1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:05,200 Speaker 1: Hey, everyone, Welcome to the Foundation's podcast. I'm your host, 2 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 1: Tony Peterson. Today's episode is all about the very earliest 3 00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:17,400 Speaker 1: stages of planning on getting a new little pupster. A 4 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:19,440 Speaker 1: lot of folks decide they're going to get a spring 5 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:22,160 Speaker 1: puppy and then they start looking for one about six 6 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:25,160 Speaker 1: seconds before they actually want to pick one up. Look, 7 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:27,160 Speaker 1: that's one way to do it, but a better way 8 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 1: is to start months ahead of time, or hell years 9 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 1: ahead of time if you need to, in order to 10 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 1: not only decide on what you're going to get, but 11 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:37,519 Speaker 1: when and why. We often don't give this stage of 12 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 1: the process a whole lot of love, but it's important 13 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 1: and it gives us a chance, at least academically, to 14 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:47,199 Speaker 1: flesh out what the best choice in dog breed really 15 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:49,639 Speaker 1: is for us. And that's what I'm going to talk 16 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 1: about right freaking now. Back when my little girls were five, 17 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 1: my wife said we should take them to Disney World. 18 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 1: I was about as excited to do that as I 19 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:06,039 Speaker 1: would be if she said she wanted to hook a 20 00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: car battery up to my delegates just to see how 21 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:12,320 Speaker 1: much electricity I could handle. Somehow, and I don't really 22 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:15,520 Speaker 1: know how we ended up going to Disney World anyway, 23 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:19,240 Speaker 1: just like she wanted to, and you know what, it 24 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:22,520 Speaker 1: was awesome. I expected to trudge along and pay for 25 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 1: seventy five dollars chicken strip baskets every day, but it 26 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:28,679 Speaker 1: was honestly so much fun. My daughters were at an 27 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 1: age where the Disney World thing was truly magical to them. 28 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 1: The princesses were real instead of just dressed up college 29 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:39,399 Speaker 1: girls trying to avoid creepy middle aged dudes, which is 30 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:41,560 Speaker 1: a wild rabbit hole to go down if you ever 31 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:44,760 Speaker 1: read about it. The rides and the shows were all 32 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 1: amazing to my daughters, and that made it so much fun. 33 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 1: Despite the fact that not only is Disney the most 34 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 1: magical place on Earth but also the most expensive, it 35 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 1: was really enjoyable, largely due to the fact that we 36 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 1: just threaded the needle with my daughters and their age 37 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:01,680 Speaker 1: and their willingness to engage in that kind of thing. 38 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 1: They even did Tower of Terror, which in hindsight I 39 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:08,639 Speaker 1: wouldn't recommend for five year olds. The folks down there 40 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:11,240 Speaker 1: in Orlando they do a good job and the parks 41 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 1: clean so well run. So four years later, after we 42 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:17,360 Speaker 1: had crawled out of the financial hold that the first 43 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 1: trip left us in. My wife said we should go back. 44 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 1: I agreed, but only on a smaller scale, and with 45 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 1: a guarantee that we'd go somewhere else for half of 46 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:28,520 Speaker 1: our trip where we could catch some fish in the salt. 47 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 1: COVID had other plans, though, and they shut the whole 48 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 1: place down while we were on the plane headed south 49 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 1: to Disney World. It wasn't ideal, but we had a credit, 50 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 1: and we went back the following year to a place 51 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 1: that was a lot less magical. Now the girls were 52 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 1: way older. The princesses, you know, definitely were no longer 53 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 1: real to them, and honestly, the moment had just passed. 54 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 1: It was a good life lesson, honestly. And it applies 55 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 1: to dogs if you can believe that. Let me give 56 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 1: you an example of how. I have a really good 57 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 1: buddy who grew up pheasant hunting like crazy in southeastern Minnesota. 