Right now I have 16 dogs.  The breakdown of these are 11 pointing dogs that are still hunting, 1 lab that is used for Dove, Duck and Pheasants, 1 pet cocker spaniel and 3 retired pointing dogs (1 english pointer and 2 brittanys.)

It’s rare for me to actually get rid of a dog.  I’m not really sure I ever have really.  I sold one of my younger pups to a buddy of mine, but ended up buying him back a few years later.

I have room for this many dogs and I can afford to keep them.  The question is do I have time to properly train and condition this many.

The other question is how many dogs do I REALLY need on my hunting string?  I think the correct number is 8 active pointing dogs and one lab. That gives me 4 braces in the morning and 4 in the afternoon.  That’s a full day but it is doable when the weather is right.

I can also easily travel with 8 by myself.  Anything over that is more than I really want to deal with on the road.

So if I go that route, who gets cut from the team?

Click, Sage and Stud are in.  Cash, Merle and Brandy are also locked in.  That leaves 5 dogs to fill 2 spots.

Bu, Mac, Apple, Izzy and Axl.

Bu is the dog we found a few years back that had gotten off a chain gang and was lost in Texas.

I like several things about her.   She has an amazing nose but lacks the speed of my other dogs.  She would fit someone that prefers a slower paced dog.  I have put a good bit of time and money into her and she is steady to wing and shot.  Her retrieving needs some work but she likes to find dead birds.

Mac is a half brother to Stud, Click, Merle and Apple.  He is showing a bunch of promise and I think he fits my program as well as any of the five I am looking at cutting.  My only concern with him is that he is very head strong.  While that isn’t normally an issue, I already have a couple of bull headed dogs and I’m not sure I want more.   The other side of this is that he showed more promise as a young dog than any I have ever had.

Apple is a half sister to Stud, Click, Merle and Mac.  She also fits in my system really well and is one of the classiest young dogs I have ever owned.  She is a keeper, but she would also be pretty easy to move.  I have had a couple of offers on her already.

Izzy is out of National Champion Lester’s Snowatch.  She is a birdy dog and I love watching her run.  She shows some signs of being the kind of dog that could replace Em as my number one dog.  I don’t really know how do describe it but there is a certain personality trait that my better bird dogs have shared.  They tend to not really care about other dogs and have a aloof nature about them that I don’t see in many dogs. They also tend to be very fond of me while ignoring other people.  I will have a hard time letting her go.

Axl is a granddaughter to Nation Champion Funseeker’s Rebel.  She has the typical Funseeker look – tall and leggy.  She has an awesome nose and is doing really well on pen birds.  She needs some time on wild birds.  My only concern with her is that she isn’t going to run as big as I prefer.  At this point I am a little up in the air on her.  No question that she will not make a horse back dog but I seldom hunt off horseback and having a few close dogs would not be the end of the world.

If I had to make a decision right now, I would keep Mac and Izzy to round out my 8.

This little exercise has helped me get my thoughts in line, but I still don’t know if I want to let these dogs go.

End of the season really isn’t the best time to sell dogs.  The smart move would be to work them in the spring and summer and make my choice closer to next season.

Steve Snell
Gun Dog Supply

Post from: Steve Snell's Gundog Blog

How Many Dogs are the Right Number for My Hunting String?

The last day of the Texas hunting season we started early to get the right light for taking pictures.  Rob prefers that magical hour right after the sun pops over the horizon and that means we have to be on the ground before sun up.  I have to get out there early so I can prep my gear and get my dogs exercised.

I don’t like to put out a stake out chain at the hotel at 6am out of respect for the other hotel guests that are still asleep.  Nothing like the sound of a sledge hammer to wake you up in the morning.  I seldom have barking issues at the hotel because I make sure any of my barkers are wearing bark collars.  I can’t stand having to get up at 3am because a cat decides to cruise by my truck and gets the crew worked up.

I started using the chain gang more this year since I made more trips to Texas on my own.  I doubt I will go back to walking dogs since I can do this SO much faster.  I can exercise 12 dogs in about 20 minutes.  That’s start to finish and it includes clean up and poop scooping time.  I couldn’t do that with two or three guys helping me.  It also allows more time on the ground per dog.

We got all the dogs settled and started the first round.  I ran Em, Click and Sage.  Em prefers to go first and Sage and Click are my “pretty” dogs.  They take better pictures and Rob wanted to finish up a few specific shots. 

