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Thread: Hunting Dog advice
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30-10-2018, 20:02 #11
- Join Date
- Jan 2009
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- Pretoria
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- 1,014
Re: Hunting Dog advice
Great decision, wingshooting with your own gundog brings a whole new dimension.
Just be very honest with yourself about your available time, as pup training requirements are lots of short training sessions, rather than a couple of long ones. And please resist the urge to take it hunting before the training is complete,it is a mistake most make and they end up paying for it for the dog's whole life.
So now my questions.
1.) Will a Lab be able to find and point or flush a bird like the GSP did?
2.) I obviously don't want to use it for pig hunting but chances are very good that we'll cross pigs when hunting. Is that OK? I don't want to invest time into training a dog and then losing it to a pig.
I have however shot bushpig over my 1st Lab and GSP, the Lab flushed and ran back in my general direction, with bushpig in hot pursuit, after I shot it, he went back and brought another one, this was purely luck, no training for it, he just used his nose to locate them, and when he realised that he had bitten off more than he went looking for help. The GSP pointed it, where it slept in a bush. I have also used the GSP to quickly track and locate wounded game, including warthog and bushpig, I put it onthe trail and make it sit when about 25 to 30 metres from me, when I catch up, I let it go again. Over the years, while wingshooting, my GSP's have pointed many warthog and a lot of other game animals as well, the most in a weekend was 5 different points.
3.) How do I train the dog to hunt?
4.) I would prefer a female - for having pups. Dogs here in France are super expensive. Labradors start at around €900. So I would like to sell a few pups if I can.
5.) We already have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - obviously not for hunting although she loves feathers. She isn't trained or anything. How will that impact the Lab?
6.) How does the Labs handle kids. I have a 2 and 7 year old.
Regards
Sent from my SM-P605 using Tapatalk
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30-10-2018, 21:34 #12
- Join Date
- Dec 2017
- Posts
- 1,675
Re: Hunting Dog advice
I also have a Labrador and a Springer Spaniel. I have had much the same experience. My Labrador will
retrieve anything on land or water. To hear the crack of a rifle or shotgun is the reason he exists. Fast, strong and bold
with the legendary soft temperament.
My Springer is also a bold little fellow who likes to box above his weight. When you see him crashing through the bush you
realise how determined he is to hunt. Although he retrieves well he prefers to hunt.
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22-11-2018, 12:05 #13
- Join Date
- Dec 2016
- Location
- South of France
- Posts
- 402
Re: Hunting Dog advice
Johan and Luker
Thanks a lot for your responses. Helps a lot. I'm busy looking for a Lab at the moment. I went 2 weeks ago with a friend who has a Brittany Spaniel. She pointed perfectly but had NO interest in retrieving at all. I'm going to get a Lab and hopefully some pointing rubs off on her but if she just flushes birds in a radius of 20M that is also OK.
Regards
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22-11-2018, 16:09 #14
- Join Date
- Dec 2017
- Posts
- 1,675
Re: Hunting Dog advice
You will enjoy every moment with a Labrador. The attached image is of my Labrador with the first bird he retrieved for me.
The look on his face says it all:
Attachment 29613
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11-12-2018, 16:23 #15
- Join Date
- May 2014
- Location
- Johannesburg, South Africa
- Age
- 54
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- 363
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