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This year will be my second season hunting with our 18 MO BLM. My family is excited to see how Cooper will follow up a pretty good rookie season last year. He actually did pretty well for his first season (9-11 MO) and made some marked and blind retrieves, while vocalizing very little on his few hunts. However, he has lots of drive and was not as rock steady sitting in his spot in the blind and boat as I wanted him to be. I am a little concerned about how he will handle this season in hunting conditions (not just training where he does great) and don't really want to have another dog in the blind until I see how he will do this season. Maybe will allow another dog if Cooper looks good early on. I plan to take customers hunting at our place this season (recently moved from the consulting engineering profession to the sales side of the business) and know a couple of guys hunt with their own dogs. I have a question or two for those of you who have regularly hunted with dogs, especially if you have hunted with others who also hunt with dogs. Any advice and helpful insights will be greatly appreciated. Here goes:

- What is a good, straightforward, non-offensive way to ask someone to hunt but to leave their dog at home (at least for the first few hunts or later in the season if Cooper is struggling)? My gut is to just lay things out as I stated above and see what happens. Thoughts and opinions?

- My place, my rules, my dog. Someone may have a better trained dog and may be a better handler than I am (pretty good chance of one or both), but I think, as the host, that is my prerogative about which people and dog(s) hunt with me. Agree/disagree?

- Vest or no vest (for the dog)? I have read a lot of opinions both ways on this one and last season leaned toward the "no vest" approach since I hunt in some thick buck brush and vegetation. Pro's/con's?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give this relative newbie!

If I'm the guest then I do as the host says. But... if I was taking clients then of course they are welcome to bring their dog. Yes on the vest.

if i'm a guest somewhere i won't bring Cash unless he's specifically invited, and the same goes for anyone coming with me. the best way i've found to approach that is stating up front and in a good way like, "we won't have to worrying about picking up the birds cause we'll have Cash.", or something along those lines. lets them know you will have your dog and brings the topic up in case they want to ask if they can bring theirs, and that part is up to you.

I always have a vest on Cash unless its warm. I use it for protection more than anything. I bought a new one at the beginning of this season and after a full year the chest area was torn apart from going through brush, beans and timber everyday. a cypress knee, corn stalk, or piece of barbwire that can't be seen can ruin a dogs season in a second.

good luck.

If im trying to entertain clients and they want to "work" their dogs, their dog can have my spot in the blind.

Most of the time, I go with the "my place, my rules, my dog" approach when I take folks. I do make some exceptions when I know the other dog and the owner is a good friend. There are many reasons why I don't want a strange dog in the situation. My core group hunts together a lot and we have certain ways of getting things done safely and efficiently. Our place is tough on retrievers and mine know the drill - too many times, "outside" dogs turn into more of a hindrance than a help.

When hunting others' places, I would never presume to take my dog - if I ask to bring him and my host says no, that's the end of the discussion and no hard feelings.

Jack has been a great dog on hunts, and he has been a pain. (My fault for not hunting him enough) Early in the season, if I'm on the river with torch, Jack ain't coming. If it's at our place, Jack's coming. Jack had the benefit once, of having an experienced dog come along on a hunt. Jack got to see what a good dog could and would do, and it immediately 'clicked' for him. He learned more that day in that short amount of time about what was expected, than could've been taught in weeks.

IOW, it's going to depend on the situation. And you honestly know that better than anyone else. You also know your hunting friends, customers/clients, and your dog.

As for a vest? I don't use one. But then, we really haven't had much real winter over the past few months either.

If you're entertaining customers and one of them has a dog and wants to bring it, you may be better off "letting" them bring their dog. it has been my experience dog handlers really like to work their dog. I have a guy that drives from Houston, Tx to Greenwood, Ms every year so he can bring his dog. Just my $.02.

I would really try to feel my customers out about how they might feel about leaving their dogs at home before I took the attitude of my place my rules...JMO

Good replies so far. If they're customers, I would let them decide. However, if it is friends it should be your decision since its your place!
I have always tried this approach (similar to the one before):
"we'll take my "crap eater" maybe he remembers what a duck looks like! Or, we'll have my "worthless hound" maybe he hasn't forgotten how to swim!
That way they (my friends) don't feel like I think my dog is better than theirs, etc.
As far as the vest thing goes, I feel the same as earlier posted. I use one for protection more than anything! But, I have learned that they do actually help retain body heat if PROPERLY fitted!
Hope this helps.

More than one dog is just a pain in the ass.

I disagree, too. I almost always hunt a pair. They are mine and live together all year long. They respect each other's retrieves and don't try to steal from each other. It's pretty cool to knock down four or five ducks out of a flock, then send them out in tandem.

One dog can be a pain in the #%$ if he is the wrong dog.