How hard to hunt a dog?

C

cyclonenation10

Well-known member
Hi guys. I was curious as to how hard you will hunt your dogs? I have a 1 year and a half golden retriever that I've been hunting the past week. I've been out everyday, sometimes for only a couple of hours, and a few full days of hunting. It seems like this weather is very hard on them with all of the heat we have had, and was wondering if I need to giver her a break? She hunts fine and is excited to get out everytime, but I don't want to wear her out. Is hunting everyday for a week or two straight okay? What are your guys thoughts?
 
cyclonenation10 said:
Hi guys. I was curious as to how hard you will hunt your dogs? I have a 1 year and a half golden retriever that I've been hunting the past week. I've been out everyday, sometimes for only a couple of hours, and a few full days of hunting. It seems like this weather is very hard on them with all of the heat we have had, and was wondering if I need to giver her a break? She hunts fine and is excited to get out everytime, but I don't want to wear her out. Is hunting everyday for a week or two straight okay? What are your guys thoughts?
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Just keep it fun for a young dog. If you are hunting thick cover, in the heat it is hard on dogs. A couple hours a day is perfect, gives them time to recover. Check her closely for the little wounds a working dog gets and care for them. I noticed my male has a 9 inch barb wire scratch on his belly that never bled, so he just rode along today and sniveled all day. If in doubt, kennel the dog as heat is the real killer, they can handle hard work, no problem. Stay near fresh water whenever possible.
 
Every dog is different, mine has hunted as many as 12 days straight all day long when he was younger and just got done with 9 days straight on our trip at eight years old though a few of those were half days. You'll know when she needs a day or two off but as long as she's ready to go in the morning and she's not injured I'd go for it.
 
Years ago I hunted with my veterinarian and posed the same question; he said "if he jumps out of the truck, hunt him."

This was not during hot weather and the dog was circa 12 years young. He just plodded along and enjoyed himself...
 
It depends on the shape of the dog. My dogs were not in good shape. Last night both of them were limping. No hunting today. A younger, more fit dog can hunt a lot. If she looks okay the night before, tired but not sore, I hunt them the next day. It's a long season. Best thing to do is get more dogs.
 
I'd let your own judgement flavor the "if the dog jumps out of the truck, hunt him."

Over the years, my dogs have ALWAYS wanted to hunt, regardless of the damage or age of the pup.

The drive to be with you, to partake in the hunt it was bred for...make hunting an "of course I want to" deal for the the dog.

It may whine or bark in the kennel, but dogs will hunt themselves into severe injury just because it is in their brains and blood. You have to render judgement for them.

Best wishes.
 
Kismet said:
I'd let your own judgement flavor the "if the dog jumps out of the truck, hunt him."

Over the years, my dogs have ALWAYS wanted to hunt, regardless of the damage or age of the pup.

The drive to be with you, to partake in the hunt it was bred for...make hunting an "of course I want to" deal for the the dog.

It may whine or bark in the kennel, but dogs will hunt themselves into severe injury just because it is in their brains and blood. You have to render judgement for them.

Best wishes.
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Well said.

Conditioning is not an issue for my dogs as they run miles every day and swim at the dog park, but dogs will hunt themselves to death if you let them.
 
Opening weekend in Iowa was pretty warm. We're fortunate that all of the cover we hunt has water, so the dogs were able to drink their fill and cool.

With the amount of corn standing, hunting was tough. We hunted all day both days. Some breaks in there, but the dog hunted hard. By late Sunday Max wasn't moving very fast. He was tired. Getting up Monday morning, he wasn't moving too fast. looked like he was stiff and sore. I visited a customer and hit the field around noon. Opening up the back of the truck Max was banging on the kennel door and pitching a fit. He was ready to go and hunted like I expect him to when rested. 8:00 am might have been pushing it that day, but by noon he was fine.
 
Ranger Rick said:
Opening weekend in Iowa was pretty warm. We're fortunate that all of the cover we hunt has water, so the dogs were able to drink their fill and cool.

With the amount of corn standing, hunting was tough. We hunted all day both days. Some breaks in there, but the dog hunted hard. By late Sunday Max wasn't moving very fast. He was tired. Getting up Monday morning, he wasn't moving too fast. looked like he was stiff and sore. I visited a customer and hit the field around noon. Opening up the back of the truck Max was banging on the kennel door and pitching a fit. He was ready to go and hunted like I expect him to when rested. 8:00 am might have been pushing it that day, but by noon he was fine.
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Rick,

Isn't it amazing how they can flip the light switch and be ready to go. I wish I could do that after four days in SD.
 
