1 00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:05,440 Speaker 1: Hey, everyone, Welcome to the Foundation's podcast. I'm your host, 2 00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:07,880 Speaker 1: Tony Peterson, and today's episode is all about how we 3 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:10,479 Speaker 1: think about our dogs and our dog breeds and why 4 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:19,000 Speaker 1: that can get us into trouble. Look, humans are goofy 5 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:22,840 Speaker 1: in a lot of ways. For example, my Instagram feed 6 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: is full of a few things. Fish just clabbering topwater 7 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 1: lures all over the world, dogs while doing dog stuff, 8 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:34,479 Speaker 1: which should come as no surprise to anyone, And a 9 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:36,760 Speaker 1: hell of a lot of people getting injured while attempting 10 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:40,639 Speaker 1: to rope, swing over lakes, or parkour on small ledges, 11 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:44,159 Speaker 1: drive vehicles over and through objects that won't allow a 12 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 1: whole lot of safe passage. Now, as a group, we 13 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:51,479 Speaker 1: have those kinds of people and the individuals like myself 14 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:54,000 Speaker 1: and I hope you who would never attempt most of 15 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 1: those things, even if we could get a lot of 16 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:58,880 Speaker 1: social media clout for it. While this might seem like 17 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:02,040 Speaker 1: it has nothing to do with it does and that's 18 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:10,480 Speaker 1: what I'm going to talk about right now. If you 19 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:12,920 Speaker 1: could hop into the wayback machine and program it to 20 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 1: take you to May eighteenth to twenty twelve, you would 21 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:19,240 Speaker 1: have a chance to buy stock in Facebook, which ipo'd 22 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 1: on that date for just thirty eight bucks a share, 23 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:25,040 Speaker 1: you could have gotten in on the ground floor. Now, 24 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:27,399 Speaker 1: while it did eventually sink to eighteen bucks a share 25 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:30,240 Speaker 1: for a while, it didn't stay there very long, and 26 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 1: Zuck and crew have done a pretty good job of 27 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:36,960 Speaker 1: building a giant company that nearly prints money. Today those 28 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 1: shares would be worth just shy of eight hundred bucks, 29 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:41,399 Speaker 1: which means if you had dumped just a grand in 30 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:44,360 Speaker 1: on that IPO date, you'd be sitting on twenty thousand 31 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 1: dollars today in meta, which is what Facebook turned into 32 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 1: a few years back. Not a bad return, And how 33 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 1: did they do it? Well? They figured out how to 34 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 1: get anyone and everyone to sign up for their own 35 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 1: personal page to show off their latest meals and wish 36 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 1: happy birthday to Grammar. Then they expanded. They started selling 37 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 1: ads to us, since we are the audience and there 38 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 1: was a hell of a lot of us. Over time, 39 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: along the way, they bought a few other companies, including Instagram. Now, 40 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 1: the real secret to the sauce was realizing what kind 41 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:21,639 Speaker 1: of content kept us engaged in angry, Because the more 42 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 1: time we spend on their platforms, the more ads they 43 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:27,399 Speaker 1: can show us, and the more attention to platforms get 44 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 1: from the general public and the media, the more the 45 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:33,760 Speaker 1: sites can grow. While it's not all negative, social media 46 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:37,360 Speaker 1: thrives off of our tribalism. We love to think of 47 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 1: ourselves as individuals while thinking of people who we don't 48 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 1: really know or who we disagree with, as one lump 49 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:46,400 Speaker 1: sum of two legged pond scum who would probably take 50 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:48,920 Speaker 1: a dump in our bowllet cheerios if we weren't paying attention. 