From: crs@beta.lanl.gov (Charlie Sorsby)
Subject: Re: Opinions on breed.
Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 22:01:22 GMT

In article <1gsib6INN380@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> ce293@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Gail E. Brookhart) writes:
= 
= The point that I think a lot of people wanted to make here is that "a
= country home does not stimulation make."  <grin>

One point that, I think, Chris was trying to make, is that bird
dogs require a rather large amount of conditioning if they're to be
hunted significantly.  As I tried to point out in an earlier post,
even a big yard is unlikely to provide this even if the dog has the
run of the yard all the time (or whenever it feels like it).  But
going for walks is also unlikely to do so.  A big yard with
adequate stimulation may do so.

Just as one cannot condition one's self as a marathon runner by
taking one, two, or several, leisurely walks each day, a bird dog
is not going to be adequately conditioned by *just* going for a
walk on-lead or by playing (by itself) in the yard.  There's where
the stimulation comes in--as someone pointed out, in short order,
the dog will be on first-name terms with every thing in the yard
and will, at best wander round in a leisurely manner but will,
likely, spend most time lying about.

To condition a dog to hunt all day, it must be run.  The more the
better but at least several time per week (I've heard at least
three times per week for at least 20-30 minutes each).  A field
trial dog that is expected to run at the end of its heat as it did
at the beginning (where each brace may run for three hours in top
trials) requires even more conditioning.

But there are no absolutes.  The degree of conditioning will
depend on the objectives.  A bird dog used by a hunter who hunts
for only a few hours at a leisurely pace doesn't need the
conditioning that a dog who is hunted hard all day, several days in
a row, will need.

What Kevin needs to consider is whether he is willing and able to
give his dog-to-be adequate exercize in spite of the limitations of
his surroundings.  Is there a suitable place to run the dog?  If he
can't run it off-lead, perhaps he can road it (let it work closer
and slower pulling some weight with a harness) or maybe he will
hunt only a little and can get by with less conditioning.  (I
believe that even with roading, some running will be needed.)

He will also need to consider whether he has the time, space, and
patience to train a bird dog.  But, again, there are no absolutes.
It depends on the type of bird dog he wants and on how he will
hunt.  And on the breeding of the dog.

If he isn't interested in pointing dog or in dogs doing directed
retrieves, etc, if he only wants a dog to find and flush (rather
than point) birds and if he is lucky enough to find one with the
breeding to be birdy, a natural retriever, and to hunt within
(his) gun range without training, he has little more training to
worry about than a person who wants only a companion.  But that
leaves a lot to chance.  Maybe he won't find such a combination of
instincts--then he must either train or he won't have a useable
bird dog.


-- 
Best,

Charlie "Older than dirt" Sorsby				"I'm the NRA!"
	  crs@lanl.gov
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs