Gun Dog / Pet

[Iaindp]

Hi All,

 

Just looking for some general advice on dogs..........

 

'Er indoors has finally caved in and agreed to me getting a dog, but I've had to compromise!

 

It's got to be a young pup, a cocker (although she'll probably agree to a springer) and it's got to be a pet too.

 

We've taken loads of advice but still have some questions and should be ready to buy around early February. If anyone can help with any of these questions, I'd be grateful:

 

1. The dog will ideally live outside in a purpose built, wooden kennel with insulation etc etc. How old would the pup need to be before I let it stay and sleep outside?

 

2. I'll need to leave the dog for approx 6 hours a day as we both work. Will I be able to do this as soon as I get him ?(looking to buy a pup of approx 8-10 weeks)

 

3. When people say that I should see the pup with both parents before buying, why is this important? - The parents could both be present at puppy farms couldn't they?

 

4. I'm not interested in breeding the dog / bitch. Therefore how importnat is it that I buy a dog with papers?

 

5. What would be the minimum, say 5 "must haves" and "must not haves" in any dog I bought?

 

6. BARF or dry / dog / puppy food?

 

7. Is there a right time and a wrong time to but a pup?

 

8. How soon can you start some light training (dummy retreival etc) with a pup?

 

9. Does anyone know any good forums for cocker/springer info?

 

10. I'd like a chocolate cocker / springer if poss. Has anyone heard of and bad news stories with chocolates i.e. with them not be as visible in the field?

 

11. Any finally............Cocker / Springer???

 

Any advise gratefully received,

Cheers

Iain

[digger]

Iain, not sure if this will help but here goes. Bought a pup at eight weeks old against the better halfs wishes. Had intended to kennel her outside witha run but the wife would have none of it so a house dog she still is. She is left at home(after a long morning walk come rain or shine) from half eight until about twelve when she gets another walk,then another walk at half four when I get in. Leaving a pup of ten weeks for six hours may present problems with boredom.

Bought my dog with both parents present, gives you a good idea of temperment and size.

No papers with mine but did see the hip / eye scores of the sire and dam.

Stick with puppy food before moving on to a barf diet.

You can start "training" as early as you want but make it fun.

The last three questions i cant answer, I have a lab. Your best bet is wait for nttf to advise you, he is damn good with dogs

[Iaindp]

Iain, not sure if this will help but here goes. Bought a pup at eight weeks old against the better halfs wishes. Had intended to kennel her outside witha run but the wife would have none of it so a house dog she still is. She is left at home(after a long morning walk come rain or shine) from half eight until about twelve when she gets another walk,then another walk at half four when I get in. Leaving a pup of ten weeks for six hours may present problems with boredom.

Bought my dog with both parents present, gives you a good idea of temperment and size.

No papers with mine but did see the hip / eye scores of the sire and dam.

Stick with puppy food before moving on to a barf diet.

You can start "training" as early as you want but make it fun.

The last three questions i cant answer, I have a lab. Your best bet is wait for nttf to advise you, he is damn good with dogs

 

 

Thanks Digger, When you say the hip / eye problem, is this just a lab problem and what does it mean,

 

Cheers

[digger]

Labs are known for hip dysplasia and eye problems. Pretty sure they dont apply to spaniels ? The hip problem has mostly been bred out of labs which is why it pays to see the sire and dam. The eyes were also problems a few years back but also seem to have been bred out, my vet advised having my labs elbows checked prior to breeding as she has good hip / eye scores.

My shooting mate has small springers with all the pedigree and papers and they are damn fine working dogs, totally different from mine. His hunt while mine looks at brambles like posh spice looking at primark. Mine will sit in a hide all day, his sneak off and hunt ! End of the day our shooting isnt complete without a dog and we dont want feild trial winners, just dogs that do what we ask and bring a few birds to hand / add a few to the bag.

Good luck with your choice, you wont regret getting a dog

[Gordon R]

I have Akitas - they don't retrieve game, but will do serious harm to any burglar. Forget game, my vote is for a deterrent.

[dustyfox]

Hi All,

 

Just looking for some general advice on dogs..........

 

'Er indoors has finally caved in and agreed to me getting a dog, but I've had to compromise!