51 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:53,600 Speaker 1: It's literally coded in our genes to be social and 52 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: to crave belonging in small groups. It's how we got 53 00:02:56,919 --> 00:02:59,680 Speaker 1: to where we are today, because being alone throughout much 54 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:02,639 Speaker 1: of his was as close to a death sentence as 55 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 1: it would be to jump into the nile at midnight 56 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 1: to wrestle some crocodiles just for fun. That tribalism is 57 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:13,120 Speaker 1: on display all over and it sucks, even if it 58 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:15,960 Speaker 1: is a part of us now. It allows us to 59 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:20,240 Speaker 1: be comfortable with ourselves while feeling superior to others while 60 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: they are being comfortable with themselves and feeling superior to us. 61 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 1: We can't help ourselves, and we do this when it 62 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:30,000 Speaker 1: comes to dogs too. Now. I've written about breed loyalty 63 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:34,079 Speaker 1: a lot, and I think it's important to understand there 64 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 1: is comfort in sticking with golden retrievers our whole lives, 65 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 1: just like there's comfort in fishing the same lake your 66 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 1: family has had a cabin on since nineteen oh seven. 67 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:47,120 Speaker 1: After all, why mess with a good thing. Breed loyalty 68 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 1: is partially about the breed, but also about allowing ourselves 69 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:53,280 Speaker 1: to feel like we belong to a group. The more 70 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 1: popular a breed is, the less profoundnesses a lot of times, 71 00:03:56,480 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 1: but not always. And if you're into a I don't know, 72 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 1: a newer type of breed, or at least one this 73 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 1: new to yer region or whatever, there can be a 74 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 1: lot of personal identity tied into that type of dog 75 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 1: we choose, and you can get extra super bonus points 76 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:13,760 Speaker 1: in this category if your chosen breed is truly rare. 77 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 1: That allows us to feel special. And that's a nice, 78 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:19,520 Speaker 1: warm blanket that we can pull up to our chins 79 00:04:19,520 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 1: every night before we drift off to sleep. We know 80 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 1: something the others don't that our breed is awesome and 81 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:30,039 Speaker 1: the best, and there sucks a whole lot. But beyond this, 82 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:33,039 Speaker 1: there is a thing that happens to us with dogs 83 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 1: that can get us into trouble in a variety of ways. 84 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 1: It involves thinking about our dogs as total individuals, while 85 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:45,320 Speaker 1: also not quite understanding or acknowledging general traits and issues 86 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 1: with specific breeds. I'll give you an easy one here, 87 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:52,719 Speaker 1: Golden Retrievers and biting people. The thing about this is 88 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:55,560 Speaker 1: we think about dog attacks and the usual suspects here. 89 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:58,800 Speaker 1: If you want to feel better than someone, just talk 90 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:01,680 Speaker 1: to a pitbull owner who will inevitably tell you how 91 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 1: loving and caring and gentle their dog is. And their 92 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:07,920 Speaker 1: dog might be, or it might just flip its bobber 93 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 1: and attack in a way that could kill someone. Now, 94 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 1: Golden Retrievers aren't overly likely to kill someone, but they 95 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:17,039 Speaker 1: are more likely to bite people than a lot of 96 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:20,839 Speaker 1: folks care to admit. That doesn't mean anyone should shy 97 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 1: away from the breed, but instead should consider that while 98 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:27,320 Speaker 1: they are known for being goofy, lovable dogs, they also 99 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:31,200 Speaker 1: aren't immune to aggression. The worst case of a bite 100 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 1: in my circle of friends who all have dogs happened 101 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 1: when my buddy's son woke up their old female Golden 102 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 1: retriever and she instantly snapped at him. He got a 103 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 1: bunch of stitches in his face from a dog that 104 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 1: I'd have bet real good money would go its whole 105 00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:51,839 Speaker 1: career without injuring anyone. It can happen, and it highlights 106 00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 1: the difference between what we think about dogs in general 107 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 1: and what they can be as individuals. Another way to 108 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:02,119 Speaker 1: look at this is the dangerous ground we get into 109 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 1: when we want a certain breed for whatever reasons and 110 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:09,440 Speaker 1: we try to plug them into an unfair situation. Now, 111 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:11,920 Speaker 1: in the hunting community and just the general dog loving 112 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 1: community as a whole, we love dogs that aren't bred 113 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:18,160 Speaker 1: or normally used for a certain job, but then take 114 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:21,400 Speaker 1: to the role and shine brightly. In our world. You 115 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:24,480 