Anyone have any experience sending their dogs up north for the summer? I am thinking about sending a couple young pointers, was looking to get ideas on pricing/trainers you recommend.

Thanks

Back in the early 2000s I sent dogs north with Robin Gates. Did it for 3 years and was the best investment I ever made in my dogs. I have sent dogs north 5 times since 2012 with Virgil Moore from Canyon TX. First to North Dakota and the last couple of times to Arnett Okla. because of the great bird numbers there. For a young dog it can make the difference, lots of bird contacts, repetition for a good forward pattern and conditioning so they are ready for the bird season. I send mine north for all those reasons and because I'm looking for young dogs that have the stuff needed to field trial.

But whether you trial or just bird hunt it's what makes a good dog. When I sent them north with Robin it was sharptails and lots of them. At the time I was just bird hunting and the first two I sent north with him came back steady to wing and shot and had learned to find and handle wild birds, something I could not have done had I kept them home. Virgil is going to the Dakotas and then will finish the summer up on wild quail in Okla. He is honest about your dogs talents and a hard worker. I've been very happy with the time and effort he's put in to every dog I've sent to him.

I'm a tech tool or I would post a video of a 12 month old pup I have in his spring program right now that is standing for the flush and shot after a month with Virgil and has all the style and juice he had when Virgil started the breaking process. If you want to give your dog the opportunity to get into birds and learn to handle them, and get some good yard work I'd sure think about Virgil.

Contact info for Virgil ?

806-570-2961

Thanks Chet

When I added the phone number I re-read my post and hope I didn't give the impression that a summer north should return a broke dog. Most trainers brake dogs in the spring if they are old enough and ready to be broken. The summer is a time for a young dog to get in birds, and through reps learn to handle wild birds. To learn to go with you and learn to use their nose. Bird work and yard work along with conditioning are the real pluses of a summer up north. It's turning a pup into a bird dog.

10-4. Just wanted the # for future reference. Sent my Britt with Ronnie Smith to North Dakota for a month several years ago. Pointer pup will be going thru his breaking program this summer, then to Noth Dakota for the month of October.

Get several references on who you send your dog to the prairies with. Make sure they have obtained grounds to work on. I have had mixed results sending dogs north. The gundogs play a very secondary role for some trainers, not all, and are only there as "gas money". I had a dog up there one summer that maybe got off the chain 3 times. Be careful and do your homework. Remember, your gundog aint gonna make the trainer any money going down the road trialing next fall. So where do you see him concentrating?

I know of similar stories about trainers in Texas.

Thanks for the info. Would you recommend Robin and Virgil? DO you have contact info for Robin as well?

Anyone I should steer clear from?

These dogs are not going to be trail dogs

I'm guessing Robin is several hundred more expensive but has grounds (Manitoba) that are covered up with chickens most years. And my two quail dogs came back broke and they didn't get that way from being on the chain. Virgil is as honest as the day is long and will work your dogs. Robin gets it done with a team of 2 or 3 guys that go north with him (Robin runs AA trials in Canada during Aug and Sept). But his team is very, very good. Virgil is normally alone or with one other trainer and takes fewer dogs because he works what he takes. Kind of a toss up.

Robin - 229-881-5103 or 229-759-2179

No experience with other trainers that go north, and the key is how many dogs they take north. A man can only work so many dogs in a day and if you know a man is taking 30 or 40 dogs chances are your dog will get a lot of rest. There are several that claim to work a dog every day (includes birds and/or yard work I think) but few do that in my opinion. But the dogs I got back from Robin and Virgil had short nails and no fat.

Thanks for the help Chet, I spoke with Virgil yesterday and will be sending a dog north with him this summer