In the Field with Kona
By: Thea Steele

As I reflect on my experiences in dogs, it is difficult for me to say what has had the greatest influence on me. Competition, breeding, and training have all been a part of my life since I can remember, and even more important since I got a dog of my own eight years ago. The combination of all these things, and the roles they have played in my life, is what makes me so sure that my future will hold continued involvements in the sport of dogs.

Certainly a great amount of my time and energy has been devoted to competition in Junior Handling, Conformation, Obedience, Tracking, Agility, Hunt Tests, and most recently, Rally. From each, I gained an increased understanding of dogs, their relationships to us, and the richness they can bring to our lives. In Junior Showmanship, I learned sensitivity to my English Cocker, Kona’s, mood- I had to in order to keep her attention and interest in classes that lasted two hours! In obedience, I learned that if you expect precision from your dog, you must first demand it from yourself, and the amazing leaps that can occur when you discover how to communicate a behavior to your dog in a way they understand. From hunt tests, and from watching field trials, I gained an awe of what our dogs are capable of, and the powerful instinct we can sometimes forget they have. Even though Kona is now retired from hunt tests, it brings a tear to my eye to watch her really run in the field. Her joy is palpable, and unbelievably beautiful to behold.

The wonder I feel at watching Kona, and other English Cockers far more talented than she, in the field has greatly influenced me as a breeder. I admire the breeders of Brittanys and Pointers, for example, who still produce dogs that excel in both the field and the breed ring. My long term goal is to produce dual purpose dogs, and to work towards an English Cocker dual champion. I believe it is crucial that even those of us who have shown breed dogs go to field trials, so that we can truly understand the function of this breed. On a more basic level, I love being a breeder because it reminds me of how stunning it is that our domesticated dogs trust us so fully, and why we have this trust. Each of Kona’s three litters were raised in my bedroom, cuddled and talked to from the day they were born. As a result, I saw their temperaments and behaviors from their first hour until they went to their new homes at ten weeks old. Because we knew each one so well, we could be confident that they were well suited to their new homes. It is sad to see them go, and yet at the same time gratifying to know they will be so well loved.

Although I expect to be involved in the sport of dogs for the rest of my life, I don’t anticipate a career in dogs. But when I think about what prompted my interest in science, it was originally my interest in dogs. When I was 11, I went backpacking with my mother for two weeks. As we hiked, she taught me genetics, as it related to coat color in English Cocker Spaniels. Although of course genetics isn’t involved in my academic passion, physics, this was definitely what encouraged my interest in the sciences.

The influence that dogs and dog shows have had on my life makes this more than a hobby or sport. It is a love and a commitment to repay the trust and companionship that we are given so freely. In my future in dogs, I hope to give back what I have treasure in my own life: by breeding the best English Cockers that I can, and by teaching and sharing what I have learned. I plan to apply for my judging license this year. I think judging would be a great way to stay involved in dogs while I can’t have a breeding program myself, and to contribute as much as I can to English Cockers specifically and the sport of dogs in general.