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 Best time of year to purchase a lab pup
#5153587
06/12/14 06:14 AM
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Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 340
WatersFowler
OP
Bird Dog
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OP
Bird Dog
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 340 |
I'm sure opinions will vary here, but wondered everyone's thoughts on the best time to buy a pup. Reasonable thinking would be to purchase one that would give you enough time to train so they could be ready for the upcoming season. Thoughts?
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Re: Best time of year to purchase a lab pup
[Re: WatersFowler]
#5153592
06/12/14 08:03 AM
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 14,278
Fooshman
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 14,278 |
Both of my current labs have been born in late November.
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Re: Best time of year to purchase a lab pup
[Re: WatersFowler]
#5153922
06/12/14 02:41 PM
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,062
MS1454
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,062 |
Spring, you have time to bond with them and do some informal training. By the time the season comes around they are large enough to have their first full season. Then in the following spring you can do more formal training and obedience and also ff if you want.
I'll take a Black Female every time.
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Re: Best time of year to purchase a lab pup
[Re: WatersFowler]
#5154190
06/12/14 05:21 PM
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 44
Warrior Poet
Light Foot
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Light Foot
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 44 |
Like Fooshman said, my dog was born in the Fall.
I got the dog a few months after it was born, not right away, from the breeder, so in my opinion the best time is in the winter. Then, you have time to bond with the dog, learn its habits, and watch the dog mature. Once late spring / early summer comes around, you send it to training and have the dog back (hopefully) in time for its first hunting season. Doesn't always work like that, sometime training can take longer or sometimes the pup isn't ready for training that early.
MS1454's schedule is something I have seen before too -- take them a season without formal training, just to expose them to hunting and birds, then next spring get formal training
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Re: Best time of year to purchase a lab pup
[Re: WatersFowler]
#5154267
06/12/14 06:27 PM
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 514
maximumintensityretriever
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 514 |
The best time to buy a pup is when the best pup is available. I always cringe when people start putting restrictions on purchasing a puppy. This will almost definitely limit your chances of getting the best dog. As for personal preference I like the fall. It is getting cooler outside so people will get outside with their pup and do more socialization than they would at other times of year. I would not ever recommend taking a puppy that has not been through formal basics to the blind with you. Too much can go wrong. That is like taking your toddler to work with you. You aren't having a good time because you are having to watch them and they aren't learning anything productive. On the bright side, if you do decide to send your pup to a trainer most will take the dog at about 6 months and they could be well started by 10 months old. Forgoing a hunting season is well worth the wait.
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Re: Best time of year to purchase a lab pup
[Re: maximumintensityretriever]
#5155092
06/13/14 06:05 AM
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Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 340
WatersFowler
OP
Bird Dog
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OP
Bird Dog
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 340 |
The best time to buy a pup is when the best pup is available. I always cringe when people start putting restrictions on purchasing a puppy. This will almost definitely limit your chances of getting the best dog. As for personal preference I like the fall. It is getting cooler outside so people will get outside with their pup and do more socialization than they would at other times of year. I would not ever recommend taking a puppy that has not been through formal basics to the blind with you. Too much can go wrong. That is like taking your toddler to work with you. You aren't having a good time because you are having to watch them and they aren't learning anything productive. On the bright side, if you do decide to send your pup to a trainer most will take the dog at about 6 months and they could be well started by 10 months old. Forgoing a hunting season is well worth the wait. I like this ^^^ Thanks to all for their opinions.
