too cold for a dog?

[GulfCoast]

I am not going to argue with anyone, just make a suggestion, if you really want some facts about vests and warmth. Take a thermometer reading on your dog hunting without the vest. Put the vest on, let them work a while, and take another thermometer reading, and see if there is a difference in body temprature. Two degrees on a dog is very significant given thier physioligy. I did not believe in vests before, other than for puncture protection. I believe in them now.

[bigbeeducker]

As a whole, I've read more stupid chit on this post than any other I can think of really. Now, some of you that have posted on this topic, without a doubt had no business hunting a dog this weekend.
Da most baddest booty canine in the world can't fix a dumazzed handler. Like my bud Gator said, Just be smart.

Some people amaze me regards,
Todd

[catfish10]

I don't have a thermometer gulf coast, but if I stick my hand up under my dogs vest it is nice and warm, when I peel it off the steam rolls off him.. My father hunts in some really cold weather is South Dakota, his lab sits and raises one foot at a time so she can get her vest put on, that tells me she must like it.. btw I don't post on here often but have lurked on the forum for years, is this the same gulf coast that years ago I remember saying dogs were too much trouble etc. and now I see his pic with a pretty lab with a title, change in opinion?

[GulfCoast]

Yes, I used to think they were a total PITA, being around nothing but totally out of control "duck dogs." It was so bad watching the crackhead dogs ruining hunts at my camps, I started training my own dog with some help, as I wanted some relief. Being around well trained OBEDIENT dogs has changed my opinion on thier usefulness. Plus, dog training is a lot of fun. My opinion is still that an untrained or "blow off the owner" dog that will not handle, running around like a crackhead, whining, breaking, etc, is not an asset to a hunt, and I would rather hunt with no dog in that situation.

[gator]

i get worried about the cold, but not near as much as the situations i'm fixing to put a dog in.

cold is generally manageable to some extent and dogs can deal w/ it fairly well as long as your smart...keep them out of the water when not retrieving and out of the wind - as much as humanly possible. 30 degree water in which dogs are kept dry is probably safer than 45 degree water that some redneck is making them sit in.

i worry about ice, ALOT. catfish ponds/creeks/sloughs/etc, frozen over, and water deep enough ta dog can't touch beneath them is a tragedy waiting to happen. it takes one hole for a dog to fall through in order for the handler to find out just how long his mutt can hold it's breath. sure sure, you'll go on and swim out there after them. would the class tell me how long it takes hypothermia to set in after a complete dowsing in those temps? i know the answer - and you're not swimming anywhere.

i actually misjudged the situation monday, taking my younger/lighter dog that's built more attuned to a corvette on a hunt that involved alot of ice breaking - some of which was at his shoulders - and he wasn't heavy enough to break it easily. could have been a BAD situation and there was a bird or 2 i would not send him on b/c of it. had i taken gauge, he would have been able to handle the physical nature of it much MUCH better. but, a few minutes outside the water on the boat, in the sun and you'd never know what Trapper was dealing w/ - frozen coat or not.

a young dog, that is inexperienced and hasn't seen those type of situations or temps - well, he stays home...and, i continue to feed him knowing that one day both he and I will be comfortable in that weather.......it really is that easy. i'll never understand the logic of the ignorant.

gator

[Negotiator]

i get worried about the cold, but not near as much as the situations i'm fixing to put a dog in.

cold is generally manageable to some extent and dogs can deal w/ it fairly well as long as your smart...keep them out of the water when not retrieving and out of the wind - as much as humanly possible. 30 degree water in which dogs are kept dry is probably safer than 45 degree water that some redneck is making them sit in.

i worry about ice, ALOT. catfish ponds/creeks/sloughs/etc, frozen over, and water deep enough ta dog can't touch beneath them is a tragedy waiting to happen. it takes one hole for a dog to fall through in order for the handler to find out just how long his mutt can hold it's breath. sure sure, you'll go on and swim out there after them. would the class tell me how long it takes hypothermia to set in after a complete dowsing in those temps? i know the answer - and you're not swimming anywhere.

i actually misjudged the situation monday, taking my younger/lighter dog that's built more attuned to a corvette on a hunt that involved alot of ice breaking - some of which was at his shoulders - and he wasn't heavy enough to break it easily. could have been a BAD situation and there was a bird or 2 i would not send him on b/c of it. had i taken gauge, he would have been able to handle the physical nature of it much MUCH better. but, a few minutes outside the water on the boat, in the sun and you'd never know what Trapper was dealing w/ - frozen coat or not.

a young dog, that is inexperienced and hasn't seen those type of situations or temps - well, he stays home...and, i continue to feed him knowing that one day both he and I will be comfortable in that weather.......it really is that easy. i'll never understand the logic of the ignorant.

gator

Word ...

[Unkljohn]

If there is ice and deep water my dog stays at camp.

[Marty N.]

Took a big ole male about 85 pounds plus hunting Sunday morning he had to break ice made about 12 retrieves in clear water and about another 5 in ice. All the time he was sitting on land next to me with the shell of my Wigeon Wader coat over him between retrieves and a heater blowing on him. He got cold but nothing he oculd not handle, he was more than ready to retrieve when the birds were down, broke a lot of ice to get to two of the birds. He!! he was warmer than I was.

It is all about being prepared and having he dog in the correct condition and doing everything you can to help them out.
Marty
Picts are of Boomer during the hunt and after in the sun, when i figure it out I will post some video of him ice breaking. As you can see it was a a Gadwall kinda day.

[Negotiator]

My goodness that's a fine looking animal.

[chevy01234]

My pup stayed at the house, first 4 hunting days he's missed that I have gone hunting all season. Just not worth hunting him in the Ice.

[Marty N.]

Boomer is probable the best looking dog I have ever had the pleasure to stand beside, he belongs to a client. Not only is he an outstanding looking dog he has passed 4 out of 5 Master tests this past year and is on his way to being one of the best hunting dogs a man could ask for. This is only his second season and he is really putting it together, starting to see him watch and pick ducks up in the sky. Nothing beats seeing and watching a dog figure out what he was made to do and this one is something special.

Marty

[chevy01234]

Buck on Ice..

[Negotiator]

Boomer is probable the best looking dog I have ever had the pleasure to stand beside, he belongs to a client. Not only is he an outstanding looking dog he has passed 4 out of 5 Master tests this past year and is on his way to being one of the best hunting dogs a man could ask for. This is only his second season and he is really putting it together, starting to see him watch and pick ducks up in the sky. Nothing beats seeing and watching a dog figure out what he was made to do and this one is something special.

Marty

Gorgious.... just gorgious. He looks like he'd dry up a small pond getting a duck.... and well mannered to boot.