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by Curt Kuester
Need a good hunting dog? Adopt one
In just more than 100 days, bird season will start with dove and blue grouse to kick off the new year. While some of us will be ready for this day others, like myself, will be running around frantically the night before the opener gathering up gear.
For a lot of us, bird hunting would not be the same without a good bird dog. These dogs are more than just a tool that we use in the field during our pursuits.
They are our constant hunting companions. Always ready to load up for the hunt regardless of the weather, most of the dogs that I have known always give their all in the field.
This is the time of year when most guys start their dog shopping. Unfortunately this is the worst time of the year to get a puppy ready for the upcoming season.
Any puppy brought into the home now will be five to six months old when the season starts. If you are not expecting great things from your dog this season, then this is a perfect scenario.
Most guys do expect a lot from their dogs regardless of age or the amount of training that they have received. Whether the dogs are six months old or six years old, they should be worked as much as possible to insure that they are ready to go when the time gets here.
I am faced with the task of coming up with two more dogs. Finding the dogs will not be the problem. Getting the idea by my wife is a whole different situation
Our Lab, though not a great duck dog, has bad hips. Even a morning hunt can leave her sore for several days. I also have to find a brace mate for the psycho setter.
The problem that I am faced with is deciding on a dog that hunts the same as her, which is rangy and quick or one that is close working and methodical
For both of these dogs, one of the first places that I will look is the adoption centers that are not only in our area, like the Ark Valley Humane Society, but also those that are in the surrounding population centers. Cities such as Cañon City and Pueblo have fair sized ones with plenty of dogs to choose from.
Growing up on a bird dog kennel owned by my father, I have a great love for these working dogs. Unless you are looking for a field trial type dog, or have an absolute need for the top blood lines, then by all means make this your first stop also.
Three of the finest field dogs that I have ever known came from the Denver Dumb Friends League. My last three Labs, and an English pointer, all were adopted as puppies from there. While each of them had certain shortcomings, with the proper training all of them performed well in field.
A light colored yellow Lab named "Lucky" was probably the finest duck dog that I have ever known. I picked him up for the price of $40 from the Dumb Friends League. Not a day of duck hunting goes by that I do not miss him.
All of the dogs that you will find in these centers will not come with papers, or any evidence of their bloodlines. Just as with any puppy, there are no guarantees.
Over the years I have worked with some of the finest dogs from the top bloodlines, and I have come to the conclusion that dogs are dogs.
Last week, I toured the Cañon City Humane Society and took a look at the dogs that were there. One in particular, a 5 month old black Lab, struck me.
His big brown eyes and quiet demeanor had the look of a dog that might become a decent water dog As I looked "Logan" over, I tried to decide if sleeping in a tent would be worth the chance of bringing the dog home. It was tough for me to walk out of there without the dog.
With the number of dogs that are abandoned each year, it is only wise to start your search in one of these places. Chances are you will not find a field trail champion, but for a small price you can get a great hunting companion who is ready to work for you.
