What Is More Important? - Page 1

What is more important? A good bloodline or good training.

I'm just looking for some opinions to see how people feel about this subject.

In my opinion both are equally important. Good dogs usually come from good bloodlines and usually have good training.

I dunno, but when I ring the old dinner bell seems like everything on the mountain shows up.

I agree both are equally important but without good bloodlines/genetics there is only so much that can be accomplished with training.  Genetics are just that.  They can't be altered or ruined BUT training can make or break a dog if it's not done correctly.

IMO I look at the bloodlines FIRST because that determines a snapshot of what you probably should expect a dog to be once that "proper training" has been accomplished.  There's no guarantees but you stack the odds in your favor when you research the bloodlines on your next prospect.  I've been fortunate that I had the best of both worlds-good bloodlines, good training-all around good dogs!

Good trainers can make a weak, POS dog look strong.  They can make weak nerves look like strong drives. 

Poor trainers can make excellent dogs look weak, and lacking. 

This is undisputable.  This is why you must never believe 100% what you see on the field.  There are too many good trainers and even more bad trainers with good dogs. 

The only saving grace is that most trainers who have the ability to make a bad dog look good, prefer to work good dogs. 

What is best for what??

For breeding, give me the excellent dog with poor training over the weak dog with a good trainer!

I agree Zahnburg...the conundrum is sometimes unless you do not know the dog yourself you cannot tell the difference!

Zahnburg, thanks for the great insights, you have the ring of truth for sure. Even us pet owners can wish for the best for the breed, as we learn from your experiences through the dogs we see in the show or sport ring. I do like what you said.