I had thought I'd have a great post for you on Saturday. Technically I still do the problem is that I need pictures to go with it. The pics are whats holding up the project.
So while I can't do the post I wanted, here is a hint:
I drove over 1,900 miles in less than 48 hrs.
I went through 5 states.
I bought something rare that I didn't expect I would ever be able to find for less than I thought anyone would sell it to me.
I have lots of hope for great things in the future.
Some place between Thursday night and Saturday afternoon I lost my cheap digital camera. Which is why I don't have the pictures.
You bought a STG44?
ReplyDeleteThat's my guess.
That would be cool. This is something that I have had a life long love for, at least since I was 4 years old anyway.
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing a dog...a hunting dog...a rare and expensive hunting dog, which you found at an unbelievably low price.
ReplyDeleteA pudelpointer.
WB,
ReplyDeleteDon't laugh a pudelpointer is a great breed. There is an Italian dog, I can't recall the name right now, that has been a reconized breed for something like 2,300 years that is a great dog too, but it's not common in the US.
I've never owned a rare dog. Still don't.
Spinone Italiano.
ReplyDeleteNot laughing at the pudelpointer, per se...just the name.
It points.
At puddles.
You can get a 3-year-old child to stomp in them without any training at all.
Mine did. I love pointers. There is nothing better than the GWP, at least for me.
ReplyDeleteI believe you might have mentioned something like that, once or twice. That's why I thought that if anything could make you drive 1900 miles in two days to go get it (rather than have it shipped, like a gun), it would probably be a dog. And more specifically, a pointer.
ReplyDeleteBut "pudelpointer" is funnier than "German wire-haired pointer".
Because it points.
At puddles.
(Yes, I know. But this is funnier.)
I love one kind of hunting dog. Cause its the best. GWP's aren't rare. You can get one with just a little effort. Now if you want one that comes from a certain linage that you didn't think anyone had anymore because you spent 9 months calling around the US and Canada looking for it and everyone including the original breeder didn't have a source of pups; then that would be a different story.
ReplyDeleteSO yes of course its a dog. The breeder isn't into field trials. He's just a guy that likes good solid GWP's and he picked the best linage he could when he started and he's done well with it. So since he doesn't invest the money on hunt tests, he let me have the puppy for $500.
Congratulations, man! It's fortunate that it worked out well for you.
ReplyDeleteEven if it isn't a pudelpointer.
Because it won't point at puddles.
If you drove by here and didn't stop, I'm going to be POed with you.
ReplyDeleteFT,
ReplyDeleteI was in IA on 29 I went down into MO to catch up with a breeder in KS. Then I stayed with my brother in NE on the way back.
If I'd even have been half way close to your place, I'd have droped in.
"Because it won't point at puddles."
ReplyDeleteIt might if a bird was in it. :-)
BTW, Res...just noticed this, above:
ReplyDelete"GWP's aren't rare."
But this is what was in your original post:
"I bought something rare..."
That's why I said "...a rare and expensive hunting dog, which you found at an unbelievably low price."
Seems that I was spot on....
*sticks out tongue, gives raspberry*
*sticks out tongue, gives raspberry*
ReplyDeleteThe dog itself isn't rare. The pedigree is. I have a significant portion of my first dogs ancestors. I know I’m splitting (wire) hairs here.
There are two basic ways of getting a good dog, one is to buy a dog of titled parents with titled grandparents. This is what most people in the market for a good gun dog do. The problem is that a title costs significant money to earn. To get a MH for instance, you have to do 5 JH trails and pass plus 4 SH trials plus another 5MH trials. If you spend just $100 on each trial in entrance fees you have $1,400 in fees. That assumes your dog passes each time the first time. Add to that $300 or $400 bucks for each weekend in other expenses and you rack up $5,400 to $7,000. Most breeder would do that over the first two years of the dogs life. Assuming they had a dog capable. That is the cost for each individual dog, plus up keep, vet etc.
All of that is before you get four paws on the ground. A litter will normally be between 6 to 12 pups. Assuming the breeder goes for 4 litters over the life of the bitch with an average of 8 pups he will need $800 to $1000 per pup to break even on the title and vet bills not counting all the other up keep costs. It’s easy to see how these pups can go for $1,500 or more.
The other way to pick a dog is to have extensive knowledge of the blood line. Do some work and get to know what dogs are historical hunters. The blood line that I wanted was out of Gail Richardson’s kennel. The big hindrance to this is that an AKC pedigree is a 4 or 5 generation pedigree and common ancestors I wanted in the bloodline go back to 1981, which is forever in dog years. NOBODY except a nut like me (and about 5 other people) would care. I found a guy in KS that has been in GWP’s for 35 years (245 dog years) and he has kept all his paper work. Like me, he didn’t need the AKC to tell him what kind of dogs he had, so he never spent the money on field trials, but he was selective in his breeding program.
None of this guarantees a great dog and me and the boy will have lots of work to do with ours. When he said he was selling 8wk old pups for $500, I had to make the run. I think I got a good one.
Yes you were spot on.
ReplyDeleteImpressive bit of knowledge that you have on the subject. I had no idea; the only hunting dogs I ever dealt with (as a kid) were a beagle and a Brittany, neither of which came from registered lines.
ReplyDeleteGood job in getting a great deal; I hope that s/he works out well.
Thanks man.
ReplyDeleteI love a good bird dog.