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Did Having Kids Ruin Your Gun Dog?
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September 01, 2010
Did Having Kids Ruin Your Gun Dog?
By David DiBenedetto
My oldest brother likes to joke that as soon as Jenny and I have a kid Pritch “will be kicked out to the porch.” And a new study I recently saw on MSNBC proves that he may be right. According to data compiled by a researcher at Indiana University South Bend:
"In all cases for dogs and cats, except for cats going to the vet, children adversely affected the animals," study researcher David Blouin, a cultural sociologist at Indiana University South Bend, told LiveScience. "People with children spent less time with their animals and took them to the vet less often."
And after having spent the weekend in the company of my 3-year-old niece, I can attest that my time with Pritch will surely be rationed when kids arrive. And no doubt Pritch’s crayon intake will skyrocket. (Talk about multi-hued poop.) There’s also an entirely new set of obedience lessons to teach. (Don’t drink the milk. Don’t eat the animal crackers. Don’t eat the “artwork.”)
In Pritch’s case a little less attention may be a good thing. She’s spoiled rotten right now. Playing second fiddle might teach her a few things. In the long run, the only thing that will truly ruin a gun dog is a lack of training. And one day those toddlers will make excellent bird boys and girls. In fact, one of my favorite moments from my first hunt test was watching the junior handlers work the pups.
As always, I’m curious of your experience. Did having kids turn your gun dog into a couch dog? Or did it actually help you focus and enhance your time in the field?
(And no, Mom, this post is not a subtle hint.)
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Comments (17)
I don't have kids, but I do know having a girlfriend means having to spend more time with her and less time with my dog.
my daughters actually taught my dog to swim and they do a great job in helping with his training and practice. working with your dog is a great way for everyone to spend time together. it's fun.
Certainly our (the dog and I)time to take walks and fishing trips has diminished since my daughter came along 2 years ago, but we work basic obedience in pretty much everyday, she just has to settle for running in the backyard more often than going to the park or some place new. She definitely gets less attention than she used to, but she gets more food "dropped" off the table now. I'm not sure which way the dog would prefer it.
Levi-- Good point. Pritch quickly learned which seat to sit under at the table this weekend. Might as well have been raining gold. -D
if you think they like cat crap, wait until they smell a freshly-soiled diaper!
I did not have a problem with the Irish Setter when our son came along 30+ years ago. He wasn't a very good gun dog anyway. Both of my Labs have played with kids since birth and never seemed to be affected. Current big black dawg puts on his game face when the guns come out. He won't even look at the kids, or the wife for that matter, when the gun comes out and the duck hunting coat comes out of the closet. Then, it's GAME ON!
i have a girlfriend who, by the way is three months pregnant, and a seven year old daughter...and a boykin spaniel. talk about a house full, my dog dosent lack in training, even though the girls try to pull me in seperate directions. i actually trained him myself, and im no trainer, and 21...i got lucky with a birdy dog lol. but long story short, just this evenin while waitin on the nightly geese to fly over Dierks (my boykin) simply saw my shotgun and got excited and looked at me like "dude come on, lets do this". then he heard the geese...and the front paw went up. i dont ever see a day when my dog and i arent "1". as many days as i hunt and as much of a companion as he is, i dont ever see a child "messin my dog up"
I dont think it hurts. I don't have kids but i got a 3 year old sister and she's always workin with my lab when she comes over. Just the normal sit, and throwing a dummy for retrieves. Which works out nice for me if I dont have time to work with Jade that day.
The best gun dog I ever had the pleasure of hunting over was my fathers old Lab, which I also grew up with. She was good with us kids, but also loved to hunt, she was also the one who taught me how to work with dogs. She was one of those once in a lifetime gun dogs and she will be missed. I just hope I have the chance to have a gun dog like her.
now that my kids are a little older, they have helped settle down my lab. it's nice to see them taking her outside running around in the yard burning off some energy. but when i get done working, and i bring out my docken dummy . she completely forgets about them.
My experience is much like the others, the lab loved to play with the kids, and the kids kept her in great shape by getting her out into the woods, hitting tennis balls with a bat, or even hitting golf balls for her. But, when the guns came out she was all business.
My experience is that kids do not ruin your gundog… but kids will wreak havoc on your 'love-life'
"And one day those toddlers will make excellent bird boys and girls."
