Q. I'm going to pick up my new German Short haired Pointer in a couple weeks and am debating whether I should keep him as a house dog or in a kennel. I have seen your seminars at the Woods-N-Water shows and know you keep your dogs outside. Which do you think is best? Kyle P. Farmington Hills, Michigan.
A. That's a simple question but it doesn't always have a simple answer. My first concern is always what is best for the dog. If you are gone for nine or more hours a day it would be best for the dog to live outside but come in to visit when you are home. Sitting in your house for extended periods of time has got to be boring for a field dog. Hunting dogs love being outdoors. If you or someone else is around allot you could keep it indoors. You will need a good crate. No matter where the dog sleeps you need to spend time with it and if it is indoors you will spend more time together. I have people ask me why I don't keep my dogs inside. A dog kept in air conditioning in the summer and in their owner's heated house in the winter will not have the same coat development and will not be able to tolerate temperature extremes. My dogs are called upon to work in all types of weather conditions. There are winter days where they may have to sit for hours before having to join the hunt and help the customer's dog find the birds that have moved off the sets. Or I may be up north in December grouse hunting with a trailer full of dogs. Each waiting for turn to run. Those of you who hunt geese know what the early season can be like. Temperatures in the nineties are not unusual by the end of a September shoot. A dog kept in air conditioning will suffer on these excursions and can get into serious trouble. When you are guiding paying customers you take what the weather gives you. But also, we have nine dogs we use for our shooting preserve as well as hunting and guiding wild hunts. Nine dogs in my house? No. Let me make it clear I'm not saying don't keep your dog in the house. But realize it creates some different challenges for the dog which is not conditioned to the weather. Also remember that dogs are not solitary animals, they are pack animals. They need interaction with people and other dogs to be properly socialized. And you need to be the pack leader. I advise most bird hunters that they should have more then one dog and not dogs of the same age. Spacing them by at least a couple year but not more then four if possible. One pup at a time. Get it trained and grown up so it can help with the new pup. The most important thing is to spend time with your dog and keeping it in the house when you are home will help. Also the older dog will help teach the new pup the rules of living with people and hunting.
