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help me its about dogs


waterfowler050

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ok i live in seattle washington and would love to look in to getting a good dog for waterfowl. im looking for something from a breeder with a good reputation and all that good stuff. my cash is limited and am also wondering what a puppy could come out to at an average price. lastly they need to be able to live in a house. thanks.

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I have a lab from a reputable kennel in Mississippi. He was $1,000 at 8 weeks old then add training, food, vet bills, kennels, etc it can add up! I don't really keep up with what my dogs "cost" because personally I don't care. They are my buddies! I have the Lab who is my hunting dog and then I have an 85lb doberman. They are essentially my children so they are somewhat spoiled. Right now one is on the couch with me and the other is on his bed. They both live in the house and I am gone 12-16 hours a day sometimes and they're fine. But I digress... You can get a dog from a backyard breeder for $250 and it could be a very successful dog but I would recommend saving your money for a few years until you can afford a dog with proven bloodlines with certified eyes, heart, EIC, hips, etc. I would hate for you to get and invest what money you have on a dog that gets hip dysplasia at 2 years old. Unfortunately these days reputable breeders are asking $650-1,000 a "certified" puppy but I think the peace of mind is worth it. One thing I might suggest since you are young is try and find a breeder/trainer in your area and VOLUNTEER to throw birds or wash kennels for him as a sort of payment plan for a pup if you can't afford one. You will get some GREAT experience this way and he will also be able to help you with the training. Since I am in Mississippi, can't really help you on local breeders but i'm sure if you dig a little bit you can find one or two in your area.

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Anytime! Dogs are a pretty personal choice like shotguns or clothing choices are. I have a lab and he is great but when my buddy finds a suitable mate for his Chesapeake I get first male pick of the litter out of them so I will be trying the Chessies out. I have seen his dog do 800 yard blind retrieves on snow geese several times when we have our big goose hunt. Pretty cool dog and a great temperament. I hunted over 50 days this year in 4 states and had at least one dog on every hunt, we had 11 or 12 on our big goose hunt. To me, watching the dogs is what its all about! Don't forget the initial price of the dog is minor in comparison to "upkeep" on the dog over the years, meaning food/bills/etc. I wouldn't trade it for a thing though! Find a breeder and offer to help out, most are very welcoming to people willing to throw birds or clean kennels for them.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

One last thing to mention....what ever bad behaviors your dog exhibits are typically more your fault than your dogs fault. I never tolerated jumping, chewing, and all those other pesty things. So your diligence will pay huge dividends.

 

A lot of reasons people choose dog trainers to do the work for them. I like the challenge and the time to watch mine develope over the years, so to each his own.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I have a Chocolate Lab I trained him by myself so I could Train him how I wanted him to he trainned and now he does everything the way I wanted him to do. My opinnion, train your dog yourself you will save alot of money and it helps you and your dog bond. The stronger the bond the better your results will be in the duck blind. Retreving wise.

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  • 2 weeks later...

If you are still looking for a good dog for cheap don't over look a not so pure bred. My chocolate female is not pure. But you can't tell by looking at her. For cheap training try tennis balls with duck scent on them. Use them as toy's then all you'll need to do is make the dog sit and stay when you throw while yelling "bang" and send the dog when you want them to leave. lots of positive praise for stuff done right .

 

Bob In Wash State

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  • 2 months later...

Best wishes with your new pup. I recommend training the pup yourself. You'll get a much greater reward on the duck pond when you reap the benefits of YOUR time and effort you spend with it, you get to know your pup better, and plus and you'll save lots of money. In my experience, I've never seen a dog perform well for the owner after its been off at school (others might have different stories). Training is work but it's fun and you can't beat the joy of watching your pup do what YOU taught him to do, not what you paid some other guy to do who doesn't care for your dog like you do. "Water Dog" by Woltors is a great buy! What kind of dog did you decide on?

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