Thread: Deer dog

I have had many Labs all females. They were and are all good on deer and birds. Even handle a medium sized pig by themselves.

Don't ever force them to do anything, make life, hunting, swimming fun and they will naturally pick up what you want them to do.

During the early stages of learning that they are hunting dogs bring in the discipline that a dog needs to hunt successfully with you.

Remember they are animals that are able to hunt in a pack where there own skills need to be subordinate to the needs of others they hunt with and that's you.

This is the best Lab bitch I have had. Perhaps because I took more time to let her learn things at he own pace.

I was always a bit of a disciplinarian in the old days and I think some of my dogs never achieved what they could have done because of that.

They did what I wanted sure enough but if they were allowed to think their way through a problem they learn to do it better.

This bitch will retrieve a dead duck, but while she is, if we drop a woundy she will put the dead one down and catch the woundy.Then take the woundy back to the dead duck and pick them both up and bring them both in.

I think my other bitches were too anxious to please the boss. I have seen dogs have mental breakdowns because some owners are at them all the time and they never have time just to be dogs.

@Scribe Did you hunt with a dog while you were culling? Also a lab?

Originally Posted by phillipgr

@Scribe Did you hunt with a dog while you were culling? Also a lab?

Hi philipgr, Not successfully. When I started culling I had and Irish setter bitch with me that I was very fond of. I virtually walked the poor thing to death. I still regret not taking her out early and giving her away. You were dissuaded from leaving your block though.

She got as much venison as she could eat everyday but it wasn't enough I should have shot a few possums that would have helped her keep the condition on maybe. It was the river crossings that knocks the dogs around in winter and spring. Water up to your thighs a hunter could handle but the dog would get swept downstream and end up on the same side she left. Sometimes you would be criss crossing the river for five or six hours in a day. I would leave her some days to make it to the next hut as best she could

I shot her at Kelly Knight Hut. She was just skin and bone by then. When I think about her now I feel I need to go back to KK hut and spend a little time there once again and tell her I am sorry for what happened.

Originally Posted by Scribe

Hi philipgr, Not successfully. When I started culling I had and Irish setter bitch with me that I was very fond of. I virtually walked the poor thing to death. I still regret not taking her out early and giving her away. You were dissuaded from leaving your block though.

She got as much venison as she could eat everyday but it wasn't enough I should have shot a few possums that would have helped her keep the condition on maybe. It was the river crossings that knocks the dogs around in winter and spring. Water up to your thighs a hunter could handle but the dog would get swept downstream and end up on the same side she left. Sometimes you would be criss crossing the river for five or six hours in a day. I would leave her some days to make it to the next hut as best she could

I shot her at Kelly Knight Hut. She was just skin and bone by then. When I think about her now I feel I need to go back to KK hut and spend a little time there once again and tell her I am sorry for what happened.

It sounds like you had a loyal companion in that dog and I'm sorry to hear things panned out that way.