58 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 1: His parents' house used to be surrounded by CRP and 59 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 1: he had permission to roam hundreds of acres of it. 60 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:14,919 Speaker 1: His first dog was a male Golden Retriever named Buster, 61 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:18,959 Speaker 1: and that dog was a pheasant hunting fool. There's no 62 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 1: substitute for bird contact and experience when it comes to 63 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: developing a really good bird dog, and Buster got a 64 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 1: lot of both. He was a great dog. But those 65 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:32,200 Speaker 1: CRP contracts went away, and for a long time it 66 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 1: was more profitable to plant corn and soybeans than leave 67 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 1: fields and grass for a decade at a time. With 68 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 1: that change went most to the pheasants, not all of them. 69 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:44,520 Speaker 1: There are still pockets of them down there, but you're 70 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 1: not going to have too many days when you're just 71 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 1: flushing birds all day long and you get your limit 72 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 1: by noon or whatever. My buddy's hunting habits have changed 73 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:57,960 Speaker 1: because of that reality. He still hunts pheasants down there, 74 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 1: but he might kill three or four birds in an 75 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:04,920 Speaker 1: entire season. He hunts ducks more now than anything, because 76 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 1: every pond and every stream and every river and every 77 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 1: lake is a potential hunting spot for migrating waterfowl, which 78 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:14,880 Speaker 1: means that there's always some marginal duck habitat not too 79 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 1: far away. If you have low standards, that's a pretty 80 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:22,520 Speaker 1: good match. But he's on his fourth golden retriever now, 81 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 1: and if you want a good duck dog, because that's 82 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 1: primarily what you hunt, the moment has kind of passed 83 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:32,039 Speaker 1: for that breed. Now, before you fire up your torches 84 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: and grab your pitchforks, let me say this, and I 85 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 1: have to say this a lot. I love Goldens, I 86 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 1: really do. I love their personalities and their quirks. I 87 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:42,360 Speaker 1: love their general nature, and I love it when they're 88 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:45,279 Speaker 1: really good and they hunt really hard. They can be 89 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 1: great hunters. But if you primarily hunt ducks and you 90 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:50,919 Speaker 1: want a dog that acts like a Golden but doesn't 91 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 1: come with as much baggage, a lab is just kind 92 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 1: of a better choice. It just is, at least for 93 00:04:57,160 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 1: most people, and definitely for the people who don't want 94 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 1: pay up for a field bred Golden that will have 95 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:06,480 Speaker 1: better blood than a show golden. But my buddy is 96 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:10,480 Speaker 1: a Golden retriever guy because that's his breed, even though 97 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:13,279 Speaker 1: it doesn't make nearly as much sense now as it 98 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 1: used to. And we almost all do this, and I 99 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 1: realize I'm swimming in dangerous waters here, but it's important 100 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:23,320 Speaker 1: to talk about, especially if you're interested in getting a 101 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:27,000 Speaker 1: new puppy at this stage where you're thinking I might 102 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:29,440 Speaker 1: want one in you know, maybe three or four months, 103 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 1: or maybe in another year. You want to think about 104 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 1: these things. We get married to a certain breed for 105 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:38,080 Speaker 1: a lot of reasons, but one thing that creates a 106 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:42,120 Speaker 1: poignant lesson is moving from one breed to another. Hell, 107 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:44,919 Speaker 1: I'll make it even easier than that, moving from one 108 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:48,599 Speaker 1: dog to another regardless of breed, because we all think 109 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:50,920 Speaker 1: we have the best dogs ever, and in a way, 110 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:55,039 Speaker 1: we are all right. But something magical happens. When you 111 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 1: get a new puppy, they somehow always grow into being 