General

Good Duck Hunting Dogs

Good Duck Hunting Dogs

Duck hunting dogs are very popular both as hunters and as pets.

Among this group is the king of retrievers, the Labrador. A dominant force in duck hunting circles, these dogs are eager to work in all weather conditions.

While Labradors may reign supreme, there are several other retrievers that do an excellent job at duck hunting. The Golden retriever is another popular breed.

The ability to get into cold weather and withstand water work is essential with these working breeds.

Other good duck hunting dogs can be found in breeds like the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Curly Coated, Flat Coated and Nova Scotia Duck Trolling Retrievers.

While bird dogs like Pointers and Setters locate the birds for the hunters, the Retriever’s job is to go get the downed ducks.

It is then up to the hunter to identify and shoot the right ducks. Mallards are common with their green head, reddish body and blue on the wing, although the hen is more drab in head and body color.

Pintail ducks use all the major flyways but are more common in the west. The way they fly make them appear larger than mallards but they’re actually smaller. Smaller still and among the early migrants is the wood duck, more common in the Atlantic and Mississippi flyways.

These are just a few of the types of ducks found in the wild. Conservation and information sites such as Ducks Unlimited have a great deal of specific information. You can find information on all aspects of duck hunting with dogs at this site, as well as local organizations. The organization promotes wetland habitat preservation not only for ducks but also geese and swans from the arctic Alaska to the southern US border.

Over half of our native wetlands are gone and more is drained every year. The National Wetlands Research center offers a great deal of information online as well.

For those willing to brave the cold wet weather, a dinner of roast duck is just one of the possible treats to look forward to. It’s a chance to spend time with your dog and build a bond based on what he was bred to do.

Your duck hunting dog is a willing partner, always wanting to please.

Make Homemade Dry Dog Food

Make Homemade Dry Dog Food

Making Dry Dog Food

Finding the Right Balance of Nutrients and Taste

With all the pet food recalls over the past few years many people have thought about making their own dog food. What’s daunting about this is finding the right foods to put together for a nutritious, delicious meal. If you plan to make the dog’s dry food, there are two things to consider: Does the dog eat only dry food or is the dry food a supplement to wet food. If it’s a supplement to wet food, the content requirements are not as restrictive as those for the dog who eats only dry food.

Dog Food Recipe

The basic recipe for both is the same: flour, fat, egg, dry milk. The flour can range from all-purpose flour to potato flour to whole wheat flour or rye flour. There are all kinds of flour. Fats can come from animal fat, if you want to add meat or canola oil, olive oil, safflower oil, corn oil. Like flour there are all kinds of oil. Whole eggs are best, rather than just egg whites. And, yes, dry milk, that yucky stuff that makes blue milk.

6 cups of any combination of flours
1 cup of powdered milk
3-4 eggs, depending on size
1/3 cup oil
2 ½ cups liquid (milk, water, broth)

Combine the dry ingredients. Combine the wet ingredients. Mix the wet with the dry ingredients. The dough should be thick and moist (not too wet) like bread dough. Add water or flour (or some other additive), if necessary to get the consistency.

Spread the dough on a cookie sheet about a 1/2 –inch thick. You can perforate the dough in the shape you want now or just break the cooked kibble into pieces after it’s cooled. You can cook it slowly at 200 degrees for about an hour, or at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. Let it cool and harden.

Now, this isn’t going to taste very good, which is why you may want to add goodies to the dog food recipe after the basic ingredients are mixed. You can add cooked and pureed meat, vegetables (green beans, sweet potatoes, spinach, carrots) and/or fruit (apples, pumpkin), even peanut butter or shredded cheese, whatever your dog likes. The main focus, however, is to keep the dough thick and moist so it smoothes easily in the pan.

You can even add herbs and spices, such as salt, turmeric or parsley, or other additives, such as brewer’s yeast, rice, corn or bone meal, bran and oats. Anything your dog likes and can have is on the menu.

No-Nos As Dog Food

You should never feed your dog the following foods:
- Chocolate
- Garlic (occasionally in minuscule amounts because they do like it)
- Onions
- Grapes
- Raisins
- Artificial sweeteners or fats

Full-Meal Kibble
If your dog eats only kibble, then it’s not quite as easy as kibble that’s a supplement to wet food. Since this food is his only food, it must meet all his nutritional requirements for protein/amino acids, complex carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals.

Protein should account for from 16 to18 percent of the diet (meat and/or dairy); complex carbohydrates (vegetables) should comprise about 45 percent, fats about 12 percent. If you think the dog isn’t getting enough minerals and vitamins, you can supplement the dog’s food with AKC RenewTrients Dog Multi-Vitamin, available at www.dogsupplies.com.

So, take for a complete dog food meal,

Ingredients – Basic recipe

1 can plain pumpkin (not pie filling)
3.5-4 cups meat, cooked and pureed (You can drain it if you want or use it in your fat count)
4-5 cups vegetable/fruit, cooked, drained and pureed

Add flour if the mixture is too soupy or tacky; add water or more oil if the mixture is too dry. You can increase the oil to 1.5 cups and still be OK with the fat content, depending on whether you’re using the meat’s fat.

Use your knowledge of your dog and your creative cooking juices to find the recipe that works for you and your dog.

When you’ve found the right dog food recipe, stick to it because dogs like and need routine.

The German Shorthair Pointer

The German Shorthair Pointer

The German Shorthair Pointer is bred to be versatile hunting dogs capable of high performance – both in the field and in the water. They are energetic dogs that love to please, and are capable and willing to work long and hard for their owners. Their coat is very short, soft and dense, requiring moderate brushing to keeps its shine. Most trained German Shorthair Pointers will excel in the field, and provide years of dedicated service. Their energy seems endless, and they especially love fetching games. Intelligent, sweet, energetic, bright and loving — That’s a German Shorthair.