 

It's got to be a young pup, a cocker (although she'll probably agree to a springer) and it's got to be a pet too.

 

We've taken loads of advice but still have some questions and should be ready to buy around early February. If anyone can help with any of these questions, I'd be grateful:

 

1. The dog will ideally live outside in a purpose built, wooden kennel with insulation etc etc. How old would the pup need to be before I let it stay and sleep outside?

 

2. I'll need to leave the dog for approx 6 hours a day as we both work. Will I be able to do this as soon as I get him ?(looking to buy a pup of approx 8-10 weeks)

 

3. When people say that I should see the pup with both parents before buying, why is this important? - The parents could both be present at puppy farms couldn't they?

 

4. I'm not interested in breeding the dog / bitch. Therefore how importnat is it that I buy a dog with papers?

 

5. What would be the minimum, say 5 "must haves" and "must not haves" in any dog I bought?

 

6. BARF or dry / dog / puppy food?

 

7. Is there a right time and a wrong time to but a pup?

 

8. How soon can you start some light training (dummy retreival etc) with a pup?

 

9. Does anyone know any good forums for cocker/springer info?

 

10. I'd like a chocolate cocker / springer if poss. Has anyone heard of and bad news stories with chocolates i.e. with them not be as visible in the field?

 

11. Any finally............Cocker / Springer???

 

Any advise gratefully received,

Cheers

Iain

1. I would wait till it gets warm enough outside before a young pup should go out.

 

2.you will want the pup to bond with you as soon as possible so leaving it long ours in my eyes would not be a good thing, because when they are that age you need to feed them 4 times a day (four small meals so the pup takes more in).

 

3. See parents to see what condition they are in ( have they been looked after).

 

4. Not important, but if you want to breedthe pup in later life its better done straight the way.

 

5. dont know what you mean.

 

6. I fed mine on dry food soaked in milk at first then I put water in with the milk gradually soaking the food in pure water. (their is something in milk that makes your dog have the skittles so dont let him have any milk after you taken him/her of the milk.

 

7. again dont know what you mean.

 

8. Start retrieving with a tennis ball as soon as you want but keep it short and fun for the pup. And always finish on a good point.

 

9. no i dont know any forums.

 

10. and 11. its your choice I think a cocker is good in cover crops( get into smaller gaps.

[Blackbart]

Ian i will try and put these in order imo so here goes.

 

11. cocker/springer thats entirely personal choice they are both good workers and make very good beating/rough shooting dogs also very good pets and willing to please.

 

10. chocolate? lots of chocolate cockers about,dont think theres such a thing as a choc springer,the sayings you will have heard about choc are all about labs..lots of people wont touch them,for reasons to do with ability not cos they are hard to see.

 

7.right/wrong time to buy a pup.. personaly i wouldnt be looking for a pup now cos any gundog thats any good will be out shooting now and not lying in a kennel full of pupies.I would start looking april/may.

 

3 AND 4 If you are getting the pup from someone you dont personaly know ask to see both dog and bitch and it is better to get papers as it will give you an idea of what the breeding lines are for the dog.

 

1.After the pup has had its second injection if you have bought it at the best time ie.april/may it will be fine to go straight in the kennel

 

2. If you need to leave it for six hours then you need to leave it six hours,it will be fine in the kennel but do try and spend as much time as you can with the dog especialy when it is young as it builds up a good bond between you and the dog.

 

6. Start the pup on whatever it has been weaned onto when you first get it.Always a good idea to ask the breeder for a small bag of its food,just enough for 2 or 3 days untill you can find the same food.It will almost certainly be some form of dried food

 

8.When to start training..as soon as you get it!! very basic stuff like make it sit before you give it its food,then make it sit n stay before food,then sit and go back before food, i guess bribery with food is the key when its a pup.Dummy work comes later but you can get them retrieving balls etc in the house from the off.

 

5. Five must haves...4 legs 1 head five must not have....nervousness,aggression,cleft pallet,un-docked tail,show pedigree

 

9.Good forum..sorry dont know any.

 

Hope this is some help,others may have other info that may point you in the right direction these are just my two penneth worth.

