Gun Dog Forum

How many of u keep your bird dog in the house? A guy told me a good dog is not a house dog. I just wanted to see some opinions.

The guy that told you a good dog wasn't a house dog didn't have a clue what he was talking about. That's just some very old school thinking. All my hunting/field trial dogs for the past 40+ years have been house dogs and I'd put them up against any dog in the field. I'm sure many more on this site will agree with me.

My dogs live in the house.

That's some serious hooey. Here's a bunch of field champions...

2 very good hunting/house dogs here. They spend 10 hours a day in nice kennel runs- When I get home from work they are with me the rest of the time.

Very old school.... thought was being in the home would hamper a dogs scenting ability. I haven't owned a hunting dog that couldn't find birds... all were house dogs.

Keep both of mine in the house. I doubt it hampers any of their ability. The only drawback is having to bath a dog that REEKS of swamp after a duck hunt.

I have had seven Golden Retrievers all top dogs some SH some MH, but all top dogs in the field for both upland game and waterfowl.

They all have been house dogs.....I generally disagree with this myth. But, I believe some dogs bred for upland, unless exercised aggressively do better when kept outside.

Opinions are like belly buttons, everybody has one!

Timewise65 wrote:I have had seven Golden Retrievers all top dogs some SH some MH, but all top dogs in the field for both upland game and waterfowl.

They all have been house dogs.....I generally disagree with this myth. But, I believe some dogs bred for upland, unless exercised aggressively do better when kept outside.

Opinions are like belly buttons, everybody has one!

I would agree with the : But, I believe some dogs bred for upland, unless exercised aggressively do better when kept outside.
Some dogs

Both dogs are house dogs. Let my 2-year-old grab, crawl and play with them whenever he feels like. They even sneak onto our bed once in awhile.

Oldest is my first hunting dog. VC'd him myself. Has hunted since he was four months old and has begun his fifth hunting season. The other is now three years old. Absolute bird NUT. Between the two of them, I could eradicate the Asian bird epidemic in North Dakota (given enough PTO).

So, yes...house dogs can make great bird dogs.

Ya that's what I figured. I have an 8 month old brittany that has been in the house since 8 wks old. He's coming along nicely but still has along ways to go but a guy told me I'd ruin him by keeping him inside. I just laughed and said time will tell. Lol. Thanks for all the responses

Heck, the house is one thing, but I have 3 in a 22 foot travel trailer for the next 3 months! Each gets it's turn to lay in bed with me for good dog time.

Wacked a couple of Sharptails this morning after the fog cleared, with good work from these "house" dogs.

Life is better than good!

cartae11 wrote:Ya that's what I figured. I have an 8 month old brittany that has been in the house since 8 wks old. He's coming along nicely but still has along ways to go but a guy told me I'd ruin him by keeping him inside. I just laughed and said time will tell. Lol. Thanks for all the responses

Haha ruins them the same way that playing outside will ruin a child.

Mine's a house dog. That being said, he has a bit too much energy for me in the house. Still a good house dog though.

Ahh Good chance to post a picture.

Always kept my dogs in the house. People who think they are too much for the house aren't giving them enough exercise - probably just walking them around the block.

"Don't even think about putting us out of the house."

Spoiled rotten house dogs. Dynamos in the field.

cartae11 wrote:How many of u keep your bird dog in the house? A guy told me a good dog is not a house dog. I just wanted to see some opinions.

I must say it's an ole wives tale. Had dogs my whole life however only my last two have been called bird dogs ( by me ) That said with both of them ~ they have gone to work with me daily , stay in the house and have been socialized to the 9's . Both had & have on-off switch's and love & live to hunt. If you think about it these animals love to please. The more time you spend with them the more they learn what it is you ask of them.

(IMO) My final answer ~ Ole wives tale

. Mine is kept in the house and my wife would not allow me to keep her (the dog) outside. I do agree that exercise is key. Too easy to end up with fat house dogs.

Our dogs are house dogs. Wouldn't have it any other way. When they're wet, they're restricted to the kitchen until they dry out. Too much a part of the family to isolate them

Looks like everyone is on the same page with this question. I just think the extra time that you have with the dog in the house helps form a stronger bond between you and the dog. I wouldn't have it any other way.

I think where the old theory of keeping them kenneled came about because the feeling was that they would be spoiled because the wife and kids would not make them mind. And there can be some truth to that. But I think that can be overcome by training the other family members what and how to treat them and also just by the extra love and care they get.

Ezzy

I've seen kenneled and back yard dogs that just never develop into what they could have been. I think intelligence has to be developed in a dog. Living with them as part of the family doesn't guarantee anything and bad habits can develop. But I think generally you end up with a much more rounded dog when living in the house. I see many kenneled dogs that aren't worked with nearly enough and just don't develop into the kind of dog that could have been possible.

