monkeyboots Posted December 7, 2008 Report Share Posted December 7, 2008 just like to ask a question my step son (14) is looking for a springer pup to train up for next season to do a bit of beating in the local estate im not gonna spend big money on fancy kc reg dogs as ive 2 here for myself , and as he"s a young lad then once he gets a taste for women and drink then he will mayabe pack the dog in but to get to the point thees a lad who lives a few miles away who has pups for sale at 50 quid which will be ideal for him as the price is right and if it turns out a decent dog then fair enough and if the young lad packs it in then its not a lot of money wasted, but heres the problem the pups tail isnt docked , so what id like to know will it cause problems to the dog in the beating line as ive red before about tail damage is it worth takeing a risk on the dog and buy it or hold off for a pup with a docked tail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennyboy30 Posted December 7, 2008 Report Share Posted December 7, 2008 hello mate it all depends on the conditions you are beating in on my shoot there is a lot of brambles and forest and tail damage is inevetable in these conditions if its fairly light terrain where you beat you might get away with an undocked dog cheers kenny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted December 7, 2008 Report Share Posted December 7, 2008 Personally I wouldn't have an undocked spaniel, you may save a few quid just now buying the pup but you could end up with a hefty vet bill when it splits, which it will. BUT, you could strap the tail for working and it may be alright...not for me but an option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 Is there no way he can work with one of your dogs ? then at least you will know if he will continue and can get his own dog later . If he is serious he will work with your dog on a regular basis and the two of them should get on just fine . At least you wont have the problem of re-homing a dog if it doesnt work out ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 Is there no way he can work with one of your dogs ? then at least you will know if he will continue and can get his own dog later .If he is serious he will work with your dog on a regular basis and the two of them should get on just fine . At least you wont have the problem of re-homing a dog if it doesnt work out ?? exactly thats my thoughts after all to me a dog is for life so i'd not look to give him one you expect to have to get rid of later. As for working an undocked one yep i'd be concerned as well so would look for one that was docked as well. Also £50 for a dog is really really cheap so you have to question why they are only worth that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyboots Posted December 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 pups are cheap cos there from a pet home not a working home and not kc reg. 1 of my dogs is only 4mths old the other is 14mths and although im beating /shooting over her she"s still learning the ropes, as for getting rid of the dog if he lost interest in it i never said the dog would be sold on , as more than likely id be the 1 who ends up looking after it , but think as has been said will hold off a while till a docked pup comes up and take it from there by the way al4x would you keep a dog for life who was no good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 I didnt realise your dogs were still quite young ! But it could still have a silver lining so to speak ? You could combine training the four month old dog together with teaching the young lad how to do it properly ,so when he does decide to get his own dog next year or later .He will be well equiped to get the best out of it ?? We need all the young lads we can get into the sport these days. There seems to be quite a shortage of them on shoot days ? But there doesnt seem to be a shortage of spaniels ! lol Hang on a bit and get the right one . Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobt Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 I have just had a litter of pups, I sold the two spare pups without any problems, I am told I sold them too cheap at £200 and £250, I dread to think what a £50 pup would turn out like? I was told it costs as much to feed a good dog as a poor one. I paid a local vet £11 per pup for docking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
younggunner122 Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 My Springer is docked and there was never any troube with his tail. Also i think docked is better. The good thing about springers is that they are full of energy and never seem to run out. My pup is nolonger a pup They are gorgeous dogs and faithful. Solong as he knows who feeds him he will always come back. Good luck with finding a pup and have fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spanielboy Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 there is an undocked springer on our shoot and every week, even just in the lightest of cover, the tail gets ripped open and the dog gets covered in blood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 by the way al4x would you keep a dog for life who was no good well actually yes, but to minimise the chances I would make sure its from working lines and the parents had a good working background. £400 -£500 may seem a lot to pay in comparison to your £50 pup but if it makes the difference between having a good dog the cost is well worth it and a very small part of the lifetime ownership costs of the dog. particularly if you buy a bitch and have a few litters of pups along the way. They will be worth more with a decent working background. Personally I do know people who can take a dog that won't work properly for a final walk with a .22 but thats not the way I treat dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 pups are cheap cos there from a pet home not a working home and not kc reg. 1 of my dogs is only 4mths old the other is 14mths and although im beating /shooting over her she"s still learning the ropes, as for getting rid of the dog if he lost interest in it i never said the dog would be sold on , as more than likely id be the 1 who ends up looking after it , but think as has been said will hold off a while till a docked pup comes up and take it from there by the way al4x would you keep a dog for life who was no good :( Yes I would and so should anyone, a dog is not a piece of meat that can be traded as you see fit. As Al4x said time spent researching a dogs bloodlines and investng time and effort in it pretty much garantees success. Paying £50 to someone who made a mistake doesn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Sweepy Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 (edited) Hi Monkeyboots. Try your son with one of your dogs first. My 15 year old son wants his own dog . But as we have two already we let him have as much to do with the springer as he wants. He also trains her. With my husband . He started when she was about the year and a half.And they have a real good relationship going on. He still wants his own dog.But its just not possable at the moment. His got the best of both worlds as their are days were he dont want so much to do with her (not often)And he can still hang out with his mates . And we dont have the extra worry of having to see to the extra dog. Having the springer working with both my husband and son has had no ill effect on the dog what so ever. xxxxSuzy Edited December 9, 2008 by Mrs Sweepy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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