112 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:02,479 Speaker 1: a bet better dog than your last one, And then 113 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 1: when you get another one after that, the same thing 114 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:08,839 Speaker 1: tends to happen. Now, you can get some clunker dogs 115 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 1: or dogs that just don't have what you want, but 116 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 1: that's almost always due to not paying attention to the 117 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:18,560 Speaker 1: process I'm talking about right now, and we'll definitely talk 118 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 1: about in some other episodes when I go way deeper 119 00:06:21,880 --> 00:06:24,920 Speaker 1: into bloodlines and pedigrees and really finding the right litter 120 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:28,159 Speaker 1: for you. But for now, just know that you have 121 00:06:28,279 --> 00:06:30,880 Speaker 1: the best dog ever, but you will also have an 122 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:33,599 Speaker 1: even better dog in the future. That's just how it 123 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 1: works with dogs, and it isn't breed specific. You might 124 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:41,080 Speaker 1: love labs or German short hairs or whatever, and they 125 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:44,440 Speaker 1: might be the perfect choice for your life and your 126 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 1: hunting style, or maybe your life or your hunting situation 127 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:51,440 Speaker 1: has changed and that dog that was perfect is now 128 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:54,479 Speaker 1: sort of forced into a role it's not really meant for. 129 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 1: No one wants to acknowledge this, but it happens all 130 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:02,160 Speaker 1: the time. The first part of this process involves a 131 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:05,479 Speaker 1: hell of a lot of self reflection. What do you 132 00:07:05,640 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 1: want the dog for now? Do you still quail hunt 133 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 1: like a fiend in huge tracks of ground in the southeast, 134 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 1: Then there might not be any reason for you to 135 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:17,640 Speaker 1: move on from your beloved pointers. But what if you 136 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 1: used to hunt bob waits like crazy and I don't 137 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:23,160 Speaker 1: know Kansas or Nebraska, but you can't find a covey 138 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:27,040 Speaker 1: these days, and you're all about that rooster duck life. 139 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:30,240 Speaker 1: Maybe that pointer isn't the best choice anymore for you. 140 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:33,560 Speaker 1: Or maybe you used to be like me and you 141 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:36,360 Speaker 1: had tons and tons of free time as a young man, 142 00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:39,360 Speaker 1: so you could train any dog for just about any 143 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 1: hunting situation, just by sheer will, and so it didn't 144 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 1: matter as much what kind of a dog you had, 145 00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 1: as long as you had one that was somewhat trainable. 146 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 1: In that stage of life, you have the opportunity to 147 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 1: get them bird contacts and run through a million drills 148 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 1: and really round them out, so no matter what, the 149 00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:01,640 Speaker 1: finished product was going to be good in that. But 150 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:03,920 Speaker 1: now you're like me, and suddenly, out of nowhere, you 151 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:07,119 Speaker 1: have two thirteen year old girls who are in not one, 152 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 1: but two basketball leagues, so that when they get done 153 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:13,080 Speaker 1: with school, they have basketball practice and then all of 154 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:16,480 Speaker 1: a sudden another basketball practice, and all of that practicing 155 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:19,360 Speaker 1: doesn't do them any good unless they also play in games, 156 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:22,400 Speaker 1: which these days, because of all of us stupid ass parents, 157 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 1: or at least half of the parents who are absolutely 158 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:30,640 Speaker 1: batshit crazy, there are tournaments every weekend in some town 159 00:08:30,760 --> 00:08:33,840 Speaker 1: you've vaguely heard of, where we just uber our kids 160 00:08:33,920 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 1: to these places and buy them lunch at whatever restaurant 161 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:38,839 Speaker 1: is close by, and our whole lives have been consumed 162 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 1: by this activity monster in a way that cannot be good. 163 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:46,120 Speaker 1: Would it make sense in that situation to get a 164 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:49,480 Speaker 1: dog that is a high drive dog and needs tons 165 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:53,720 Speaker 1: of stimulation and really can't develop well without a shitload 166 00:08:53,760 