crockett
Hard Core
...whistling wings in the dawn sky, the buck and roar of a fine gun swung true...
Posts: 2,056
|
Post by crockett on Jan 12, 2007 21:07:48 GMT -5
Too true - when the wife finally does kick me out I think I'll get one beagle, one chessie, one lab and one brittany! One more and I'll have dog for every day of the week! Actually, I was talking to a guy who just came back form Australia. In the outback he met a guy with four savage looking dogs in cages on the back of his flatbed. The dogs all head massive leather collars - like eight inches wide, covering their necks. Turns out the guy was a wild boar hunter. The dogs run the boars down until they can turn them and have to wear the collars because the boar will use its tusks to rip their throats out when they're nipping/biting him. Now THAT'S a hunt I would pay to go on. Maybe they wouldn't be so good with kids though... Crazy!
|
|
|
Post by Beaus_Dad on Jan 12, 2007 23:46:08 GMT -5
It was hard to resist posting earlier but I managed some self control. Man has been tampering with the dogs genetics for hundreds of years looking for that perfect breed. The perfect breed is the one that suits you and your life style best. For example - a bird hunter with a young family- his needs are simple - a breed that first and foremost is known for its gentleness and great temperment towards children mixed with the keenest of desires to fetch what ever the master asks of him. Another example-perhaps a breed that is known for its loyalty to one master and will walk through fire to get that downed bird. I think in essence that each individual person that has a great dog---- has already passed the bonding process- Therefore the loyalty to each other is fierce.Don't try to tell me my dog is second best- It would be the same as slighting one of my children. They are afterall a reflection of ourselves. You find the flaw in my dog or child it is viewed as a reflection of yourself. If one says my dog or breed is better than another- probably has some ego issues. They are all great dogs -just some dogs have poor owners
|
|
|
Post by chessie on Jan 14, 2007 10:07:20 GMT -5
Well I must say I agree with most of the advice that has been given. Well I will give the chesapeake side of the coin. I have owned 2 chessie's now and they are like night and day. The first ,Hershey, was the stereotypical chesapeake. Dominant, pig headed, protective, mean at times, driven, stubborn,tough as nails, determined, loyal, not real keen on kids or strangers for that matter, loathed other dogs, great duck dog, obediant, pretty good upland dog in her later years. She weighed around 75- 80 lbs. My 2nd Bayley is the complete opposite. She has more of the personality of a lab. She just wants to please me. She still has the drive and the desire to hunt and is very persistant on retrieves, she will not give up.This was her first year on her own hunting and by far she exceeded my expectations. She had over 30 birds in her mouth and every day out she showed me something new. Great in the blind, and great in the field, later in the year she excelled on pheasants. She is a big girl, 90 lbs. all muscle.She is very gentle , and I don't think she would hurt a fly. She is very socialable and friendly. I can' t say enough good things about chessie's. But I am partial just as lab guys are about labs. If you want a big, strong, loyal dog who will run through fences for you, sit in the frigid weather and plunge into ice flows to retrieve downed ducks. Then I would buy a chesapeake, that being said all I will ever own is a chessie. They are not for everyone.The biggest thing I can say about getting a dog is find a good breeder, and spend some time with the pups and pick the one that suits you, or picks you. We spent well over an hour with the pups when we got Bayley. She was the the calmest of the litter and steyed with us, played with a rolled up sock, she just wanted to be with us. So we picked her. There are alot of books for training and picking pups out there. The one that I used/ use alot is called Top Dog, it is published by DU. It takes you right through deciding what you need , picking a pup and training a pup. I found it very helpful.Of course they say a chessie trains its owner not the owner training a chessie so what do I know. Hope this helps.
|
|
crockett
Hard Core
...whistling wings in the dawn sky, the buck and roar of a fine gun swung true...
Posts: 2,056
|
Post by crockett on Jan 14, 2007 13:01:15 GMT -5
Nice post about Chessies - I don't hear much about them other than the old "train a chessie with a 2x4" type stuff. There is one that lives somewhere up by Musqadoboit tht runs free and often joins the wife, dog and I for hikes up the old rail trail. While I don't approve of dogs running free like that he sure is a lovely big dog. Friendly, obedient - probably pushing a hundred pounds. He often follows us for hours and the disappears when we get back down towards the parking lot. The owner better watch out - one of these days he miight just end up in my car!
|
|
|
Post by backwoodsbuddy on Jan 14, 2007 14:44:59 GMT -5
nothing like a topic to get the fur flyin hehehe,well im here to wade in and shoot me big mouth off and settle this once and for all
any dawg that will go out in freezing cold water and muck and get a burd and bring it back to me is the best dawg ive ever seen for the job .I have done it for to far long 30 years of retrieving is enough its the dawgs turn be what it is.
Shermie
|
|
|
Post by Rockblind on Jan 14, 2007 17:35:27 GMT -5
Well my first 2 hunting dogs were Chessies, my first Chessie was a hard headed but a good listener, she was good on ducks. The only issue I had with her was her temperment!! I could never trust her around other people and dogs. end Chessie I got was while I had the first Chessie, they did never like each other and for 5 years, I had to break up a few visious fights. Same as the first Chessie could never trust him, well he bit my son and at that time is when I had him put down, was the first time biting but there were many almost before and we were always putting it off. My first Chessie end up sucumming to diabetis. After those 2 Chessies I said I would never go back to that breed, That is why I now have a Chocolate and Black lab's what a difference!!
|
|
|
Post by Rockblind on Jan 14, 2007 17:36:21 GMT -5
Well my first 2 hunting dogs were Chessies, my first Chessie was a hard headed but a good listener, she was good on ducks. The only issue I had with her was her temperment!! I could never trust her around other people and dogs. 2nd Chessie I got was while I had the first Chessie, they did never like each other and for 5 years, I had to break up a few visious fights. Same as the first Chessie could never trust him, well he bit my son and at that time is when I had him put down, was the first time biting but there were many almost before and we were always putting it off. My first Chessie end up sucumming to diabetis. After those 2 Chessies I said I would never go back to that breed, That is why I now have a Chocolate and Black lab's what a difference!!
|
|
madmac
Hunter
It's going to be a Sh!t Show boys!