German Shorthair activity and intelligence

As with most bird dogs, the activity level of the German Shorthair is high. They need a large dose of daily exercise, and will sometimes become destructive if they don’t get it. Fields in which to run, or a large fenced yard provide the best environment. Most hunters find that after a two mile run, a German Shorthair is just getting warmed up.

German Shorthair Pointers are highly intelligent. They make great house dogs, good obedience dogs, a keen watch dog, and of course, excellent hunting companions. They have one of the best scenting abilities of all bird dog breeds. Since they work so well in the field, very few Shorthair owners would have any other dog as their hunting companion.

German Shorthair size and color

German Shorthairs are medium sized dogs. The standard height of a male is 23 to 25 inches at the shoulder and weighs between 55 to 70 pounds. The standard height of a female is 21 to 23 inches at the shoulder and weighs between 45 and 60 pounds.

The coat of a German Shorthair is German Shorthair on pointshort and thick, requiring regular brushing to keep its shine. They range in color combinations. They may be solid liver, or have a combination of liver and white. They may also be liver and white ticked, or liver patched and white ticked. They could also be the simple, liver, and roan pattern.

German Shorthair Pointers are kind, affectionate, compassionate dogs that adapt well to their environment. They make very good house dogs and/or watch dogs. They make terrific companions and are excellent around children. Their love for you will be demonstrated when they are working for you or playing with you.

German Shorthair Pointers make wonderful pets and hunters.

Italian Spinone

Italian Spinone

The Italian Spinone is a versatile hunting dog of ancient heritage with origins in northern Italy.

It has a very resistant, thick skin, and harsh coat, making it well suited for working in the field. The Spinone has been characterized as a dog “…that does not hunt for themselves but for their master” and is “not too fast in their speed while searching out game.” Their gentle italian spinone & pheasant loading disposition and docile temperament make them an excellent family companion as well. The Spinone Italiano or Italian Pointer is Italy’s all-purpose hunting dog, often referred to as a “Griffon,” since that name formerly designated the hunting dogs of all continental Europe. Actually, the dog is a Pointer of the old school, that is, a rather slow-footed dog similar to those used prior to the era of wing shooting. Almost every country in Europe has had its Pointer for at least three centuries, and each developed the dog in its own locality according to climate, need and changing times. The Piedmonte district of Northwest Italy is primarily responsible for the Spinone’s development into an all-purpose dog. These dogs are said to outrank all other Italian gun dogs as a highly efficient worker.

Italian Spinone activity level and intelligence

Italian Spinones are enthusiastic, but slightly slower than most bird dogs. They are however hard workers and will be loyal to their masters. They need moderate amounts of attention, and training in order for them to stay in top conditioning form during the hunting season.

Italian Spinone owners know of their dog’s keen, very intelligent expressions. They are extremely smart gundogs. They are one of the most loyal breed of gundogs, and any avid hunter truly appreciates this characteristic in a well-developed hunting dog.

Italian Spinone size and color

Average height for the Italian Spinone for both male anditalian_spinone_picture _loading female genders range from 20 to 26 inches at the shoulder. Their weight is usually between 50 and 60 pounds. The female genders are of course smaller than the male, as with all animals.

The Spinone, unlike many gundogs, do not have a wide variety of colors. There are only three varieties of the Italian Spinone. They are either solid white, solid white with yellow patches, or solid white with dark brown patches. The coat is weather-proof, short, rough and hard, tending to be wiry but never woolly or curly. They are also quite bushy over the eyes. Their coats need daily brushing with a good wire brush or comb.

Italian Spinone temperament

They are very gentle dogs with great amounts of loyalty and compassion to give to their owner.

The Italian Spinone is know for its calm, docile, demeanor, making them a great addition to any family.

Flat-Coated Retriever

The Flat-Coated Retriever

The Flat-Coated Retriever is a hard working medium-sized dog possessing a sound, balanced confirmation that enables them to function well as a retrieving gundog.

Flat-Coated Retrievers are a versatile family companion, while they work for you as hunting retriever. They exhibit a happy and active attitude. flat coat retriever picture loading… The most distinguishing characteristic of the Flat-Coated Retriever is its long, strong, clean, “one piece” head, which is unique to the breed. Flat-Coated Retriever’s have dense, thick, full coats, moderate in length. The coat tends to lie rather flat, illustrating a high luster shine. The legs and tail are well feathered, making the coat more beautiful.

Flat-Coated Retrievers are enthusiastic, active bird dogs.

Most require large amounts of attention, daily exercise and training to keep the dog in top shape for hunting.

Flat-Coated Retriever are intelligent, good tempered, excellent gundogs. They will use the easily acquired training techniques you have taught them, while they work for you.

Dogs usually measure 23 to 24 1/2 inches, 22 to 23 1/2 inches for bitches. They weigh between 60 and 70 pounds. Both sexes are very hardy dogs, making them great companions that will work well for you.

The Flat-Coated Retriever is either solid black or solid liver.

Their coat is very dense, full and shiny. They require daily combing or brushing to keep the hair looking beautiful and untangled. Their coats are slightly feathered making them more luxurious and beautiful when working in the field.

Character is a primary and outstanding asset of the Flat-Coated Retriever. They are responsive, loving members of the family, versatile working dogs, multi-talented, sensible, bright and tractable.

The Flat-Coated Retriever demonstrates stability, and a desire to please, with a confident, happy and outgoing attitude, and they make good housedogs and are receptive to children.