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 1: of exercise in bird contacts? Maybe not. Where are you 167 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:13,559 Speaker 1: at in life right now, and where can you make 168 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 1: an educated guess you'll be throughout the next twelve years 169 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:20,160 Speaker 1: or so. If you're going to stay in your apartment 170 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:23,079 Speaker 1: in Chicago, does it really make sense to go out 171 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:25,079 Speaker 1: and get a German short hair that has been bred 172 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:28,079 Speaker 1: to cover huge swaths of cover and hunt like it's 173 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:30,920 Speaker 1: the only thing in the world that matters? Maybe not. 174 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:34,840 Speaker 1: Where are you now and where are you likely to be? 175 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:38,160 Speaker 1: What are you likely to hunt with your dogs? What 176 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:41,280 Speaker 1: does your free time situation look like as far as training. 177 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:43,720 Speaker 1: Do you have as much time as you used to? 178 00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:46,600 Speaker 1: I bet not, at least for most of us who 179 00:09:46,679 --> 00:09:50,120 Speaker 1: aren't about to retire anyway. Do you have access to 180 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:52,720 Speaker 1: the same ground, with the same cover, the same birds 181 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:54,720 Speaker 1: that you had when you got your first wire hair 182 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:58,800 Speaker 1: three dogs ago? If not, does it still make sense 183 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:02,319 Speaker 1: to go with that breed just because you like them? Maybe? 184 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:05,480 Speaker 1: But maybe not. This is something that none of us 185 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:09,079 Speaker 1: want to do, but it's important. It's also really important 186 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 1: to acknowledge what we can give a dog, because it's 187 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 1: not just about what they can do for us, even 188 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:17,840 Speaker 1: though they don't have a choice in the matter. If 189 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:20,360 Speaker 1: that's the way we go about it, I'll give you 190 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:23,240 Speaker 1: a couple examples here. A few years ago, I took 191 00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 1: my daughter's sledding at this park by our house that 192 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:28,520 Speaker 1: has a popular hill, which tells you how flat this 193 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:31,080 Speaker 1: area is and is not coincidentally one of the many 194 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:34,080 Speaker 1: reasons I don't like living here a whole lot. Anyway, 195 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:36,440 Speaker 1: we had a woman walk up to us with a 196 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:40,280 Speaker 1: pup that she was socializing. She had a beautiful little 197 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:43,640 Speaker 1: five month old German short hair female that was wearing 198 00:10:43,679 --> 00:10:46,560 Speaker 1: a sweater, and this lady volunteered up a lot of 199 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 1: information about her life. When I asked her if she hunted, 200 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 1: she said, nope, neither does her husband. But the dog 201 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:57,079 Speaker 1: comes from top end hunting lines, whatever that means to her. 202 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:00,520 Speaker 1: She said, she walks that little GSP lot to get 203 00:11:00,559 --> 00:11:04,160 Speaker 1: an exercise. And I thought, imagine if you were born 204 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:06,960 Speaker 1: to do something and you ended up with someone who 205 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:10,080 Speaker 1: had total control over your life, who kept you from 206 00:11:10,240 --> 00:11:14,600 Speaker 1: ever ever doing that very thing. Look, I love freedom 207 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:17,000 Speaker 1: a lot, so I don't think she should be kept 208 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:19,560 Speaker 1: from getting a dog like that. But I think it's 209 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:22,559 Speaker 1: on us as owners to recognize that it's an unfair 210 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 1: situation to put a dog in that little female GSP 211 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 1: needs to hunt and should have gone to a hunter, 212 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 1: not someone who loves the idea of owning a high 213 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:36,120 Speaker 1: drive GSP because that's what they had growing up. Now 214 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:38,559 Speaker 1: I realized that might make me sound like a prick, 215 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:41,600 Speaker 1: but I'm okay with that. I think in her case, 216 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:44,120 Speaker 1: she should put herself in the position of that specific 217 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:46,839 Speaker 1: dog and try to be self aware enough to acknowledge 218 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:48,679 Speaker 1: she will never give it the thing it needs more 219 00:11:48,679 --> 00:11:51,440 Speaker 1: than anything in the world. This is a hard thing 220 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 1: for most folks to do, and