Grooming a dog with a curly or a wavy coat is not as simple as grooming one that has a short and smooth coat. For example, take the the water breeds. They are sporting dogs with extremely harsh curly coats. Because these dogs typically spend a lot of time out in the field, retrieving items from water, flushing upland game, and serving as all-purpose hunting companions, their coats should be kept short and neat. If not then their long and straggly curls will latch onto every stray; twigs, burr, pieces of debris, etc.

Read the rest of this entry »

For those of you who aren’t too familiar with the term “field trials,” it is a sport in which the sporting dog competes under hunting conditions. The dog can pick up the scent of a rabbit or small animal and follow the trail until he’s found it. There is also the bird trials where the animal retrieves a fallen bird. During competition, the different breeds are divided into various groups. The following groups are: Pointing Dog Trials, Retriever Trials, Spaniel Trials, Beagle Trials & Hound Trials. The following guidelines are an example of what is expected before entering your sporting dog.

Read the rest of this entry »