I knew 5 minutes out of the truck that I had a problem.  Em was having a leg issue.  She had ran well the two days before and overall she had a pretty nice season.  She may look her age but she can still run. 

She had recovered well from her torn ACL from last summer.  The TPLO surgery had really fixed the issue and I was real pleased with her progress. 

I could tell from the way she was holding her leg that she had screwed up the repair job.  My guess was that one of the plates had come lose or worse.  I called her in and took her back to the truck. 

She did not appear to be in any pain so once we got her settled, we moved on to another spot to finish running dogs. 

Once we got back to Starkville, I took her in to my vet to have him look at it and see what had happened.  He called me back that morning to tell me that the hurt leg was not the one she had messed up last summer but her other leg.  She had torn her other ACL.

I guess in hind sight, it’s a good thing that the repaired leg held up.  I had just forgotten which leg it was that was hurt last year.

My vet gave me my options but I really didn’t need to spend a bunch of time thinking about it.  Em is the reason I bird hunt today and really the reason that I am running Gun Dog Supply.  She was my third bird dog.  I got my first one Dee, when I was 9.  My next was a duaghter of hers names Babe.  My dad bought Em when I was 28.  She quickly became my dog.

 At some point, I’ll spend more time writing about her, but needless to say, I’ll do what ever it takes to make her time left here comfortable.

I could not be happier with the way she responded to her first TPLO surgery, so I had little or no doubt that this one would also go well.  It’s never easy to make this kind of decision on a dog her age, but I felt pretty comfortable that it would work out.

I had my vet set up the appointment in Birmingham and we headed there two days later.  I had them check her and no question it needed to be repaired.  I left her over night and came back to pick her up the next day. 

The Doctors were real pleased with how it went and I thought she looked better than the last time.

Now we begin the two weeks of little or no movement and the daily regiment of pills.  She also has to wear the stylish Elizabethan collar that keeps her from chewing  out the staples.  Last time I gave her some time with out the collar but I was pushing my luck and I don’t need to do that this time.  She will wear it unless I am with her.

I set her up a new smaller dog run in the garage.  This way she is close to me and does not have to deal with the other dogs.  She can stay in the crate in the house at night and come to the office with me on most days.

She hates taking pills.  I have always been good at getting pills dog a dog, but I think if she had any teeth left, I would have lost a finger by now.  Only a few more days left of pills and less than a week until we get the staples taken out.  We will both be much happier after that is done.

Then it’s on to physical rehab.  It will be good for both of us. 

I’ll right more in the near future about the TPLO surgery and using a roading harness to keep your dogs in shape during the off season.

Steve Snell

Post from: Steve Snell's Gundog Blog

Last day in Texas – Another Torn ACL

I picked up my last new puppy for a while……I swear….no more.  Not until these are all trained.

Axl is the grandaughter of 2007 National Champion Funseeker’s Rebel 

She is out out a Funseeker’s Rebel Joe and a daughter of CH Sir Lancelot Phantom’s Shakira

I got to see both dogs run last summer in South Dakota and was so impressed I had to have one for myself.  I wish I had picked up a direct son or daughter before Funseeker’s Rebel pasted away.

Axl is as bold of a pup as I have seen in a long time.  I expect her to make a really nice bird dog.  

This gives me dogs out of the last three National Champions.  Should be interesting. 

For those of you that don’t know, she is named after Axl Rose of the rock band Guns n Roses. 

 I named my Lester’s Snowatch pup “Izzy” after guitarist Izzy Stradlin.   I’m not that big of a fan, but they really had cool names.

I guess that means the next pup will be “Slash”…..when I get my next pup…..four or five years from now……I swear….

Steve Snell

Gun Dog Supply

Post from: Steve Snell's Gundog Blog

Welcome to the Jungle

Mac is out of Phantom’s Wizard  and Phantom’s Southern Sky

Wiz is the sire of several of our dogs including Click, Stud and Merle.

Apple is also out of Wizard and Phantom’s Saffron

Izzy may just be the best bred female I have ever had in my kennel.

Her sire is 2009 National Champion Lester’s Snowatch.

Her dam is Phantom’s Wild Chick

Wild Chick is a full sister to 2008 National Champion Whippoorwill Wild Agin

All three are finding and pointing birds and holding them pretty well for their age.

