The message the trio conveys is quite clear. An essential ingredient in the "making" of a fine pointer, one that cannot be overlooked and that cannot be overemphasized, is the opportunity from a very tender age to experience contact with birds.

EARLY TRAINING
Obedience training comes early, with the single word "whoa" looming especially large. Hickox stresses doing obedience work in the yard first, then moving to the field.

"If the dog is not compliant in the yard," he said, "you don't want to be saying whoa with birds." He is adamant on the matter of not initially teaching a dog to stop while working with birds. "You certainly don't want a dog to think he shouldn't be interested in birds."

Huffman waits on teaching the whoa command until what he calls "formal training" at the age of roughly a year. Meanwhile, though, he has taught other commands, such as "come" or "here," much earlier. "But," he adds, "whoa is the most important command you teach. It lets you keep your dog safe around roads, keeps him from chasing 'off' game, or stop anything that is wrong or dangerous."

Those formative first months are of vital importance in the evolution of a fine, highly functional pointer, and that's precisely why individuals like Hickox and Huffman are able to earn a living as dog trainers. Anyone can, if they have sufficient time, knowledge and a biddable dog, make a "broke" dog, but the key is to do it right.

That's one reason folks like Snipes often leave the early basics, the foundation of a good pointer, to trainers.

THE ESSENCE OF ELECTRONICS
Whether you do it yourself or rely on a professional, the basic factors such as obedience and getting a dog that is steady to wing and shot come early and in many dogs need to be reinforced on a regular basis. That's where the modern marvels of electronic collars come into play.

In Huffman's view, shock collars "are the best tool today's dog trainer can have," but he immediately added some qualifying words: "You have to take the time to understand electronics and learn to use them properly."

To Hickox, part of proper use means adjusting the collar to the temperament of individual dogs.

Hickox also notes that canine behavior studies by the U.S. Army have found that you have only 1.3 seconds to reward or correct a dog. After that, association-wise, the praise or punishment will mean nothing to the dog.

"That's a compelling argument for using an electronic collar wisely," he said.

Huffman agrees, saying "timing is essential" and commenting that you can't punish a dog that is 100 yards away if you don't have electronics.

Obviously, shock collars are a great training tool, but one that must be used with considerable care. Rick Snipes uses them on a regular basis, although he suggests two things to keep in mind.

"You need to try and keep your own emotions and frustrations under control," he said, although he recognizes is not always easy to do. "And you should keep in mind the fact that dogs vary a lot. A hard-headed English pointer might need pretty regular reminders, while a biddable, easy-going dog may be one that needs little if any electronic correction."