What dog and what age?

kermitpwee

I have been shooting for the past few years with my uncle and his dog. Basically i want my own dog for this season. I have seen dogs advertised for between 700 and 1300 euro that are 2-5 years old and hunting. I have it in my head that a springer would be the best for me.
Are these so called trained dogs worth the money or am i wasting my money. Would they work well for me even though someone else has trained them?
I realise that getting a pup and doing it myself would be the ideal situation but due to a change in circumstances this year if i don't have a dog ready for this year then i won't get shooting:(

Any feedback would be great,
thanks.

fiattech

good luck with whatever dog you buy, i have just bought a nine week old english springer spaniel and i will train him myself.

homerhop

Its that time of year again where lads are going to start off loading dogs for crazy money knowing that people are starting to panic. What I would advise you is if there is a dog you are interested in get him out hunting for a few hours and see how both of you work together and if needs be get it out again with other dogs too. I have seen dogs who hunt great on their own but will be clipping your heels when there are other dogs hunting.

EPointer=Birdss

Well don't fo for one between 6 months to 2 years if you are going to buy one as they will generally be dogs that haven't made the cut for some reason. Some may be genuine due to lack of time etc.

Went to look at a springer 3 years ago for 1300!
Fine big dog, grand to retrieve a tennis ball, would go into a bit of light cover behind your mans house etc.
We brought him over to a bog with good rough shooting & he was on your mans heels! So used to hunting behind the house he looked handy & when brought somewhere strange he was useless!
Pup is way to go but is a lottery also, plus is no good to you for this year...
I'd buy a dog of 5 or 6 if I were you that is well settled if one is available.
If it's not a trialing dog I would pay no more than 700 quid in current climate. Then again if it's the right dog for you....????
Always in back of my mind though that I would not sell a good dog unless I was leaving the country!

Give it a rigorous test anyway as many scenarios as you can. Ask to be brought somewhere with a few birds/rabbits, to water, fire a few shots etc Big investment & needs a lot of thought...

kermitpwee

Thanks for all the help folks. I was thinking it might be a bit of a lottery alrite.

foxshooter243

EPointer=Birdss wrote: »

Well don't fo for one between 6 months to 2 years if you are going to buy one as they will generally be dogs that haven't made the cut for some reason. Some may be genuine due to lack of time etc.

Went to look at a springer 3 years ago for 1300!
Fine big dog, grand to retrieve a tennis ball, would go into a bit of light cover behind your mans house etc.
We brought him over to a bog with good rough shooting & he was on your mans heels! So used to hunting behind the house he looked handy & when brought somewhere strange he was useless!
Pup is way to go but is a lottery also, plus is no good to you for this year...
I'd buy a dog of 5 or 6 if I were you that is well settled if one is available.
If it's not a trialing dog I would pay no more than 700 quid in current climate. Then again if it's the right dog for you....????
Always in back of my mind though that I would not sell a good dog unless I was leaving the country!

Give it a rigorous test anyway as many scenarios as you can. Ask to be brought somewhere with a few birds/rabbits, to water, fire a few shots etc Big investment & needs a lot of thought...

Some good pointers there!-no pun intended:D-my thoughts are to go with a pup every time-unless you know the animal really well..buying a pup from good working lines and investing some time in it, is more rewarding
and less of a risk than buying one from a man you hardly know..ive seen a lot of dogs changing hands over the years and can tell lots of horror stories--occasionally it works out, but most times it wont.my opinion:)

Hezz700

I would say go for a pup if at all posible and put in the time training. you don't want to purchase anyone elses bad habits. that said you'll still not be sure of a winner.

I bought 2 sibling Brittany pup bitches 5 years ago. One has turned out to be brilliant and is still one of the best dogs i've ever had, the other one had a lovely temperment but once she was out in the field turned into a complete idiot and was totally uncontrolable.

