re: Duck Dog

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Personally I don't think you have to spend a lot of money to have a good dog.

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It takes a lot of hours to develop a finished working dog that will act right when the shite hits the fan in a duck blind. No matter how you slice it those hours are going to cost you. You can choose to put them in yourself or pay someone else to do it. Even if you pay someone you better be prepared to dedicate a good bit of time with the trainer learning how to properly handle your dog.

There is no disputing a trainer will typically develop a finished working dog quicker and more efficiently than the typical amateur.

Look for a 3 year old finished dog trained by a pro that has actually been hunted (not a Field Trial reject), that way you know exactly what you are buying and be prepared to work with whoever trained her. Add in the the $ you will save on food and shots that you would have to pay if you started with a puppy and you could easily bump up your budget to 5g's and you will still probably come out ahead.