Mac is the most natural bird dog I think I have ever seen.  He seems to really understand birds and how to find them.  What has really impressed me about him is that he has found wild birds in both Texas and Georgia.  These are very different scent back grounds and it normally takes grown dogs time to adjust to the change.

It’s going to be a really busy this spring getting them ready for the fall.

Steve Snell
Gun Dog Supply – http://www.gundogsupply.com

400 Industrial Park Road, Suite G
Starkville, MS 39759

For customer service call 1-800-624-6378
FAX 1-662-324-6011

Post from: Steve Snell's Gundog Blog

New Pups in the Field

“Mac” and “Apple” are English Pointers and are the half brother and half sister to Click, Stud, and Merle. All 5 dogs share the same sire – Phantom’s Wizard.

I have really enjoyed having them around the kennel. This is the first time since the last litter we raised that I have had multiple young dogs at the same time. I think it’s a better way for me to train.

Both dogs have very different personalities. Apple is going to be a big running independent dog. Mac looks like he will be a little more focused on me and will not run as big. I expect he will still cover some ground but not like Apple.

The important thing to do with pups is exposure to the world that you expect them to live and work in.

So far Mac and Apple have been exposed to other dogs, goats, horses, riding in the dog truck, going to the vet, going to the office, my kids, living in the kennel, crossing water, ponds, heavy cover, 4 wheelers, lawnmowers, pigeons, quail and we have started on gunfire.

After we get the basic bird introduction done we start to add basic gunfire. I do this with a little Daisy Pop gun. It makes a sound when you cock it and a “pop” when you fire it.

Using this gun gets them used to the site of a gun in my hands as we walk out in the field. Some dogs never see a shotgun in the hands of their owner until they go to the field on opening day. This can lead to a big problem.

We go out in my bird field every day to see the world. We work on coming when called, turning on command, and going in the direction that I am going.

We also play the dog version of “hide and seek”. Every time they get stretched out from me, I hide behind a tree. After a few minutes, they start to wonder where I went. As they double back to find me, I get down on their level and give them lots of praise.

I love big running dogs, but I want them to hunt for me and check in from time to time.

Post from: Steve Snell's Gundog Blog

New Pups

>>> I noticed you don’t carry any dog runs or pens. Who do you recommend?

Thanks for contacting Gun Dog Supply.  I really don’t have a brand of dog fences that I recommend.  I use a local fence maker to build all my kennel runs with chain-link.  Most of the pre-made units are bad sizes and of low quality.

I prefer long narrow kennel runs (mine are 5 feet wide and 15 feet long) and I use at least 9 gauge wire.

Please let me know if you have any questions.  We do appreciate your business.

Thanks,
Steve Snell
Gun Dog Supply – http://www.gundogsupply.com

400 Industrial Park Road, Suite G
Starkville, MS 39759

Post from: Steve Snell's Gundog Blog

“What are the Best Dog Fences for Kennel Runs or Dog Pens?”

Sorry it took me so long to do this.  The holidays were a little busier than I expected.

I only answered the ones that fall into my areas of knowledge (several of these are opinion based and you need to keep that in mind.)  You’ll get different answers depending on who you ask.

The ones at the end will need to be answered by someone else.  A few of them should go to a vet and the others to a breeder.  I really don’t know a lot about the history of the breed.
1. How many times a year do labs go into heat and what are the effects?

Normally every 6 months, but this can vary with the dog. I have found that dogs with irregular cycles tend not to be easy to breed. I normally will not work with a dog during the heat cycle. It tends to cause too much trouble for male dogs in the area and it isn’t worth the risk of her getting lose. We shut them down for around 3 weeks.

2. How do labs differ from a Chesapeake Bay retriever?

You will get many different takes on this (since most of it is opinion based) Labs tend to be a little softer and easier to work with. Chessies can take the cols better but they are harder to train. They also don’t play well with others. They tend to be very protective and will only work for their owner. Keep in mind that this isn’t true of all of them, but many of them are this way. Chessies make great dogs, but you have to be a little more careful with them. Labs can be put into almost any situation and they will do well.

3. Why do labs bite more than other dogs when they are puppies?

Breeding. Labs are mouthy dogs. They love to hold and carry things. Most pups tend to bite as a form of communication, but labs do it more than most breeds. You need to stop it as quick as you can, but don’t over discipline on it.

