The great breeder of the Elhew strain of pointers, the late Robert Wehle, had a pet saying for the breeder's task.  When selecting bloodstock, he believed, one must be looking for dogs who have "...all the 'coons up the same tree" - that is, individuals with as many of the most important gun dog traits as possible. 

In his classic book WING AND SHOT, Mr. Wehle included a score sheet he had created over the years as a means of  rating the characteristics of individual dogs against his ideal standard.  It's fascinating to see how this most accomplished breeder, trainer, field trialer, and progressive thinker weighted various traits, how, in his view, form and function - the aesthetic and the performance - meshed into the sort of dogs he thought would carry on his Elhew vision.

Mr. Wehle acknowledged the quixotic nature of such a list.  "It is next to impossible," he wrote, "to put on paper the physical qualities that might make up the perfect pointer, just as it would be impossible to  describe the physical structure of a beautiful face.  We think we might know in a general way what physical qualities contribute toward the amount of endurance a dog has, but I am not too sure we are right.  We think we know what makes a dog smooth gaited, but I am inclined to think there is much more to it than can be simply stated."  In breeding superior gun dogs, there are places where science and alchemy meet that impossible to quantify.  Still, Wehle writes, "We would be content to breed pointers that conform to it generally" (Wehle 1964 155-157).

We have drawn checklists of our own over the years, and it has been fun to compare them to the Elhew rubric.  We were drawn particularly to the final two categories Mr. Wehle labeled "Hunting Instincts" and "Character Traits."  Under "Hunting Instincts," he listed pointing style, scenting ability, staunchness, rigid tail, speed, hunting desire, bird sense, endurance, biddability.  "Character Traits" included intelligence, determination or range, early maturity, compatability, independence, lack of nervousness, response, desire to please, stability, courage, affection.  The first category requires discerning experience, the second, discriminating taste, intuition and uncompromising powers of observation.  All are critical in assembling a breeding totem that consistently produces Real Bird Dogs.

Tracing a finger down the right-hand column of the Elhew checklist, it is hard not to be wistful thinking of Bull, Toby, and Bleu, our foundation blood.  Solid conformation. Charismatic intelligence.  Stirringly beautiful.  Independent.  Biddable.  Brave in our rugged mountain coverts.  Affectionate.  Fast.  Resilient.  

It's equally hard not to be excited holding that same measurement against Parker, Dixie, Sis, Mia, Laurel, and Bella.  Those are some sturdy, elegant trees chock full o' 'coons.  So far they are bearing puppy fruit, companion Llewellin gun dogs that again and again score well against Mr. Wehle's standard.

Wehle, Robert C. Wing and Shot. Country Press, 1964.