Thread: Considering an Indicator Dog for Bush Hunting: Seeking Advice and Opinions

Originally Posted by TakaRat

The dog would also serve as a companion for my adventures

They are worth it

I regularly go months and months without taking my dog out but as soon as we do get out therw he just snaps back into it so I wouldnt get all caught up worrying that omce every 6 weeks should put you off. Do the early legwork and get everything rock solid and theres no reason the dog will go soft between outings. A lot of countries in europe etc you might literally only have 3 or 4 months in a whole year that you can hunt in and that doesnt seem to stop handlers breeding and training excellent indicator dogs

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

any dog is a commitment and you need to make it - what about going away on holiday or even for a weekend - so lateral thinking some of you dog owners would know if this would work -dual ownership - now I know from being a sherherd a new dog about a week and would be working for me - so if two hunters had a dog week in week out I wonder if it would work for both - I dont see why not - six weeks between actually getting the dog out is a long time and could equal bored dog - the big problems I hear about vizlas and GSP are about bored ill trained dogs - any way my two cents worth - but only every six weeks my answer would be no to a dog - if out on a farm may be different the dog would get a lot more out and about but in town nah--I would love a dog again but have to say no I cant make the commitment needed so totally unfair on dog

Barry I am currently part of a dog sharing arrangement, I have been the default occaisonal babysitter for a dog for the last few years, and in May his owners went overseas (coming back in Oct) so at the moment I have him for half the week and some mutual friends of ours and the owners have him for the rest of the time. It actually works so well that I am starting to think about getting another one when this ones owners get back. We have all the perks of having a dog but since he lives in two houses we only have half the commitment.
I will admit that part of why it works, is that this dog is a very well behaved and smart dog, (labXhuntaway) docile with everything except rabbits and possums and can learn a new command in about 5 minutes. So maybe it is a successful sample group of one, the 1 out of 10 that is successful, but my 2c is that it is a good way to go.

The only difference I have noticed between this dog and a full time dog is that he suddenly knows new commands that I haven't taught him. This is usually noticed when a treat comes out of the cupboard and he goes through his routine before you even tell him to do anything. But when I started teaching him to jump electric fences I started with the command 'jump over', turns out he had just been taught 'roll over' and thought he already knew what to do!.

I am actually surprised more people don't do the dog share thing. I always thought it would be a good thing for retirees and younger working folk to team up on, so the dog and the retiree have company during the day without the running costs of the dog and depending on the arrangement they don't have to commit to too much excercising either, and the working person gets free doggy daycare during work hours, a win-win.

Fella I know borrows a lab for duckshooting...owner doesn't shoot at all. Just one of those cheeky moments to ask...would you like me to take your dog out?? Win win all around.

well longshot thats positive -I had to laugh at the point about other commands for christ sake dont say ; drop the big log now ; ya never know what the buggers been taught - no just put it out there for consideration always been told I was a lateral thinker

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

Fella I know borrows a lab for duckshooting...owner doesn't shoot at all. Just one of those cheeky moments to ask...would you like me to take your dog out?? Win win all around.

we used to take my mates mothers pedigree boxer out pig hunting as a holder - I think old Butch lived for it - a real dog