did not *hang onto* that ability by BREEDING FOR IT.
Okay, mangy feet is not something anyone wants, but I would gladly overlook mangy feet (or upgrade my feeding practices to prevent it) to HANG ONTO extra-ordinary pit ability.
This guy's belief system was WHY he always had to BUY his best dogs, and never was able to BREED them himself: he was not selecting for greatness, but for something that had nothing to do with greatness.

And I am making the exact same statement here: if you breed *away* from a truly superior animal ... over "yard habits" ... then you're no longer breeding for performance IMO.
Sure, get rid of an average palooka, if he digs or chain-fights, but if the dog is a great dog, only a person doomed to mediocrity will get rid of an ace over his yard habits.

And I never said one wouldn't be allowed to mature before culling. And also as you stated, culling can also mean removing from your yard by selling that problem child to someone else, who doesn't mind keeping a dog like that.

Agreed.

Just like I stay away from lines of turning dogs, cold dogs and those killer "hard mouthed" dogs.
S_B

Staying away from turning or cold dogs is not the same thing. Not by a longshot. Turning is very often the sign of shit in the tank, and cold is useless.
I would possibly try breeding to a cold dog (if it was truly cold and not a rank cur, and by truly cold I mean a dog that wags its tail to a killing, not one who's screaming and afraid of it), but I can't stand the sight of a turn and would never breed to a turning dog either. No way.

Hard mouth is a good trait, and as long as everything else was there, is an asset IMO.

In short, I try to breed for WINNING TRAITS not "chain habits" or anything else that has nothing to do with winning.

Jack

[CrazyRed]

That reminds me or Robert T Jr's owner ... he never bred to Robert T because he had "mangy feet" and didn't want pups with "mangy feet" ...
Yet in the same breath he said he would sell all 5 of his properties to get Robert T Jr (and another dog named Leroy) back ... because he could win all of that back, and more, with those two animals.

So I asked him why he didn't breed to Robert T and the above was the answer
It made no sense to me!
Here this old man would gladly sell 5 properties to get THE DOG Robert T Jr. back (mangy feet and all) ... and yet he didn't possess the sense to LINEBREED on Robert T to capture and harness his exceptional head-fighting genetics ... which it was clear he had, not just based on his own awesome record, but his sire (the Original Robert T) was the greatest head dog of all time!

Honestly, makes no freakin sense to me. Dude wanted "that ability" ... and yet he did not *hang onto* that ability by BREEDING FOR IT.
Okay, mangy feet is not something anyone wants, but I would gladly overlook mangy feet (or upgrade my feeding practices to prevent it) to HANG ONTO extra-ordinary pit ability.
This guy's belief system was WHY he always had to BUY his best dogs, and never was able to BREED them himself: he was not selecting for greatness, but for something that had nothing to do with greatness.


Jack

I know the gentleman was a private individual and kept what he bred and used what he bred, and for the life of me I never knew or understood why Robert T didn't have at least 100 offspring, hell I wonder still, why wasn't Tornado, her mother her offspring and more not bred to Robert T or T Jr... Man what a helluva accomplishment that father & son combo had...

[Officially Retired]

I know the gentleman was a private individual and kept what he bred and used what he bred, and for the life of me I never knew or understood why Robert T didn't have at least 100 offspring, hell I wonder still, why wasn't Tornado, her mother her offspring and more not bred to Robert T or T Jr... Man what a helluva accomplishment that father & son combo had...

Yeah, neither of them was really a breeder, especially The Old Man.

I believe K.A. actually did breed both Tornado and the original Robert T. Maybe even T. Jr. too.
I know Allen bought the Carver's Bob Tail dog who sired him.

Oh, and I wouldn't call The Old Man a gentleman

But, yeah, at one time The Old Man had the original Robert T, Tornado, and Robert T Jr. on his yard ... musta been a good feeling to look out there and see that ... 23 wins (and no telling how much $$ won) between 3 dogs

Jack

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