Would you lease/rent a hunting dog for a day?

69firebird said:
Ill Pm you the info.

I have a good friend right now that has an $8500 lab he's hunting for a reputable dog trainer/breeder in the area. He didn't pay a dime. He hunts it hard and the "Loaner" knows that, the "Loaner" retains the papers and breeding rights but its my friends dog. And a damn good dog.

Anybody that thinks people don't lend dogs need to pick up a hound magazine or retriever trials mag. Ever heard of "dog handlers" they don't own the dogs, someone else does, these guys run the dogs for them. Ever heard of sending your dog somewhere to be hunted in the offseason? Happens everyday. You just need to realize and understand the risks.

Every time I turn a dog out I know it might never come back alive. Thats the name of the game. Could get hit by a car, go through some ice, die of a heart attack, fall out of a tree etc. If you can't handle that you don't hunt with dogs.
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I've been around hunting dogs my entire life from retrievers and pointers to to beagles and bigger hounds and one thing I can and will say is I have zero respect for the person(s) who treat a dog as nothing more than a hunting tool.
Now I am not one of those who thinks of a dog as a human or one of my family members and I have never gotten bent out of shape over having to put one down or felt I needed condolences for the passing of my dog but they were not just a hunting tool. They were a good hunting buddy and companion and I loved and looked after them with great respect and attention to care and I truly believe any professional handler or trainer should be the same if they are to be considered professional. There is a reason they are called mans best friend, not mans best hunting tool.
 
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Sqr said:
This line really hits home.....well hunting and using any working dog as it is intended is a joy to behold, but I have personally witnessed guys abuse and starve them during hunts. If a Dog gets injured or god for bid killed during the act of its hunt that is one thing, sad as it may be. However there is no place to shoot them following the hunts or leaving them behind. Hopefully that is not what you are referring to because......well that will never happen around me ever again because abusing dogs is not manly.
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Im not talking about abuse or starving dogs. Ive had dogs go through ice (survived), fall out of trees (survived) and almost get hit by cars a few times, idiots shoot close to dogs. Im also had friends lose dogs through the ice never to come up, get hit on the road and by trains, or shot by accident. All freak accident not on purpose, just can't get around in time, or get the dog stopped. Sh!t happens, and theres a chance everytime a dog goes out.
 
the spank said:
I've been around hunting dogs my entire life from retrievers and pointers to to beagles and bigger hounds and one thing I can and will say is I have zero respect for the person(s) who treat a dog as nothing more than a hunting tool.
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Ha! We posted that at the same time... well done.
 
the spank said:
I've been around hunting dogs my entire life from retrievers and pointers to to beagles and bigger hounds and one thing I can and will say is I have zero respect for the person(s) who treat a dog as nothing more than a hunting tool.
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Thank you and ecstatic I am not the only person who feels that way.
 
"Working" dogs are no different than cattle or horses, or other livestock. You can love them, care for them, but they have a purpose.

Sorry Perception007 this threads getting hijacked, seems like people assume your an untrained noob. You don't want their dogs anyways.
 
69firebird said:
"Working" dogs are no different than cattle or horses, or other livestock. You can love them, care for them, but they have a purpose.

Sorry Perception007 this threads getting hijacked, seems like people assume your an untrained noob. You don't want their dogs anyways.
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You clearly have never trained a field dog... it is not the "upfront cost," nor is it the pedigree... it is the HUNDREDS of hours of training and the bond formed between the animal and handler that predicts the value... no dog owner/handler worth spit, would turn his dog over to a "numbskull without a clue."
 
69firebird said:
"Working" dogs are no different than cattle or horses, or other livestock. You can love them, care for them, but they have a purpose.

Sorry Perception007 this threads getting hijacked, seems like people assume your an untrained noob. You don't want their dogs anyways.
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Really?! You have to show me your trained bird cows!! This I have to see!! Do they retrieve as well or just stampede flush?

