Gun Dog Forum

In 1990 I spent $500 on a pup and flew to ID. to pick out the dog(avatar dog). She was out of 2 NAFC dogs(NAFC/DC Renegade's Kansas Kid & NAFC/DC Lobo's Cotton Candy) and she was well worth the money IMO

I'd say so. That is one intense Brittany.

deseeker wrote:In 1990 I spent $500 on a pup and flew to ID. to pick out the dog(avatar dog). She was out of 2 NAFC dogs(NAFC/DC Renegade's Kansas Kid & NAFC/DC Lobo's Cotton Candy) and she was well worth the money IMO

Relly good looking dog and great bloodlines

Thank you Sharon & Ezzy I mated her with NFC Aux-Arc Mark and they produced FC/CKCFC Mark's Penny Candy--owner Ted Cooke( She was CKC's #1 Open Field Trial Dog in Canada one year). I also mated her to DC Masked Shoshoni War Chief and they produced DC Bourbon XIII--Owner Joe Jung(He was Purina Dog Of The Year one year). So for $500 I got a dog that produced the #1 field trial dogs in 2 countrys & was a Great Pheasant Dog for me

Sounds like you got quite a deal.

I've always thought about getting a FT washout. Don't need the range of an AA dog. I always figured a person could get a lot of bang for the buck.

greg jacobs wrote:
I've always thought about getting a FT washout. Don't need the range of an AA dog. I always figured a person could get a lot of bang for the buck.

F.T. washouts are often very good value for money. I already had a young cocker from a spaniel field trailer, I bought him at 10 -11 months old for just £100 as his breeder had decided to keep his litter sister and to make room in his kennels for another trial prospect. That cocker is my favourite dog , he is now 10 years old and still going strong. He is a workaholic little devil and easily takes his place among my five all time favourite dogs.

His sire , owned by the same field trailer, had already won a novice trial but his owner did not think it likely that he'd win an Open because he ran-in sometimes. He was given to me as a Xmas present and he worked his socks off for me for the rest of his life. Again his previous owner just wanted him away to a good home quickly in order to try again with another trial prospect.

So for £100 total cost I got two of the best dogs I have ever owned.

I am now far too poor at walking to keep up with a hunt-point-retriever so I sold my 4 years old fully trained to F.T. standards Brittany bitch to a friend for just £200 very recently. I just wanted a really good home for her where she could work to her little hearts content. He is delighted with her and works her to the gun and to his hawks.

If you know the "right" people there are some real bargains to be had from the F.T. folk.

Bill T.

The most I have ever spent on a dog was 2 years. It was a tough go....aside from the $$$.
He couldn't run more than an hour or he'd be laid up for three days. Further to that, he got a lump on his chest. It was cancerous.
He was such a nice dog...........

greg jacobs wrote:...I've always thought about getting a FT washout. Don't need the range of an AA dog. I always figured a person could get a lot of bang for the buck.

Range would not be the only reason a trial dog washes out and yes, the odds are with receiving a lot of bang for the buck.

[quote="cjhills

"Just to be fair. I am pretty sure there are many buyers that go through a lot less than you did to find a puppy and spend a lot less that feel the same way about their dog. Also a lot of what makes a great dog is environment....Cj[/quote]

Just to be fair, I am sure some folks have picked up a rescue dog or a mixed breed from anywhere and they feel the same way about their dog, some may even hunt. ....but they are 'playing the odds' more than those who do a serious search verifying every aspect of the dogs pedigree and health history.....this effort usually is only limited by how much they can afford or are welling to pay!

Timewise65 wrote:[quote="cjhills

"Just to be fair. I am pretty sure there are many buyers that go through a lot less than you did to find a puppy and spend a lot less that feel the same way about their dog. Also a lot of what makes a great dog is environment....Cj

Just to be fair, I am sure some folks have picked up a rescue dog or a mixed breed from anywhere and they feel the same way about their dog, some may even hunt. ....but they are 'playing the odds' more than those who do a serious search verifying every aspect of the dogs pedigree and health history.....this effort usually is only limited by how much they can afford or are welling to pay![/quote]
Sniff...Sniff..... Not now and probably not later..................Cj

I get it Cj. Everybody has a budget. My first dog (1/2 Britt & 1/2 springer) cost me $80. That was in 1974.
Peoples palate along with their budget can change and not always for the better .

2000 for a pair of GSPs. Their grandmother was a champion out of a friends friends kennel in Ohio. The dog we found on the side of the road found more birds than both of them combined.

Paid 1800 for my current pup and it was worth every penny. You cant put a price tag on a best friend and lifelong hunting partner

DeLo727 wrote:Paid 1800 for my current pup and it was worth every penny. You cant put a price tag on a best friend and lifelong hunting partner

You just did. My best friends and hunting partners all come with just two legs. My dogs come with four and most of them I have bought or traded for so they all had a price tag but that changes through out life. Seems normal that it gore up with age, training, ability, and becoming a treasured pet.

F.T. washouts are often very good value for money. I already had a young cocker from a spaniel field trailer,

I read of this often but have to ask, how is it you come across such a dog? know someone? right place at right time? is there some secret to finding a field trial washout?

