dog questions

[Jordyn Kaufer]

well our dog has bone cancer and she's only six years old. We have to put her down in about a month or so.... My question is what type of dog to get for hunting because my mom wants a house dog and yet we want a hunting dog too.

What kind of dog shouldnwe get? Black lab maybe? And what's it

Take to train a dog to retrieve, point, and flush birds? For duck, pheasant and grouse????

[LABS4ME]

Hi Jordan,

You will most certainly be happy with a Lab... do your research on them. There are many unscrupulous breeders out there in the lab world. Get clearances for hips, elbows, eyes, CNM, EIC etc...

Another dog to consider is a Field bred Cocker Spaniel. Much smaller than a lab so they make great house dogs. We have a breeder on the site here form time to time and he has puppies for sale in the puppy forum from time to time. If you go through the ads posted, you will find his contact info.

Good Luck in your search and I'm sorry to hear of your dogs illness!

Good Luck!

Ken

[Jordyn Kaufer]

thanks ken. How long does it take to train a dog?????

[2springers]

Springers are great dogs too, but I am biased!

[tealitup]

If you get the puppy at a young age and work with them alot it will not take alot of time. However, I have found that training is not a train and your done.. its training over time.

It is not that big of a deal - you get what you put into your dog.

A lab is a like the general all around good breed - I tend to think of them like the old 30-06 rifle

[Ryan_V]

just have to put in a plug for a shorthair!! Superior game dog and outstanding house pet as well!! I'll have another one as soon as the wife gives the thumbs up!! that will be a while though

[Neighbor_guy]

just have to put in a plug for a shorthair!! Superior game dog and outstanding house pet as well!! I'll have another one as soon as the wife gives the thumbs up!! that will be a while though

Not to hijack the thread, but I do believe in a waiting period. My personal time is 12 months on the minimum. Long enough to let the mourning take place, and not feel like I am replacing one with another right away. A clean slate so to speak.

[Surface Tension]

I had a big long post and will end up saying.

It depends on you. If you devote yourself to training a dog.

At 1.5 years he should be well along his way. That would be two seasons of hunting and all that time in between for training.

His obedience should be solid and shows great potential in the field by then. That is where a lot of dog owners stop. After that you'd be working on polishing his skills and advanced retriever training. Before your next pup use that time to train yourself. Get yourself a book and as a family read it.

I can anticipate your next question, "should I get a collar"?

I'd say no, not for the inexperienced and IMO a new trainer should learn how to train without one. For that reason get yourself a book that is dated(old book) one that covers training exercises and techniques without a collar. In fact get two books one covering retrieving and the other that focuses on upland. You'll have your hands full there for that reason I'd start out with a flusher. Best advice is getting the dog solid on obedience.

Although I enjoy hunting behind pointers from time to time, I don't train pointers so won't comment there.

[tealitup]

Nice post Surface Tension!

[uplander]

Neighbor guy, Why would you want to go a year without a hunting buddy. Not to mention the 2 years after that to bring him up to speed. I like to bring in a pup when one dog is 5 or so..That way when it's one dogs time to go the other is hitting his prime. I think it would also help your grieving proccess if you had another dog to focus on.. My first setter was killed in the woods by a stick through her neck. That was hard to swallow, but it was worse, that I was then left with no dog to hunt with mid season. If I would have had another dog that would have been a great distraction to have. No waiting period for me. I would get my pup now to help me along. Good luck with your choice and have fun with it. Remember you get out of it what you put in.

[jbdragon17]

If your primary hunting is grouse and pheasants...and want an exceptional family dog on top of it...you can not go wrong with a red or English setter. I have NEVER EVER been around a calmer, pleasant dog than a Red Setter. A female should not be over 45 lbs which also makes for a great size house dog. Let me know if you want more info. jbdragon17 at hotmail.

[nofishfisherman]

How bout a Vizsla? Great hunters and they love/require being inside with the family. I am planning on getting my first this spring or summer depending on when the litter is ready. The have alot of energy like any hunting dog but seem to know that the energy is meant to be released outside and inside is for being lazy and being a couch potato. They are also smaller and leaner so they fit much better inside a house then larger breeds.

I have met with breeders and several other owners to get a feel for the breed and they are amazing dogs.

[Jordyn Kaufer]

thanks guys..

i'm mostly looking for a pheasant,grouse, and duck dog..

i know that almost all dogs are pretty friendly with the family.

Would a yellow/black lab work ok?

[tealitup]

Of course a yellow or black lab would work ok; How much do you want to spend on a dog? A british lab would be excellent also.

[Jordyn Kaufer]

my parents are proally lloking at areound $600 at the mostish

[tealitup]

Then I would say you have an open opportunity to find a quality dog of most breeds. I paid about $700 for mine, and it was the best money ever spent in my opinion.

[Jordyn Kaufer]

what kind of dog was that tealitup?

and what type of hunting do you do with it?

[tealitup]

I have a yellow lab - she is about 16 months old. We hunt waterfowl, pheasant and grouse. This is basically her first year out in the duck blind; this last weekend she figured out what was going on and "took off" -- I could not have been happier.

As a puppy:

With my brother in laws child:

Kinsey looks like this now:

[Jordyn Kaufer]

tealitup, his long did It take to train your pup/dog??

[tlures]

A great choice would be a German Wirehair Pointer. These are truly versatile hunt dogs, generally are well dispositioned, have great character and are excellent house dogs. Bring one along from the pup stage and up and you'll not be disappointed.

[tealitup]

Jordyn,

I am actually still training her in some way or another most every time we go out hunting. This is her first true year out. However, most of my basic work was done after work - a couple hours a day - maybe more on the weekend - for 6 months.

Once she got the basic commands down - sit, stay, come and heel everything seemed to follow. I should say at 10 weeks she knew sit, stay and come.