Speaker 1: might see a little Jack Russell terrier who retrieves ducks 116 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:27,600 Speaker 1: all day, or someone else who decided a German short 117 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:30,920 Speaker 1: hair is just right for the duck blind. Sure, there 118 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:34,000 Speaker 1: are individual dogs that you can color pretty far outside 119 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:37,240 Speaker 1: the lines with, but in general, buying a German short 120 00:06:37,279 --> 00:06:38,520 Speaker 1: hair and trying to get it to be a really 121 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 1: good duck dog doesn't make a lot of sense. This 122 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:45,000 Speaker 1: general sentiment has turned a lot of potentially good bird 123 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:49,480 Speaker 1: dogs into mostly house dogs, and as per usual, it's 124 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:52,359 Speaker 1: not the dog's fault. This is also a little like 125 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:55,240 Speaker 1: something else we do with dogs sometimes, which is assume 126 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 1: they'll be one way because they are a certain breed. 127 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 1: An easy example here would be the problem I had 128 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:03,839 Speaker 1: with Sadie, my four year old lab, when she was 129 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:05,560 Speaker 1: a pup and I tried to get her into the water. 130 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 1: I had never encountered a lab that just had a 131 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 1: mental hard block on swimming, and it really never occurred 132 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:14,760 Speaker 1: to me that I would let alone, that I would 133 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 1: own one, and that she would give me anxiety for 134 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 1: a few months over this whole thing. Now. At one 135 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 1: point I even interviewed a trainer from South Dakota who 136 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 1: talked about this extensively, where he said that he runs 137 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 1: into a pheramountal labs that need a lot of coaxing 138 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 1: and a careful plan to get them introduced to water 139 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 1: in a way where they wouldn't be terrified. So think 140 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 1: about this situation and the potential for danger. We have 141 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:40,240 Speaker 1: this idea that labs are all water dogs, and for 142 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:43,200 Speaker 1: good reason, they've been bred to retrieve in the water. 143 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 1: They're literally built for it and generally are very good 144 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 1: at it. But that's an overarching belief about a whole 145 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:54,680 Speaker 1: breed and not an individual case by case thing. Where 146 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:57,200 Speaker 1: we get into trouble here is not that we might 147 00:07:57,240 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 1: have a dog that doesn't conform to the breed standard 148 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:02,680 Speaker 1: on some te ask, but that some level of hesitancy 149 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 1: on their part can cause a pretty quick level of 150 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:09,000 Speaker 1: frustration on ours. Dog training and dog ownership comes with 151 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 1: enough obstacles, so when we have to deal with something 152 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:14,640 Speaker 1: we just didn't expect, it can break bad in a hurry. 153 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 1: But we need to look at our dogs as individuals, 154 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 1: because they are and they are all quirky, and they 155 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:23,400 Speaker 1: all have their own things. Where this gets even trickier 156 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:25,960 Speaker 1: is that if you lean into this mindset too hard, 157 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:29,880 Speaker 1: the individual dog mindset mind you, you can give yourself 158 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 1: plenty of reasons to give up on your dog in 159 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:36,480 Speaker 1: a certain way or excuse away bad behavior. Think about 160 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:38,679 Speaker 1: this like you would with kids. If you have a 161 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:41,400 Speaker 1: kid in elementary school that won't behave and no one 162 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 1: makes an attempt to mold his behavior in a better 163 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 1: way because he comes from I don't know, a rough 164 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 1: home situation or seems to have some other confounding issues, 165 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:53,439 Speaker 1: then it's never going to get better. That behavior is 166 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 1: going to develop deep roots, and it won't do him 167 00:08:56,360 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 1: any favors as he grows up in the real world 168 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 1: and all of its obligations come to calling. If you 169 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:14,880 Speaker 1: have a bird dog that doesn't do something or is 170 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:18,559 Speaker 1: scared of something, and you give them a pass because 171 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:21,040 Speaker 1: you believe that's just how your specific dog is wired, 172 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:24,720 Speaker 1: you gotta be