DeLo727 wrote:Paid 1800 for my current pup and it was worth every penny. You cant put a price tag on a best friend and lifelong hunting partner

Quite true......and, a dog can indeed be a friend and, a birddog can be both so, well noted.

What fits the definition of either "friend" or "hunting partner" tho is best left to the individual making the comment...otherwise, opinion seeks to reach a shelf it does not deserve.

All too often, dollar amounts listed re a dog purchase can easily become brag and best fodder and therefore quickly become equivalent to a scattergun, a pair of boots, new truck or, whatever...with the result being that the dog becomes just another purchase, just another puzzle piece.
How sad it is to allow a purchase to define all that is available in a day afield or at home.

MNTonester wrote:

F.T. washouts are often very good value for money. I already had a young cocker from a spaniel field trailer,

I read of this often but have to ask, how is it you come across such a dog? know someone? right place at right time? is there some secret to finding a field trial washout?

I have obtained mine thru the years from FT kennels and breeders......no secret involved, tho timing is everything in most situations.
Look around and look ahead....not a bad way to start.

I attended a picnic at George Tracy's once.....as soon as the folks there found out I was a birdhunter and not a FTer, I heard..."have I got just the dog for you!"...setters, pointers and brittanys.
Good dogs often go wanting.....each choice will have unique particulars with points both good and different but good dogs should not go wanting.
Washouts are a sound option if the dogs fit the individual looking for a friend and hunting partner.

ezzy333 wrote:

DeLo727 wrote:Paid 1800 for my current pup and it was worth every penny. You cant put a price tag on a best friend and lifelong hunting partner

You just did. My best friends and hunting partners all come with just two legs. My dogs come with four and most of them I have bought or traded for so they all had a price tag but that changes through out life. Seems normal that it gore up with age, training, ability, and becoming a treasured pet.

I'm pretty sure the point is fairly clear that you can't let price drive your decision. A good dog is a good dog whether it comes out of the paper or costs you thousands.

Golden1 wrote:Just wondering how much it would be to get a well bred, healthy, and good hunting dog.
Thanks

Sky is the limit. Most I ever paid was $750 for Squirt and Bodie, $750 each. Next was Stormy, $500. You don't have to pay those high price's for good hunting dog's, you just have to get away from trialer's that sell pup's to help cover their trials. Go down the block and talk to a guy that only hunt's and hasn't got money to throw away. Look at his dog's pedigree and you'll find a lot of the same dog's that are in the big name litter's. Just because someone sell's their pup's relatively inexpensively does not mean they don't have good dog's. If you can afford say $700 or a bit more, buy from a breeder that keep's his litter's and start's them to see what he want's. At about 7 mos, the $1200 puppy isn't worth $1200 anymore, it's down to around $700 and it's a started dog!

I bet there's place's in the deep south where you can still get $200-300 puppy's. Deal being every body around there already has dog's. Good pup's but not that big a market! What's a pup worth? As much as the breeder can get or as much as your willing to pay! Check out rescue's for different bird dog breeds. I've seen some really nice looking dog's go for an adoption fee!

DonF wrote:

Golden1 wrote: I bet there's place's in the deep south where you can still get $200-300 puppy's. Deal being every body around there already has dog's. Good pup's but not that big a market! What's a pup worth? As much as the breeder can get or as much as your willing to pay! Check out rescue's for different bird dog breeds. I've seen some really nice looking dog's go for an adoption fee!

You can get hounds for that price, and some squirrel dogs, but that's about it. I have seen rescues that post nice dogs...Problem being, a big reason folks give them up can have to do with their hunting behavior.

I knew a guy years ago that got a GSP from the pound. Had to have it altered and somehow got the dog's paper's. Long story short, he turned her into an AKC field champion. In fact his daughter, about 10 or 12 yrs also ran her now and then and won with her. Guy's name was Jim Manley. Don't know if he's around any more or not.

I have priced Pup's (looking to buy) as high as $2000.00. Have bought Pups cheaper than that.
Over the long haul what you pay for the Pup is "chicken feed" when you consider the cost of kennels, training, vet care, gear, food, & myriad of other expenses along the way.
This applies whether Pup was "free" or a high dollar purchase. I have had a $75.00 Pup from a back yard breeder. He was a decent little Springer but due to poor genetics
he required $3500.00 in surgeries for both acl-s at around 3 yrs old. I have had mongrel dogs that were OK & decent pedigreed dogs. I have had "both" sides & will stick to well bred dogs of decent
pedigree to up my odds of a long term healthy dog with good breeding & conformation.

BTW: If you dog folks haven't figured it out There's no FREE DOG same as there's no FREE LUNCH!

cjhills wrote:

Timewise65 wrote:[quote="cjhills

Sniff...Sniff..... Not now and probably not later..................Cj

Cj....thanks for that intellectual thought and broad insight about dogs............you continually prove that like 'Belly Button' everyone has an opinion!

gonehuntin' wrote:heck, people are paying $3,000.00 for mutt golden-doodles. Makes a well bred gun dog look like a bargain.

Yup, buddy of mine is writing a check for $2400 for one in a few weeks. Crazy.