It just might be able to buy love, or an obscure form of it, but the one thing it cannot buy is knowledge. And there's only one thing that truly can.. Experience in the good ole' School of Hard Knox!
The Japanese tend to love everything American, and Field Trialing and FT dogs are no different. It's been pretty big since about the early 1980's, and true to form, the Japanese enter everything in an analytical way looking for ways to improve upon the wheel.
Many top field dogs of varying breeds from top kennels have been shipped to Japan, but they don't stop there.
Teams of Japanese trialers paid some heavy coin to learn the rudiments, and hopefully the secrets of top American Pro Trainers
One of the top Shooting Dog trainer/handlers on the East Coast hosted some of the Japanese handlers eager to buy knowledge from the best.. And teach them he and his son did, but they also were made to do chores around the kennels and stables... That's also part of what it's all about!
The Pros fullfilled their part of the bargain, teaching the basics, and the advanced basics while working clients dogs.. But, when it came time to work a dog with some of the invaluable "tricks of the trade", the Japanese interns were sent off to do chores.. Shovelling manure behind the barn or some such. These tricks were not part of the bargain, and not for sale for any price!
Seems like a fair bargain to me... The Japanese got what they paid for... No more and no less..
The above scan is the cover from a 1983 issue of "Hunting World" from Japan.. The photo shows Norm Sorby gunning over the legendary Gordon, Danny Boy O'Boy...
click the pic to enlarge..
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