So you can never be sure.

terminator2

i would buy a pup off someone you know who has a reputation for breeding good hunting dogs,when i first started shooting many years ago i bought a springer spaniel pup , and by the age of 15 months that dog would flitter a ditch so my advice is buy a pup and train him yourself you will get more satisfaction when he trots up to you with his first phesant knowing that you trained him yourself

doyle61

my brother bought one of these "fully trained" gun dogs few years ago and within a half hour i knew it was a muppet of a dog. who sells a good fully trained dog??????? go for the pup and slot in with someone who has a dog for this year, youll probally save a lot of money and a lot of heartache

EPointer=Birdss

I think it's agreed, pup it is... Now what dog??????
Think about it you might as well walk the other side of the ditch. All the birds should fly out on top of you if you've no dog!

Personally if you were going for the springer, you could chance one now but i'd rather wait til the dry weather to work a young dog because they find it had to travel & with long evenings it gives you more time.

I got my Springer back in June so he's in around 5 1/2 months now.
As we all know only the last month or so has been someway decent & the ground has hardened up. The water is as warm as it will get without decent summers & the majority of young birds have hatched.
Springers will start ot get going at 6 months give or take a month.
Had him out once a week in the field since the start of the month & each time has been a huge improvement! (I do obediance every night before he's fed) He's flushed birds & is starting on the ditches. I have nice obediance in him now, sit heel, recall, stay & retrieving land & water. (all of these he knows & is getting better with each session & sometimes he "forgets" but very happy so far) It's only in last few weeks he's been any bit responsive but now everything sinks in very quickly.
After a pointer training a springer is a piece of p**s!

I plan on taking him out for a shot after x-mas late in the season. He'l be 8 months. If he's not ready he's not & I will hold off for a few rabbits later on.
In summary my points are at the time I got him;
A) I could bring him out with plenty of birds for him to find & make em wild at the same time.
b) Not worry about disturbing any nests (really...)
c) Train him to water when it was some way warm
d) As we entered Sept I could give him a few throws of ducks snipe etc so feathers aren't a problem & during the season can bring back all sorts for him to retrieve & refine that before a shot if fired!
e) He is at a nice age hitting the season now & is starting to work & will have a lot of work done by the time it ends.
f) Long evening for ease of training & so on...

Would be interested in your thoughs on when to buy a pup lads...
( don't mean to hijack the thread but relevant all the same)

deeksofdoom

kermitpwee wrote: »

I have been shooting for the past few years with my uncle and his dog. Basically i want my own dog for this season. I have seen dogs advertised for between 700 and 1300 euro that are 2-5 years old and hunting. I have it in my head that a springer would be the best for me.
Are these so called trained dogs worth the money or am i wasting my money. Would they work well for me even though someone else has trained them?
I realise that getting a pup and doing it myself would be the ideal situation but due to a change in circumstances this year if i don't have a dog ready for this year then i won't get shooting:(

Any feedback would be great,
thanks.

If I was starting out from scratch again I would get myself an older dog. If the dog will hunt a ditch, come back when its called and retrieve you've enough to start with.

kermitpwee

Update:D Got myself a 3 and a half year old springer. I had my reservations with a dog of this age(why is he for sale etc) but the trial went very well, thats not to say he will work well for me when i get him home but i'm prepared to take the chance.

Thanks for all the help folks.

liamdenn

I read that thread with interest although 1300 or whatever sounds like big money think of the hours you put into a 2yr old to get him right. I have no vested interest here, never sold a dog in my life but if I tred to put a value on my 2yr old cocker allowing for only the price i paid for him, vets, food and other bits and peices I wouldnt be selling him for 1300, and that dosnt allow for the time I spent training the bugger twice a day for 2 yrs!
I would agree that if someone is selling a dog that age you have to ask why is he selling!
In saying that, I hope your springer does you proud and you have a great season hunting

kermitpwee

I didnt pay near 1300 hundred for him. The guy i bought the dog of had 25 -30 dogs at his house so i guess he deals in them. Ya its a chance, a big chance.

doyle61

best of luck with the new pooch:D. let us know how you get on next week