And hijacked?? The OP asked for opinions and thoughts which he is getting, not hijacked?!! Just because the majority posting are of a different opinion than you doesn't make it a hijack!
 
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Hey guys lets try and keep this thread a nice tone. obviously if someone were to rent the dogs out all of points everyone brings up are things to be considered. The owner of the dog is the one who weighs the risks and has to make a final call to lend the dog out or not.

Maybe they would have a protocol to limit the risk. They obviously would be making money off the dog so they would want to protect their investment. Maybe they put you through a orientation to show you how to handle the dog and commands. Maybe provide a gps e-collar. Then depending how you handle the dog in front of them and how the dog behaves they can make the decision if this will be a fit.

Maybe they even have packages where a handler will come out.

Who knows!

Ive never seen this anywhere besides an article I happen to google out of field and stream.
 
I'm not talking about bird dogs and neither is Perception. I have UKC titled hounds. Right now 1 I bought finished and 2 I or my wife titled. We hunt 4 days a week for 4 to 6 hours. Obviously not in extreme cold periods, otherwise year round. And during prime time we run more often. It's not my job it's a hobby.
And 100% working dogs are no different than livestock. I don't have cattle for pets neither do I dogs.
 
69firebird said:
I'm not talking about bird dogs and neither is Perception. I have UKC titled hounds. Right now 1 I bought finished and 2 I or my wife titled. We hunt 4 days a week for 4 to 6 hours. Obviously not in extreme cold periods, otherwise year round. And during prime time we run more often. It's not my job it's a hobby.
And 100% working dogs are no different than livestock. I don't have cattle for pets neither do I dogs.[/QUOTE]

I figured that out several posts back. Cattle are not warm and fuzzy and they require alot of pooper scooping.
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Anyone who regards a dog as a tool is the exact same thing he regards the dog as......

Ask to borrow my truck or chainsaws and I will politely decline..... Ask to borrow my dog and the response would be less than polite...... You just dont lend out your best friend.....
 
69firebird definitely derailed this thread.... Back to the ops question though. I don't think it's a good idea to be renting out a dog. You're relying solely on the fact that the renter knows how to handle the dog and that he'd respect it, as well as actually bring it back. I can't see anyone in their right mind would actually be comfortable doing this.
 
All I'm saying is loaning or borrowing dogs happens all the time. I'm actually trying to help him out and know a few guys that will. You guys are just telling him NO. Lots of help from you guys.
 
Superbrad said:
Anyone who regards a dog as a tool is the exact same thing he regards the dog as......

Ask to borrow my truck or chainsaws and I will politely decline..... Ask to borrow my dog and the response would be less than polite...... You just dont lend out your best friend.....
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This.

Even those who have dedicated, fully trained working dogs, don't treat them as tools. They treat them as their partners. As any police or military K9 handler if they'd lend their dog and see what the answer is. Ask any disabled person to borrow their service dog, whether that person is blind, mobility impaired or suffering from PTSD, and see what that person says. Ask any hunter who put in the time, sweat and money into training their dog if they want to lend you their hunting buddy, and they will likely tell you the same thing.

I understand there are business that profit from this sort of thing. For example, you can pay an outfitter for a day of dog sledding. I've been to places where people treat their dogs as nothing more than a tool or mode of transport. They might be inclined to rent or sell you their dogs, but you'd be hard pressed to get anything of real value out of it.

It's not for me. My dog is my buddy. He's not for rent. He's certainly not for sale. Now if you consider the circumstances, it could be different. If my dog was a regular at hunt camp, and he was used to being with and responding to the members of the group, then it wouldn't be a big deal to let my four-legged buddy join them for a hunt if I was incapacitated. He's a member of that camp after all. That's a different scenario however. I wouldn't willy nilly lend him to someone who just wants an advantage out in the field.
 
