So I got offered a free springer pup today.

bitemybanger

Was havin a chin wag with a friend today and we got chatting about shooting (as you do). Anyway to cut a long story short I mentioned I was looking to get a dog but hadn't made up my mind what dog to get so he tells me his aunt who has a springer as a pet has just had pups last week. He made a phone call and his aunt wants to keep one and the rest are going free to good homes:eek: so if I want one I have the pick of four pups.
Now my question is, the both parents are both pets and have never had as much as a sniff of a field so as I am looking to get a dog for under the gun should I take one for training or pay the money for a pup from proven stock??

fallowbuck

You are much better of getting one from proven working parents its still not going to be 100% fact that the pup from working parents will work for you but increase's your chance. Its the better option.

meathstevie

You of all people should understand the noble art of scrounging . Go for it.

Some old wisdom from my old man; don't pick the runt of the litter but pick the second smallest if it appears to be inquisitive and lively. His logic was that the runt has to do too much fighting and struggling to just keep itself going but the second smallest has to be a bit of hardy buck with a bit of cop on and often makes for a smart eager dog later in life.

Have to give it to him, out of the five pointers he's had only one was close to useless as a hunting dog.

Spunk84

Luck of the draw mate. You could get a pup from her and it would be a great worker or a dud, same way you can slap down 300-600e for a a excellent "bloodline" pup which turns out a dud. I sold my springer recently to a lad who bought a "bloodline" pup. Had it on the whistle and it was working brilliant for him, he waited until she was 16months before rattling a shot over her and that was it:eek: gunshy... he drops a bowl near her and she bolts.

IMO take a pup and work with it, Free is Free! How many people are given dogs for nothing to become great working dogs. All springers have their natural hunting abilities so its up to you to bring them out further

bitemybanger

meathstevie wrote: »

You of all people should understand the noble art of scrounging . Go for it.

Some old wisdom from my old man; don't pick the runt of the litter but pick the second smallest if it appears to be inquisitive and lively. His logic was that the runt has to do too much fighting and struggling to just keep itself going but the second smallest has to be a bit of hardy buck with a bit of cop on and often makes for a smart eager dog later in life.

Have to give it to him, out of the five pointers he's had only one was close to useless as a hunting dog.

Think I just might:D
The easy part is getting the pup weather it's free or not. Getting the wife's head round a dog, there lies the challenge:)

charlie10

belive me after a week or two she will claim its hers she will love him, i nearly have to drag the pointer away from my lady when taking him shooting and when he comes back all dirty its all "the poor little fella"and pampering him to death, you can nearly see him smiling at me when she takes him away:cool:

Shotgun_TEXAS

Ah sure go for it, if you have the time. I bought a springer last year supposed to be all singing and dancing :rolleyes: she was with a ball or a dummy and also was gunshy:( got her out of that, she was only a year old and obviously had a litter of pups before i got her.
Last season was her first season with me, but with living in a town at the time didnt get out much. Moved back close to home at Christmass and the ban was in force so feck all hunting done.
This year she is like a different dog couldnt be happier just a little more work retrieving game to be done, she is more sure, more obedient and loves the gun.
All springers will hunt if given a chance, let us know if you take the plunge

Tackleberry.

I've paid 1200 Euro for a bitch vizsla off a top line in England and she wont hunt but has a brill nose and points brill just wont hunt, the other side of the coin my first dog was a lab springer cross and he is brill duck hunting worth every penny and more as he was free and was on his way to the local pound to be put down.
You just wont know till you take the chance and as long as you have the time to put in you wont have to deal hopefully with the hard part...making room for a new working dog because what you have aint working...

marlin vs

Go for it BMB,youv'e nothing to lose only time, and if you put the time into the dog you won't go far wrong,them waggy arses be it a pet or off field trial stock will hunt everything from Deer to frogspawn.:D

pheasntstalker

go for it lad its in em to hunt as already stated its up to you to bring it on an try ,if it works you wont regrt it and have yrs of happy hunting;) if it doesnt work out you,ll have a great loyal pet, and the otherhalf will fall in love with the dog either way:D;) if there goin for free il take one pleasssse, id love an other one ,a dog :):)

snipe02

your getting some terrible advice here .you would be taking a huge risk taking a pup from a dog and a bitch that are pets and never worked fair enough you could get a pup that turned out good but you would very very lucky and then to breed from the same pup and expect to get a good pup you would have to be very very very lucky and so on whereas if you buy from or get for free a pup from proven stock you stand a far better chance of getting good pup if you breed from a screwball you get a screwball you could however take the free pup and buy a pup from good working stock and bring on the two together because realisticly your looking at putting two to three years into making a good hunting dog .find out if the grand parents of the free pups were working if so it would increase your chances of getting something worth training best of luck with it

bitemybanger

Right feck it, I'll go for it, they won't be ready for another few weeks.

sika1

Your definitely taking a chance. you might be lucky. Can you check if either of the parents of the pup came from hunting stock. if there is hunting bloodlines present you should be safe enough. Remember one thing its as easy to feed a good dog as a useless one

Tawny Owl

Go on and take the Dog it's you that's going to put your time / energy and money into feeding it and its Free won't it give you something to do walking it and I bet you'll lose weight too.sure give it a go.;) I got my Bitch Ruby for free and on Sunday she put up a hen Phesant and the hunting style on her she was loving it I have her on my camera it brill to look at her hunting and just a pup we only went for a walk.

bitemybanger

Found out today that one of the pups grandparents was a competitive field trial dog and won a few ribbons, on what level I don't know. It would be a shame not to give it a try. It's in his bloooooood.:D