Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: kalex60 on February 26, 2013, 10:14:43 PM
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Wanting to adopt a dog to train and bring fishing.
Wanting to know what breeds would be idea for this
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Would probably be better with a lower energy breed like a lab.
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Definitely not a Russell Terrorist ! :D
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Wanting to adopt a dog to train and bring fishing.
Wanting to know what breeds would be idea for this
What size of dog do you have in mind?
Do you have a yard?
Do you have small kids in the household?
Is your lifestyle (other than going fishing) active?
Do you have a regular work schedule or do you work shifts?
Do you have a lot of free time?
There is much more to adopting a dog than meets the eye.
Some of the best fishing dogs are "one person" dogs; others are happy to belong to a human 'pack'. That's a very important consideration if you have a young family.
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Get a Collie........their long coats mean you get to enjoy that lovely wet dog smell for many hours after fishing and spending an extra hour brushing crap, and the occasional lure, out of their coat so the wife will let the dog back in the house is always fun. And I hear they will go get the Ranger if you fall in the river, although I never actually tested that one........ ;) ;)
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I have 2 dogs that I take with me every once in a while. About 20-25 pounds. Poodle and a poodle cross.
Both a really hyper and social butterflies so I stopped taking them with me when I can avoid it. I was spending more time watching them then fishing.
They really want to play with anyone.
I would go with Canuck and say get a lab. Labs are not necessarily a low energy breed(it's the individual dog) but are good all around dog.
Most important is that you get a dog that's loyal so doesn't wander around. You want the dog to stick close to you and not pester everyone on the beach.
Labs have a good water repellent coat and are made for water. But they can smell like a dog which some people don't like.
Terrier breeds are loyal but have strong prey drive and a hard to train so chances are they will chase anything and everything.
Labs are much more disciplined.
Also border collies can incorporate both loyalty and discipline. But they might not like water (which is ok to me).
You can find a many border collie breeders and rescues in the fraser valley.
But like Milo said you have to evaluate your situation.
Border collies are working dogs and need to work. "Need to".
They will become very destructive if you don't exercise them every day for an hour or two.
So I would say border collie first, lab second.
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Would probably be better with a lower energy breed like a lab.
American Labrador's are not low energy dogs, my Black Lab is 9 years and seems to not slow down. even with proper training, they are a handful.
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I have 2 dogs that I take with me every once in a while. About 20-25 pounds. Poodle and a poodle cross.
Both a really hyper and social butterflies so I stopped taking them with me when I can avoid it. I was spending more time watching them then fishing.
They really want to play with anyone.
Same here with the poodle cross. Great dog hiking/fishing/camping but I only take him if I am in an isolated area with no one around. He also thinks coyotes and other wildlife are his friends :o
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Nova Scotia Duck Troller is a nice dog to have on the river. Medium size like a small Golden Retriever.
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Everytime I've taken my Golden to the river, he thinks my float is his ball...and we're playing fetch. You can see how that works out. Maybe having a water / retriever dog like a Lab isn't the best idea. Also Labs are great don't get me wrong but I've seen alot of very stupid Labs. On the other hand I've also seen and hunted with some very brilliant Labs.
Whatever dog you choose, I would get them out on the water and in your boat if you have one at a young age.
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Here's a few pictures of mine:
(http://gallery.fishbc.com/albums/Tracks/Boogs_Help_5.jpg)
(http://gallery.fishbc.com/albums/Tracks/Nog_6.jpg)
(http://gallery.fishbc.com/albums/Tracks/Matt_and_Boogs.jpg)
(http://gallery.fishbc.com/albums/Tracks/Boogs_Portrait_2.jpg)
Amaruq (aka Boogs) is 1/2 Timber Wolf (Yukon North Slope) and 1/2 Alaskan Husky (Inuvik, NWT).
He usually weighs in about 140 pounds or so, but due to the lack of steelhead (and therefore our usual Winter Streamside Exercise Routine) he's currently up over 160. We'll get that pounded out of him (and ME!) soon now though methinks!.
This type of Hybrid is Definitely NOT for Everyone! HUGE amount of Commitment, Time & Love involved!
That said, he is The Best Companion for wandering the rivers I've ever had!
Woe Be to any Bears that decide to mess with either of us! He has a Serious Hatred for them! LOL!
Damn Good with People though! He either Likes you (just ask Tad!) or is simply aloof. And given his size and Look, the Idjuts certainly tend to stay Far Away!
All Round PERFECT in my books!
Cheers,
Nog
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Nog is an Alfa and the boss for the Boogs, but I and Amaruk are a very good friends since we met first time when he was only 5 weeks old.
I love the way he checks on me every few minutes when we wander wild upper Stamp. I have to say that I like his company better than most people I know. 8)
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I've fished the rivers for years and have taken my dogs with me. I had a black lab for 14 years and he was a great dog and could follow me if I waded across the river . Then I had a couple of German shepherds and they were great at the river also , and could swim right across the river if they had to. Currently I have an Airedale terrier and she loves the water also. I have a small dog also , but the trouble is that if you wade across a side stream, you have to pic him up and carry him over , as he's too small to swim. So if you do get a dog that you want to take fishing I'd get one that is big enough and strong enough to follow you across a side stream. I would suggest you get a pup and take him to the river when he's small , no matter what breed, then he'll get to love the water.