4. Why are labs such good swimmers?

Breeding again. Their feet and tails are built for swimming. Their coats also shed water quicker than most breeds.

5. Why are you supposed to feed labs large breed dog food instead of just regular dog food?

Some folks feel that higher protein diets make young dogs grow faster and it leads to joint and bone problems.

Some folks feel that the Large Breed diets are a marketing plan and controlling the dogs diet through portions will accomplish the same things.

6. How would you recommend training labs with treats?

I don’t recommend that you do. All training should be based on verbal and physical praise not food.

7. Why does my lab not prefer rawhide bones?

I have no idea. Most dogs like them, but they arn’t really good for your dog, so I wouldn’t worry about it.

9. What conclusions can you draw from the Labradors hunting abilities?

This one is kind of open ended. Labs that are bred to hunt tend to have better noses, bodies and minds for the tasks. Many of the labs out there don’t have these abilities because of bad breeding combinations.

10. Can you list some medical disabilities and the effects they have on the labs life?

The biggest that I see are hip and joint problems. These kinds of genetic defects are common in line bred animals and have to be closely monitored to keep them from happening.

14. What is the lowest temperature a lab can be outside in without having to be brought in?

This depends on the dog and what kind of condition he is in. My labs are ok when it gets down into the teens. Anything below 0 and I will bring them inside. Dogs that live in the extreme north can take a lot more because they are used to it.

Protecting a dog from cold requires that they are kept dry, out of the wind and that they have plenty of calories so they can generate heat.

18. When you are hunting with a lab and they are gun shy what do you do with them? Explain how to gun train them.

You really wouldn’t be hunting with a lab that was gun shy. This should be fixed at a young age.

Gun Shy dogs are created by mistakes that people make. Dogs should be conditioned from birth to gunfire.

We start out pups in the laundry room from day one. This gets them used to lots of banging and noise. We also keep a radio playing around them (Country and Western makes the best hunting dogs This gets them used to sounds, voices and changes in volume.

The next step is to carry a shotgun ( or something that looks like a gun ) around them during feeding time. You want them to see guns on a regular basis and think of them in a positive way.

When the pups are older 3 to 6 months, we start to introduce birds. Quail or pigeons work for this. I like to pull the flight feathers out of one wing and let the dog retrieve the live bird as it flutters to the ground 15 to 20 feet away from him. After you are doing this and he loves it, have your training partner fire a 22 blank pistol about 150 feet away as your dog is chasing the bird. Slowly move the gun in closer over time until you can shoot it while the dog is close to you and still chasing the bird. After you can do this, move out 150 feet away and start over with a 410 shotgun. Move in. Then start over with a 20 and a 12. It will not take long for your dog to connect guns with birds and this is what we are looking for.

22. How do the chocolate labs differ from the black labs and why do some people say that chocolate labs aren’t as good for hunting?

This is opinion based. I have hunted with some great chocolates and some really bad black labs. Black is a more popular color and breeders tend to go with what works.

23. How come my chocolate lab won’t jump into the back of our truck and how do you fix that problem?

It could be several things. Some dogs are not good jumpers. It could also be a sign of bad hips. One of my labs could jump at a younger age but was unable to as he got older.

You can train this with dummies. If he is big enough to reach the truck start throwing dummies into it for him to get. You can also start feeding him in the truck bed. This will get him into it. If you have a raised bed, this might not be a good idea. The last thing you want is for him to fall out trying to get in.

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8. Why do you think they put such a heavy license tax on dogs in Canada around 1885?

11. How does a dog get lime disease and what does it do to the dog?

12. Can a dog catch a disease from a person and if so how do you get rid of it?

13. Why is a lab more likely to get sunburned than a human and if so what SPF rating would be good for them?

15. Why do animals need more water in a cold temperature?

16. How do you know if your dog is too cold?

17. Which two breeds were bred together to make a lab and if you can explain the logic in the breeding process?

19. When and why did Queen Elizabeth start breeding labs?

20. What are the differences between British and Irish labs and do they have an affect on their hunting abilities?

21. Where do English labs come from versus British labs and how do you tell the difference?

24. How do you think the Labrador Retriever impacted the hunting industries and the families of America?

25. How do you train your lab to read and what can it understand by reading?

Post from: Steve Snell's Gundog Blog

Q&A on Labrador Retrievers

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