Bird Dog Expense

[Bearlodge10]

My GSP cost $1500 for one $1300 for the other
E-collars
Kennel for home and transportation
Leash
Collars
Toys
Food
Vaccines etc.
Dog insurance

Training at least the cost of the dog. Depends on how formal you want to go. I do my own obedience training then send them off for formal obedience training that combo has worked well. I get them on wild birds as much as possible to get that natural drive almost into an obsession. Scent training with them and we play games around the house with scent/wings. After a season or two depending upon how the dogs responds in the field determines how much formal training they need. I'm not looking for a field trial dog but I want the dog to do what I want them to do in the field.

The most important consideration, is time, make sure you have the time to spend with the dog. My dogs take a lot of my time! It drives my wife nuts but most everything I do with the dogs turns into some form of training. The training really never stops. These dogs need a job or they will drive you nuts!

I appreciate this insight greatly. Insurance is one of the things that I was wondering about. Do you mind sharing the insurance provider and type of policy/coverage you have?
Thanks
Bearlodge

 

[eamyrick]

I concur with the comments above about the initial cost being trivial compared to everything else. Time for training instead of money should be the biggest consideration. I have a 4 year old British Lab. Wouldn’t trade him for the world but at a year and a half I would have given him away. They are much more work than a kid and I have two boys. Davy, my lab, is a bird finding machine. He is equally effective on Quail/Pheasant as he is on Ducks/Geese. He’s also turned into a kick ass house dog.

 

[Laramie]

$1,500 is a small price to pay for the 10-15 years of joy you will get out of a well trained dog.

 

[Dos Perros]

$1,500 is a small price to pay for the 10-15 years of joy you will get out of a well trained dog.

Ain’t that the truth.

Two bird dogs and a Tacoma, rolling across the plains with my best friend riding shotgun…those were some of the best days of my life.

 

[Billinsd]

$1,000 or more a month for training for 3 months for very basic training, point to break on flush. Broke to flush, shot, fall, and then release is at least 6 months, plus maintenance. Bill

 

[Go West Old Man]

I appreciate this insight greatly. Insurance is one of the things that I was wondering about. Do you mind sharing the insurance provider and type of policy/coverage you have?
Thanks
Bearlodge

I had my Lab’s insurance with PetPlan until a little over a year ago when it became time to evaluate cost of the annual premium vs reality of a then 12 y/o dog. I was pleased with it and probably had it for about 10 years. I think they’re now called Fetch.

The plan I selected had a mid-high range deductible, but was comprehensive enough to cover illnesses and more important to me treatments, surgery, etc for injuries. Injuries in the field do happen on occasion unfortunately. Your good to think of this and plan for it. . While hunting I’ve seen an English Setter get a big L shaped piece of chest skin &tissue torn open by a short corn stalk, a Lab break a toe, and another Lab blow an ACL. Fortunately, none of these were my dog. Treatments and surgery can get expensive fast.

 

[NB7]

I had my Lab’s insurance with PetPlan until a little over a year ago when it became time to evaluate cost of the annual premium vs reality of a then 12 y/o dog. I was pleased with it and probably had it for about 10 years.

Yup, I agree there comes a time when you need to evaluate if it's worth it and how much heroic action can be taken anyway. I stopped carrying it on my Chessie when she turned 11. When she passed at 12, it wouldn't have really mattered how much I would have sunk into treatments that weren't going to work anyway, and there was no need to have the insurance to have made them any cheaper. For the younger dogs, yes, but for the old ones, well it's a sad reality but you know their years are numbered and once up there in the double digits, well...

 

[Squincher]

$1,000 or more a month for training for 3 months for very basic training, point to break on flush. Broke to flush, shot, fall, and then release is at least 6 months, plus maintenance. Bill

3 months and $3k to train a dog to do what almost every 12 week old pointer that ever lived will do naturally? I think I just found my retirement scam........er job, I mean.

 

[Billinsd]

3 months and $3k to train a dog to do what almost every 12 week old pointer that ever lived will do naturally? I think I just found my retirement scam........er job, I mean.

