Advice needed: OH wants a gundog

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HairyHatMan

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Can anyone give me any help please? My husband has been shooting for the past 3 years and now wants a gundog of his own. He has the offer of a 2yo working spaniel dog, already a field trials champ, and is set on having him. The dog is used to being in a kennel outside all his life.

My issues are: we already have 2 dogs, a JRT and deaf boxer, both bitches, who are house dogs and love each other. Both have "issues" with other dogs (not all, just some).

I am very anti the new dog but can't really complain as I have 2 horses.

My worries are:

I'm worried about his interaction with our current dogs.

I don't want one dog being kept in a kennel and the others inside so if we have him he has to live indoors.

OH wants mostly to walk the 2 bitches first then take the spaniel out separately for training (but on the nights he's not in I'll have to take all 3 out for walks).

He's intending to take the spaniel to work with him and leave the others at home.

I often take our 2 to the stables but there's no way I can take 3 and keep an eye on them all.

He's not neutered (dog, not OH) so what sort of mess is he going to make around the house?

It all seems a little unfair on both the spaniel and our current dogs, but I think he's set on it.

Also our house is very small, although we have a secure garden and a dog-flap for our current dogs to go in and out during the day as they please if we're not there (we both work full-time).

Is he completely mad or am I getting wound up over nothing?

Thanks

Jo
 
We had 2 working dogs, a lab and then when he retired a cocker spaniel. They were my dad's dogs but family pets too!

Neither of them were castrated and there was no 'mess' or anything!

Are your bitches neutered, if not and you aren't intending on breeding from them I would get this done as it's better for them and also prevents any accidents occurring!

Spaniels are lovely, they are so affectionate! Ours was a big pet and I never used to think of him as any different to another dog
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PS Also want to add that working dogs are SO well trained that I'm sure you won't have a problem walking him. You could even pick up some tips for your other 2.
 
LOL I'm so jealous, I really would love a dog but me and OH both work full time so can't really commit to one.

Maybe it would help if you met the dog first. Hope you guys can work it out...

To tempt you, here is a pic of our big scary gundog as a puppy LOL that cat had the upper hand till the day she died!
RIP Midge and Sophie


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JoBo and her other half have a working lab (who lives in the house not kenneled). He so well trained that he is very easy to look after. He's not castrated and this has never caused a prob. Give her a pm if you want to know more. xxx
 
Sounds to me like ANY other dog would be one too many in your view. If you are happy and coping well with the two you have then it wouldnt matter which other dog you took in.

Tell OH that if he wants this spaniel it is HIS dog and HIS responsibility, that it will remain a kennel working dog and wont be treated as a pet.

Its not fair to expect you to deal with three of them if you genuinely feel you cant cope with them all. We have two dogs, a collie and a cocker and I know I couldnt cope with the day to day stuff if we got another one, no matter how well trained it was.

If OH is that keen then he will have to agree to the terms, and if he cant cope once you have the third dog then he must sell it on.
 
I am sure your OH is aware but a Field Trial Champ does not necessarily make a good working gundog especially if your OH is looking for a peg dog- they are trained very differently only working at close range and taught to quarter, flush, wait and then retrieve. If however your OH is rough shooting this would work fine. FTC's are usually much more highly strung and very sharp compared to a more generally, gamekeeper bred dog. I find the best mix is with some FTC's either on one side of the pedigree or a little further down the line.

If the dog is used to being kenneled he may find it hard to adjust to living in doors and would probably prefer to stay outside particularly during the night or when you are out.

The fact that he is a whole dog is very individual - some are sex mad but some, like my spaniel, don't seem to be particulary interested in bitches. If he is indeed a FTC (not just a FTW) then he may well have covered bitches already as they are very sought after as sires.

If this is your OH's first gundog you could try to convince him to get a lab rather than a spaniel - there is a saying that labs are born half trained but spaniels die half trained!!

Get your OH to register with this forum - it is full of excellent advice http://p211.ezboard.com/bgundogandbirddogforums

Good luck!
 
Im a bit of a sucker for springers so am prehaps biast - but i wouldn't pace one up - especially a trained one!!!!!!! They are wonderful wonderful dogs (usually) and you will find they will fit into most situations! Take it slow with the introductions - prehaps they could meet before he lives with you? As for the not being neuterd that depends entirely on the dog. And don't meen to sound funny but why would you want to keep it in a kennel, i know its a working dog but one of the best things about having a dog is the whole relationship you get with them! I don't knock people for doing it, its their chose but i would never do it and don't get it really. I'm not saying its cruel, i know they're capable of it we just have such fun with ours in the house too and would hae missed all that if he was outside away from us the magority of the time, i also think you should have 2 together if they are kenneled. As for the watching them up the yard, you prob find you dont have to watch the springer!!! Then again is it used to horse? My brothers english was petrified of them at first! Ill stop waffling now - no one can make the dission but you but i would say if its gona work it is most likely to work with a springer!
Good luck and hope it works out - keep us posted.
 
Thanks for all your replies folks, (I also posted on another forum and they all gave good advice too). He's not a FTC, just a FTW (OHs mistake) and he'll do whatever OH needs (whatever that is!). He's having him on trial, and so I'm leaving it all up to him
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