BeirlSetters said:
Rick,

Isn't it amazing how they can flip the light switch and be ready to go. I wish I could do that after four days in SD.
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Tough to answer this question, there's so many variables to it.

I have a black lab, male, 4.5 years old. Heck of a pheasant hunter. He's in pretty good shape year round. He really struggles with heat. This past weekend was about 65-70 degrees, and he could get about 1.5 hours of hard hunting, and another 1 hour of "not his best effort hunting" in.

If it were below freezing with some snow on the ground, he could go 110% for several days in a row.

I try to watch him with the heat and hunt accordingly. All it takes is one long chase to flush the bird, a bad shot by me, and another long chance to run down the bird, and that may just be too much if it's 70 degrees and we've already hunted a few hours.
 
I treat em like athletes, because that's what they are. If they are sore and stiff the night before but ready to roll in the morning. Do it. Athletes get sore but they play the next day. But if they are injured you have to set them out. I gave my old dog a pain pill last night cause she was sore and scratched up from briars. (Took her vest off when it started getting hot so she got roughed up a bit in the thick stuff) Let her sleep in our bed last night, and she jumped up this morning ready to go!
 
jackrabbit said:
Tough to answer this question, there's so many variables to it.

I have a black lab, male, 4.5 years old. Heck of a pheasant hunter. He's in pretty good shape year round. He really struggles with heat. This past weekend was about 65-70 degrees, and he could get about 1.5 hours of hard hunting, and another 1 hour of "not his best effort hunting" in.

If it were below freezing with some snow on the ground, he could go 110% for several days in a row.

I try to watch him with the heat and hunt accordingly. All it takes is one long chase to flush the bird, a bad shot by me, and another long chance to run down the bird, and that may just be too much if it's 70 degrees and we've already hunted a few hours.
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I have Goldens and they don't like heat. Watch your dog and force water very frequently. Excessive panting is a huge warning sign. Most well bred hunting dogs are instinctually going to hunt long past when they should. Frequent breaks and LOTS of water prevent problems. Always have little treats. If the dog won't take a treat, thats another warning sign. Like Jackrabbit says however, if it is cold weather, retreiver breeds shine and can go all day for multiple days.

Most importantly to me at least, I'm hunting with my four legged best buddy and I'm not going to gamble putting her in harm's way so I can take just one more bird.
 
I just returned from 5 days in SD. My 9 year old lab hunted 5 days straight all day in temps between 65-75 degrees. I consider this very warm. After day 3 three I started noticing a slight slow down and some foot tenderness. However each stop she was impossible to keep in the truck. I get into a swimming hole at least twice a day in these conditions. She was awesome and very proud of her.
 
I think conditioning is the key. Well conditioned dogs can hunt multiple days in a row. If you are only hunting them partial days I say keep hunting. As long as their body is healthy and free from injury they should be fine. Temps have an adverse effect too hot or too cold and problems can arise quickly. Most of my dogs have always let me know when they are tired. A dog that is a year and a half old should be able to hunt a long time! Keep em going.
 
Lots of good things mentioned so far to include conditioning, caution when hunting during warm climate as well as very cold. Learn to read the dog and know when to shut them down.

In addition to all that I would also pay attention to diet. A high protein, high fat diet for your canine partner is imperative to increased endurance, especially the high fat part. Dogs utilize fat more than anything else for sustained energy and multiple day hunts this is going to be critical. Above all else and sometimes overlooked is hydration. They absolutely need water and plenty of it whether it's 70 degrees or 20 degrees.
 
jackrabbit said:
Tough to answer this question, there's so many variables to it.

I have a black lab, male, 4.5 years old. Heck of a pheasant hunter. He's in pretty good shape year round. He really struggles with heat. This past weekend was about 65-70 degrees, and he could get about 1.5 hours of hard hunting, and another 1 hour of "not his best effort hunting" in.

If it were below freezing with some snow on the ground, he could go 110% for several days in a row.

I try to watch him with the heat and hunt accordingly. All it takes is one long chase to flush the bird, a bad shot by me, and another long chance to run down the bird, and that may just be too much if it's 70 degrees and we've already hunted a few hours.
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I try not to totally wear my dog out. I will take a day off, and duck hunt, to let my dog rest, and me.
 
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