Does almost every pointer at 12 weeks old point to flush or shot, handle, and have the same field experience and obediance as well as a 1 year old that had had 3 months of training with pigeons? I got a friend with a 1 year old Visla from a popular breeder with no bird training and his dog flushes birds, rips/busts, without pointing, maybe a flash point.
I don't know about you, but training 10 or so dogs, housing and feeding at $10k a month isn't an easy or high paying job in California. If I had the time, the place, the birds, wild or pigeons, I'd absolutely do it myself!! I'd prefer to expose my pup to wild birds and let the wild birds train him. I don't have access to anything like, unfortunately. For me $3k is chump change and I'd pay more. Living and working in the suburbs has made me extremely wealthy as I prepare to retire soon. I'm real cheap, however, I ABSOLUTELY have to train my dogs on birds, and whoa, here, and down commands. I will not take a pointer hunting without this training, unless of course it's a young dog, that's about 8 to 12 months old when hunting season starts. I have and would again let that young dog bust birds and run and chase. Then I'll do the 3 months of training, which I have done. My mature dogs are obedient, don't bust/rip birds and don't chase after them into oblivion after the flush and shot, and they honor. Also, I use the command Whoa, after the dog has pointed to keep him from creeping and if he does he will get a nip. There's lots of ways to train pointers and many are good

To each his own!!! Cheers

 

[Bearlodge10]

I appreciate all of these posts and they reminded me that it isn't about the cost but the reward. I was really coming from a place where a more expensive start worried me as the unknowns are just so great. But such is life and the unknowns make life more exciting especially when it comes to being outdoors. Planning the best I can and understanding that the purchase is just a down payment on the training and hunt time to come.
Thanks!

 

[KurtR]

“$12,000-$18,000 for a field hunting dog in just training?” Again, speaking for professional retriever training….. Yes, absolutely over the first year or two at least. …. To get a retriever to a fully finished working retriever that has also achieved national level AKC MNH & HRC GRHRCH titles. This is no B.S. Not trying to scare anyone off. Actually I’d highly encourage getting the best training with a new pup that you can.

“….not everyone needs to spend that kind of money for a competent dog whether it is a retriever or a pointer.” Agree 100%. All depends on how far you want to get into it. Find a local HRC or AKC retriever club and go join them for a scheduled training day. You’ll meet some great folks that are absolutely willing to help out a new retriever pup owner.

“There are organizations and resources available to bounce questions off of trainers and other owners NAVHDA being one of them.” 100% agree! Search out and join an organization and their affiliate clubs that do what you want to do. Invaluable!

“Hell you just paid for a Masters Degree...spend some money on something you will enjoy.” Yep, that’s about right. I’ve got one of those 4 legged, yellow, “masters degrees” laying in the back yard as we speak. She’s 13 y/o, retired, takes meds for arthritic joints as needed, and hasn’t picked up a duck in two years but I don’t regret the “training journey” we took together. I love her dearly and have no regrets for whatever it cost me years ago. The real reward is in our bond.

I have a just over 2 year old lab I have trained my self with help from some pros and Freddy kings program. Read and watch everything I can from farmer and Lardy to. Will be going for our hrch and mh this summer. Hopefully at 4 try running the grand and with master nationals being split east and west now hope to run that. With end goal of running an srs and maybe a qual don’t know if he has the top end to run an open. I train 6 nights a week unless we are hunting but keep the same standards in the blind as I expect at the test. So an amateur can do it if they are dedicated enough. Being in a club with people who have passed the grand and learning from them is invaluable. The best thing of all is people calling asking me to go hunting but only if I bring my dog.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

So I have wanted a bird dog for awhile now and my wife has given me the go ahead to get a pup as a perk to finishing my masters degree. I have narrowed down to breed, breeder and now should have confirmation of a pup last part of May. However the purchase cost of the dog is scaring me a bit. I am not a dedicated bird hunter now but part of getting a dog was to continue down that path. Yet, I have never spent more than $500 on a dog but new pup will more than double that. The thought of making that investment seems like a lot to me as I get closer to securing a pup. Anyone else have these worries when dropping some serious coin on a animal?

The cost of the pup is a drop in the bucket. 2 vet trips and you’ll double that. Dogs are expensive. If you are stressing over the initial $1000 plus, I would probably wait until you have enough money the upkeep isn’t stressful.

 

[jimh406]

I guess it depends on how good of a dog you want. If you want a very good one, buy a started or trained dog. That's far safer bet to get a good dog.

