Gundog Hazards

[Merman]

I'm just starting out. We got a Golden Retriever pup about 10 months ago and I've used him as an decent excuse to get into shooting. He's fine with guns and very good at general obedience. I have got proper gundog training lined up in the near future, but this post is about hazards to avoid.

 

I took him out today, for his first walk with me shooting. I managed to get a rook and a pigeon and he was very well behaved. I was shooting over barley.

 

He is primarily a pet who will be taken shooting, rather than a working dog. Even if he's not working when I'm shooting what should I avoid? I've read stories about barley in eyes, stubble cutting paws, barbed wire injuries.

 

Are there any situations that I shouldn't take him into? If you have any horror stories, please put them into perspective.

 

Thanks,

Merman

[lurcherboy]

Where to start?

 

Merman its a minefield out there but they seem to get by. Check your dog ALL OVER when you get home for anything that shouldn't be there. I clean my dogs eyes out with a syringe if they have anything in them and feel them over for cuts, thorns, ticks. I pay special attention to their pads, most people overlook this spot.

 

You might be better to PM NTTF and ask his advice as he is the sites dogman.

 

Glad you have a steady dog and good luck

 

 

 

 

LB

[Merman]

Lurcherboy,

 

Thanks for that. Seems bloody obvious, but as soon as I got the little fella home the wife whisked him off to dog school. I've just checked him over now, and will do so after every outing. I normally check him for ticks but neglected to check him until just now. I will give myself a good beating and make sure I do it promptly every time out from now on.

 

Thanks,

Meman

[new to the flock]

Congradulations, it sounds like you have a good start on your dog. As Lb says as soon as you are done in the field for the day give the dog a going over.

 

Check and flush the eyes if needed.

Check and flush the ears if needed.....weed seeds in the ears can cause horrible infections and loss of hearing.

Run your hands over the upper body checking for cuts and ticks.

Run your hands down each leg checking for cuts, ticks, bruising, swelling.

Handle each foot checking the pads for cuts, thorns, or punctures.

Have the dog lay down and roll over to check his under chest and belly. Pay particular interest to his armpits for ticks.

 

Some thing that I do to help keep my dogs comfortable in the field is teach them to drink from a squeeze bottle. When ever one of them is thirsty they come and sit infront of me asking for a drink. This helps with not only keeping your dog hydrated, but keeps them out of any nasty bugs that may cause the squirts laying out in the field. It also allows me to see if there are any weed seeds in the eyes while they sit looking up for water, giving me a chance to flush them in the field if neccessary.

If you are watering your dog from natural sources while out try to use running water sources as they hold less bacteria and parasites.

 

There are a couple of things that I carry in my vest while out:

1) hemostates to pull thorns, or porkupine ...for you folks it would be hedge hog...quills

2) clean fresh water for drinking and flushing the eyes and ears.

3) Benadryl antihistomine for insect stings and snake bites

4) A section of seran wrap....kitchen wrap.....to seal puncture wounds. ( Over the years I have had 2 dogs run into hidden sharp pointed sticks and puncture a lung. In both situations I was more than 4 hours to a vet. By wrapping the kitchen wrap completely around the dog it seals the wound from sucking in air, which will compress the heart and kill the dog. Both dogs recovered completely...the lung healing as well as the body cavity. Without the wrap the dogs would have been dead inside of 2 hours.

5) If Iam going to be out all day and the dog working hard I like to give them a energy booster around lunch time. You dont want to feed them a meal but a good energy snack helps them out. ( What I personnally use is a piece of bread covered in corn syrup.)

6) Common scense.....If you dog doesnt look right find out why, if it is hot slow down and take breaks, if it is cold make sure he stays warm by moving.

 

 

And last but by far one of the most important things to remember while in the field with your dog is;

 

 

TOO KEEP IT FUN>>>>IT IS HIS DAY OUT ASWELL

 

NTTF

[coupe312]

Congradulations, it sounds like you have a good start on your dog. As Lb says as soon as you are done in the field for the day give the dog a going over.

 

Check and flush the eyes if needed.

Check and flush the ears if needed.....weed seeds in the ears can cause horrible infections and loss of hearing.

Run your hands over the upper body checking for cuts and ticks.

Run your hands down each leg checking for cuts, ticks, bruising, swelling.

Handle each foot checking the pads for cuts, thorns, or punctures.

Have the dog lay down and roll over to check his under chest and belly. Pay particular interest to his armpits for ticks.

 

Some thing that I do to help keep my dogs comfortable in the field is teach them to drink from a squeeze bottle. When ever one of them is thirsty they come and sit infront of me asking for a drink. This helps with not only keeping your dog hydrated, but keeps them out of any nasty bugs that may cause the squirts laying out in the field. It also allows me to see if there are any weed seeds in the eyes while they sit looking up for water, giving me a chance to flush them in the field if neccessary.

If you are watering your dog from natural sources while out try to use running water sources as they hold less bacteria and parasites.

 

There are a couple of things that I carry in my vest while out:

1) hemostates to pull thorns, or porkupine ...for you folks it would be hedge hog...quills

2) clean fresh water for drinking and flushing the eyes and ears.

3) Benadryl antihistomine for insect stings and snake bites

4) A section of seran wrap....kitchen wrap.....to seal puncture wounds. ( Over the years I have had 2 dogs run into hidden sharp pointed sticks and puncture a lung. In both situations I was more than 4 hours to a vet. By wrapping the kitchen wrap completely around the dog it seals the wound from sucking in air, which will compress the heart and kill the dog. Both dogs recovered completely...the lung healing as well as the body cavity. Without the wrap the dogs would have been dead inside of 2 hours.

5) If Iam going to be out all day and the dog working hard I like to give them a energy booster around lunch time. You dont want to feed them a meal but a good energy snack helps them out. ( What I personnally use is a piece of bread covered in corn syrup.)

6) Common scense.....If you dog doesnt look right find out why, if it is hot slow down and take breaks, if it is cold make sure he stays warm by moving.

 

 

And last but by far one of the most important things to remember while in the field with your dog is;

 

 

TOO KEEP IT FUN>>>>IT IS HIS DAY OUT ASWELL

 

NTTF

 

regarding the water in a squeesy bottle i learn my pup( which you have help me out loads with) to drink out of one and with the hot weather we are having give him a little bit every time he is called in. almost like teaching recall with treats but sustituting with water. works great.

 

i'm sure the dog likes water out of a bottle more than the tap...... my bloody dogs going snobby on me only drinking bottled water.( joking)

[Country_est]

i'm sure the dog likes water out of a bottle more than the tap...... my bloody dogs going snobby on me only drinking bottled water.( joking)

 

I think I will have to try this. As currently I try to give him a drink from a bowl that I carry, but he only seems to drink the water while I am pouring it into the bowl & not when its in the bowl in front of him. Ps with 2 bowls of clean water around the house and run he still prefers to drink any dirty water that he can find in the yard

[tenbears10]

my dog managed an injury this morning. He crashed through a hedge which is just at the side of the stile we normally go across and when we got home we found a 3 inch gash in the skin on his chest. There must be barbed wire in the hedge so he is now sporting 3 staples from the vets.

 

On the plus side you would never know he had done anything but we will have to keep him on the lead for a few days.