I have never understood the thinking behind this so-called myth. I can't imagine why a dog's hunting instinct or drive has anything to do with whether it is an inside or outside dog. If anything, I would think a house dog would likely be more bonded to its handler and do better in the field.

In almost a half century of living with hunting dogs and other than the occasional crating of a pup or sick dog in the mudroom, I've never allowed a dog to live in the house.

My in laws have two lap dogs that run around their house all day and sleep in their bed. Frankly, all that business grosses me out. My wife tried that business when we were dating and I told her it was a deal breaker.

All you folks that do it, I'd assume your dog's getting dirty when you exercise them so are you washing your dogs everyday or something?

I try to wash them every 2 or 3 years but other than that they seldom get very dirty.

I honestly cannot imagine not having my dogs in the house.

AlPastor wrote:In almost a half century of living with hunting dogs and other than the occasional crating of a pup or sick dog in the mudroom, I've never allowed a dog to live in the house.

My in laws have two lap dogs that run around their house all day and sleep in their bed. Frankly, all that business grosses me out. My wife tried that business when we were dating and I told her it was a deal breaker.

All you folks that do it, I'd assume your dog's getting dirty when you exercise them so are you washing your dogs everyday or something?

X2....but I think we're out numbered ! LOL

AlPastor wrote:In almost a half century of living with hunting dogs and other than the occasional crating of a pup or sick dog in the mudroom, I've never allowed a dog to live in the house.

My in laws have two lap dogs that run around their house all day and sleep in their bed. Frankly, all that business grosses me out. My wife tried that business when we were dating and I told her it was a deal breaker.

All you folks that do it, I'd assume your dog's getting dirty when you exercise them so are you washing your dogs everyday or something?

Your wife sounds like a saint!

Of course I don't wash them everyday. But I'm not a germaphobe. I can't blame 'em for doing what I want them to do, and in all honesty, I'm probably just as dirty when I get home and sit on the couch.

The one exception is after a day of retrieving ducks out of the mud. That warrants a bath.

I agree with the premise Ezzy started. To a dog being in the house can mean nothing and then again, depending on what occurs in the house it can mean everything. Too often I hear people say they have owned a dog or dogs all their lives and a good number of those people mean a sample size of give or take half a dozen animals. This sample size is as flawed for dogs as you might imagine it is with people. Many, many undesirable behaviors occur from spoiled dogs and as it is with spoiled people these things are justified as unique or special rather than what they are...whish is undesirable.

Behavior in dogs needs to be measured in the individual behaviors of the animal and its relation to what people want and will tolerate. Dogs are pack animals and their hierarchy is important to understanding and influencing their behavior. At the end of the day with a bird dog we are asking for a partnership of mutual predators, controlling that relationship can be made more difficult and conversely more tolerable depending upon the temperament and perceived position of the animal and the talent of the trainer or dominant partner. If a pro trainer tells you your problem is a spoiled dog, I always advise to listen with an open mind and hear what they are saying not what you want to hear.

mnaj_springer wrote:

AlPastor wrote:In almost a half century of living with hunting dogs and other than the occasional crating of a pup or sick dog in the mudroom, I've never allowed a dog to live in the house.

My in laws have two lap dogs that run around their house all day and sleep in their bed. Frankly, all that business grosses me out. My wife tried that business when we were dating and I told her it was a deal breaker.

All you folks that do it, I'd assume your dog's getting dirty when you exercise them so are you washing your dogs everyday or something?

Your wife sounds like a saint!

Of course I don't wash them everyday. But I'm not a germaphobe. I can't blame 'em for doing what I want them to do, and in all honesty, I'm probably just as dirty when I get home and sit on the couch.

The one exception is after a day of retrieving ducks out of the mud. That warrants a bath.

My wife is a saint. It's too bad that she got conned into getting hitched to an ahole like me.

I'm not a germaphobe but I'm not a fan of the dirt, hair, bugs, poop remnants, etc either.

Also, even if it wasn't for the above, I've got almost a dozen dogs. It would soon become their house and I'm not on board with that either.

While our house is very modest, the previous owner was breeding race horses so it has two stables. I converted the smaller 12 horse stable into a 24 indoor/outdoor run dog kennel and fenced some of the horse pasture for the dogs to run around in.

They have their space. I have mine.

Field Champions, bird dog's; they've ALL been house dogs. It is a great benefit to the dog's training to keep it in the house and there are no downsides to it.

ezzy333 wrote:I try to wash them every 2 or 3 years but other than that they seldom get very dirty.

That's impressive. I don't think I can go through a summer without having my dogs find something to roll in by the cottage at least once. My dogs are house dogs, but they are not allowed on the furniture.

ezzy333 wrote:I try to wash them every 2 or 3 years but other than that they seldom get very dirty.

ROFLMBO..... I bathe my 3 outside after almost every run / hunt as they seems to find swamps etc and they live in the house. We have a hot and cold water faucet outside which is great.