Starting Gun Dogs vs. The Demands of Family Life

[el_jefe_pescado]

I want a gun dog. But like a lot of us, I have little kids (a 5 year old and 2.5 year w/ Down Syndrome) and a demanding job.

I have access to wild birds and more hunting opportunities than I could pursue in a lifetime, but I don’t have unlimited time and am very aware of the amount of effort/intentionality that goes into making a solid dog. I grew up with dogs and have hunted or spent time with most of the usual suspects (GWP, GSP, Chessies, Labs, Goldens, Boykins, Cockers). But for the sake of discussion, I’ll call myself a totally green handler.

In short, I am weighing the reality of my time constraints plus the duty I have to focus on my kids/wife against the demands of starting a puppy.

So, my question to you wise roksliders is: what did your lifestyle look like when you took the plunge and got your first “real” gun dog (single guy on a ranch, married couple in a high rise condo, retiree with a started dog etc.) and what advice you would give to your old self if you could do it all over again?

 

[cmahoney]

Married with 2 little kids, live on an acre and have a job that requires a lot of OT. I paid for a few sessions with a trainer that requires the hunter to work with him. Paid the money for a dog only bred from dogs that hunt, which I believe helped. She naturally pointed and has incredible drive. Got a breed that is known for being well mannered at home. I dedicated a ton of time to bird hunting her first year, which I think did the most for her. I hunt chukar 90% of the time.
It’s worked out well for me.

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[sndmn11]

@el_jefe_pescado do you think you would struggle with the bird dog part or the house dog part?

 

[Choupique]

Im starting to deal with the same thing myself. Kids about the same age, demanding job, etc.

I just accepted the fact that I really cant do a good job of training the puppy like I want to right now. I do what I can when I can, and she's either gonna have it or she won't. Trying to train my kids even more than im trying to train the dog, and its frustrating but fun. Worst case I think ill end up with an ok dog and a pet, and will have hopefully taught my kids a little bit about dogs on the way. When they're old enough ill get another one and get serious again.

Ive had to make a lot of other sacrifices as well. I cant blue water fish hardly any. I dont get to hunt every day i can get off when the season is open. Kids really make you sensitive to the limited hours in the day.

 

[birdhunter]

Its a ton of work.My first dog was started and spent time with a trainer but with family constraints I never really hunted him as much as he deserved.Now that the family is all grown up I get to hunt my current buddy often.I get it.Its a rough choice.Good luck.

 

[Macintosh]

Same question as above—are you worried about the hunting part or the house dog part?

Imo one dog for a family with kids isn't a huge burden once past the house-training stage. The hunting part—just get a started dog, or get a pup late fall/early winter and pay a trainer to spend a couple months with the dog over the summer, and the heavy lifting will be done. It’s $, but if you cant afford that you probably cant afford the vet bills once the dog is older anyway. Either that or just make it a family project. Will it be a trial-worthy amazing mega-steady stud of a bird dog? Probably not. But who cares. A functional dog is still great. And at least in part you can choose a dog based on your situation and skill as a trainer along with your family’s.

 

[Muleyczy]

Agree the house training/breaking part is the hardest. Beyond that work with them 10-15 minutes a day doing basics. Good breeding hopefully helps with the rest and then it’s about exposure. Nowadays you can YouTube most everything for help. I’ve done the started dog and puppy thing several times, and I always like the puppy thing best. Dog feels more connected. Started dog feels like a dog that knows he was dropped off at orphanage and it kinda like F off

 

[Rich M]

My dad has purchased a couple started dogs. You get a 16-18 month old that is started and has the basic training. Trained enough to hunt with and learn your style.

A lot of dogs get confused when more than 1 person is trying to teach em stuff. My buddy bought a lab and sent her off for starter training. He got her back and his wife is out teaching the dog stuff contrary to the training they paid for.