Posts: 415
|
Post by madmac on Jan 14, 2007 18:56:54 GMT -5
Well guys. It seems the more people you ask,the more opinions you will get. I've read all posts here and I've been talking to folks and breeders. And I got to say, there is a hell of alot of information to cram your brain. I guess there is no " best dog ", but I like the idea of one that you can enjoy around the house aswell as on the hunt. My mind is going to a lab. breed. Have a little more talking with my wife on it but I belive I should move soon in getting a puppy. Then he/she might be ready for hunting next fall. Also, with a hunting dog do you feel there is a difference between male and female dogs. Also in looking around price has ranged from 250.00 up to 1000.00 for labs. How the hell do you know if your getting a good, healty dog. I know paying 800 to 1000. you should but damn it, I don't know if I want to pay that much money for a dog. Soon I'll make the decision and thanks guys for your input. Cheers !
|
|
|
Post by Rockblind on Jan 14, 2007 19:07:09 GMT -5
Well my chocolate lab that I currently use for duck hunting I paid $200 for her, she came from a hunting background so say the person I bought her from. I met the mother and she was very well trained in retrieving. For me it also depends on how much time you put into training that also makes a difference.
Good luck
RB
|
|
crockett
Hard Core
...whistling wings in the dawn sky, the buck and roar of a fine gun swung true...
Posts: 2,056
|
Post by crockett on Jan 15, 2007 12:45:46 GMT -5
Check out the current (Dec Jan) issue of Gun Dog. It has lots of good stuff in it, including a good piece about Vizsla retrievers - a breed you rarely hear much about. Really nice looking dogs, but I don't know how they'd do in our northern waters - they look pretty thin-skinned. As usualythis issue leans heavy towards upland, but also has a rare piece about beagling in there too, which I read with interest.
|
|
crockett
Hard Core
...whistling wings in the dawn sky, the buck and roar of a fine gun swung true...
Posts: 2,056
|
Post by crockett on Jan 15, 2007 16:05:34 GMT -5
EARPLUGS! I just picked up a buddy's yellow lab at the airport this morning - he flew her in for a knee surgery on Wednesday, then I'll have her for two weeks post-op until she gets her staples out. The poor thing got rolled on as a pup by a big fat golden and broke her tibia, also rupturing her ACL in the process. He's flown her here from St. John's to have a TPLO (long name for a very specialized knee reconstruction that only a few in Canada can do). Because they had to wait until she reached full size before this surgery the poor dog has never been allowed to interact with other dogs because of her weak knee. She's only ever had on-leash walking, and as you might expect has lots of pent up energy which doesn't help matter much when you're trying to keep her quiet. She's been in her crate (where she has to stay because of my dog and the slippery hardwoods) crying all day - I keep waiting for her voice to run out, but she's still going strong! The only time she's quiet is when my dog lies with her - they stare whistfully at each other nose to nose through the wire door of the crate (they're half-sisters), but I know better than to think that they can behave together - it would be wrestle-mania 2007 and who knows WHAT that would do to the already weak knee... Man... it's going to be a loooong two weeks if THIS keeps up! I may have to move my office downstairs (she can't handle the stairs after her surgery, so I can't bring her up here). Seems that if I'm in sight she's quiet, but if she knows I'm upstairs she is frustrated that I won't let her out. Ahhh, the joys of dogs!
|
|
|
Post by Beaus_Dad on Jan 15, 2007 18:40:32 GMT -5
He really must be a good friend to help him out with this. the up side is she is young and will mend fast.
|
|
crockett
Hard Core
...whistling wings in the dawn sky, the buck and roar of a fine gun swung true...
Posts: 2,056
|
Post by crockett on Jan 16, 2007 7:36:43 GMT -5
Yeah, it's just one of those things where someone needs to step up to the plate - I offered because I can and would want someone to do the same for me if Ruby and I needed the help. The other option was to have an alternative (and not as good) surgery done by a local vet in St. John's, but after researching the long-term prognosis for the dog and owner, this was really the way to go. Glad he shipped her in a day early - I wouldn't want to be trying to get to the airport this morning! As long as my car starts tomorrow morning in -22C I should be able to deliver her no problem.
|
|
madmac
Hunter
It's going to be a Sh!t Show boys!
Posts: 415
|
Post by madmac on Jan 18, 2007 11:25:35 GMT -5
Well guys I'm almost ready to buy a hunting/pet. I think from what people have told me, I'll be going with a purebreed. Less chance of hip and eye problems.
When the time comes ( shortly) I'll be getting a Lab. Not sure what color. But Lab. it will be.
Now one more question, is this time of year a good time for training your pup ( meaning buying the dog ). Or should I wait till the spring to get my hunting/pet.
Cheers.
|
|
|
Post by Beaus_Dad on Jan 18, 2007 11:47:13 GMT -5
The pup should be 10 months old or so when you can hunt over him- Training which will include gun training will take some time so having a consistent schedule is important Have you given any consideration as to what kennel/bloodline etc?
|
|