# Dove hunting dog



## jedge (Nov 26, 2008)

I am looking at getting a dog to take dove hunting and was wondering what was everyone favorite breed and how much does a dog ready to hunt cost. thanks


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## will hunt 4 food (Nov 26, 2008)

Dog won't help you hunt doves just retrieve them. Most any retriever or bird dog breed would work great. The price will depend on the breed and dogs individual ability.


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## Ths dog hunts!! (Nov 26, 2008)

Just buy you a Boykin & get it overwith, You'll never regret it!!


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## tuffdawg (Nov 27, 2008)

To help you out here............. If you are wanting a dog just to retrieve birds with.............. there are several good breeds. Labs, Brittanys, Boykins, GSP's........ etc. Many breeds. Now, as far as price goes. Alot of times you can get retired dogs, or even spayed and neutered dogs for nothing. 

If you want to buy a good trained young dog...... then you are talking about anywhere from $700 - $5,000.00 and those are conservative numbers.  Trust me, there are good trained dogs out there that are priced much highter. 

My advice to you would be to keep a check here on the board and watch out for people giving away purebred bird dogs with no papers.  It happens all the time. As a matter of fact, John Hughes has some dogs without papers that would be good for what you want.


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## John F Hughes (Nov 27, 2008)

Thanks Tuffdawg, All my dogs or Reg. but the free one don't come with REGISTRATION. I do have a female French Brittany need a good home (AKC). This Broke Leg got he all up sit, can't hunt , train dogs, can't do my back yard quail hunts , just can make it to the bathroom sometime . LOL !!!  I train for 7or 8 Breeders .


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## Hammack (Nov 27, 2008)

Ths dog hunts!! said:


> Just buy you a Boykin & get it overwith, You'll never regret it!!



I'll second this.  I used to have nothing but labs, but after having a boykin it is all I will ever have.


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## jedge (Nov 27, 2008)

Thanks everone yall were a big help.


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## Esylivin (Nov 28, 2008)

Boykin is the best dove dog here in the south.  They take the hot weather better than most retrievers and have an unbelievable nose.  My dog has yet to miss a mark on a dove in the field has brought em all back.  Pay the money and get yourself the best.


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## ejs1980 (Nov 28, 2008)

Any of the retrievers will work. So will weims, britts,gsp's, boykins and even the little field bred cockers. Since you only mention dove hunting and that's a relatively small amount of time in the field each year pick a dog that you think you'll enjoy as a pet.If you want a dog that's already trained you'll probably find more labs out there but whatever you decide to get you could get a puppy for christmas and have him ready to hunt by next september. It's not hard to train a dog to retrieve doves. Just make sure if you do train a pup that you expose it to gunfire properly and expose it to alot of gunfire before you go to your first big dove hunt.


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## southGAlefty (Nov 29, 2008)

PM kenmcree about his GSP pups, I think he still has one or two left. I have a male from this litter and they are good dogs. He's already potty trained at 12 weeks old and we're working on obedience training now.


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## jedge (Dec 9, 2008)

This would be my first hunting dog so i would like to have one that would be good for a beginer.


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## Twenty five ought six (Dec 9, 2008)

> So will weims, britts,gsp's, boykins and even the little field bred cockers.




I had two Weimaraners that were dove retrieving fools.  I had one that would sneak over to other hunters bags, pick up a bird _from their bag_ without them knowing it, and bring it to hand.  One year, on one hunt, I collected a limit with  6 shots (yes, I gave the birds back).

My first Weim hated picking up early season birds when the feathers were loose.  He would go out, pick up the bird, come back, lay the bird down, spit out feathers, pick the bird up, come back. lay the bird down, spit out feathers.  Not a classic retrieve, but I can't say I'd blame him.  If a bird hit the ground, he would get it.  He would go into cover that labs wouldn't even consider.


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## Dogmusher (Dec 10, 2008)

jedge said:


> This would be my first hunting dog so i would like to have one that would be good for a beginer.



Nothing will teach you more than a good dog who knows more than you do.  Invest the money in an experienced, tested dog from a reliable source.  You will spend less in the long run than going through a series of mediocre dogs because you tried to save money.  Been there, got the scar tissue.


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## spivc (Dec 12, 2008)

go boykin all the way


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## OkieHunter (Dec 23, 2008)

A Lab can do it all


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## RandyS (Dec 26, 2008)

okiehunter said:


> a lab can do it all



amen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## The Horned Toad (Dec 27, 2008)

I vote Boykin,  I've had one for a year now and he's the best dog I've ever had.  I have a friend that trained his Boykin to point.


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## FOWLER (Jan 4, 2009)

Yep yep !!!!!


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