Thinking about 2nd dog

[T Bone]

Bonnie is my GSP and I think she's the best dog in the world. I've posted pics of her here in the past. I'm thinking of getting a 2nd GSP.

Anyone out there have any advice of the pro's and con's of a 2nd dog?

Tyson

 

[JoseCuervo]

You gonna hunt them together or in shifts?

There is nothing prettier than a dog honoring another's point..... But, by the same token, it is still just a single bird.(covey).

It probably depends on which part you enjoy, the training or the hunting? A single well-trained dog makes hunting wonderful. Training two dogs probably is for those who love training dogs.

After awhile, you see guys who have lots of dogs, looking for people to take hunting, just to get their dogs enough work.

 

[Wally Dog]

T,
I've hunted 2 GSP's for many years. I'm actually down to 1 at present with new pup ready in 2 weeks.
2 dogs learn to hunt together if given the opportunity. It's all about exposure.
WD

 

[Idaho Ron]

I think most guys want the dogs to learn good things from each other but most of the time they learn to compeate for points and bust points. My Idea on replacements is every 5 to 6 years a guy should start a pup. That way you have a pup you are starting. You can get the pup into birds and work on training. You have a 5 to 7 year old dog that is you meat and taters dog. The young pup and the MT dog can do shifts.
Then you have the old timmer that gets a hunt now and then.
Ron

 

[quail hunter]

I started out with 1 dog, graduated to 2.
I've run into a major jealousy problem.
I cannot hunt both dogs at the same time, if I do my english pointer will flush birds.
This problem has driven me crazy and the only cure is to hunt them seperate.
Now that has some good points, if the shorthair is foot tired or laid up then I have a spare, or vice versa.
I took both dogs to a field trial, I ran the shorthair first, I watched him purposely run by the edge of the field where my english pointer was staked out just to get his goat, I tell you if I had known about this problem I would've stayed with 1 dog.
I've got friends that run 2 dogs , no problem , but I've also talked to people with the same problems as me.
If I take both dogs hunting, leave 1 in the truck and hunt one first I still have the same deal, I have to leave 1 at home. Then when I get home the dogs will get into a fight...sheesh
I've just been hoping they will get over this but kinda looking like 1 will have to go.....
Good luck..if you do get another dog I hope you don't run into this problem.

 

[T Bone]

Thanks for the responses guys. I can't really put my finger on why I want a second dog. I guess I figure more of a good thing is well.....good.

Having a litter of pups in the future has even crossed my mind.

While chukar hunting I've never once outlasted one of my gsp's. The reasoning of using a fresh dog doesn't hold water in my case. Then again I've never had a gsp approach old age. They both died from freak accidents at a relatively young age. Hunting with a 9 year old dog may be a half day event.

I've been talking to the wif about a 2nd dog and she's not real excited about it. For now I will put the thought on a back burner and let it simmer for a while until it goes away or drives me to a decision.

 

[Cameron Hunt]

I hunt with 2 dogs, One is a vizsla, the other is a yellow lab. The lab is learning upland from the vizsla and is even pointing birds. I think the the vizsla hunts harder when the lab is in toe.