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Hooked...When to take/When did you take the next step?

3K views 15 replies 16 participants last post by  WBF 
#1 ·
Background...I started searching for a pup over a year ago. With a lot of help from someone far more knowledgeable than me and a little patience (the hardest part) I found a breeding that fit. A few emails and phone calls later the breeder agreed to sell me a pup-thanks Crimson Kennels. My FC/AFC Roux, MH X Faith MH (just passed the Master National) was born towards the end of April. He's been an absolute joy for my family and me. I had the opportunity to observe a HT several weekends ago. If I wasn't already hooked, the HT sealed the deal. I can't get enough of all things retriever. He will be headed off to the trainers before long and that got me thinking-when would be a good time to start searching for pup #2? I know there are multiple factors that go along with this question/answer but when did YOU take the plunge? I'm thinking 3 would be a good number for me to keep at all times but trying to figure out how to space them out has me a bit confused. Having said that I'll say this: I'm COCDAWG. My pup is @ 5 months old. He has caused my ability to work and think clearly to decrease. I am an ADDICT!!
 
#3 ·
3-4 yrs in between dogs....far enough so they are not dying together, one is mature the youngster coming up , one is 12 and you can still hunt the 8 year old with the next one just hitting stride...you only ever have 3 dogs??? .but I am a do as I say , not as I do person..... I have 8,6,4 ,2, 2.75 and an 18 month olds...NO more until the pups get older!!
 
#4 ·
I'm the opposite. After my breeder was killed in an auto accident I decided I wanted another dog out of my current dog because I couldn't go back to her. Now he's got all the hunt test titles and has been bred a little bit, I can't seem to pull the trigger on another dog. I owe him so much for teaching me so much that I can't help feel that if I get another dog it'd less time for him and less hunting time for us. Good luck!
 
#5 ·
Go to a FT first to see if you get hooked on that. Then you might think the limit is three at home at all times, two or three with big dog trainers and five or six pups scattered around with young dog trainers at all times :)
 
#6 ·
hate to throw a wet blanket on the subject, but reality will set in and you need to look at the long term too...ever heard of the term dog poor ? you need to remember its a lifetime commitment to the dogs, and having multiple dogs now is tons of fun now. BUT later on when you have 3-5 dogs that are anywhere from 8-13 yrs old it might prohibit you from getting a new pup later
 
#7 ·
I am not the person to ask about this subject. Labradors are as addictive as crack cocaine. My take on it is this: I am a miserable SOB if there is not a Lab in my life. Therefore I will own at least 2 until I die. Right now I own 6 & am babysitting another.

The one thing I will reccomend is to get your first pup through transition & HR or SH titled(for hunt test dogs) before buying another. This worked well for me,
 
#8 ·
Working two dogs through different stages of basics is a pain in the ass (you'll see soon). I would wait until I at least had dog 1 in transition before acquiring a second. Also, it sounds like you are relatively, if not totally new to the game. I would get one through and learn about the required training before I bought a second.
 
#10 ·
I would listen to this advice. Unless you just gonna keep funneling dogs to Joe and writing checks! LOL

But anyway, having a full time job, family, and life in general is hard enough without adding multiple dogs to the fray. I'm real happy to be down to my 2, that are generally now both doing the same work in training which alleviates pressure to make sure you have enough time to adequately work both of them as much as i do. I don't have to simplify set ups any more, or do different things. I can set up once, run the same blinds, do the same drill work, and it helps tremendously for the working person to train their own dogs.

slow down and enjoy the first one!
 
#9 ·
One dog is expensive when paying a trainer....three dogs will send you to the poor house in a hurry and one or two of the dogs may not make it to their full potential due to lack of finances. Plus life tends to throw in expensive monkey wrenches, like marriage/divorce, kids, new/lose job, moving, plus health of yourself and/or your dog(s). Plan to spend a minimum of $7500 (and that is a very conservative number) a year per dog, and most upper level HT dogs will require a bare minimum of 2 1/2 yrs pro training, unless you are lucky enough to get a phenomenal dog that makes MH by age 2.
 
#11 ·
My opinion is this, coming from a weekend/evening trainer who can't afford a pro. 1 dog in its prime running master tests, Q, AM and 1 puppy. Then potentially an old dog, prime, puppy depending on the timing.

I'm working on #2 now. Biggest thing is be able to dedicate time and money or the dog won't reach its potential. I would give the first dog a few years and re-visit the second dog unless you are financially capable of becoming fully "addicted".
 
#13 ·
i too am new and addicted, its all i think about and read about and talk about. my poor gf lol. I had same thought when do i get next pup. I look at it now as i owe it to him my first dog of all my own and first dog i wanna test with and maybe some trials well see how things go. First and formost he is a hunting dog if my training and his ability and my pocket book will allow i will go further as long as he enjoys it. Ive became very attached to my lil man and hes my best bud now, hes 8 months old and the fact of me leaving him home so i can hunt or work my other young dog is something that doesnt sit right with me. we started this journey together and i owe it to him to stick to him and allow him to enjoy every mintue and every retrieve even tho i want more then one dog. What ive decided to do is keep my hunting dog/test dog and ride the journey out till hes older and im goin to adopt a dog from a shelter or something. my buddy is in same boat but his male is 3 yrs old and he only hunts amd is gettin another dog soon, to me its just not fair to the dog. I remeber being young and dad going on hunting trips with out me and it wasnt fun dont let ur lil man feel like that lol maybe different for pure competition homes tho i suppose
 
#14 ·
I began this sport knowing absolutely nothing about it. Actually found out about Hunt Tests AFTER I got my lab. Luckily she was bred well and is smarter than me, since I have trained her completely myself- mostly from books and videos. In the past 4 years I have learned SO much. My dog just turned 5yr and I am just now feeling the itch to start a new pup next spring. I agree you should have first dog thru transition. It is only now that I feel I know so much more and have a lot to teach a new pup. Lately I find myself saying "with the next one" all the time. Especially when my current dog messes up, ha.ha :) If you have $ to send dogs out to a trainer that may alter your timetable some. Most successful do it yourselfers I know, have their first dog at master level (or almost there), before getting a new pup. I want to have a really good relationship with my dog and don't see how I could do that with a lot of young dogs close together. But then I only had two kids too, while others have a half dozen and love it. Also remember, Life gets in the way of dog training sometimes! I had to take a whole year off due to health and family obligations. Good Luck, whatever you decide... enjoy the journey.
 
#15 ·
I have three: 12, 8 and 1 1/2. With three dogs the vet bills can add up to sizable amounts. I would keep at least
Four years between dogs.
 
#16 ·
One dog is always fun and all your time in the field/yard is devoted to one animal. More than one can be tough if you aren't experience with know what exactly each dog needs to advance. They both can keep eachother from advancing to the next level pretty easy. In the HT game I would at least make sure my older go is do strong Master work before I got another pup. If seeking FT game, I would make sure your older dog is doing all-age work before messing with another pup. This is my opinion if you are new to the game. Also give yourself time to learn from your mistakes with your first dog before making the same ones with the next, we all have.
 
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