His age started to show this year and even though he's a great hunting dog whether it be retrieving ducks from the blind or chasing down the wiley roosters that call the arctic(-35 today)plains home,  Max has been showing signs of aging.  
On the Eve of 2011, reality must have set in, as we found Max this morning past out in the kitchen on his way to popping the cork on one more bottle of bubbly.  That's the great thing about spaniels, even when they're whipped, they'll never admit it.  Well Max got whipped this New Years eve, but we're still proud of his never say never spirit.  Happy New Year!!!  

Let me start by stating a fact about myself. I am very critical of my dogs, and myself. I am happy when I win and I am very unhappy when I lose. In fact, I’m a terrible loser. Okay so those are two facts. As a breeder, trainer, and handler, I don’t believe that I’m an integral part of this field-trial crowd yet. I view myself as an independent; even a loner. But these character traits probably aren’t that much different from some of the great and successful field trial owners and handlers of today or yesterday. I hope so, anyway.

This post is about my issues with how the 2010 Cocker National was judged. But before I get into that I’d like to bring up the 2008 Cocker National which started a real movement for doing something to prevent favoritism between judges and handlers. Full disclosure here.

So Which One to pick?

2009 High Point Open Springer

Before I begin my boast, I would like to thank everyone who has helped me out and given me the guidance and opportunity to have such a wonderful year. First off, my wife Jennifer, who has always been supportive of the dogs and myself, and who always has a positive thought for me when things don’t go the way I had planned. She does this when I’m gone from the house for the majority of 3 seasons. She has the kids involved in numerous activities, cleans up after all, keeps the peace with the two youngest during their slug fests and living room football games, and does a thousand other thankless tasks on a daily basis. As I’m writing this she just brought me lunch!! What a woman!!!