Feeding Golden Retrievers Article

gundogs

Owning a hunting dog that doubles as a family companion is a realistic objective for busy people. But first you must do some homework.

In my own neighborhood there are dogs that live a boring life confined to pens or languishing at the end of a rope tied to a doghouse. They are fed and watered, but their only human contact is at feeding time and for a few days during hunting season. That's inhumane. Dogs benefit from attention and deteriorate when isolated.

A pup raised in an intelligent, caring family atmosphere learns more rapidly, is devoted to his mentors, and makes a better gundog than one confined to a kennel. Stimulation makes the difference. The secret is to have the full cooperation of the family and pick the right breed to match your circumstances.

For example, if you live in Dallas and commute for more than an hour and like to hunt rabbits, don't buy a Walker hound. There is nothing wrong with Walkers; in fact, they are wonderful scent hounds, but urban Dallas would not be a good fit for this type of dog. Instead, a 13-inch beagle might be just the ticket. On the other hand, if your family lives in rural Pennsylvania and you are able to come home for lunch, you can own any breed of family gundog that suits your hunting life.

Within the chosen breed, look for a pup from a line that consistently produces good hunters with calm dispositions. Remember that some competitive field-trial strains are bred for high performance and may be a handful for an amateur and a disaster as an overactive pet.

The day before I sat down to write this article my wife and I went picnicing in a village park bordering a river where a couple was fishing and daughter played on the swing set. All was serene. A young father and his two little girls arrived with their Labrador at heel.

"Happy" the Lab was on his way to have a bath in the brook. He stood patiently to be soaped and rinsed by the children. Afterwards, Happy dashed about the park, obeyed commands, played gently with the little girls, then heeled back to the car. Happy, it would appear, is a trained retriever, but on bath day he was fulfilling the role he plays all year-roundthat of a loved family pet. It is a role animals enjoy because their needs for stimulation, affection, food, and a place in a hierarchy are satisfied.

A "Happy" exists in virtually every sporting dog breed. To find him you must look for people who raise, train, and hunt the variety you prefer. But play it safe. Stick to popular breeds that will do the hunting job you want and Please the family. Among the commonly owned gundogs you will find a spaniel, retriever, or pointing dog to suit your needs. Avoid the more exotic breeds; not because there aren't good specimens among them, but because you want to maximize the chance of success. The popular breeds didn't become so by accident.

If you like waterfowl shooting and some upland work, your choice might be a Labrador, golden, or a Chesapeake Bay retriever. if your passion is upland birds with occasional retrieving, a springer or cocker spaniel may fill the bill. Among the pointing breeds the German shorthair and wirehair are excellent choices. So is the Brittany, and all three of these dogs are able water retrievers, doubling at early-season waterfowl work. Like the Brittany, the English setter has a soft nature and makes an affectionate companion. Pointers are unsurpassed bird-finding machines, and the shooting-dog lines are gentle, loving house dogs. Regardless, pick the bloodline with care. These breeds are popular among show and trial devotees: Show dogs may lack the hunting instinct, while trial lines can be a challenge for an amateur.

The truly versatile hunting dog of today is one that sleeps beside your bed, greets visitors at the door, loves the company of children and other dogs, ignores mailmen, and barks only when appropriate. This "Renaissance" dog will hunt for five hours on a Saturday in November and be ready to go again the next day. During the 10month off-season he, like you, will enjoy other duties and activities.

Our first gundog was a beagle pup we had to catch to buy. Brutus was a remarkable hare hound, but my wife and children were incidental to his style. For the beagle, our home was simply a place to eat and sleep. Although his time with us was exciting, it was not rewarding. With experience we filled our sporting and personal lives with dogs that pleased us.

Forty-five years later our gundogs greet visitors at the door, play with three-yearold grandchildren, and hunt their hearts out in the autumn. They happen to be Brittanies, but the breed doesn't breeds, and each individual was a joy at home and in the field. Which is exactly why you and I own a dog, isn't it?