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I hope you find a great dog that will be a good companion.
That said, please train your dog so he doesnt bark at the trees for hours on end. Also, all the other fisherman would love it if your dogs dont run up to them in the water every 5 mins. Your dog is YOURS and should stay with you. thanks.
Ya, "Guy with the 2 dogs at slesse", this post was for you...
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A well trained "water" dog is your best bet. A Lab is pretty at the top of this heap. I have a well trained Pointer who likes to run and "hunt" but she doesn't like the water. I never have and never will take her fishing. It just isn't in her nature.
A while back I did have a great experience when an aquaintance brought his Yellow Lab along. This dog was well trained and knew the fishing routine. It took great pleasure in standing beside you in the water while you cast. The right dog can make a great companion.
Oh yeah... don't forget that dogs like to bring scents home with them, even dead fish scents.
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;D Especially dead fish scents. Then they eat out the gills and then barf in the back of your truck! ;)
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I have 2 dogs i occasionally bring fishing with me. A four yr old yellow lab and a 3yr old black lab/ mastiff cross. Both are well behaved follow their noses and generally stay out of trouble with the exception of the time the yellow lab made off with two bologna sanwiches a couple older gents left on the beach in an open backpack. Offered to pay them but they just laughed it off. That being said when spawned out fish are rotting on the beach the dogs stay at home. They love to roll in that stench and its next to impossible to get that stink out.
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... I have to say that I like his company better than most people I know. 8)
You and me both Partner! ;)
... I would suggest you get a pup and take him to the river when he's small , no matter what breed, then he'll get to love the water.
Strongly agree. Most dogs, if exposed to water (or damn near anything else you need them to be) at a Very Early Age, will take to it readily, eagerly, and remember it positively.
Here's Boogs out for his first swim, Ice Cold River. Struck out with Abandon, but returned with a somewhat different mindset after he hit the current:
(http://gallery.fishbc.com/albums/Ironnoggin/First_Swim_2.jpg)
LOL! He obviously overcame that, and now is the Only "Dog" I've ever lived with that can actually out-swim me.
... They love to roll in that stench and its next to impossible to get that stink out.
Doggy Perfume! ;) ;D
Cheers,
Nog
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The only advice I have is if you do get a dog don't buy one of those sticks that hold a tennis ball for the dog park. I did and evertime I take my dog fishing she thinks the my rod is the plastick stick and my lure is the ball lol!!!
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Get a chocolate,black,or yellow lab..I just got another chocolate lab after having to put my last chocolate Thompson down last summer.Thompson was the best fishing dog ever and now Finn is turning into a great fishing dog as well.They can go anywhere you can and more.Finn is only 5 1/2 months and already goes where ever I go and swims across anywhere I wade.When I am fishing he sits at my feet and watches my float with me :D :DHe has seen the float go down many times this year.I think he loves steelhead as much as I do lol
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I think a Chesapeak or a big Newfie Retriever would be nice. I watched a pair of Newfies swim down a river with their owner and the dogs were amazing how they kept close to her incase she got in trouble... it seemed.
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Everytime I've taken my Golden to the river, he thinks my float is his ball...and we're playing fetch
Same, but it was our fault. Took our border collie fishing with the fam at a local pond and he was nipping at the red and white bobber so we had fun casting it out and having him chase it on the retrieve, reeling in while trying to have the bobber evade his snapping jaws. It was all fun and games until he finally caught it, crunched it and the bobber no longer "bobbed" :) Our next effort has to put a screw into a tennis ball, tie the screw to the end of the mainline of my drift rod and have him chase that in the water. Great fun
That being said when spawned out fish are rotting on the beach the dogs stay at home. They love to roll in that stench and its next to impossible to get that stink out.
You got that right, learned that the hard way. Had our collie off leash along a local salmon spawning stream and he revelled in rolling in the chum carcasses. After a shampoo he still stunk! Now he stays on leash during the late fall on these walks.
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I had a Jack Russell Cross. He was the coolest frikken dog ever. Yea, he'd get excited and sometimes piss me off, but he was soooo happy to go fishing it was a joy to watch him. I'd tell him we were going fishing in the morning and he knew it when we woke up it was time to go. You could read the expression on his face. THe nice thing about this type of dog was his size. He was 30 lbs, so a fair bit bigger than the smaller jack russels you see. Plus he was super agile, so if we were hiking into the canyon or over boulders etc. this dog could handle it no problem. Now I have a duck toller. She's a super water dog, the only problem is she wants to be in the water a lot so sometimes she is spooking fish. This dog is only 34 lbs.
My advice would be, get a dog that has some energy. It's fun to watch them get all frieked out, then you bring them home and they are good and tired for a few days.
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I have a wirehaired pointer who loves fishing - not as much as bird hunting, but almost. He is a pleasure on the river or in a boat. Watches for fish all day long, just staring at the water.
Nice thing about wirehairs is they don't shed. I love labs, but they seem to have 2 shedding seasons....heavy and out of control.
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My rotties most favorite thing in the world is going fishing. She is an excellent fishing dog.
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My Rhodesian ridgeback loves both hiking and fishing. A good dog for it because she is able to walk a long distance but is calm enough to sit down once you get there