I'm not done yet. 221 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:58,559 Speaker 1: I typically see this far more with guys, but being 222 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:01,840 Speaker 1: honest about your training ability is a huge part of 223 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:05,960 Speaker 1: the puppy buying process. I don't know how many people 224 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:09,600 Speaker 1: have told me they love Labrador Retrievers but they don't 225 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:12,560 Speaker 1: want to get one because they are too popular. Look, 226 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:16,719 Speaker 1: be a contrarian all you want, but maybe ask yourself 227 00:12:17,160 --> 00:12:19,480 Speaker 1: why that is. Why do you want to be that way? 228 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 1: We all know the reasons, but one we don't talk 229 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:25,600 Speaker 1: about a whole lot that is MOOI importante is that 230 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:30,520 Speaker 1: labs are generally pretty easy to train. Some dog breeds 231 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:33,600 Speaker 1: just are, so when you're being a contrarian and going 232 00:12:33,679 --> 00:12:36,480 Speaker 1: away from them, you're also going away from a dog 233 00:12:36,720 --> 00:12:39,800 Speaker 1: that can make up for some of your shortfalls. Why 234 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:42,080 Speaker 1: go out and get a dog that is more difficult 235 00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:44,360 Speaker 1: to train so that you have to go right into 236 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:46,440 Speaker 1: using an e caller to make up for your own 237 00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:49,080 Speaker 1: shortcomings when you could get a dog that would be 238 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:53,319 Speaker 1: just so much easier to convince to give you desired behaviors. 239 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:56,199 Speaker 1: This is one of the reasons I love female labs. 240 00:12:56,360 --> 00:12:59,120 Speaker 1: I'm not an expert trainer. I haven't gotten my hands 241 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:02,400 Speaker 1: on hundreds of with various backgrounds and bad habits and 242 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:04,200 Speaker 1: had to tease out the best of them in a 243 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:08,400 Speaker 1: limited amount of time like professional trainers do. I want 244 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:11,520 Speaker 1: a dog that is easy to train, because then it's 245 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:16,040 Speaker 1: well easier for me as a trainer. It's also a 246 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:19,120 Speaker 1: good scenario for the dogs I get, because then I'm 247 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:22,320 Speaker 1: not fighting their stubbornness or some innate trait they have 248 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:25,720 Speaker 1: that puts them beyond my skill level as a trainer. 249 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:29,720 Speaker 1: We talk about dogs like we are buying a car. 250 00:13:30,040 --> 00:13:32,240 Speaker 1: We say I like forwards, and I like them black 251 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:34,079 Speaker 1: or gray, so I'm going to the dealership to get 252 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:37,079 Speaker 1: an F one fifty in the right shade. And then 253 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:39,040 Speaker 1: we say I like dogs with beards, so I'm going 254 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:41,280 Speaker 1: to get a drawa or I like the idea of 255 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 1: a tripod point on a rough grouse in the big woods. 256 00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:46,200 Speaker 1: So I'm going to get a breed for that. But 257 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:48,360 Speaker 1: what are you able to put into the dog and 258 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:51,920 Speaker 1: coax out of that dog? Maybe you recognize that you 259 00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:54,640 Speaker 1: don't want a high drive dog at home, although you 260 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:58,040 Speaker 1: want one in the field like everyone does. Well, that 261 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:01,520 Speaker 1: dog doesn't really exist right out of the gate. Those 262 00:14:01,559 --> 00:14:05,400 Speaker 1: dogs are made by training and proper care, and while 263 00:14:05,559 --> 00:14:08,920 Speaker 1: some breeds are easier to get there than others, the 264 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:10,640 Speaker 1: idea that you're going to get one right out of 265 00:14:10,679 --> 00:14:13,000 Speaker 1: the litter that has an amazing off switch at home 266 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:15,640 Speaker 1: and drive for days in the field is mostly just 267 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 1: marketing speak around certain breeds without your intervention and guidance. 