New Guy Needing Guidance!!

[Brettttka]

Hello all I am new to this site and have been learning alot so thank you all for the posts. Let me start with I am not going to test this dog only have as a pet and hunt with only 20-30 times a year. Now this may be a little long winded but here we go: I am interested in getting a started dog or a puppy but have questions about both. I have a 2 1/2 year old son and a baby girl on the way. I know the puppy aspect will be great for my son for the first month but after that its a lot to do with 2 young kids. Have looked into a started dog one that sits stays heels and retrieves some blinds. But want to know of any recomendations or advice you could give me. The dog will be an inside pet and travel to work and river with me almost daily. How do started dogs react to families? Anyone bought a started dog for the same purpose as I am looking for? Any help would be great thanks.

[Brettttka]

I as I read more threads a "meat retriever" is the so called what I am looking for but want one as a great family dog too. The duck hunting side of the dog is not going to be its primary job. Pet first and duck dog second. I plan on working with the dog quite a bit to have a great dog in the field just am needing info on if a started dog is the way to go or a puppy?

[Hunt'EmUp]

IMO a calm and obedient started dog is the way to go with younger kids. You do not need to put any time into puppy-work, which really makes a difference when you have young children taking up most of your time. You can also see what type of personality/activity level your getting in a started dog and most of the socialization-manners work has already been done for you. A started dog comes with a basic OB skills set, so you can tell them sit and down and they do it, much easier to move a trained dog into a house. Also as you may not have much time to put into training, with a started dog you know you can just pick up and go hunting, he's already trained, you just need to maintain or add to his skill set. A lot more bang for your buck, puppies are cute and fun but WORK. A young child might accidentally harm a pup, if you get a started dog that has been properly socialized and trained with that calm-loving attitude that most RT breeds are known for, a 2 1/2 year old can climb all over, (supervised of course) a started dog, not harm it, and the dog will lie there loving the abuse. I have a friend who has placed 2 started dog with families with younger children this year, the dogs were sleeping on children's beds by the second night, the owners thrilled to have a clam obedient dog that fit so easily into their lives, and the guys thrilled to have a dog they could just take out to retrieve birds for the rest of the season.

[Brettttka]

Thanks so much for the input that is really the way I am leaning towards. Just nervous about how the dog would adapt to my household. My wife has 2 shih-tzus that dont know they are dogs they think they are humans and go everywhere with us but would love a lab to go with me. Any idea of your friend who found these 2 dogs would like to get info from them being that he has found 2 like i am looking for.

[Burnt Oak Retrievers]

PM sent. I second what Hunt'Emup said, started dogs you know exactly what you're getting and much less work.

[Breck]

In addition to so called "started" gun dogs there are what are call field trial "wash outs". They usually have months or years of serious professional training under their belt but didn't meet the owners goals for a serious competitor. Otherwise usually very good dogs and hunt test folks used to gobble them up before the bomb dog companies started buying them. Usually these dogs were raised at home until 7 months then went into training. They will often have health clearances and good pedigrees. Find out who the professional field trial trainers are near you and have them notify you when they have or hear of a washout needing a new home. Sometimes they are not exactly cheap. For your hunting needs these sort of dogs have probably not been shot over, worked from a boat or stand so you can fill in those blanks.

[Hunt'EmUp]

Realistically to find a good started dog around here all you have to do is ask, put an add in the wanted section, with what your looking for and they will come to you . My friend is a gun-dog pro he usually has 1-2 pups he trains up a year or he brokers dogs that amateurs have trained up, either HT or FT washout people. A few of the amateurs around here train a pup every year or so for sale, it gives them something to do after there personal dogs have reached the finished level.

[awolfe]

pm sent today