cost in game dogs differs

[nmplott]

[Moonshiner]

[Nolte]

I think it's all a matter of what guys are willing to pay. You see a lot more "well-off" people who hunt birds over other game. It's the reason guys shell out $200 a day to go hunt pheasants. Personally, I think it's much easier to train a workable bird dog than hound. It is just so much easier to set up training scenarios and corrections for the dog. Many time hounds are "out of pocket" so to speak and it's hard to determine what they are actually doing.

As for small game to big game, well sort of. I think price depends on what caliber of dog it takes to catch critters, the potential on the investment to make money, and also the ability of the dog. I know that some coon dogs have went for big time bucks, because they had that ability and the potential buyer had big hopes of making cash on stud fees. And as a general rule, bobcat dogs fetch the highest price because it takes a dang good dog to really put it to cats. It also takes a good dog to do the same to bear and lions (I think), but I think more dogs make the grade percentage wise.

[david]

Part of what Nolte is saying is "supply and demand". Certainly true in his example of bobcat dogs.

I know on the west coast the price of bobcat dogs in the seventies/eighties was driven sky high because of a couple three millionares that would pay whatever it took to buy a good bobcat or bobcat/gray fox dog. Alot of guys are not too willing to part with their good bobcat dog, because they know how hard it is to find/make one.
But even for these guys it can get a little tough to turn down ten or twenty thousand dollars for a dog when your wife and kids are looking at you with their big hungry eyes.

Another factor in the big game dog high prices, is the fact that there are people making a living helping others harvest big game. When they need a dog, they NEED A DOG, and prices in general get driven up by what these guys are willing to pay.

[nmplott]

I was mostly referring to the price of pups, for most bird dogs advertised on line they had pups starting at a minimum of 750 dollars. I know once in a while people like John Wick put out a litter with pups going for about a grand, but most hounds range from 250-500.

[nightowl24]

[Copper]

[houndcrazyfool]

[pete richardson]

I think it's all a matter of what guys are willing to pay. You see a lot more "well-off" people who hunt birds over other game.


yup -- i think thats a big part of it-


my vast experience with bird dogs is one lol

she was born with bout 99% of everything she ever needed to know-

it just amazed me-- i bought books and video on training- --what training?



pup like that is worth a few bucks - i dont have anything to compare it to but i hunted woodcock over her at 6 months- find em , point retrieve etc-

she did point grouse that werent there

didnt pin them-- but 100% on woodcock or planted birds at 6 months -

i sold her ---she was spoiled rotten-- dog too smart to leave tied to chain when not hunting -had to be with me every minute- i swear she would pout sulk - more like a kid then a dog -
- there is such a thing as tooooo smart - too attached -- she was it --

i see that dog alot-- she rides in truck with a guy everywhere he goes-

she wont even look at me-

i dont know how many bird dog pups are like her- but she was worth many times what i paid for her

have had a few hound pups-out of hundreds -just naturals-- i think id pay bout anything for pups like them -- they have a way of getting themselves killed , hurt , maybe a poor investment - lol -

[nightowl24]

i have no experience with bird dogs...but if what you all say bird dogs are easier then that explains why the cost more. why pay $800 for a dog then have to spend a ton of time laying drags, running with a pup trainer, etc. to get the dog doing exactly what you want. where as with bird dogs(it seems)you let them go and they do what they do. you are paying for the ease of training. shoot i'd pay 800 for a hog dog that at 6mos i let him go, they find the hog, bay the hog, and stop the hog. it usually takes some months and some times up to a year to get a hog dog doing that, then you have to consider them getting hurt on the hunt. can't afford to pay 800 for a dog then it get hurt or die...100-200 i'll do all the training and if lose it, it doesn't kill my pocket book..

[Nolte]

[nightowl24]

[Nolte]

[nightowl24]

a disagreement on a disagreement...two wrongs a right... ...all heck...lol....i think generally speaking the training of a hound is harder for the reasons you outlined, simulated situations. i will almost say training a hound isn't harder, but creating the situations are harder and there is more time involved...kind of like buying a bbq gill already put together and buying one you have to put together. if you buy it together it cost more, you buy it seperated it cost you less...same type thing with the dogs. if you buy a dog that is already tracking and treeing it cost you more, than one you have to do it all your self...

[BMC97756]

I have heard of squirrel dogs going for $5000 and my friend recently got a Patterdale terrier badger dog that set him back about $3000... It all depends on the caliber of dog in question not so much the type of hunting, I can get GREAT GSP pups for $150 all over and people around here cant even give their Labs pups away.. BUT try buying a finished dog of ANY hunting type and it WILL set you back big $$... I do have to agree that sight/scent hounds seem to be on the cheap side as far as pup prices go(often times free to hunting homes)..

JM2C,
Christian J.