[Iaindp]

Thanks guys, there some really useful stuff here, including answers to questions I hadn't even thought of. Just one last thing, what does KC club registered mean (apart from the obvious).

 

Is this what you all mean when you say a dog has "papers" and if not, is there any beneoft to having the dog KC registered? - I wont be breeeding it or trialling it.

 

Cheers again

Iain

[lurcherboy]

Thanks guys, there some really useful stuff here, including answers to questions I hadn't even thought of. Just one last thing, what does KC club registered mean (apart from the obvious).

 

Is this what you all mean when you say a dog has "papers" and if not, is there any beneoft to having the dog KC registered? - I wont be breeeding it or trialling it.

 

Cheers again

Iain

 

You have got good replies above and can I add that any weekday at least 3 out of my 4 dogs are alone for 6-7 hours. No mess, no destruction but they are bloody gratefull to see a biped when someone gets in.

 

 

 

 

 

LB

[Iaindp]

Thanks guys, there some really useful stuff here, including answers to questions I hadn't even thought of. Just one last thing, what does KC club registered mean (apart from the obvious).

 

Is this what you all mean when you say a dog has "papers" and if not, is there any beneoft to having the dog KC registered? - I wont be breeeding it or trialling it.

 

Cheers again

Iain

 

You have got good replies above and can I add that any weekday at least 3 out of my 4 dogs are alone for 6-7 hours. No mess, no destruction but they are bloody gratefull to see a biped when someone gets in.

 

 

Are your dogs kept outside LB?

 

 

LB

[tulkyuk]

In answer to question 11. - why not just buy a Spocker and get the best of both worlds

[nav54]

i to have a springer bought him as a semi trained yound dog at a year and a half old he is out in the kennel most of the time does not mind. We do have a little staffi that lives in. Buying a gun dog was the best thing I have ever done, It is nice just to go sometimes with dog and gun they really are mans best friend would not be without mine now.

[the hitman]

I have a 10 month old cocker, and he has always slept in a dog crate in the kitchen. I try not to leave for more than 4hours at a time , but he has been left longer and has always been ok. Make sure he has a good walk in the morning if he is to be left. My dog is a gundog/pet , and i started with the sit , stay , heel comands as soon as i could get him outside.

I only seen his mother , but i knew where the father had come from. He is KC registered, which i think means you can trace the bloodline. Dont worry about the colour, mine's a blonde , but sure aint dumb.

[Iaindp]

In answer to question 11. - why not just buy a Spocker and get the best of both worlds :blink:

 

 

 

Yeah I thought about that mate. Are they as good as cockers / springers ?? Does anybody on here work one?

 

Iaindp

[Iaindp]

i to have a springer bought him as a semi trained yound dog at a year and a half old he is out in the kennel most of the time does not mind. We do have a little staffi that lives in. Buying a gun dog was the best thing I have ever done, It is nice just to go sometimes with dog and gun they really are mans best friend would not be without mine now.

 

 

 

Sounds good Nav. I want one as much for a shooting / hunting / walking companion as a hunter / peg dog, if you know what I mean!

[dustyfox]

Thanks guys, there some really useful stuff here, including answers to questions I hadn't even thought of. Just one last thing, what does KC club registered mean (apart from the obvious).

 

Is this what you all mean when you say a dog has "papers" and if not, is there any beneoft to having the dog KC registered? - I wont be breeeding it or trialling it.

 

Cheers again

Iain

 

KC means Kennel club,

 

When I meant staying away for long ours is a bad idea I meant when you first get him, you wouldnt leave a baby alone for long same with a puppy.

[MC]

OK here is my two penneth,

 

I have a ESS who is now 21/2 years old, Apart from the first week we had him he has been left for about 8 or 9 hours during the day while we are at work.

 

This was firstly in a cage in the kitchen and then in a kennel and run in the garden. When we are at home he is always with us.

 

He is walked twice a day, about a mile in the morning and then a couple in the evening with some training as well.

 

Anyone who has seen him with me will know he is totally devoted to me and will not stray more than 50-60 yds from me at anytime.

 

In an ideal world I would love to be with him all day every day but that is not practical. He is a gundog first and a pet second. He lives outside during the day and indoors at night.

