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Jesse's Hunting > A Gun Dog's Life > Articles > Taking the Gun Dogs on the Road
Taking the Gun Dogs on the Road
Bryce Mann - JHO Prostaff
- Sierra Foothills - CA
July 03, 2007
Going on a road trip with your four legged family members can bring about special planning for your trip and the comfort of all who are concerned. But what about now that you have arrived? In my case traveling with nine to twelve dogs makes things interesting to say the least. You quickly find ways to make the routine easier and quicker to manage.
The plans must include exercise for the dogs and plenty of fresh water. During the travel many dogs are put off their regular schedules and their diet and water intake decreases. It is very important to get back to their regular schedules or as close as possible.
Air your dogs frequently and if weather allows let them be out of the kennels. I prefer to use a ground stake with a swivel and about three feet of light no kink chain with swivel snaps on each end. This way the stakes can be located six feet apart which allows four dogs to share one large water bowl and at the same time food bowls can be separated to accommodate special diets and prevent unwanted feeding and conflict.
Our recent trip to Colorado for the North American Gun Dog Association’s National Finals proved all of these plans were made in good order. The trip is 1,400 miles each way without detours and side trips. This is our biggest trip of the year following numerous shorter trips to visit clubs all around our home state of California. Not only did our dogs stay fresh and healthy, but my dog, Reno, scored 12th in the open pointing division. This is a respectable finish making her the highest scoring dog from California in that division this year.
In memory of our darling “Dy”
Last season Eybold’s Dynamite Lady “Dy”at age eleven was qualified for the national finals but an endocarditic infection kept her from the competition. In Jan. of this year her failing heart took her from us. |
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