 

[beerbucksducks]

After the puppy/house breaking I think it depends on what level you want to train the dog to.
I bought my second lab when my son was a year and a half old. The puppy training with an 18 month old at home was a bit of a cluster, but doable. I live where I work, on a good chunk of property, so room to train and exercise him wasn’t an issue. I trained him 1-2x a day, usually early morning before my son got up. He hunts well and has come around on retrieving.
Now he’s 2 and we have a 2 month old daughter at home. I don’t have nearly the amount of free time to continue his training. I’d love to keep refining his marking and handling, but time thin. I still exercise him daily, but training time has been tough to come by. If I were to get a dog with two young kids, I’d either send him to a trainer to get started on hunting or buy a started dog.


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[spur60]

I just picked out a german shorthair puppy a few weeks ago and am going the started route. She'll stay with the trainer through September, possibly mid-October, with part of her training including getting work on a licensed shooting preserve.

After spending a day at the trainer's acreage playing with the pups and other dogs, my kids understand why we are "skipping" the puppy phase. Training the family is as important as training the dog; especially with a high energy GSP. Going this route, we'll have basic obedience and hunting skills established. We get to work with the trainer as a family to learn together. I already plan on having her back with the trainer for tune up/finishing next summer for 4-8 weeks depending on what we need to work on.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

5 years old is old enough to untrain a dog, but not old enough to really help training one. I just went through this stage of life, my kids are 9/7/6, and just in the last year the older 2 have become helpful (moreso the older). I lived in a high rise apartment with a wife but no kids when I got my first lab, trained him before the oldest kid got mobile. Got a pup last spring, training him is a major activity for me and my older 2. Rewinding the clock back to my oldest at 5 add I would either wait to get a dog or pay for training/buy a started or finished dog

 

[el_jefe_pescado]

@el_jefe_pescado do you think you would struggle with the bird dog part or the house dog part?

The house dog part. I worry about a lot of bad habits being created/reinforced while I am away at work during the day especially during the early months. I know that hunting will get that worked out on its own through finding the right breeding and putting time in on wild birds.

The started route is very appealing but I worry about missing on early socialization, especially with my youngest who has special needs. But all things considered maybe that is the most realistic path forward.

 

[VomSteinbruch]

I faced that dilemma once.

I already had a 3‑year‑old dog, fully trained and tested, when her breeder offered me a pup for free, on the condition that I would test her and get her certified for breeding. At that time, my son was 1.5 years old, and my wife wanted to have another child as well. My job was also very demanding and required almost six hours of commuting.

On top of that, I live in the Soviet State of Connecticut, with a very limited amount of hunting opportunities.

I knew it would be a big challenge, but the offer was too good to pass up. The pup was the result of a mating between my dog’s sister, an excellent dog, and a club invitational‑level champion with a top‑tier pedigree. I knew I would probably never get another opportunity like that.

I talked to my wife and told her I wanted to get a second pup, take her through all the required training and testing, and eventually start my own kennel. She didn’t object, but she made it clear that she wouldn’t be helping much, as she already had plenty on her plate.

Long story short, I got the pup... and it was a bigger challenge than I expected.

Having a small child and a 9‑week‑old pup in the same house was chaos. Toys on the floor, food on the floor, the kid and the pup chasing each other, the pup biting his thighs, the pup getting into dirty diapers. Everything you can imagine.

I had to completely readjust my training approach and introduce a strict schedule. The pup stayed in the crate and was only let out when I was present or when we were training. The key was to run her in the field - training and discipline would tire her out, which made her comfortable resting in the crate for a few hours.

There were days when I couldn’t take her on proper walks, which is essential for high‑drive, versatile breeds, but I would still make time for obedience and retrieving drills.

Time management is the foundation of success. You need to understand how much time you can realistically dedicate to your dog and then add more. Some breeds require more than others, but all of them need it. It’s hard.

Your family also needs to be on board. If your wife resents the dog, it will become a constant source of conflict. Dogs also come with expenses, which can be significant for a young family - food, vet bills, and so on.

On the other hand, it’s incredibly rewarding to watch your kids grow up playing with a pup. That’s a memory you’ll carry for the rest of your life.

