re: Lab Kennels around Baton Rouge

quote:

---

Who has started dogs? What are they running, about 2500?

---

I know my trainer had one two months ago or so and I think he was looking to get around $3500.
The dog was force fetched, collar conditioned and was running some doubles. I think he may still have it and there is one more I think he has as well. Haven't spoken to him too recently but between he and another trainer I know they usually have one or two in their kennels.

These would all be near Houston though. Started dogs for hunting are going to cost around that if not a little more. If you're looking for one started to eventually run Senior or Masters you're probably going to pay well over 6k

quote:

---

I may get blasted

---

at least you're honest Cat!

I won't blast you, I will only say there is a good reason you dont see show dogs in the Master Nationals of AKC Hunt tests.

I've think the taller Americans can truck through the mud easier and seem to have a lot more drive. I can only base this on what I've seen come through some of the training kennels I frequent out here though.

I've also yet to meet an English dog in the hunting blind. Not to say they can't hunt, I'm just saying I've never seen one.

We had the British labs as we grew up, and having had the pleasure of hunting with them in the duck blind I will tell you that in my opinion, it is a no brainer.

Calm, but the strongest desire to hunt that I have ever seen.

I have also hunted over some American bred labs that were good dogs, but not universally.

Definitely not slamming any one individual dog.

quote:

---

know my trainer had one two months ago or so and I think he was looking to get around $3500

---

Probably about right

quote:

---

The dog was force fetched, collar conditioned

---

Harsh.


I was looking at a dog from MS, 100 yard retrieves, blind obedience, boat obedience, blinds, doubles, decoy retrieves for about 2800. But that was just the training, my buddy was giving me the dog.

quote:

---

Harsh

---

Not sure what you mean by this but if you're saying e-collars are harsh you couldnt be further from the truth.

In case you werent aware you dont just throw a collar on a dog and start shocking. Actually, a dog knows and understands ALL commands before you even introduce an e-collar.

I've also been witness to it saving a dog's life. There is also no way to humanely give a correction to a dog 250 yds away. If you only knew how they did this prior to the e-collar days, then I could accept harsh.

quote:

---

you only knew how they did this prior to the e-collar days, then I could accept harsh.

---

How did they do this prior to the collar?

I used to send my dog out on blinds 250-300 yards out and when they get out that far it is hard to stop them with the whistle. The collar definitely helped with this. And it definitely helps when they are a puppy or even older when a nutria or something else similar swims in front of the pirogue or the duck blind. It's hard to stop a dog no matter how well trained it is from chasing a wild animal that crosses within 20 feet of them.

quote:

---

It's hard to stop a dog no matter how well trained it is from chasing a wild animal that crosses within 20 feet of them.

---

Couldn't agree more!

Back in the day, they would use marbles in slingshots and there were many trainers that used light rounds of shotgun shells. Could you imagine how awful that is? The risk of inuring the dog or putting one of its eyes' out are horrible. I read even more about it in a book called the 10 minute retriever by Amy Dahl, she's a badass FT trainer.

quote:

---

@ Da Hammer

---

Where is this?

quote:

---

Ive got a golden retriever who loves to retrieve but he's a high strung personality. How hard is it for a trainer to calm his arse down?

---

This will do it.

How old is he? If he is high strung you won't change his personality but you can change how he listens and obeys commands. As for the shock collar, you really do have to have a good trainer to train the dog if you want to retrieve with him. Too much collar can ruin retrieving for them. You have to be able to assess how the dog reacts to the collar as you are training them. My old dog couldn't get too much collar according to my trainer and he was right. He was high strung and very stubborn. He would shrug (not let it affect him mentally) the shocks off like nothing. Some dogs the collar can get to them mentally and shut down during training.