House Dogs Late Season

[onthefly]

I'm sure opinions will vary.... My young lab is mainly a house dog. We spend a lot of time outside, but he sleeps in the house in a crate. I'm wondering as he gets older, is it best to transition him to an outdoor kennel if I want him to retrieve birds in cold water and hunt pheasants late into December?

[jparrucci]

Dogs are built for those conditions, especially labs. My Brittany retrieves ducks into late November, busting ice and all. Pheasant hunting isn't an issue even when it is in the single digits. My dog lives in the house, and sleeps in my bed most nights, and he isn't built for it nearly as well as a lab.

[chasineyes]

We just got a 3 year old GSP about 6 months ago. She IS a house dog and so far (I have been out pheasant and grouse hunting abuout 6 times) SHE IS A MACHINE!! The previous owner did have her trained a litle so that might help, but I am totally shocked at her drive and attention when she is out in the field. Granted she gets "a little" tired but then again, so do I. I still throw the dummy daily and take her for runs along the river so I guess as long as they still get good exercise they will be fine. Good luck!!!

As for the cold, I don't think a day or two out in the cold will bother them. Especially a lab

[gspman]

Quote:

I'm wondering as he gets older, is it best to transition him to an outdoor kennel if I want him to retrieve birds in cold water and hunt pheasants late into December?

Short answer is no. He will be just fine hunting late season pheasants and as long as he has the body fat he will be fine with late season water retrieves too.

[RumRiverRat]

My Black Lab is going to be 10 in February, she has always been an inside dog.

She no longer hunts because of degenerative disc disease, but up until 2 years ago she routinely made retrieves in icy water.

When the dog gets out of the water and and icicles form you know it is cold.