268 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:23,440 Speaker 1: It's mostly a pipe tream. I'm going to go into 269 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 1: a lot more stuff about finding the right puppy in 270 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:28,240 Speaker 1: future episodes, but for this one, I just hope to 271 00:14:28,280 --> 00:14:31,880 Speaker 1: get everyone to think about why they want what they want, 272 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:34,320 Speaker 1: and if that is really the best choice for their 273 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:37,280 Speaker 1: lives at the moment, and if that is the best 274 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:40,160 Speaker 1: choice for the dog they want, because that's almost a 275 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:42,480 Speaker 1: bigger factor, although we don't want to think about it, 276 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:46,040 Speaker 1: so I guess I'll wrap this one up this way 277 00:14:46,280 --> 00:14:50,680 Speaker 1: with my closing argument on the topic. Give yourself time 278 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:54,600 Speaker 1: in this process. Later you'll whittle down the options to 279 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:57,560 Speaker 1: the right litter and all that jazz. But if you're 280 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:00,600 Speaker 1: just thinking about getting a new puppy, or hell, if 281 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 1: you have your heart set on a new one by 282 00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:05,080 Speaker 1: a specific point of the year, give yourself as much 283 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:07,360 Speaker 1: time as possible to think through some of this stuff. 284 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:10,840 Speaker 1: Try to be honest about what you want out of 285 00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 1: this commitment, and then let that honesty guide you through 286 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:16,960 Speaker 1: your choices. Maybe it's very simple. Maybe you live along 287 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:19,920 Speaker 1: the Mississippi River and have a whole outbuilding dedicated to 288 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:22,760 Speaker 1: duck boats and duck decoys, and sometimes you wake up 289 00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:24,440 Speaker 1: in the middle of the night reaching for a duck 290 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 1: collar around your neck that isn't there. Well, your breed 291 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:30,280 Speaker 1: choice is probably pretty simple. You probably have a pretty 292 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:33,480 Speaker 1: good idea what you need to do training wise for 293 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 1: that dog. But a lot of us don't have quite 294 00:15:36,360 --> 00:15:40,080 Speaker 1: as obvious guardrails on the whole thing. Our lives change, 295 00:15:40,080 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 1: and we have kids and they move out, and we 296 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:43,760 Speaker 1: spend time in the suburbs and then move to rural 297 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:46,680 Speaker 1: areas and all kinds of things happen with jobs and 298 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:50,920 Speaker 1: everything else we have going on throughout that are our dogs, 299 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:53,560 Speaker 1: and while they are a constant in our lives in 300 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 1: one form or another, the process of getting another one 301 00:15:57,120 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 1: is not to be taken lightly or simply a decision, 302 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 1: and we should base on the history of one breed 303 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:05,960 Speaker 1: or another with us. We owe it to ourselves in 304 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:08,880 Speaker 1: any little pupster we might end up taking home, to 305 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:11,440 Speaker 1: spend some time trying to be self aware and to 306 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:14,760 Speaker 1: really dive into what our lives are all about, what 307 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:17,240 Speaker 1: we want a dog for in regard to hunting and 308 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:19,720 Speaker 1: non hunting life, and what kind of dog would be 309 00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 1: a great fit. Once we parse all of that out, 310 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:26,560 Speaker 1: we want it to be a simple thing like buying 311 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:29,480 Speaker 1: a certain truck and a certain color. But your vehicle 312 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:32,600 Speaker 1: isn't a living, breathing creature that was bred to do 313 00:16:32,680 --> 00:16:37,280 Speaker 1: certain tasks, learn in a specific way, and exhibit behaviors 314 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 1: that may or not be conducive to all aspects of 315 00:16:39,960 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: your life. At least kick this around, think about it, 316 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:46,400 Speaker 1: and then come back next week, because I'm going to 317 00:16:46,440 --> 00:16:49,760 Speaker 1: talk about positivity and dog training and why it's just 318 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:55,360 Speaker 1: so important. That's it. I'm Tony Peterson. This has been 319 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:58,560 Speaker 1: The Houndation's podcast. As always, thank you so much for 320 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:02,040 Speaker 1: your support. Iruly appreciate it. Here at meat Eater we're 321 00:17:02,080 --> 00:17:04,679 Speaker 1: getting up here close to Christmas. If you need a 322 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:06,880 Speaker 1: gift for somebody, you can go to the medeater dot 323 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:09,359 Speaker 1: com and check out our store. Tons of stuff there, 324 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:12,119 Speaker 1: lots of sales at different times. Or if you just 325 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:15,280 Speaker 1: need some more content, some articles, some recipes, maybe you 326 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 1: need to listen to a few more podcasts to kill 327 00:17:17,320 --> 00:17:20,440 Speaker 1: the time at work or your drive. The meeteater dot 328 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:23,399 Speaker 1: com so much stuff there, go check it out, and again, 329 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:24,439 Speaker 1: thank you for everything.