I don't agree that petting/handling affects drive.
I didn't say it affects drive, but I do believe it effects a dogs independance. This is not something I just think...I have observed it MANY times over the years both with dogs I've raised (and screwed up) myself and pups from the same litters that go to people who handle them differently.
Think of it like this. I know someone who seldom puts their catchdog on a lead. They can walk the dog 20 yards from a bay, stand there looking at the hog and until the command is given that dog won't go. Doesn't mean the dog is any less driven, just means it's been trained as such. Now take a puppy and pet it, play with it and let it think it is okay and proper to stay near you for the first year of it's life. Now at a year old you take same dog, drop it in the woods and guess what it does. What you've done even unknowingly is train that dog to stay close. Doesn't mean it's any less driven, just that it's been conditioned to act the way it is and not necessarily the dogs fault. Now someone with enough patience may undo what has been accidentally done, but me personally I would rather just not create the issue than have to deal with it later.
As for having the wrong pups, I've seen VERY few good solid lines of dogs that consistantly have the go-yonder hunt that I require in my dogs yet almost any dog can be trained to handle. I think I'll stick with the hunt.
Again, just my personal observations of what I've seen and done over the years.