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Re: Best time of year to purchase a lab pup
[Re: maximumintensityretriever]
#5155330
06/13/14 02:17 PM
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,413
Mud Shark
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,413 |
The best time to buy a pup is when the best pup is available. I always cringe when people start putting restrictions on purchasing a puppy. This will almost definitely limit your chances of getting the best dog. As for personal preference I like the fall. It is getting cooler outside so people will get outside with their pup and do more socialization than they would at other times of year. I would not ever recommend taking a puppy that has not been through formal basics to the blind with you. Too much can go wrong. That is like taking your toddler to work with you. You aren't having a good time because you are having to watch them and they aren't learning anything productive. On the bright side, if you do decide to send your pup to a trainer most will take the dog at about 6 months and they could be well started by 10 months old. Forgoing a hunting season is well worth the wait. I agree with Tony's description also. My last dog was born in late November. He was almost a full year old for his first hunting season. He was the right dog for me, though. My newest puppy just got home about 3 weeks ago. She was born on April 5th. With my old man passing in February and not having a pup ready to take his place, I know I'll forgo hunting with a dog this year. I'm not worried at all though because I spent the time to find the pup I wanted, the pedigree that I was looking for, and the health clearances that I wanted. Timing is what it is. I'll have some time to do formal obedience this fall and winter and she may get to go on a solo hunt with me late in the year, but I'm not worried about it. After hunting with a finished dog for 8 years, I damn sure don't want to be chasing a puppy around a pond.
Mud Shark
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Re: Best time of year to purchase a lab pup
[Re: WatersFowler]
#5156258
06/14/14 04:04 AM
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,809
Cleric
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,809 |
I picked mine up in May. So far it has been nice. Took a few says off work to be with him. I will take him out once or twice during dove season this year. Just to get him into the field. Than the goal is next year will be his first real outing
One thing about fall would be having to go outside with him in the winter to do his business
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Re: Best time of year to purchase a lab pup
[Re: Cleric]
#5156269
06/14/14 04:20 AM
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 514
maximumintensityretriever
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 514 |
I picked mine up in May. So far it has been nice. Took a few says off work to be with him. I will take him out once or twice during dove season this year. Just to get him into the field. Than the goal is next year will be his first real outing
One thing about fall would be having to go outside with him in the winter to do his business So he will be 6 months old in September?
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Re: Best time of year to purchase a lab pup
[Re: WatersFowler]
#5156270
06/14/14 04:21 AM
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,809
Cleric
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,809 |
About that. A bit more. He is not going out on opening
Last edited by Cleric; 06/14/14 04:22 AM.
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Re: Best time of year to purchase a lab pup
[Re: Cleric]
#5156900
06/14/14 10:24 PM
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 514
maximumintensityretriever
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 514 |
About that. A bit more. He is not going out on opening Still, a hot dove field is no way to introduce a puppy to hunting. I would suggest you leave him at home and let him retrieve some wings from the hunt when you get back.
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Re: Best time of year to purchase a lab pup
[Re: maximumintensityretriever]
#5157023
06/15/14 01:06 AM
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,809
Cleric
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,809 |
About that. A bit more. He is not going out on opening Still, a hot dove field is no way to introduce a puppy to hunting. I would suggest you leave him at home and let him retrieve some wings from the hunt when you get back. Agree on the heat. The plan was to take him out at the end of the season when it had cooled for a couple of hours.
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Re: Best time of year to purchase a lab pup
[Re: WatersFowler]
#5157601
06/15/14 05:58 PM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 245
Mission160
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 245 |
I've always gotten mine in the fall, although not planned. It's worked out well with both dogs and they were both ready to go the next season. DO NOT hunt with your pup if it's not ready.
Both my labs were not from a "Great" blood line or from "hunting" parents. However, both labs were GREAT hunting dogs. Not sure if I've simply been lucky or maybe it's the fact that they are always with me.
Good luck with your search!
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Re: Best time of year to purchase a lab pup
[Re: WatersFowler]
#5158445
06/16/14 02:32 PM
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 54
DuckBlaster10
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 54 |
Another consideration is to buy a pup when the time is right for you and your family. I bought mine last May and one of the considerations was I knew I would have help from my kids taking care of the pup in the summer when I was working. Might not be a huge issue depending on your situation, but it was a huge help for me.
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