However, if you want to simply have fun hunting almost any biddable dog will give you that. You don't need professional training to accomplish that. Great breeding makes it easy to have a good hunting dog. It may not be the best ever, but is that what you really want. Nobody can guarantee how much you should pay for a 8 week old puppy that will make it a great dog.

I've had dogs with professional trainers on trial circuits. The issue is you don't have the dog any more since it is only with you in the off season. It's also very expensive.

Summary, decide what your goals are. There isn't a right vs wrong only what you are trying to accomplish and how much money you want to spend.

As others have noted, you can also need to spend money for repairing defects. For instance, my daughter's Husky has had two surgeries (one for each rear leg) and is pushing $10K for those. I believe her unregistered "pup" cost $100. YMMV.

 

[boonez40]

It's not to bad, I have owned a dog or 2 all my life, must gear like kennels and training devices can be found used for half price.
My biggest expense this year is going to be an Garmin Alpha 100 and a new couch.

Yep a couch, because my 1200.00 poop machine pup just ate my couch last night. To top it off, I have another pup coming in 6 weeks.
Athena 13 weeks and Apollo 2 weeks.
Got to love bloodhounds

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[pk_]

It’s worth it IMO. Getting a good dog, from good lines, with good health and good instincts will put you 10,000 miles ahead of (most) $500 dogs especially for your first and even more so if you are training yourself. Like others have said that extra $500-600 you spent initially is a drop in the bucket over the life of the dog.

Good luck and have fun

 

[Go West Old Man]

I train 6 nights a week unless we are hunting but keep the same standards in the blind as I expect at the test. So an amateur can do it if they are dedicated enough. Being in a club with people who have passed the grand and learning from them is invaluable. The best thing of all is people calling asking me to go hunting but only if I bring my dog.

Exactly, and having that hardened dedication is what sets you apart from many folks that are not honest with themselves that they don’t have the time, commitment, or resources (property/acreage) to do it.

Yep, I was blessed or have been invited on several good trips to nice duck clubs in AR. The invites were pretty much “we’d like to have your dog hunt with us and you can come too”.

 

[BravoNovember]

I'll ad one more thing. just my $.02.

If your not looking to put a title on the dog, or try and compete in any way, don't get too hung up on the training cost. You can have a great dog if you are consistent, have good obedience fundamentals, and just get them experiance. After all is said, even if you hunt every day of the season your dog is a pet more often than its out hunting. Good manners in the house, and around people are very important.

 

[Mosby]

I bought a new Vizsla pup this year. He was expensive. I waited 2 years to get him. I work with him every day. I had to buy a new kennel. New food bowls. New collar. Going through twice as much dog food. Then there are vet bills...vaccinations, heart worm and flea and tick medicine etc., Just bought a new starter pistol last night for training. $250. I have a guy who trains dogs and raises quail and pidgeons. I will be spending a couple days a week at his place this summer. That will cost me about $800 in birds and time to get the dog where I want him.

Worth every penny. Its all relative. I saw a used Chevy truck at a dealership this week for $68,000....used.

Dogs are about the best investment in mental health and fun I can make. Whatever they cost me they give back 10x.

I have regretted a lot of purchases in my life. Never my dogs.

 

[Greenduck18]

I live in SD my whole life and while I was growing up all we did was hunt pheasants and waterfowl, literally every weekend. My dad always trained our labs himself and we do hunt test/field trials. I still do a lot of bird hunting and train my own labs. I’m pretty partial to candlewoods linage from Mary Howley. A good quote from her is “Your dogs can be whatever you want them to be”. I’ve hunted with farm dogs that out hunt dogs that guys have spent 5-15k to train but only hunt once a year. Pick a reputable breeder and the rest is up too you! Time spent training and time in the field are most important. If you don’t have patience, you’ll develop it very soon! It is not just an investment in a dog, it’s an investment in yourself too.

My last lab had to undergo three major surgeries over her life. A month after the last one, she devolved a brain tumor which resulted in seizures and she had to be put down, while I cried my eyes out.

Owning a bird dog isn’t for the faint of heart. When you get to their final days, You’ll never think about the money you spent, just the memories you have with your best friend. It will be one of the best things you do though!

 

[huntnful]

I think my lab was $1800. She's also accumulated well over $10k in medical bills in the last 5 years. That purchase price will be dust in the wind compared to what you spend on it over the next 10 years lol. I also love my dog and shes a great family & hunting dog. But dang she's HURT the wallet a few times haha.