Now she is 2 years old, and the worst is behind us. Still, I wouldn’t bring a new pup into the house until all my kids are at least 5 years old. In hindsight, what helped me most was solving the time‑management problem, taking a structured approach, not being interested in sports or TV (a huge time saver), and having an understanding wife.

As for breeds, I’ll say this right now: don’t get a GWP or similar high‑drive breed unless you’re fully prepared. They require significant physical and mental exercise. And don’t believe the “they have an off switch” line. That’s mostly marketing and doesn’t solve the underlying need for activity.

I have owned a Cocker, and I consider them an amazing hunting and family dog. However, I’m not sure how well they would perform in tall‑grass prairies. Hunting ruffed grouse or blue grouse in mountains of MT, on the other hand, is entirely within their strengths.

 

[OneGunTex]

Got my first bird dog, and first dog I had ever trained, when married with no kids. Live in a city with limited ability to get on birds regularly. Worked out pretty well, but was a lot of work for the first year+ to get him to where i wanted him (mostly). Best thing I did was join a local training club that had some land and pigeons to train with about an hour away. The club doesn't get together as often as I would like, but it had given me access to some great pro trainers to help teach me.

If I would give one piece of advice, don't get a super high strung dog if you don't really have the time to get after it. A Drathaar or a Visla or even a GSP takes SO MUCH more energy than a Golden or a Springer, ESPECIALLY if they come from field trial/competition bloodlines. I got a Springer, from a breeder that if knew bred dogs that were good hunters but had an off switch (unlike some of the psycho field trial dogs at the club). It's been great, because he spends most of the time on the couch, finds birds whenever we go out, and doesn't tear my house apart.

 

[el_jefe_pescado]

I faced that dilemma once.

I already had a 3‑year‑old dog, fully trained and tested, when her breeder offered me a pup for free, on the condition that I would test her and get her certified for breeding. At that time, my son was 1.5 years old, and my wife wanted to have another child as well. My job was also very demanding and required almost six hours of commuting.

On top of that, I live in the Soviet State of Connecticut, with a very limited amount of hunting opportunities.

I knew it would be a big challenge, but the offer was too good to pass up. The pup was the result of a mating between my dog’s sister, an excellent dog, and a club invitational‑level champion with a top‑tier pedigree. I knew I would probably never get another opportunity like that.

I talked to my wife and told her I wanted to get a second pup, take her through all the required training and testing, and eventually start my own kennel. She didn’t object, but she made it clear that she wouldn’t be helping much, as she already had plenty on her plate.

Long story short, I got the pup... and it was a bigger challenge than I expected.

Having a small child and a 9‑week‑old pup in the same house was chaos. Toys on the floor, food on the floor, the kid and the pup chasing each other, the pup biting his thighs, the pup getting into dirty diapers. Everything you can imagine.

I had to completely readjust my training approach and introduce a strict schedule. The pup stayed in the crate and was only let out when I was present or when we were training. The key was to run her in the field - training and discipline would tire her out, which made her comfortable resting in the crate for a few hours.

There were days when I couldn’t take her on proper walks, which is essential for high‑drive, versatile breeds, but I would still make time for obedience and retrieving drills.

Time management is the foundation of success. You need to understand how much time you can realistically dedicate to your dog and then add more. Some breeds require more than others, but all of them need it. It’s hard.

Your family also needs to be on board. If your wife resents the dog, it will become a constant source of conflict. Dogs also come with expenses, which can be significant for a young family - food, vet bills, and so on.

On the other hand, it’s incredibly rewarding to watch your kids grow up playing with a pup. That’s a memory you’ll carry for the rest of your life.

Now she is 2 years old, and the worst is behind us. Still, I wouldn’t bring a new pup into the house until all my kids are at least 5 years old. In hindsight, what helped me most was solving the time‑management problem, taking a structured approach, not being interested in sports or TV (a huge time saver), and having an understanding wife.

