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Mentors

Discussion in 'Dog Discussion' started by O.S.O. NAS, Jun 9, 2016.

  1. O.S.O. NAS

    O.S.O. NAS Big Dog

    who would you say was your biggest influence , mentor of you will.
     
    Holliday likes this.
  2. treezpitz

    treezpitz CH Dog Staff Member

    Why don't you kick it off?
     
  3. O.S.O. NAS

    O.S.O. NAS Big Dog

    Well dang Hmmm Paul Sofiakis Id say was a Big Impact.
     
  4. treezpitz

    treezpitz CH Dog Staff Member

    Not many or probably none here would know him and he surely wasn't and didn't want to be famous but he was the only person who I could call a mentor. He was the one who introduced me to bulldogs. Sadly he had to go off on a vacation for quite a few years and we lost contact. I do know that he no longer has dogs so I don't mind stating his first name. It was my good buddy, Carlton.
     
  5. AGK

    AGK Super duper pooper scooper Administrator

    I'd say BBD was a big influence to me over the years when I was just starting out. Put me on top of some fine animals to start me out, helped me along when I needed it on quite a few occasions with breeding and care. Wardog has probably been a bigger mentor type over the years though, especially in the working end of the dogs. Mostly I learned on my own thru trial and error but have had several folks help me out along the way when i needed it.
     
  6. Thunder98

    Thunder98 Big Dog

    My brother and best friend always had them....they talked so much about them, I had to find out.
    Didn't know they'd grow on me. Once I got my own, they always steered me right, even when I was hard headed. Till this day they will correct me, as if the dogs belong to them...its fine tho I can handle being corrected. At the same time as AGK said, through trial and era, and alot of research I've been able to at least house and care for them properly.....after all they would be like if you can't house and care for your charge...y bother.
     
    O.S.O. NAS likes this.
  7. stinkrock

    stinkrock Top Dog

    Mr. B.B.
     
  8. slim12

    slim12 Super Moderator Staff Member

    Had two. The first was my best friend's dad while growing up. I can remember the dogs as early as 9 years old. At 10 or so we walked dogs in the evenings. I guess he 'poisoned' my mind at an early age. I had my first one around 14-15. By the time I left for the service at 17 I had six or so. I gave them all back.

    The second was turned on by the same guy. Thru the 80's into the 90's he was as good as it was at shaping dogs. He used a carpet mill and hand walking. He could read a dog as well as any. Every keep back then was like going to college. I asked and he answered.

    He was never a breeder and never saw the point in brood dogs. They were either match dogs or culls. Mr. James Edwards (RIP) placed dogs with him and kept him in a supply of dogs. If they were game but not match quality Mr. Edwards took them back. Coming along I thought that was how it was done, you either matched dogs or bred dogs.

    Just the other night he was talking about not breeding a bunch of those dogs from back then. He laughs about how the man matching dogs can never be famous but the guy that breeds and sells the dogs are the biggest part of the history of the dogs. I missed out a lot by seeing only one side of the game for a long time and had a few dogs from back in the day I wish I had bred.

    His biggest help was I did not have to make the mistakes most all people new to the game make. I did not spend a lot of money on the next thing going. He took me straight to the sources. He did not allow me to ruin good dogs early on. He let me grow up, "know it all", and then ruin one. That was a hard lesson in itself.

    I was going into a camp and I had already seen them in a weight pull. I worked the shit out of my dog. He told me to let up on him and he needed some rest. The mistake I made was I tailored the keep to out do another dog vs. tailoring the keep to fit my dog and get him to his personal best. The dog ran hot early, could not recover, and it ended ugly. I blamed every thing from the carpet mill, to the B-12, to the work, to the dog, everything. When we pulled in the yard that night I gave him all the excuses. He called me a dumbass and asked who did all those things to that dog? I said me, and he called me a dumbass again and walked in the house. Hard lesson to learn.

    Basically I was living in a library but refused to read the books. Lesson learned.

    S
     
    oldguy, Holliday, corvettedex and 4 others like this.
  9. D.Dogg

    D.Dogg Big Dog

    Owner of the Ch Missy dog and half owner/conditioner of GR CH Shotsie. I learned a lot from him.
     
    promoe likes this.
  10. TROTLINE

    TROTLINE Top Dog

    There is no way I could limit this to one or even two! I would say my first and old friend would be Bobby Corn taught me a lot about feeding well bred pups and my first solid gyp! Chicken Sam on conditioning in the swim tank and really how well you can put one in shape with just adding A little hand walking and some mill! Jim S. on nutrition and exactly what can be done on A rub table with some pointers! Bobby Hall on line breeding and most of all handling developing A bond and always letting your charge know your there!! Robt.. Lemm on building and shaping that was A huge step there I wanted one of his mills so bad, but couldn't afford one, he showed me where to get the best materials, helped him build one then built my own! Then there was George Hopkins.... I could write A book on what I learned from him (a lot of people don't realize how many GREATS went through his yard) he taught me about extensive blood work pre keep and especially PRE BREEDING about NOT breeding unhealthy dogs NO MATTER how good they acted!! Sometimes A VERY hard pill to swallow....but it had to be done!! He got me access to dogs that wernt really known yet but were headed to infamy, taught me the proper way to use A jenny I mean I could go on and on! Not to mention helping me plug A big hole in conditioning my birds! SOOO much like I said I could write A book friends for over 40 yrs. RIP Hoppy
     
