Hi everyone, I was previously on this forum but could not get my account back as I didn’t have the email I used.
I have a 4y/o GSP that is still very energetic and wired to go. I have been traveling for work for the last year with periods of being home, and will now be sent out to the central ND area and am going to take the dog with me instead of leaving him home. The thing I’m wondering is what do those of you that live in a city with a hunting dog do to let them get their exercise when not hunting? I’ll be in Bismarck and it’s a fairly large city and not supposed to have dogs off leash when not in a dog park basically. I know I can let him run at the dog park if needed but don’t exactly prefer them for many reasons. Back home I can just let him out the front door and let him run around as long as he wants multiple times a day and he gets plenty of exercise that way but can’t do that in the city.
I already have someone lined up to be letting him out midday as I will be working long days and don’t want him in a crate that long so hopefully I can find a good solution to letting him run until hunting season.
Hunting Dog in the City
Re: Hunting Dog in the City
You need to take a look at the below link which addresses this precise issue at a retriever training board and-- in fairness-- take a look at how the law is written in a specific city you are visiting. Almost all the time they simply want the dog to be under control and presuming you really have him under control with training and an E collar, you should be okay . You might also be able to chisel by simply using a 6 inch tab as a "leash."
As mentioned, look at the link. Depending on how long you'll be there, incidentally, it seems to be true that kids really don't exercise any more. I have gone to all sorts of high schools and junior highs where they have a great deal of land theoretically for football or baseball fields which are simply not being used on weekends. I run my dog there off-lead working on hand signals and retrieving. He doesn't just run loose, as things can happen and he is under my visual observation and control at all times.
Frankly, if you just let your dog run around at home by opening the front door, it doesn't seem that he's used to working under restraint. If your dog is seriously out of control and just runs wild, that's a different story and he can get into trouble. If that's the case, just go to a preserve on weekends, which isn't a bad idea anyway.
Good time to work on serious obedience with him every day, by the way. "Exercise" doesn't just mean physical; some mental work will tire him out, too. Try twice a day.
https://www.retrievertraining.net/threa ... ion.53879/
As mentioned, look at the link. Depending on how long you'll be there, incidentally, it seems to be true that kids really don't exercise any more. I have gone to all sorts of high schools and junior highs where they have a great deal of land theoretically for football or baseball fields which are simply not being used on weekends. I run my dog there off-lead working on hand signals and retrieving. He doesn't just run loose, as things can happen and he is under my visual observation and control at all times.
Frankly, if you just let your dog run around at home by opening the front door, it doesn't seem that he's used to working under restraint. If your dog is seriously out of control and just runs wild, that's a different story and he can get into trouble. If that's the case, just go to a preserve on weekends, which isn't a bad idea anyway.
Good time to work on serious obedience with him every day, by the way. "Exercise" doesn't just mean physical; some mental work will tire him out, too. Try twice a day.
https://www.retrievertraining.net/threa ... ion.53879/
Re: Hunting Dog in the City
My issue is similar, not so much access to land, it’s day light in the winter. I have plenty of space to run them, but I get home from work when it is just about dark during a good chunk of the season. Many here have voiced concern for their own safety with my solution, but I have never had an issue. I road my dogs off my mountain bike on some dirt walking trail near my house. There is a DG walking path along a wash just around the corner from the house, and I have trained the dogs to be pretty responsive in the harness. They know how to turn, whoa and leave rabbits alone. They absolutely love it. Pretty easy to put around 7 miles behind them at a slow, comfortable, controlled pace a couple nights a week, and then get them to the field on the weekends. I do have disc breaks on the bike, and change them out fairly regularly.
When you build a good core on a dog, it is pretty easy to get them in working shape before season. I have never owned a fat out of shape dog, and they take it fairly easy in our summer heat.
Garrison
When you build a good core on a dog, it is pretty easy to get them in working shape before season. I have never owned a fat out of shape dog, and they take it fairly easy in our summer heat.
Garrison