hunting dog as a pet?

flanum

i just bought my first house and will be looking for a companion/guard dog etc.. im also looking for a good retriever (i mostly hunt ducks) a lot of the lads in the club have setters/springers/pointers etc but there isnt enough water dogs so im thinking of getting a lab!

thing is, id like the fella to be a companion also (not married, bachelor etc) id like a dog i cud keep in the house(when im there/ kennel outside at night) etc.... would it ever work, as in , does anybody else have a working dog that is also the family pet?? every gundog i know is kept in a pen and never allowed in the house, is rarely petted etc... would it end up being too spoiled to be a good worker?

Birdnuts

Best all-rounder of a dog I ever had was a males Lab/Retriever cross - great guard-dog, good in the house(house trained and accepted strangers when told) and a keen worker in the field. Sadly he was cut down in his prime after a freak accident on the road - something that will haunt me to the end of my life since such a great companion only comes around once of twice in a lifetime:(

bunny shooter

flanum,

Of course it will work ............... does with my Irish Setter

People who treat gundogs the same way they treat their shotgun, although the shotgun probably gets treated better, don't deserve to have either and I know one git in particular who fits this description :mad:

endasmail

i keep my dogs in a pen outside
but when im there ,they re out and playing with kids and in and out of the house
dont see why they should be kept locked in 24/7

homerhop

The 2 springers were treated better at home than I was,but the minute they seen the whistle in my hand or the gun it was like a shot of caffine and they were mad to go.The pup is the same now, you cant go near the door but he is sitting waiting to go.

premiercad

As with the other posters, my lad is a pure pet would be on the couch in a second if let, didn't stop him setting three cocks for me on Monday! If a dog has it he has it petting him won't change that

fodda

More time you spend with him/her the more he/she will learn from you and you from him/her, treat him/her well and he/she will do their best for you.

flanum

thanks for replies lads.. thats settled then black lab it is!!

deerhunter1

flanum wrote: »

i just bought my first house and will be looking for a companion/guard dog etc.. im also looking for a good retriever (i mostly hunt ducks) a lot of the lads in the club have setters/springers/pointers etc but there isnt enough water dogs so im thinking of getting a lab!

thing is, id like the fella to be a companion also (not married, bachelor etc) id like a dog i cud keep in the house(when im there/ kennel outside at night) etc.... would it ever work, as in , does anybody else have a working dog that is also the family pet?? every gundog i know is kept in a pen and never allowed in the house, is rarely petted etc... would it end up being too spoiled to be a good worker?

Yep a Lab would fit the bill perfect

cavan shooter

My springer is a pet gun dog, he plays with the kids and hunts for me, if im outside gardening he'll be around, awful but funny habit of nibbling your ears and licking you if your low enough

Anyway as a guard dog he barks at any car or person that comes near the house.

he will also hump the leg of anyone giving a chance
Apologies to the man trying to convince me to move from eircom
still he is a great gun dog??