careful. This is where acknowledging what the 173 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:27,760 Speaker 1: breed is and is known for matters. When you think 174 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:30,280 Speaker 1: about a lab that is terrified of water at four months, 175 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:33,600 Speaker 1: for example, you have two things going on. You have 176 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:36,480 Speaker 1: an individual that isn't ready to take a swim yet, 177 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:40,319 Speaker 1: but it's also the kind of dog that is very 178 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:43,439 Speaker 1: likely to enjoy the water when that mental dam breaks open. 179 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:46,319 Speaker 1: Your job isn't to give him a pass on this 180 00:09:46,520 --> 00:09:48,840 Speaker 1: because he doesn't want to do it and it would 181 00:09:48,880 --> 00:09:51,400 Speaker 1: be easier than trying to figure it out. Your job 182 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:53,840 Speaker 1: is to facilitate the introduction however you need to, in 183 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:57,760 Speaker 1: order to remind your lab that he is a lab. 184 00:09:58,559 --> 00:10:01,520 Speaker 1: Let's look at this another way. Have you ever spent 185 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:04,240 Speaker 1: time with an English cocker or maybe a Springer Spaniel. 186 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:09,080 Speaker 1: They bounce around with curly ears, flopping like adorable lunatics, 187 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:12,520 Speaker 1: and generally seem to kind of be having a party 188 00:10:12,559 --> 00:10:15,520 Speaker 1: at all times. This is appealing as hell, because it 189 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:17,880 Speaker 1: is fun to have a dog show up for work 190 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 1: and be excited for literally everything you can do with them, 191 00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 1: but that can also wear you down some. That frenetic 192 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:27,200 Speaker 1: energy level is great for an all day pheasant or 193 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:30,040 Speaker 1: grouse hunt, but not so much for a day stuck 194 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 1: at home when it's storming outside. It can also lend 195 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:36,240 Speaker 1: itself to issues with recall and steadiness, because a dog 196 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:38,880 Speaker 1: that is built to go will fight you some when 197 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:40,880 Speaker 1: you tell them they can't go, especially if you do 198 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:43,440 Speaker 1: it in a situation where they're highly excited and really 199 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:46,560 Speaker 1: want to go. Now. You might think, I've never seen 200 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:48,840 Speaker 1: an English cocker that would slow down and truly listen, 201 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:52,080 Speaker 1: so you might assume that's beyond your dog's reach. That's 202 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:54,440 Speaker 1: using the general trade of a breed as an excuse 203 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:57,360 Speaker 1: to not train in good behaviors. Again, if you get 204 00:10:57,400 --> 00:11:00,440 Speaker 1: a dog that is wired pretty hot, you have to 205 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:02,720 Speaker 1: do extra work to get them to throttle down. But 206 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:05,440 Speaker 1: you can get them to throttle down, and you should try, 207 00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:08,880 Speaker 1: because getting a handle on a bird dog is MOOI importante. 208 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:11,440 Speaker 1: I guess an easier way to frame this up is 209 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:13,800 Speaker 1: to take a huge step back and think about working 210 00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:16,360 Speaker 1: dogs in general. I have a really good buddy who 211 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:18,760 Speaker 1: is a canine officer here in the Twin Cities who 212 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:21,840 Speaker 1: has a Belgian Malanoir that is, by all accounts a 213 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:26,000 Speaker 1: true fur missile. The dog's name is Gus and he 214 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:29,840 Speaker 1: has drive four days. He also has had the training 215 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:33,080 Speaker 1: to bring out his most Belgian Malanoa traits, and he 216 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:36,320 Speaker 1: is perfect for the job of taking down bad guys 217 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:39,200 Speaker 1: and then sniffing out all the illegal things they ditch 218 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 1: while trying to run away. I also know a woman 219 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:45,240 Speaker 1: who has a Belgian Malanoir that is the biggest chicken 220 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:48,640 Speaker 1: shit I've ever met in a dog. It's racked with 221 00:11:48,760 --> 00:11:51,360 Speaker 1: nervous energy and in some ways is one of the 222 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 1: most annoying dogs I've ever met because she can't not 223 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 1: be in constant contact with humans. I think you could 224 00:11:57,559 --> 00:11:59,840 Speaker 1: train that dog for a thousand years to do basically 225 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:03,000 Speaker 1: work and it would never quite get there. Now, if 226 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 1: you looked at the two, you wouldn't be able to 227 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 1: see a real difference. Esthetically, they represent the breed equally well, 228 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:13,120 Speaker 1: but internally they are as opposite as dogs could be. 229 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:16,959 Speaker 1: What