I have nine dogs on my current bird dog string. We can be on the road for weeks at a time. I do my best to carry all the dog food that I will need for an entire trip. I feed Purina Pro Plan Performance (that’s a lot of Ps) and it can be purchased in a lot of places (Tractor Supply is usually a good bet), but I don’t like to leave things to chance. So I carry my dog food with me. Space is always limited so I want to carry very close to the exact amount I’ll need. This requires a little math. First I need to see how much food I’ll need per … [Read more...] about Dog Food for a Trip
Dogs
Tougher Than Metal…
Every bird hunter has that one dog. The one that every other dog gets compared to. The one dog that no other dog will ever live up to. I am lucky. I have had two of them. Dee was my first bird dog, but Em is the reason I still bird hunt. I grew up hunting with Brittanys when they were still classified as Spaniels. My father preferred a closer working foot dog and he also wanted to have dogs that were different from everyone else’s. I always wanted pointers. Once we started hunting in Texas, I just could not get it out of my … [Read more...] about Tougher Than Metal…
Dog Houses that I Use in My Kennels
Good dog houses are an important part of protecting your dog from the weather. It’s a long term investment. You will need spend some money to get ones that will holdup to the damage that some dogs inflict on their homes. Here are the two that I use right now. Impact Dog Condo The Impact Dog Condo is the best dog house I have ever owned. It’s also the most expensive. The design is very similar of the K9 Kondo Dog Dens that are no longer being made. The aluminum construction has held up well for me even with my most destructive … [Read more...] about Dog Houses that I Use in My Kennels
How to Clean Your Dog, Ecollars, and GPS Electronics After a Spraying from a Skunk
Skunks are pretty common in most of the country and especially where a good many of us hunt. If you have never experienced the smell after a skunk encounter, consider yourself lucky. At some point, your dog is going to run across one of them. I find that my bird dogs like to point them but you can tell that something is off. They have a look in their eye that warns you that it isn’t a covey of quail that’s about to explode up from the grass. If you can get your dog out of the way before the skunk sprays that’s great. If you don’t, there … [Read more...] about How to Clean Your Dog, Ecollars, and GPS Electronics After a Spraying from a Skunk
Noise Sensitivity and Your Pup: Fireworks and Dogs
I continue to be amazed at the lack of understanding when it comes to fireworks and dogs. The bright lights, screaming sounds and loud explosions are not something that most dogs are going to enjoy. If your dogs are not already prepared for what’s coming this weekend, there isn’t enough time to get them ready. Do what you can to protect them by keeping them away from all fireworks. Spend the next 6 months getting them ready for New Year’s Eve. The reality of it is that fireworks are not going to go away. We can continue to wish that they … [Read more...] about Noise Sensitivity and Your Pup: Fireworks and Dogs
Questions to Ask Before You Hunt Over Another Person’s Puppy
I hunt with a small group of folks. I know their dogs and I keep up with their training but I still ask a couple of quick questions when anyone gets a young dog out when we are hunting. I never mind if a “hunt” turns into a “training session.” The only way to make wild bird dogs is to train them on wild birds. The first question is always “has the dog been shot over / gun conditioned?” It’s generally always been done but you must ask. There’s more than one stage of gun conditioning and there’s a difference between comfortable with gunfire … [Read more...] about Questions to Ask Before You Hunt Over Another Person’s Puppy