Certainly any time a breeder has the privilege of training a young dog from his kennel, there is an incredible chance to "check his work."  We get regular - and reliable - reports from those living with and hunting our dogs, but to have a chance to work one ourselves is a tremendous opportunity.

Meet Annie, a daughter of Parker out of Dixie, a repeat mating that continues to produce early-developing, hard going gun dogs that are proving out, litter upon litter.  We thought you might like to read excerpts from Eric's training correspondence as he helps Annie fledge into her life's work.

First impression, 10/9:  "Little Annie is nice. Been walking her, doing some whoa and here but not like an older dog. Very loving, very personable. I remember as a puppy Annie pointed early on a wing too."

Training a puppy Eric has bred himself gives him the advantage of perspective.  Dixie has not only produced some excellent gun dogs, but she herself has been a fine grouse and woodcock stager.  Eric writes this, 10/26:  "Annie is going to be tough. Already tenacious, hard headed like her mama. I took four pigeons out for some stop to flush work. A predator! Oh boy! Toughest mindset at 5 months I ever saw on a Setter."

Four days later comes a photo of a small setter, so intense one could almost see her quivering in the still photo.  The journey truly has begun:  "Her first point of any kind."

Moving into November, judicious bird work continues, mixed with obedience training.  Eric is using pigeons in radio released traps he can flush when Annie breaks point.

11/2  "Points with real intensity but jumps in after a few seconds. Wired tight. She’s pretty!"

11/4   "Pted 2 more but after a bit she rushed in. Good nose. Pint size dynamite."

On the 8th of November, Eric comes in from a training session that's been two steps forward, three back, recording just this terse sentence:    "Annie is trying my patience."

Two days later, she is back on the beam. Along with photos of a high, tight point and a slack check cord, Eric, the master of the understatement writes,   "Annie did very good today."  

Gun introduction is woven into the bird work.  By 11/12, Eric is bullish again on the pup's progress.  "Annie is really coming along. Fast snappy and very intense. Dixie is driven that same way. Shot over her today."

 With young dogs, Eric is careful to keep session short and varied to maintain interest: 11/14    "Worked on commands and birds this week, alternating days. Shot over her. Really doing well. We will see. Very good nose."

Just past the middle of November, 11/17, Eric takes stock of educating Annie.  "I have been easier on Annie at start, then progressively more stern as her fires light. Not showing her birds every day, never train on Sunday. Always on checkcard in bird field. Carried birds in bag when using launchers. Did that 4 times maybe 5. If she moved I put her back on point and flew a bird from the bag.  I whoa Annie every pt as I have done all my life. Half dozen days of 2 to 3 encounters on pigeons after that, no more. 8 separate days and she has held until flush last two sessions (2birds each). We will see."

But Eric has already seen what he was hoping to see, for he writes then the highest compliment he can give a Appalachian gun dog prospect, this from a man who remembers a young Awbonnie's Bull, a younger Eric Jacobs:  "Annie could be a young Grouse Hunters dog, bit in the teeth , on the edge."

As another long-ago friend said about a prospect, "I reckon she'll make a bird dog."