That's a damn good idea. I have three nephews. I can train one to point, one to set and one to retrieve. Best of all, my sister and brother-in-law has to feed and care for them.
we had a great bird dog when I was growing up that my Dad sweared was too much of a pet when we 1st got her. Great house dog. Then when bird season came along she impressed beyond belief. I still remember her coming back with a pheasant in her mouth. But we hadn't shot a bird. She brought us back a live pheasant. 1/2 the limit filled without firing a shot. Cooper was a great setter.
Love the picture.
Pay no attention to the brat in the background. I'm so much cuter.
I dont think kids ruin gundogs, in fact i think they make them better because they socialize the dog. Also if you show kids how to work with the dogs and tell them their commands most of the time they find it fun to give the dog commands and have the dog listen. My niece which is 6 loves to throw the bumper with Cooper while making him heel and retrieve on command.
I believe that having a fragile friend is good for a dog. It gives them something to protect.
Post a Comment
my daughters actually taught my dog to swim and they do a great job in helping with his training and practice. working with your dog is a great way for everyone to spend time together. it's fun.
I don't have kids, but I do know having a girlfriend means having to spend more time with her and less time with my dog.
Certainly our (the dog and I)time to take walks and fishing trips has diminished since my daughter came along 2 years ago, but we work basic obedience in pretty much everyday, she just has to settle for running in the backyard more often than going to the park or some place new. She definitely gets less attention than she used to, but she gets more food "dropped" off the table now. I'm not sure which way the dog would prefer it.
Levi-- Good point. Pritch quickly learned which seat to sit under at the table this weekend. Might as well have been raining gold. -D
My experience is that kids do not ruin your gundog… but kids will wreak havoc on your 'love-life'
"And one day those toddlers will make excellent bird boys and girls."
That's a damn good idea. I have three nephews. I can train one to point, one to set and one to retrieve. Best of all, my sister and brother-in-law has to feed and care for them.
we had a great bird dog when I was growing up that my Dad sweared was too much of a pet when we 1st got her. Great house dog. Then when bird season came along she impressed beyond belief. I still remember her coming back with a pheasant in her mouth. But we hadn't shot a bird. She brought us back a live pheasant. 1/2 the limit filled without firing a shot. Cooper was a great setter.
if you think they like cat crap, wait until they smell a freshly-soiled diaper!
I did not have a problem with the Irish Setter when our son came along 30+ years ago. He wasn't a very good gun dog anyway. Both of my Labs have played with kids since birth and never seemed to be affected. Current big black dawg puts on his game face when the guns come out. He won't even look at the kids, or the wife for that matter, when the gun comes out and the duck hunting coat comes out of the closet. Then, it's GAME ON!
i have a girlfriend who, by the way is three months pregnant, and a seven year old daughter...and a boykin spaniel. talk about a house full, my dog dosent lack in training, even though the girls try to pull me in seperate directions. i actually trained him myself, and im no trainer, and 21...i got lucky with a birdy dog lol. but long story short, just this evenin while waitin on the nightly geese to fly over Dierks (my boykin) simply saw my shotgun and got excited and looked at me like "dude come on, lets do this". then he heard the geese...and the front paw went up. i dont ever see a day when my dog and i arent "1". as many days as i hunt and as much of a companion as he is, i dont ever see a child "messin my dog up"
I dont think it hurts. I don't have kids but i got a 3 year old sister and she's always workin with my lab when she comes over. Just the normal sit, and throwing a dummy for retrieves. Which works out nice for me if I dont have time to work with Jade that day.
The best gun dog I ever had the pleasure of hunting over was my fathers old Lab, which I also grew up with. She was good with us kids, but also loved to hunt, she was also the one who taught me how to work with dogs. She was one of those once in a lifetime gun dogs and she will be missed. I just hope I have the chance to have a gun dog like her.
now that my kids are a little older, they have helped settle down my lab. it's nice to see them taking her outside running around in the yard burning off some energy. but when i get done working, and i bring out my docken dummy . she completely forgets about them.
My experience is much like the others, the lab loved to play with the kids, and the kids kept her in great shape by getting her out into the woods, hitting tennis balls with a bat, or even hitting golf balls for her. But, when the guns came out she was all business.
Love the picture.
Pay no attention to the brat in the background. I'm so much cuter.
I dont think kids ruin gundogs, in fact i think they make them better because they socialize the dog. Also if you show kids how to work with the dogs and tell them their commands most of the time they find it fun to give the dog commands and have the dog listen. My niece which is 6 loves to throw the bumper with Cooper while making him heel and retrieve on command.
I believe that having a fragile friend is good for a dog. It gives them something to protect.
Post a Comment