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Jesse's Hunting > A Gun Dog's Life > Articles > Rescuing A Gun Dog
Rescuing A Gun Dog
Bryce Mann - JHO ProStaff
- Sierra Foothills, CA
April 03, 2008
I previously wrote about picking a puppy. Puppies are special and I believe every kid should grow up with one. There is a special bond created between the hunter and his gun dog that is stronger, possibly because more time is spent together traveling and working as a team in the pursuit of game. I would suggest the purchase from a breeder but there is another option.
Some breeders are also part of a breed rescue where by they actively take part in trying to re-home dogs of a particular breed in an effort to save lost or unwanted puppies and dogs. Other breeders and sportsmen are involved in sporting dog rescue and sometimes the original homes find that the highly active sporting breeds are too much for them to handle. When these “hyper” dogs become bored they find something to do which often results in destructive and unwanted behavior causing many wonderful hunting dogs to be abandoned or placed in shelters.
I would like to tell you about one such rescue. Last year a friend of mine called asking me what I thought about him getting a dog from a rescue. I thought this would be admirable. The result would be that he and his grandson would have a new hunting dog and “Cabela” would get out of a shelter and into a loving, caring and hunting home. They had already looked at the shelter’s web site and seen a picture of her and read the information provided. Cabela is a one year old English Pointer, altered, micro chipped, female and is deaf.
Cabelas in the Field
Cabela working on Whoa control with Bryce Mann as her owner Johnathan looks on. |
John asked if I thought it was possible to train her for her intended work on upland game birds. With some specialized training I welcomed the challenge to work with her. I have trained dogs for years for hunting with disabled hunters and felt it was about time to work with a disabled dog.
The High Sierra Animal Rescue in Portola, Ca. was very cautious about her new home and after my calling they agreed to place her with me. I explained that I was calling on behalf of my friend Joh,n who along with his family, had fallen head over heels for this dog. I explained that she would be here with me for training but, most importantly, would be in a loving home with much needed attention.
The adoption was complete 3/2/07 and she was here for her first look and lesson on 3/3/07. Her training began right away, socialization, command and control, progressive drill work and real time in the field experience on birds until September. In October she was hunting mountain quail in the High Sierras and chukar in the coastal mountains of California’s Central Valley. She now hunts, points, and honors in addition to being a natural retriever.
This worked out so well that John and his grandson Jonathan now have adopted a German Shorthair Pointer to hunt alongside Cabela.
Please, when looking for a hunting dog, take into consideration a rescue. The results can be surprising. There are many fine dogs waiting to hunt and in need of hunting homes.
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