need help - sick with puppy addiction

mountaindogs · Post by **mountaindogs** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 4:46 pm

Just 2 months ago I said I am happy. I have enough dogs. Don't need any more. I said this. Outloud. Several times. Then an owner of a puppy from my kennel 2.5 years ago called and they maybe want to breed that female to one of walnut hills amazing males. Really would not want to miss out on that breeding. AND THEN a friend of mine has a litter of very nice labs and they had 10 females. ALL YELLOW! When I bought my black male (whom is an amazing perfect dog that I could not do better than!)... I originally called hoping for a yellow female. sigh.
I need a group or something. Gundogs annonymous...

Post by **Sharon** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 5:04 pm

I need to join too.

. 67 years old .I said , "No more dogs. I can't take them to a nursing home in 10 years." Then I got a pup.

BigJake · Post by **BigJake** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 6:12 pm

I know the feeling, I truly like a good gun dog, and I love a dog that looks good doing his job. I lost my pointer to cancer 2 years ago and I told myself I am not going to get another dog, for he was the once in a lifetime dog. I made it a year with no dog and it truly was a bad year, so I picked up a Ryman type setter, I spent the first 3 months comparing him to my pointer, which was unfair to the pup, so then I let him grow into his style of bird dog. Well I got to thinking I needed something with a little more zip, so now I have a red setter coming in April, and of course I was thinking I would also like to get a field setter, so when I get the handle on the red one, I will get the field setter. But I also still have this empty spot waiting to get another pointer, which I know I will one day. I started out when I was a kid with Springer spaniels and I wouldn't mind having another, they are the only dog that I don't trust myself looking at puppies, because I know I won't leave without one:) I don't try to fix the puppy disease, I am learning to go with it and embrace it, I am even selling the house to get some land so I have the area to train and run my dogs and get more puppies:) I am very intrigued with the vizslas at the moment. I am currently planning on building a ten dog kennel, and I feel with the way I am going, all 10 will be different breeds, what can i say I like dogs.

mountaindogs · Post by **mountaindogs** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 7:12 pm

You are not helping

I have 5 dogs now. 2 very senior girls (12 and 14) 1 male age 9. the young black lab. A young shorthair

and 3 others living with me full time.... that's 8.

RoostersMom · Post by **RoostersMom** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 7:32 pm

I'm at 11. I could be the president of Gundogs Anonymous. At least 4 are beagles.....only 5 inside the house at a time, so not too bad. Well, unless the temps hit 15 and below, then we have a full house inside.

I try to get my puppy fix through fostering or helping with a litter that is already sold out. That gets me through the bad times.

BigJake · Post by **BigJake** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 8:24 pm

But roostermom, didn't you just get a puppy

I think part of it for me is, I just enjoy the company of dogs, plus I took a job working at a kennel, which offers little help. I see all these dogs come in and get to work and know them, then I think I would like one of those. That is how I met the vizsla he was just a fun loving happy little puppy. I have been studying the breed ever since. I may just be a pup here at gundogs anonymous, but one day I hope to be the president

DonF · Post by **DonF** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 10:40 pm

Sharon wrote:I need to join too. . 67 years old .I said , "No more dogs. I can't take them to a nursing home in 10 years." Then I got a pup.

Boy I feel that. I'm 67 also and just got a new pup in Stormy. Already thinking about another in 5 or 6 yrs.

mountaindogs · Post by **mountaindogs** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 11:00 am

I was thinking that the gundogs help keep you active so you never have to go to the nursing home.

also if you train well enough you can train them to pick things up for you and hold the door open for you while you and the walker get by. And as a last resort they can keep away the family on command when they try to drag you to the nursing home against your will.

markj · Post by **markj** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 4:40 pm

The feed bill keeps me down to 5

RoostersMom · Post by **RoostersMom** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 4:47 pm

BigJake wrote:But roostermom, didn't you just get a puppy I think part of it for me is, I just enjoy the company of dogs, plus I took a job working at a kennel, which offers little help. I see all these dogs come in and get to work and know them, then I think I would like one of those. That is how I met the vizsla he was just a fun loving happy little puppy. I have been studying the breed ever since. I may just be a pup here at gundogs anonymous, but one day I hope to be the president

Well, I just had to have him. Just kidding, but I really did want a pup from this stud dog and the female is as nice a bird hunting dog as any I've hunted over. And he's such a great pup. Housebreaking was a breeze and he's really, really, good in the field - very obedient and LOVES to retrieve. Brought my glove I'd dropped to me today when we were out scouting for a youth rabbit hunt!