 

In the morning when I go to work I open the back door and he trots into his run with no resistance at all, when we get home half the time he is fast asleep and doesn't know we are there until one of us goes and gets him. Hardly a dog who is pining for company.

 

The only thing I would say to anyone who is thinking about getting a dog is have you got the time to give it the atention it deserves?

 

Have you got the hours or so a day for walking and training?

 

If so then go for it, and remember a dog is for life not until you get bored with it.

[Iaindp]

OK here is my two penneth,

 

I have a ESS who is now 21/2 years old, Apart from the first week we had him he has been left for about 8 or 9 hours during the day while we are at work.

 

This was firstly in a cage in the kitchen and then in a kennel and run in the garden. When we are at home he is always with us.

 

He is walked twice a day, about a mile in the morning and then a couple in the evening with some training as well.

 

Anyone who has seen him with me will know he is totally devoted to me and will not stray more than 50-60 yds from me at anytime.

 

In an ideal world I would love to be with him all day every day but that is not practical. He is a gundog first and a pet second. He lives outside during the day and indoors at night.

 

In the morning when I go to work I open the back door and he trots into his run with no resistance at all, when we get home half the time he is fast asleep and doesn't know we are there until one of us goes and gets him. Hardly a dog who is pining for company.

 

The only thing I would say to anyone who is thinking about getting a dog is have you got the time to give it the atention it deserves?

 

Have you got the hours or so a day for walking and training?

 

If so then go for it, and remember a dog is for life not until you get bored with it.

 

 

 

 

MC this is pretty much what I wanted to hear! Thanks, Iain

[Millomite]

In answer to question 11. - why not just buy a Spocker and get the best of both worlds :blink:

 

 

 

Yeah I thought about that mate. Are they as good as cockers / springers ?? Does anybody on here work one?

 

Iaindp

 

 

A cross does not guarantee the best of both.

 

Most things have been said

 

Good website is cockersonline.co.uk

[Iaindp]

OK here is my two penneth,

 

I have a ESS who is now 21/2 years old, Apart from the first week we had him he has been left for about 8 or 9 hours during the day while we are at work.

 

This was firstly in a cage in the kitchen and then in a kennel and run in the garden. When we are at home he is always with us.

 

He is walked twice a day, about a mile in the morning and then a couple in the evening with some training as well.

 

Anyone who has seen him with me will know he is totally devoted to me and will not stray more than 50-60 yds from me at anytime.

 

In an ideal world I would love to be with him all day every day but that is not practical. He is a gundog first and a pet second. He lives outside during the day and indoors at night.

 

In the morning when I go to work I open the back door and he trots into his run with no resistance at all, when we get home half the time he is fast asleep and doesn't know we are there until one of us goes and gets him. Hardly a dog who is pining for company.

 

The only thing I would say to anyone who is thinking about getting a dog is have you got the time to give it the atention it deserves?

 

Have you got the hours or so a day for walking and training?

 

If so then go for it, and remember a dog is for life not until you get bored with it.

 

 

 

 

MC - How old was your dog when you first got him?

Cheers

Iain

[barraboy]

cockersonline.co.uk

 

is that predominantly working cockers or show?

 

im thinking of getting a cocker, in the next year or two. lab man so far, but the shoot is spaniel country so next dog will be a spaniel and i fancy a cocker. any advice from kennels. lines to training appreciated.

 

im banking on it being very different to having a lab

[Browning]

In answer to question 11. - why not just buy a Spocker and get the best of both worlds

 

 

Yeah I thought about that mate. Are they as good as cockers / springers ?? Does anybody on here work one?

 

Iaindp

 

Iain,

 

I work a Sprocker, and in his first season he's showing lots of promise, very biddable, loving his job, and working as well as any pure bred spaniel on our shoots.

 

However, this is my dog, and every dog is different, only time will tell, and the amount of effort you put into his/her training.

This applies to ANY dog you get, whether it's pure bred or a crossbreed.

 

Put the effort in and you should be able to produce a tidy working dog.

[WGD]

Iain

 

A lot of good advice, similar to what you have had here, can be obtained from the National Organisation of Beaters forum - www.nobs.org.uk/forum

 

I'm doing the "dog research" bit at the moment too. Good luck.

 

Cheers

 

William