does this mean for most of us, Well, if 230 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:18,720 Speaker 1: you go to get a new hunting dog and you 231 00:12:18,760 --> 00:12:20,960 Speaker 1: decide I'm going to get a German short hair because 232 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:23,640 Speaker 1: I don't know they are hunting dogs, I'd say, well, 233 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:26,160 Speaker 1: which one are you going to get? Which one are 234 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:29,560 Speaker 1: you talking about? Generally they are pretty solid when it 235 00:12:29,559 --> 00:12:32,280 Speaker 1: comes to taking to anything bird related because of the breed, 236 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:36,079 Speaker 1: But the individual is what matters. You might be able 237 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:38,400 Speaker 1: to get every GSP on the planet interested in a 238 00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 1: pile of feathers to some degree, but getting one that 239 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:42,840 Speaker 1: will hunt all day and point like it's set in 240 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:46,559 Speaker 1: stone is a different thing. So what's the takeaway here, 241 00:12:46,760 --> 00:12:50,439 Speaker 1: besides once again how important the best blood is. It's 242 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 1: that you have to acknowledge two things about your dog, 243 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:57,120 Speaker 1: especially when it comes to preseason training and then actual hunting, 244 00:12:57,160 --> 00:12:59,160 Speaker 1: which is what we're dealing with right now with our dogs. 245 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:02,520 Speaker 1: The first is that your dog is a specific breed, 246 00:13:02,840 --> 00:13:07,160 Speaker 1: which comes with specific traits and expectations and behavioral realities. 247 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:10,360 Speaker 1: The second is that your dog is also an individual, 248 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 1: which means it's gonna have some quirks, it's gonna have 249 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:14,840 Speaker 1: its own ideas and what to do for you, and 250 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:17,360 Speaker 1: its own set of internal drivers that you have to 251 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:20,040 Speaker 1: figure out as you go. What this means is that 252 00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:23,880 Speaker 1: if you're fighting something within your dog, maybe that's just 253 00:13:23,920 --> 00:13:27,120 Speaker 1: an off switch at home or whatever. Ask yourself what 254 00:13:27,160 --> 00:13:30,280 Speaker 1: you're dealing with. Is that GSP you own that won't 255 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:33,440 Speaker 1: throttle down at home a problem just because it's a 256 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:36,440 Speaker 1: GSP and they are generally high drive. That's a good 257 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:39,560 Speaker 1: excuse to you. But is it entirely true in your 258 00:13:39,559 --> 00:13:42,280 Speaker 1: specific scenario, or is it because your dog is a 259 00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:44,480 Speaker 1: well bred GSP and it gets one walk in the 260 00:13:44,520 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 1: morning and one walk in the afternoon. Because just walking 261 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:49,559 Speaker 1: with a dog like that will do almost nothing to 262 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:51,800 Speaker 1: take the edge off. That's a dog that needs to 263 00:13:51,880 --> 00:13:56,360 Speaker 1: run for real and work for real. How about your 264 00:13:56,480 --> 00:13:59,240 Speaker 1: lab that won't stop whining and barking every time you train. 265 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:02,560 Speaker 1: In this case, you might think that they aren't overly 266 00:14:02,679 --> 00:14:06,240 Speaker 1: known for being super vocal, but they certainly can be. 267 00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:08,920 Speaker 1: Maybe just got allowed one and that's what he is 268 00:14:08,920 --> 00:14:11,480 Speaker 1: as an individual, and there's nothing you can do about it, 269 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:15,679 Speaker 1: maybe short of a bark collar. Or once again, maybe 270 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:17,640 Speaker 1: he's just an individual dog that needs to get in 271 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:20,320 Speaker 1: more reps every day. Otherwise he's in a state of 272 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:23,720 Speaker 1: constant nervous excitement, which manifests itself in a bit of 273 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:26,040 Speaker 1: overload when he finally gets to do what he needs 274 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:29,840 Speaker 1: to do after being created all day. Maybe your dog 275 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:32,680 Speaker 1: will point or flush birds like a champion, but won't 276 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:35,440 Speaker 1: pick them up once you knock them down. Is that 277 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:37,960 Speaker 1: your dog's breed peeking through or is it up to 278 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:41,800 Speaker 1: the individual? Is that behavior that should be dismissed and 279 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:44,800 Speaker 1: just accepted as an individual quirk? Or is there something 280 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:47,240 Speaker 1: you did wrong training wise that caused him to never 281 00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:49,960 Speaker 1: really get the spark necessary to pick anything up, at 282 00:14:50,040 --> 00:14:52,440 Speaker 1: least anything with feathers and hold it until you can 283 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:54,920 Speaker 1: take it from him. What can you do about that? 284 00:14:55,800 --> 00:14:58,240 Speaker 1: I guess the final takeaway from this one is that 285 00:14:58,280 --> 00:15:00,960 Speaker 1: we choose our breeds for a specific reas. We like 286 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 1: their looks, we like their personalities, their hunting styles, their 287 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:07,480 Speaker 1: goofiness at home, whatever. We know that they generally have 288 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 1: the capability to do certain things really well, and that's 289 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:13,080 Speaker 1: maybe the biggest selling point. But we also know their 290 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:15,920 Speaker 1: individuals and when they don't do what we expect them to, 291 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:18,040 Speaker 1: we can go a lot of different ways with it, 292 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 1: but mostly we should acknowledge that they are probably capable 293 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:25,440 Speaker 1: of the tasks or behaviors that we want them to do, 294 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:28,320 Speaker 1: we just can't seem to get them there in that moment. 