I was asked recently about my opinion on a dog’s eye color. The inquirer felt if a Labrador had light-colored eyes, it was more prone to be skittish and wild.
It was something I had never even considered. I have always preferred a Labrador with darker pigment around their eyes and on their noses. It is more common to see yellows with the lighter pigment, and as I only have blacks at the moment it is not an issue.
Despite sharing the same dam, Briar has slightly lighter eyes than my other dogs. Her drive is undoubtedly flawless and, considering the speed and enthusiasm with which she approaches every task, you could say she is ‘wild’. However, she is unbelievably gentle with my children, very biddable and happily switches off at night time. So I am not convinced her eye color has made much difference. Her temperament is very similar to her mother and two half-siblings. I feel that perhaps her breeding and environment have had more effect than her eye color.
This made me think of one of the biggest debates in working gundogs: does one color work better than another? There is the age-old argument about the abilities of the chocolate Labrador. But cocker spaniels have their own color query.
A couple of years ago a woman came training with a beautiful red cocker bitch. The spaniel had aggressive tendencies that certainly stemmed from insecurities rather than straight-up aggression — a common find in ‘aggressive’ dogs.
‘Cocker rage’
The owner asked if I felt she could be suffering from ‘cocker rage syndrome’. It was the first I had heard of it and, after thorough research, felt it was not the case for this dog.
Bu hikaye Shooting Times & Country dergisinin October 9, 2019 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Shooting Times & Country dergisinin October 9, 2019 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
United we stand
Following United Utilities' decision to end grouse shooting on its land, Lindsay Waddell asks what will happen if we ignore our vital moors
Serious matters
An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning
They're not always as easy as they seem
While coneys of the furry variety don't pose a problem for Blue Zulu, he's left frustrated once again by bolting bunnies of the clay sort
Debutant gundogs
There's lots to think about when it comes to making the decision about when to introduce your dog to shooting
When the going gets rough
Al Gabriel returns to the West London Shooting School to brush up on his rough shooting technique
The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition
In this excerpt from the 60th anniversary edition of the BDS's Field Guide To British Deer, Charles Smith-Jones considers the noise they make
A step too far?
Simon Garnham wonders whether a new dog, a new gun and two different fields in need of protection might have been asking too much for one afternoon's work
Two bucks before breakfast
A journey from old South London to rural Hertfordshire to stalk muntjac suggests that the two aren't as far detached as they might seem
Stalking Diary
Stalkers can be a sentimental bunch, and they often carry a huge attachment to their hill
Gamekeeper
Alan Edwards believes unique, private experiences can help keepers become more competent and passionate custodians of the countryside