# Gundogs have to live outside.



## Lisa_and_Willow. (Dec 18, 2007)

Can you offer me some advice?

My mum's friend and her husband are two weeks away from picking up a puppy. She mostly lab with one grandparent a springer spaniel. The husband Stephen goes shooting on the weekends with his friends and their dogs and wanted one of his own.

He is full of visions of him walking along with his gun under one arm and his pup at heel beside him. (Clearly these pups come fully trained.)

He says he won't let his bitch play with any dog other than a working gundog so she can learn off them.

He is building a kennel so the pup will live outside becuase he believes that working dogs 'go too soft' if they live indoors.

I know nothing about working gundogs but am I right in thinking he is wrong about pretty much everything to do with this puppy? He will not be hunting with her every day, only weekends and I am at a loss to see how is going to fit in her training with his working 9 hour days and going down the pub.

After having Bella the pup for a few months he will then get a spaniel too.

Outside dogs are not common here, the only one I know is a border collie who works on a farm everyday. He is with the farmer from sunrise to sunset then goes to sleep in a kennel by the house.

How long does it take to train a gundog? Has anyone here had a dog they intended to hunt with but it was scared of the gun or wouldn't retrieve? 

I worry what will happen to Bella if she isn't as perfect as he wants.


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

PM Swampcollie. I'm sure he can help. EvanG, too. I know there is someone else who can help, but their username escapes me at the moment.


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## amy22 (May 11, 2008)

aww I feel bad for that pup..


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

My husband's hunting dogs always lived in the house with us. How is he going to build a working partnership with a dog that lives outside? Now my ex was a fanatical hunter, and as hunting season approached, he and the dog always went on a "get in shape for hunting" schedule  He would be gone for 10-12 hours a day on a 3 day weekend hunting, not to mention all the trips to South Dakota and Iowa for pheasant.

And I hope he is prepared to train, train, train! Otherwise, it will be him with his gun, running like a madman to catch his dog, who has gone off after a rabbit or some deer!


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

If you can convince Maxi, Kate and Angel that they're supposed to live outside, maybe I'll get the couch back. 

Gundogs need to be outside enough that they acclimate to the seasons. It doesn't take much time each day to accomplish this.


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## heartofgold (Oct 27, 2007)

My uncle brought home a pup about 15 years ago with the same vision as your friend. He built the kennel and the pup lived outside for about a week until my aunt made him bring her into the house because she wouldn't stop crying at night. She stayed in their home every night up until about a month ago when she died. She was the best hunting dog and friend he ever had. I have never seen the man cry over anything except that dog.

Another uncle of mine around the same time had the exact same vision for his pup. He built the kennel, the pup lived in the kennel, the pup was not a good hunting dog. My uncle gave up on him by the time he was a year old. So, the poor dog lived in the kennel it's entire life until the day that he died. The dog became nothing but a burden to my uncle, just something he had to feed every day. Unfortunately he did not have a wife.


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## Lisa_and_Willow. (Dec 18, 2007)

Heartofgold - Stephen does have a wife but she dosen't want the pup in the house either. However after both myself and another dog loving friend of theirs voiced our concerns they have agreed to let Bella come into the kitchen and hallway! 

It is a start!

Swampcollie - any benefits from only letting her play with other working gundogs? I need advice to back up my arguments!


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

Lisa_and_Willow. said:


> Swampcollie - any benefits from only letting her play with other working gundogs? I need advice to back up my arguments!


From a training standpoint, there is no benefit and could be counter productive.

From a socialization standpoint, it is beneficial to have a pup interact with other dogs, people and animals. Just make sure it is supervised interaction.


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

I grew u with setters and pointers. WE were quail huners and our dogs were outside dogs. None ever lived in the house. When they got old Mom would let them them in when it was real cold. When I got Pixie at 4 weeks (her Mom was killed), she was kept in the house for a few weeks
Just about everyne in our community had hutning dogs, either brid dogs or hound dogs I can only remember 3 that were not birddogs or hounds and the belopnged city folks that moved out to our area. One had Boston Terrier , one famly had a collie and a Peke. The Peke was the only house dog I ever knew and I thought it the stranges tdog in the world. Looked like a waddlin dust mop.

As our said, our dogs were outside dogs, always. But you could not find better quail dogs. My Dad's brothers' owned pointers, yet would often borrow our dogs. Our dogs were often hunted 7 days a week during quial season. Our's were the best at finding quail, backing each other, trailing wounded quail, retrieving downed birds, dead or alive.

