Thread: Article

Tussock,
I used to be an ROV Pilot in the Oil industry. Now if you like the tuna that comes in tins caught by purseiners , I most likely had a a hand in fitting the electronic stuff the fisherman used to find it and nab it.

By the way, I think the "sixth sense" dogs appear to possess is a combination of reading body language and smell. You can act like you are not pissed off, as pointed out, but you can;t hide the smell of the adrenlin surge that went through you when you got mad... with a dog's sense of smell, anger would be a very tangible smell to them, and nothing you can do will hide that.

Originally Posted by Dougie

On a slight side note, I recently read an interesting article in NZHunter about the importance of having a dog hunt for YOU not, for them. Quite a cool article. I know that authour will be slandered for promoting not caring what breed he has or what his dog looks like, but what it does for him. I really appreciated his honesty and to be honest absolute courage!

Why would he be slagged for that? He has to hunt over it.... his choice.

Originally Posted by el borracho

Im sure we will talk further about this in person at a later date .I have decided "never" to only take my own advice as much as it hurts to be humble hahaha

Bring a bottle, let's make it a good one.....

it would be great to hook up and ill bring a bottle of fine single malt -not that ill drink to much of it as the booooze gives me depression -I still like getting fucd up tho

Originally Posted by el borracho

it would be great to hook up and ill bring a bottle of fine single malt -not that ill drink to much of it as the booooze gives me depression -I still like getting fucd up tho

Depression... Blues... We'll play some appropriate music, talk dogs, call each other dickheads and have a ball... all good mate!

Originally Posted by Ruff

I agree totally Mikee I often use the analogy of my wife and her horse.... she's a keen horse person, she can ride and take care of a horse no worries at all, but she doesn;t go out and buy a foal raise it and break it in, she has a professional do that, the job gets done properly and she has, as a result, a well behaved manageable animal she can use and take care of.

Most gundog owners should use a similar philosophy in my ever so humble opinion.

What's that cost?

Originally Posted by RCGSP

What's that cost?

RCGSP, that would depend upon the breeding of the animal (much in a way similar to dogs I am sure). That said, in my experience of horses and regardless of what you might pay for the animal, that will be the cheapest end of the deal. It is the cost of feed, cost of shoeing, vet fees, replacement tack due to ever changing musculature conformation etc that really mounts up (forgive the pun) with horses.

Originally Posted by Rushy

RCGSP, that would depend upon the breeding of the animal (much in a way similar to dogs I am sure). That said, in my experience of horses and regardless of what you might pay for the animal, that will be the cheapest end of the deal. It is the cost of feed, cost of shoeing, vet fees, replacement tack due to ever changing musculature conformation etc that really mounts up (forgive the pun) with horses.

Agreed and will depend on the trainer no doubt... it is often also the difference between ending up with something useful or not useful. One might be cheaper, but is much poorer value for money for most.

I know what it costs for a horse, I work with them for a living. I was asking what it costs for a dog.

QUOTE=RCGSP;77367]I know what it costs for a horse, I work with them for a living. I was asking what it costs for a dog.[/QUOTE]

Well based on what I have seen charged for trained dogs in the US, I don't think 5-6k for training would be too much to pay, after all the rest of my hunting gear is not cheap. However for that kind of coin you would expect some kind of std to be reached irrespective of the ability of the owner
See here
GSPs
Pointers, not quite english!!

English Setters
Labs, you won't believe how much they go for!!!!!!!!
Britneys

I know what it costs in the states as I'm from there.

I'm asking what it costs here.

Buying a finished dog isn't really the same as getting a pup and having it trained up as when you buy a finished dog you get it straight away and the trainer has laid out for the pup/time to get it to where it is. Buying a pup and having it trained up requires a long wait and you are committing to it and laying out the cash at the start.

Anyway the question stands, what's it cost to get a finished dog trained up here as Ruff is suggesting.

I would suspect so

I don;t know anyone offering fully finished dogs... the analogy was with a horse already broken in, that's not a finished horse either.

It depends on the breed of dog, the level the owner wants it taken to. A lab with basic handling and retrieving skills would be a heck of a lot cheaper than a spaniel or pointing breed with hunting, retrieving, flushing and pointing work started. My started dogs start at $3500.00 plus the price of the pup, a Lab would be cheaper. Having said that I am finishing up the last few dogs I have in for work between now and March and then not doing commercial training anymore, not seriously anyway. I will offer some started dogs from time to time if and when i breed a litter and run some on. It's an interesting market... a lot are resistant to the idea, you don;t worry about them, you just focus on the ones that are not. I have a Ballyblack dog here I started 6 years ago, she comes in sporadically through the year for boarding and refreshing as her owner travels a lot, for someone like him living in the heart of Takapuna, having this for him was brilliant and as he pointed out to me... it cost him less than his shotgun and gets him more game.

There is a market among shooters who want a dog with them on driven shoots as a peg dog and to pick up some birds after the drive and then to be a Maimai and roughshooting dog. There are not many people who have put any emphasis on peg dogs in NZ, but I have developed some methods as I am aware of the [limited] market which is there for it.

Well with the horses the real work is largely done, they just need miles.

Interesting. Shame there's not people doing started dogs. I've gotten a couple inquiries but not a ton, more from Australia. One guy said he had heard of someone doing it here but that's news to me.