69firebird said:
All I'm saying is loaning or borrowing dogs happens all the time. I'm actually trying to help him out and know a few guys that will. You guys are just telling him NO. Lots of help from you guys.
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Based on experiences I have witnessed first hand over the years I am trying to help the OP avoid what could amount to a whole lot of regret down the road. I no longer own a dog and over the past several years have had a few friends offer theirs to take along, some even asking me too because their work schedules were not giving them time to get their dogs out and keep up their hunting skills. I have always kindly declined. I have witnessed the bad end of good deeds when it comes to a hunting dog being lost, injured and even killed. I take pride in knowing they entrust me and my abilities to serve their dog and their request well but that can never replace their dog should things go south. My suggestion to the OP is buy your own dog whether a pup and start training or a started young dog or even a fully trained dog. I have had several offered to me free that were a few years old and were not going to cut it on a field trial circuit so the owners were looking to make room for a new pup and find a good hunting home for a started and/or finished dog. Heck the OP is hunting rabbits. Even the family dog will push bunnies out of cover. The dog may only think he is playing and along for the day but the old bunny doesn't know that when Fido gets too close for comfort. I shot many a cottontail in my youth over my aunt and uncles german shepherd when we would visit them. Duke didn't know he was rabbit hunting? He thought he was out for a fine old walk and tear around the farm edge cover with us kids having a blast.
 
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I will go a step further... not only would I never "loan or rent" my dogs, but I am choosy about the people that I invite to hunt over my dogs. I have partners that I bowhunt moose and deer with that will never carry a gun and shoot over my dogs, they are careless and overly excitable... no bird or hare is worth risking injury to human or canine.
 
hoytcanon said:
I will go a step further... not only would I never "loan or rent" my dogs, but I am choosy about the people that I invite to hunt over my dogs. I have partners that I bowhunt moose and deer with that will never carry a gun and shoot over my dogs, they are careless and overly excitable... no bird or hare is worth risking injury to human or canine.
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On one specify occasion as I just finished my walk to my post a deer spooked and jumped out and ran before I had become ready. I had enough time to rear around and fire a shot with my rifle but then quickly stopped once the Walker had gained ground and was on its heals. I had the ability to keep shooting with my Mini 30 but took the safety of the dog into account as the priority. Always more deer.

Yes I was pissed at myself for not being prepared and letting one get away. Really felt it for a couple of days. However the week ended well as I ended up dispatching an 11 pointer with the help of this dog and my trusty 270 bolt gun. The sound of its howling could be heard for a considerable distance which awarded me the time to shoulder the rifle to not miss On a second occasion.

Being careless I could have hurt the dog but I wasn't and it paid me back in spades.
 
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Superbrad said:
Anyone who regards a dog as a tool is the exact same thing he regards the dog as......

Ask to borrow my truck or chainsaws and I will politely decline..... Ask to borrow my dog and the response would be less than polite...... You just dont lend out your best friend.....
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These sorts of thread are always interesting as people allow their emotions to get in the way of the truth. Working dogs are tools intended to make the task at hand easier without putting a human in harms way. There are all sorts of examples where dogs are used as tools, often being injured or killed in the process. A few examples when they're tools would be retrieving waterfowl, running bear, chasing hogs, protecting livestock, property protection and taking down crooks. Many times the dogs used for these purposes are purely outside dogs that do not interact with the family.

I figure there are three categories for dogs. Pet, pet who works for you, a tool. Now, just because someone might label their dog a tool definitely does not mean they're inhumane. It just means the dog has a purpose. Some people treat their tools properly, others do not. Keep in mind some people value their tools more than their significant other.
 
This is a kind of unusual thread. Myself after reading a few posts, I would definitely side with hoytcannon and spank here.

Funny thing is, I lived in South Saskatchewan for almost 11 years. Rarely did I ever feel the need for a hunting dog to rouse up some jack rabbits.
Mostly I just carried a good scoped 222 rifle, and on the rare occasion a 12 gauge with heavy shot/full choke. (22 LR was just too weak for grassland ranges and very useless accuracy at sub zero temps)

Plopped dozens and dozens of big jacks using this spot/stalk method with good binos. Might be even around 100 hares or thereabouts.

my 2 bits
 
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