You've Gotta Have Heart

October, 2006, Ron Hevener

There was something about him that stood out from the time he was born. Experienced breeders know what it is, but they can't always explain it to those uninitiated in the ways of Nature. Suffice it to say, there was a quality about him that could, if the gods smiled and all went well, make him a star.

It wouldn't be easy. From a bumbling puppy, struggling to stand on his own, he would make it through all the trials facing a young dog in this world. He would untangle his legs, raise his head high and howl at the moon. He would sing to the gods and laugh at the clouds and race the wind. He would be what he was -- mind, body and soul. He would be a dog - nothing more, nothing less: A dog chasing the mist of destiny.

All of us see, at one time or another, a dog that catches our attention; a dog that stands out in a crowd. Call it a mysterious link - call it a deep, inner "knowing" - or call it love at first sight - we know when we feel it.

I've often wondered if everybody feels the same way in the presence of dogs that electrify us this way. I don't have an answer to that, because we could all be watching the same show and each of us could be falling in love with a different entry. I could be saying "Can you believe that! Look how he moves!" and, right next to me, somebody could be bored to death! (Not really. Let's hope my idea of a good dog isn't that off the mark). I think you get the point.

Much of this, of course, has to do with our own idea of what makes a good dog. It also has a lot to do with the chemistry crackling between a handler and his dog. But, no matter how the pieces of the puzzle fit together, we all feel it.

There are some animals ... graced by something almost other-worldly ... that just take your breath away. Those are the ones that almost everybody agrees on. You might be able to pick them apart and say this is "wrong" and that could be better, but, something makes it all work - even if it shouldn't. Those are the ones that last forever in our hearts.

Stories? I could tell you stories about dogs that would unravel for miles. If we were starting in New York and driving all the way to California, you wouldn't need a radio to keep you company because I'd be talking about famous, talented dogs you know - and a zillion others you'll never meet. By the time we reached Los Angeles, you'd swear you knew their colors, their sires & dams and the mischief in their eyes.

What transports a bumbling puppy into a star? It takes more than you might imagine and more than many of us have. Is it impossible? Beyond our reach? No, it isn't; but, transforming the right dog into a star is as possible as your willingness to do whatever it takes.

Many of us would say pedigree weeds out the losers. Still others would say it's all in the training. And most of us believe enough in our favorite feeds to endorse them from the top of the highest mountain! But, training and nutrition can vary and, much as I respect a good and honorable pedigree, some of us have learned the hard way that pedigrees are only as good as the people who write them. Pedigree, alone, doesn't make a legend. As I often say, if you think of people and their dogs as athletes or actors, then look to the masters of public entertainment for answers. Look to Hollywood directors, high-powered agents and Broadway producers. As they well know, great stars can hail from both sides of the tracks. But, we're talking about dogs, you say. Yes, we are. But, we're also talking about the people who love them.

From the time a puppy is born, it is the creative power and desire of its owner that determine the feeding, training, grooming and outcome of its life. If you believe in your dog, you'll take it to the top or die trying. Along the way, you'll learn all kinds of things. You'll study and figure them out because you have to. Before you know it, you can advertise effectively, you can network with the best of them and you know every trick in the trade. Some you'll use; some you won't. But, at least you'll know about them.

We've mentioned pedigree, training, feeding and basic care, but we skipped over the most important thing of all. We didn't mention Heart. Am I talking about the size of a dog's actual heart? Am I speaking about its weight and circumference, you ask? Not really. Yes, I've heard stories about dogs with bigger-than-average hearts and some people say that's the secret of a champion. But, much as I, too, am fascinated by stories of the great Secretariat's unusually large heart,I do not believe an oversized heart makes a champion. I don't believe it because each of the elements we've mentioned is like an ingredient going into a recipe. A little more of this, or a little less of that, will change the outcome of a dog's whole life.

As we bring our dogs into the world with each generation; as they struggle to nurse and we hold our breath in the presence of the most beautiful things we've ever seen, know this: Only the greatness of your love can bring out the best in a dog, and only you can change a heart.