As for breeds, I’ll say this right now: don’t get a GWP or similar high‑drive breed unless you’re fully prepared. They require significant physical and mental exercise. And don’t believe the “they have an off switch” line. That’s mostly marketing and doesn’t solve the underlying need for activity.

I have owned a Cocker, and I consider them an amazing hunting and family dog. However, I’m not sure how well they would perform in tall‑grass prairies. Hunting ruffed grouse or blue grouse in mountains of MT, on the other hand, is entirely within their strengths.

Thanks for the detail here. Lot of good nuggets.

I should have added in my initial post that I am leaning towards a PP (for a number of reasons) and have almost pulled the trigger on a couple of stellar litters in the past year. The timing was just not right.

My wife is supportive but very sensitive to adding additional chaos to our mix. I would not want the pup to become a point of contention.

 

[KurtR]

Off switch in 99 percent of the cases is trained. When you see multiple fc just hanging out around the house . Then they have more horse power on the line than most can handle.

Crate train so you teach the puppy quiet time .

 

[VomSteinbruch]

I am leaning towards a PP

The PP is a great breed, but they are not very different from GWPs. In many cases, they are about 90% the same. Raising them requires just as much time, structure, and commitment as a GWP, GSP, or any of the other German breeds.

The PP has unfortunately been affected by its growing popularity. There are many accomplished dogs in terms of field performance, but not as many in terms of mental stability, by which I mean natural calmness. Quite a few that I have seen tend to be barkers or whiners, in other words, they have a very low stimulus threshold.

Not to mention that quite a few have become lighter in terms of body substance, with weaker bone structure, and often shorter or softer coats.

Poor bone structure and soft musculature often go hand in hand with a lower stimulus threshold.

A defining characteristic of the PP is supposed to be a stoic nature, a “fire breather” when given a task, and indifferent when not working. That balance has been lost in a significant number of PPs in the U.S. The drive is still there, but the stoicism is often missing.

I’m not saying all of them are like this, but quite a few are, especially over the past 10 years. I would strongly recommend doing thorough research before getting one. They are expensive dogs. Ask specifically about the parents’ natural calmness in real working conditions, not just the “off switch” talk, which is often more marketing than reality.

Before people pile up on me, I like PPs and I have seen great ones.

 

[sndmn11]

The house dog part. I worry about a lot of bad habits being created/reinforced while I am away at work during the day especially during the early months. I know that hunting will get that worked out on its own through finding the right breeding and putting time in on wild birds.

The started route is very appealing but I worry about missing on early socialization, especially with my youngest who has special needs. But all things considered maybe that is the most realistic path forward.

Using the crate is as a tool is invaluable. Time outside of it is structured and supervised with slowly increasing roam range. Baby gates are wonderful. There's zero need for the puppy to have free roam of any part of the house beyond the single room you are in, and in the crate the rest of the time.

What we gained with our started dog was knowing it can find birds and is gun broke. What we do not have a is a dog with recall to a name (just tone on a collar), and having to undue some bathroom habits. Manners have come a long fine and so has obedience.

For you, I'd get a puppy so it can understand the structure of your household from the beginning, and I'd submit the dog would be better off in the long run being around your youngest child. Random chaos is good for bird dogs.

If you need help with PP breeders, let me know. There's a phenomenal litter on the ground right now with two VC but gentle parents.

 

[wind gypsy]

College - missed roughly as many classes as I attended due to waterfowl hunting . Had plenty of time to go to the retriever club to train and also do some hunt tests. I absolutely love dogs, always have. Haven't picked up another dog since that one, he died in 2019. Its been a while but I think a guy could make it work without a ton of additional committment beyond standard dog exercise and care.

I haven't bird hunted in years and that is a primary driver but also really just the committment of a dog doesn't fit into our young family's lifestyle (3 and 4 YO kids). We like to go places and having to board a dog or fit them into everything sounds like a giant headache. Maybe if the kids insist on a dog and can be put on the hook for care when they're older we'll consider it, until then we'll live with less "tail wags and ethusiasm" around the house.