295 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:31,520 Speaker 1: This is where pro dog trainers tend to earn their 296 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:33,880 Speaker 1: money because they don't have a choice but to try 297 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:36,240 Speaker 1: to get the most out of every dog, regardless of 298 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:38,480 Speaker 1: blood or how they've been handled before showing up at 299 00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 1: their kennel. There is a dance here between the breed 300 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:45,760 Speaker 1: and the specific dog, and pro trainers will default to 301 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:48,120 Speaker 1: belief that the individual is capable of a hell of 302 00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:50,560 Speaker 1: a lot, and they'll lean in that direction with their 303 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:54,920 Speaker 1: knowledge of the breed riding shotgun in their brains. Amateur handlers, 304 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 1: of which we all are, often go the other way 305 00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:00,400 Speaker 1: and dismisbehaviors we know our dogs should be a to 306 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:03,160 Speaker 1: do or offer us because we don't know how to 307 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:05,920 Speaker 1: coax them out correctly. It's kind of like being a 308 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:08,680 Speaker 1: parent and deciding your child shouldn't do math because the 309 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:11,760 Speaker 1: first lessons on adding and subtracting just didn't stick in 310 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:15,120 Speaker 1: early elementary school. Sure, maybe you have a child that 311 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:17,680 Speaker 1: is more into words, but that's not a great excuse 312 00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:19,800 Speaker 1: to not work on the fundamentals of math at such 313 00:16:19,840 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 1: a formative age. We do this with our dogs throughout 314 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:25,440 Speaker 1: their lives, but it comes with a cost that might 315 00:16:25,480 --> 00:16:27,520 Speaker 1: not show up till a few years down the line. 316 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:31,160 Speaker 1: That's dangerous territory and it often stems from us not 317 00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:34,200 Speaker 1: quite understanding what our dogs really are and what they 318 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:37,960 Speaker 1: can be with the right guidance. So think about that, 319 00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:42,200 Speaker 1: you know, this fall, this preseason. You know, maybe as 320 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: you're heading out to hunt the first doves or ducks 321 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:48,280 Speaker 1: or grouse or whatever in the early season, think about 322 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:51,000 Speaker 1: that about your dog, think about your training style with them, 323 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:52,880 Speaker 1: and if you do get out there for some early 324 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:58,240 Speaker 1: season bird hunting, good luck and stay safe. That's it 325 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:00,200 Speaker 1: for this week. I'm Tony Peterson in this This has 326 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:04,240 Speaker 1: been the Houndation's podcast. As always, thank you so much 327 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:06,360 Speaker 1: for showing up and for listening. Cal and I here 328 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:10,240 Speaker 1: really appreciate it. How the whole Mediator crew does. If 329 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:12,840 Speaker 1: you need some more hunting content, or maybe just need 330 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:15,520 Speaker 1: something to entertain yourself, you can head to the mediater 331 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:20,719 Speaker 1: dot com. We have new articles, tons of stories of 332 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:23,680 Speaker 1: news happening in the outdoor world. We have some great 333 00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:29,399 Speaker 1: writers covering like really relevant events. We have new films 334 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 1: dropping all the time. The whole crew is putting out 335 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:34,560 Speaker 1: tons of content, and of course we have a lot 336 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:37,520 Speaker 1: of other podcasts. I know you know about the Mediater podcast, 337 00:17:38,040 --> 00:17:40,640 Speaker 1: but have you ever listened to Brent Reeves This Country 338 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:44,199 Speaker 1: Life and just heard his voice That guy was meant 339 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:47,240 Speaker 1: to do that. Go give it a listen, Go check 340 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:49,520 Speaker 1: out the mediater dot com and thank you once again, 341 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:00,760 Speaker 1: how Man