- 25,126
- 261
My wife and daughter have been talking about another dog quite a bit lately. Then my wife will say "I'm okay with only one dog. We don't need another one. . . Hey look at this one at the pound!" She is pushing towards a weiner dog. No. No. No. I don't want a little yapper. She said I could get a shirt that says "Have you seen my weiner" with a picture of a dashund. Tempting. Funny. No. Not doing it. I'm leaning towards a cur dog. Maybe another boxer. I would like another shadow that minds me like our last two boxers or Hank the GSP. Hank was perfect other than his weak security system. I like a nice door bell in the form of a healthy bark. Where we live we don't see a lot of visitors. Be nice to let strangers know the house is never empty. Don't want a "mean dog" but I do miss the firm bark and protective instinct of a boxer. I'm thinking a cur might be the compromise between GSP and Boxer. Affectionate, protective, smart. Need to do more research. Need to wait a bit longer. Maybe next month.
I agree with you, JB. I saw a lady walking one a few weeks back and did a double take for both her, and the dog. Turns out, my SIL boards that dog and had her this past weekend. I got the breeder's name and number, called and he had one male left. Ultimately, we decided to pass until I get a kennel built here at the house. That, and I am having a hard time justifying a dog that doesn't hunt waterfowl.
Very fair and valid points. I would say you are correct. I only worked him in summer waters. Never looked at it that way. They are a great utility dog. Probably not as desirable for your specific needs.I'm aware that GSPs are excellent hunting dogs. But they're not built to retrieve birds in single digits and icy water. It'd be ignorant of me to use a short haired dog to hunt waterfowl in the conditions we typically get. If I hunted upland, doves, or only early waterfowl, that's a different convo. I'd love to have a GSP for their hunting prowess, but I don't hunt what they are built to hunt. I need the right tool for the job.
I'm aware that GSPs are excellent hunting dogs. But they're not built to retrieve birds in single digits and icy water. It'd be ignorant of me to use a short haired dog to hunt waterfowl in the conditions we typically get. If I hunted upland, doves, or only early waterfowl, that's a different convo. I'd love to have a GSP for their hunting prowess, but I don't hunt what they are built to hunt. I need the right tool for the job.
Take this anecdotal evidence for what it's worth. My brother in Alaska has a GSP. He takes that dog everywhere with him, including ice fishing. Granted, he uses shanties, but the travel is gruesome. He did have one occasion where he had to unstick the dogs nuts from the ice with a pot of warm water.
I know it's not the same as a dog going in the water repeatedly, but still a funny story. That damn dog is tough as nails.
I'm sure some GSPs are tough enough to have their nuts freezer to stuff and live to tell about it! But I can't recall a single instance where I've see an experienced waterfowler using a GSP. I have little doubt they can swim and all that good stuff. But I would still feel like I was not taking the dogs best interest to heart if I sent it into 40 degree water on a 10 degree day repeatedly. Remi loved that shit cause he was breed for it.
You can drive a nail with a screwdriver, doesn't mean it's the best tool for job.
I'll admit, I slack on keeping up with treating my dogs with Adantix or whatever else. I need to be more vigilante in that regard. My vet recommends a good collar over any ointments. Makes sense since them suckers latch on around the neck area where the dog can't reach them most of the time.Damn that sucks. I know you said your dog had the lyme vac. Was the dog on flea and tick preventative.