  11. corvettedex

    corvettedex CH Dog

    Joel Kirby (rip) was certainly one man that guided me. Lots of trail and error over the years for sure. A few really good folks right here on gamedog, Helped me alot with good orderly direction. Lady Rampage (rip) , Scratchin Dog, AGK, Iron Mike, Slim, Big D, Maniac Strain, Crazy horse, of course (TDK) Stan Lee, of The Bulldog foundation, I miss TDK as I'm sure alot of you all do as well. I also have to thank Louis Colby, (rip) John R. Colby and I'm forgetting quite a few. One thing I will say is this. I have never asked an honest question to a seasoned dog man or woman on this site and didn't get a honest answer. I thank all of you who have helped me . Also I can't leave out all of the books written, different keeps, ect. There is so much information at the touch of a finger it's insane. Hand on, is the best one can get. I'm still learning everyday. Thank you all ! Dex
     
    Holliday, ngamla and treezpitz like this.
  12. treezpitz

    treezpitz CH Dog Staff Member

    Good post, Dex. When talking about the internet folks you just mentioned TDK is surely on a lot of people's list. Very kind man who does a lot for the people wanting to learn the RIGHT way. When chat was real active people who were not even on the forum would pop in and ask random questions. When TDK was in there he would take the time to answer them in an honest way. Those were people who he did not know and would likely never know. Can't say enough good things about him.
     
    corvettedex likes this.
  13. corvettedex

    corvettedex CH Dog

     
  14. corvettedex

    corvettedex CH Dog

    Thank you for the kind words, Pray for TDK, as I was just told recently he is very sick. Thank you all. And very missed
     
    Themanthedog likes this.
  15. treezpitz

    treezpitz CH Dog Staff Member

  16. corvettedex

    corvettedex CH Dog

    TROTLINE likes this.
  17. Dream Pits

    Dream Pits CH Dog

    So many people have helped me along the way but my favorite was actually a moderator on this site years ago that was about 4-5 hours away from me. Every move is calculated and done for a specific purpose. Really changed my way of thinking...
     
    SOULDOG, TROTLINE and corvettedex like this.
  18. hwm

    hwm Big Dog

    I was and have been fortunate that my area was loaded with many good Dogmen. Bobby Corn, W.A, Herbie S, Dan Almendarez, and on occasions getting some time with Mr.Jerome Hernandez. Learned a lot from each one of these gentlemen.
     
    cjr bra likes this.
  19. ELIAS'PISTOLA

    ELIAS'PISTOLA CH Dog

    I didnt know at the time but after he passed I realized what s special dogman my buddy mentor was,,,
    although he wasnt much older I can say i taught him a thing or two...

    as I questioned him relentless and and sometimes left him puzzled but he was qujick to do the research and get back with me as we were always pushing eachother and for one thing he might have learned from me I am sure I learned a hundred from him
    and he was quick to enduldge in any bulldog topic and masterd most but never made it to the breeders bullpenn....

    He and his partner the black fox stepped each others competition levels up to max in every day otcs angianst each other as they never rolled dogs
    as every scar and scartch was both practice for the dogs and dogmen,,, practice...

    The black fox as dirty called him was also a great teacher and mentor as I am sure he mentored wardog also...

    The original redneck kennels of tx,,, tito of cortalos kennels and lil miss mason always lent a good ear and better words...

    I have an eye for detail and efficient ear and learn from the old vets and greenhorns alike as I know you never stop learning
    even if its what not to do...

    Stratton as well as other authors taught me plenty also and i had the pleasure of meeting him and louis colby
    as a friend hosted them at his house when they judged local adba shows,,,
    those two have a vast amount of knowledge...

    The wareagle HH can say a sentence and if you are ready to learn you will get a paragraph as he was right to the point and had the eye...

    The original owner of IBM is a good man that lives a healthy lifestyle that showed in his level of world class competition...
    the knowledge TDK shared on this forum made for a great online mentorship,,,
    his good friend of thirty years has been more than helpful...

    Slim has shared some mighty fine stories and handles himself in a professional manor that I can admire as another online mentor...

    I said it,,, online mentor...

    But,,,I learn the most from my nemesis...
     
  20. I have dinner and a smoke (or two) once or twice a month with a gentleman who has owned, bred and shown (and traveled) Chs. Even more impressive, at least to me, was the gameness he showed serving his country: 1 Silver Star, 3 Bronze Stars and 4 Purple Hearts (among other awards for valor). Here are a couple of excerpts from his military narrative:

    "His unit was under heavy fire on a march. Sgt ____ ran forward with two antitank weapons and knocked out two enemy positions. Continuing the charge, he enter the bunker complex, killing at least two enemy soldiers and neutralizing four more."

    "He moved from bunker to bunker under heavy fire to check the welfare of his men and to direct suppressive fire. As a result of his courageous actions, the attack was beaten off with no casualties for the unit." "....his platoon's bunker positions were under heavy attack."

    Great stories every time he visits. Besides the fundamentals (including being exposed to quality animals), i learned what not to do from this gentleman. Most folks fail, few succeed. It would be wise to learn to avoid the thing that has a higher probability (by at least an order of magnitude) of occurring.


    I have breakfast, lunch and dinner with a young lady who has been around these dogs for a few decades. From her i learned to balance this endeavor with others and to put these dogs in their proper context. Welcomed advice for something potentially so addictive.


    But my most profound lessons came/come from the internet. Long gone are the days where you had to waist time and resources to find out about someone. Now, with one click, you can determine (with a high degree of accuracy) whether someone is an idiot, a cur, a peddler, under-educated, ignorant, dishonest, weak, jealous, etc.... Another click and you can see all the other idiots that this person(s) is affiliated with. Birds of a feather....
     

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