So why was our outside dogs so much better in the field? Possibily because unlike my Dad's brothers who belived hunting dogs were for hunting only, my Dad believed dogs were also to be loved ansd ,played it etc. Us kids used ours a "pack mues" by loading them with stuff when we played army or were looking for gold, etc, we would tie them to the radio flyer wagon and they were our horses when we "went west with a wagon train." My dad always had the time to sit and talk with them and brush them and get burrs out of their fur. Of season we would take them out in the woods with us jut for compnay. Where most of the hunting dogs spent their time in very large pens with nice dogs houes filled with hay in winter, etc, ours wre with us kids. 

I think that made a huge difference. We loved our dogs and they loved us and they wanted to please. They would go all out for us.We were more to them tha a caterer that brought food daiy. And they knew it. 

By the time I got my first Irish Setter (he just showed up in '78) he was a total house dog, was my 2ed one that I got in '85 when Red died. And we got our first golden in '94 to be duck dog and he was a house dog fom day one. At 6 months he was retriving ducks and never ruffled a feather on one dead or alive. Scooter slept in bed with our older son excpet when son had graveyard--then he was in bed with me (us when hubby was home) WITH AN ARTICLE OF RON'S CLOTHINGS. 

I know from years of having dogs that outdoor dogs can be great in the field, great hunters, etc, BUT I think that you have to spend a lot of time with them, talking to them, grooming, etc. They have to want to please you to give their all and that is the way to make it happen. We could see the difference in our dogs who were loved on, hugged, and played with by kids, given much attention from Daddy and those stuck in pns year round And to be honest, looking back, I wish all our dogs had been indoor dogs, but back in he 50's and 60's in the country, it was not done.


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## EvanG (Apr 26, 2008)

Swampcollie said:


> If you can convince Maxi, Kate and Angel that they're supposed to live outside, maybe I'll get the couch back.
> 
> Gundogs need to be outside enough that they acclimate to the seasons. It doesn't take much time each day to accomplish this.


Ditto.

EvanG


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## goldensmum (Oct 23, 2007)

I know that Reeva's mum and uncle etc lived outside in kennels (they are working gundogs) as did Quinn's, and they were all in good health, good condition and happy. Having said that they had the company of each other, and were out in the fields during the day. I hope that your mum's friend is not thinking of just putting the pup in a kennel outside and leaving her to her own devices until she is taken out at the 
weekend shooting - that to me sounds like a recipe for disaster. Don't know how long it would take to train a gundog as for starters it depends on the individual dog. Has he ever trained a dog before - either normal training or gundog training - if not then he could be in for a rude awakening. Not sure as to the correct way of training a gundog, but i would have thought that introducing a pup to the gun noise would have to be handled carefully or you could put them off for life.

I too would be concerned for this pups welfare - perhaps he needs a talking to?


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

Our Max was an avid hunting dog! Loved to retrieve, flush and point. He lived inside with us of course and was my heart golden. 
He was bred to to be a hunting golden.

Gunner and Selka were bred for obedience and conformation. They love retrieving but Gunner is gunshy and Selka although he has hunted with Dad would rather be home with Mom.

My BIL has had two German Shorthair pointers. They both lived inside with the family and other dogs and were/are excellent hunting dogs. Their older dog and Max were hunting companions for years.

When I was a kid, my BF 's dad had a Brittany that lived in a kennel. That dog was alone night and day unless it was hunting once in awhile on a weekend. I felt so bad for that dog. She was sweet and I was the only one who gave her any attention.
I think even if they are working hunters, it is cruel to keep them out in a kennel and not a family member.

Your relative's information is incorrect. Hopefully this person is willing to commit time and energy into training/loving/socializing his dog. I feel very sorry for it if he doesn't.


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## z24pride (May 13, 2008)

Boone's Hunting class instructor(Mark Edwards) His dogs are house dogs as well as very very accomplished hunters as you will see by the titles his retrievers earn...
Here is an example...
UH GMH HRCH Tidewaters Weekend Gladiator CanAm CD WCX MH OS CCA (This guy is amazing to watch!!!)


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## arcane (Sep 18, 2007)

z24pride said:


> Boone's Hunting class instructor(Mark Edwards) His dogs are house dogs as well as very very accomplished hunters as you will see by the titles his retrievers earn...
> Here is an example...
> UH GMH HRCH Tidewaters Weekend Gladiator CanAm CD WCX MH OS CCA (This guy is amazing to watch!!!)


So when shall Boone make his debut??? I am thinking I need a hunting dawg in the earned titles  I know his daddy would love it too...


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## z24pride (May 13, 2008)

You will be the first to know....


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