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First Pup


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Hey All

 

My son and I have reached a point in our lives where we feel that we would be able to give a dog a good home. We would like a good intelligent breed, easy to train with a good memory. We want to start from scratch with a pup; I know there is a lot to be said for rescuing an older dog but we really want to bond from vanilla.

 

We are considering two breeds ESS and Black Lab leaning quite heavily towards the lab as my experience of springers is their being mad as a box of frogs.

 

Our intention is to obedience train and follow up with gun tolerance and retrieval.

 

We live in a 2 bed detached cottage in the country with enough garden to provide a latrine and tons of countryside for exercise. The only real issue I have identified with regards to getting a freshly weaned puppy is my working routine. I work 2 days then two nights with the day between the days and nights off, followed by 4 days off. my son is finishing school so is out for about 6hrs a day (Although I work close to home so could pop back for lunch). Obviously some of the days I'm at work he will be home with the pup, weekends etc.

 

Questions:

 

  1. Which breed? Are we right to lean towards the lab or would a springer suit us?
  2. Re the age of the pup - are we going to encounter issues with him/her being left for up to 6 hrs (but maybe 3 if i come home at lunchtime) during the first few weeks? Might a breeder hold on to a pup for a few weeks extra to get through the initial house training or is that a bad idea?

Any constructive comments would be really appreciated.

 

Matt

 

 

 

 

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whats your idea of rough shooting ? is it pigeons from a hide or rabbits flushed out and shot over the dog both breeds can do this work but they excel in one or the other.but as you have mentioned retrieving and you have already half ruled out spaniels you best go for a lab .If you can go to a spaniel and a lab(retriever) field test just take a good look at what you may achieve with good training you potently will have to get on with the choice you make for 15 years.

When you commit to getting a dog you have to be prepared to look after it from the start even if that means putting yourself out of you normal routine and in my way of thinking if you can't do that when you have a pup then you wont do it when it's older and not so cute.only my take on things anyway so good luck in what you decide.

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Thanks for the input.

 

When I say rough I think of a little of both really but I guess more towards rabbits, I prefer pigeon shooting but its a little sparse at the moment; Cornwall isn't known for large fields of crops.

 

I agree and appreciate 100% about the commitment; that's one reason for asking the questions.

 

:good:

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I would think a springer would best fit your needs.

 

Not all of them are nuts , I would personally find one from good working stock rather than a line brim full of FTCH etc as they may be a bit lively for a first time handler.

 

I have always had gundogs and have been working the same shifts as you for the last 23 years so it can be done .

 

I doubt a trainer will be keen to keep a pup back to house train for you , I would guess a high percentage of good gundogs have never seen the inside of a house.

 

The dog really would be better off kenneled outside if you are going to be absent for long periods.

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If you don't want anything too exciting, get a lab. Pointless getting something like a well bred ESS that will hunt flush and retrieve game for you if all you want is a plodding dog to wander over to a dead rabbit shot from the vehicle every now and then. Get a lab or anything for that matter if it's just a dog you want to bring dead rabbits back to you and you are not too bothered of the condition of them. If you are hunting rabbits on foot through rushes and white grass, get a well bred, preferably from trialling lines, ESS or cocker. It will likely have a brain, will hunt close enough to you to be able to get a comfortable shot at anything it flushes. Get something 'gamekeeper bred', 'steady away good hunting stock' and you might well find you waste more than a few shotgun cartridges :)

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