I've found it's like potato chips, you can't stop at just one!

mountaindogs · Post by **mountaindogs** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 5:28 pm

So even though the lab folks are my friends I did the full OFA research and well it was lacking. SO that helps. I can skip that and just admire. Labs have a zillion health concerns so that is pretty important to me and I do not know the lines well enough to make any "shouldn't be an issue" types of judgments.
Now the GSP litter... it's a few months out and undecided on sire as yet. Biding my time and staying busy with my current dogs as planned before the stupid puppy bug. Lots to do this spring. I can alway consider rewarding myself for finishing the spring goals...

mountaindogs · Post by **mountaindogs** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 5:16 pm

And now the actual owners of Sky, our only breedable female, have said they may want to have one more litter with her if I am up for it and interested. Last time I didn't keep a puppy because a client wanted to have full time boarding of his puppy. i.e. puppy was staying here anyway and I don't have room for two. That was Briarfields Mountain Scout SH who is a great dog, but male.... I wanted a female. The puppies in the last litter turned out so very well. Sigh. what to do?

Frankug · Post by **Frankug** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 10:30 pm

I have 3 in the bed, two on the floor, one in the living room and a kennel full. Misery loves company so I figured I would chime in. I love it though. Wouldn't want it any other way.

duckn66 · Post by **duckn66** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 6:33 am

I feel everyones problem here. I'm not necessarily a puppy fan. I'm more of a fan of 2 year old dogs. But, you gotta start somewhere and thats usually with a puppy. I like 2 years olds because they generally have that first season behind them and if it was a good one I feel all that much better.

I'm finding myself looking at Chesapeake pups now. But, my kennel is full! My old Vizsla is retired and in the house but I just can't "give" away his old digs just yet. On nice days he likes to go "visiting".

Cicada · Post by **Cicada** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 10:44 am

Tough to say no!

Grant

Steve007 · Post by **Steve007** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 11:25 am

The real answer to "puppy addiction" is to spend more time with the ones you've got, presuming they're of trainable ages. For example, mountaindogs apparently has a three-year-old lab. Work lo put SH and CD titles (or whatever) on it, and he won't want to deny training time to his dog by fooling around with a new pup.

At some point, you realize that new dogs are like new women. Try as you will, you really can't have them all. Concentrating on what you have --depending of course on the individual -- can make a lot of sense. Admittedly, it takes a while to figure this out.

mountaindogs · Post by **mountaindogs** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 12:26 pm

Yes that is the advice I need.

Give my dogs the fair shot they need. Work hard this year. Play have fun. Visit other already sold puppies perhaps.

mountaindogs · Post by **mountaindogs** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 12:28 pm

duckn66 wrote:I feel everyones problem here. I'm not necessarily a puppy fan. I'm more of a fan of 2 year old dogs. But, you gotta start somewhere and thats usually with a puppy. I like 2 years olds because they generally have that first season behind them and if it was a good one I feel all that much better.

I'm finding myself looking at Chesapeake pups now. But, my kennel is full! My old Vizsla is retired and in the house but I just can't "give" away his old digs just yet. On nice days he likes to go "visiting".

See I need to hook up with someone like you. The first 2 years are my favorite. After that I can usually hand over started dogs. Except my lab. Stupid how attached I am to that dog.

duckn66 · Post by **duckn66** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 1:18 pm

mountaindogs wrote:
duckn66 wrote:I feel everyones problem here. I'm not necessarily a puppy fan. I'm more of a fan of 2 year old dogs. But, you gotta start somewhere and thats usually with a puppy. I like 2 years olds because they generally have that first season behind them and if it was a good one I feel all that much better.

I'm finding myself looking at Chesapeake pups now. But, my kennel is full! My old Vizsla is retired and in the house but I just can't "give" away his old digs just yet. On nice days he likes to go "visiting".

See I need to hook up with someone like you. The first 2 years are my favorite. After that I can usually hand over started dogs. Except my lab. Stupid how attached I am to that dog.

Woops I guess my post was a little confusing. I should say I like 2 yr olds and older. Get that first couple of seasons behind them. I do like watching pups come along though. One of mine this year has been an absolute ball watching him figure out wild birds on his own. He is turning into a real nice dog.

mountaindogs · Post by **mountaindogs** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 5:01 pm

Yes I understood. I was saying I'll keep them for the first 2 years then give them to you.

RoostersMom · Post by **RoostersMom** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 5:31 pm

Yep, that is my hubby and I to a "T." He hates the puppy stage, but I love it. We compromised, he got the year old chessie from rescue two years ago now, and I got the new puppy this year (who acts older - so he's been a good puppy for us, peed all of twice in the house in the last 4 months).

cjhills · Post by **cjhills** » Wed Jan 22, 2014 8:10 am

The good thing about getting a puppy now is I don't have to worry about how bad I will feel when he has to be put down. It his problem.....Cj

mountaindogs · Post by **mountaindogs** » Thu Feb 06, 2014 11:27 am

Well I found out the lab litter is aired by a male who is an EIC carrier and mom has not been tested. Nor have her parents or grandparents.

so seems ki da risky. Think I'll pass on that.

DoubleBarrel GunDogs · Post by **DoubleBarrel GunDogs** » Thu Feb 06, 2014 2:05 pm

mountaindogs wrote:Well I found out the lab litter is aired by a male who is an EIC carrier and mom has not been tested. Nor have her parents or grandparents. so seems ki da risky. Think I'll pass on that.

Smart move. Unexpected health problems/expenses are bad enough. No sense in begging for future problems.

Nate

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