Comment

Comment by Kevin on October 17, 2012 at 5:48pm

All serious trainers use pigeons to train their dogs.  Cheap and easy.  Yes they smell different (I think) but it works. 

Comment by brandon purcell on October 17, 2012 at 12:59pm

i have a blu ebelton puppy on the way , i was looking for ways to train them. looking for ways to trp frouse alive without expensive traps! to train my dog there are a lot of pidgeons around my house i was going to use but i dont think they would have the same scent as grouse and ptramragin

Comment by Ken Dinn on September 12, 2012 at 8:49am

If you are a serious waterfowl hunter I would suggest a breed other then the GSP for NL as stated below they will get too cold even for late season ptarmigan.

A book that I would recommend and I recommend it to all of my puppy buyers as well as most people that I help with training is "How to Help Gundogs Train Themselves" by Joan Bailey  LCS is a good place to by books and dog supplies.

The NAVHDA green book is a little dated and geared more towards and older dog while the book i mentioned will take you through the first year.

As far as costs it will depend on how far you want to take the dog.

Ken

Comment by Olivier van Lier on September 12, 2012 at 8:22am

Hi Brandon, a GSP is an excellent choice for the right owner. We recently purchased one and are extremely happy with her. Before purchasing one, note that they require at least an hour of hard exercise daily... a walk will not cut it.... The one downfall to the GSP is it's shorthair, they can get cold quite rapidly and hence are not well suited for fall duck retrieving in NL. As far as expenses... the dog will run you about 800 - 1000 alone, and since there are no breeders on the island (that I know of), the pup will have to be flown in at an additional cost. As for training costs, this can be done as cheaply as you want. The best book and info for training has been through NAVDHA, you can purchase the green book online here: http://navhdastore.org/ Hope this helps!

Comment by brandon purcell on September 11, 2012 at 1:59pm

i was looking into getting a german  short haired pointer or another bird dog , just wondering how hard and expnsive it is to train them i was hoping to get into duck unting and also using them for grouse or ptarmign any tips or place to get tips and what not ? thanks

Comment by Ken Dinn on August 20, 2012 at 8:30pm

I use pigeons all the time and have for about the last 15 years. I have my own flock of homers. I also use quail, pheasants and sometimes chuckar. It all depends on what birds my dogs will be tested on when traveling to the mainland. However the majority of work is done with pigeons. Great birds for training but they need to used properly if not they will only create problems. This past spring I put off a training clinic and showed the proper use of pigeons.

Hope this helps

Ken

Comment by Kevin on August 20, 2012 at 8:23pm

I have a pointer. I know in other provinces hunters train their dogs on pigeons. A lot cheaper than finding a wild bird and hopping for a good training scenario to unfold. Apparently it is not allowed in NL, using pigeons for training. What do all you owners of pointers do.

Comment by Wesley McCabe on August 11, 2011 at 9:02pm

Robert, I bought him from Bourg Royal Kennel in Quebec City. I am extremely happy with him in the house and in the feild. He has been easy to train so far and great with my children and two small dogs. His panosteitis is a little concerning and no cause is identified. They list virus and diet as possible contributing factors but genetics has not been ruled out. I dont beleive either of his parents had this. This was the first litter to this Dam. As of now I am training on my own and I am a novice but I find Wyatt is teaching me more than I am teaching him. We have only been working on the basics and having fun for now. We will see how we make out when the formal training begins after this hunting season.

Comment by Robert Sullivan on August 11, 2011 at 6:13pm

Wesley - Just wodering what breeder you got your WPG from?  I'm beginning to research some breeders now and would like to know where you got your dog.  Also, are you training him by yourself or are you working with someone?

Comment by Wesley McCabe on August 8, 2011 at 9:11pm

Wyatt is now 5 months old. We have been having a blast and I am looking forward to the upcoming season. On Wednesday he developed a slight limp in his right foreleg it rapidly progressed to a major limp over the weekend. The vet today diagnosed him with Panosteitis. Does anyone have experience with this? I am hoping he is feeling well enough to get out a bit even if only for breif periods but I don't want to cause him any harm. What I am reading online is this can last from weeks to months and move from limb to limb. It should resolve itself by the time he is two but I don't know how long or frequent the attacks commonly are.

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