I'm looking to get into duck hunting next year. I'm looking into my options on how to retrieve the duck. I'll either get a canoe or a dog but right now I dont have the time or money to spend on getting and having a dog trained.

I was wondering if there is a place that I could rent a retrieval dog from? Know it is odd but I would prefer to work with a dog that way when I do get a dog of my own I will have an idea of what to do and expect.

ill rent you my pup for the low cost of you taking us on a hunt. LOL. Dogs are AWESOME! and like hunting once you get into Retriever Training you get HOOKED!

Before I had a pup, i used a telescoping fishing rod with a top water floating rapella lure and cut off the barbs. Cast over the downed duck and reel in. Still works great and is CHEAP. Bought the rod and reel from walmart for i think 19.99.

A Canoe is a one time fee with no training cost (well, if you tip it that cost a dry pair of pants).

A pup purchased as a little guy from a reputable trainer/breeder that starts from 400-$$$$$$$$

Started pup with basic obedience 800-2000k.

You can opt to train your own (which i did with the help of local pros). A lot of people opt this way and they dont regret it. Still have to do your reserach to make sure you get a healthy pup with a decent pedigree.

BUT there is nothing like the best friend your retriever will become, and there is NOTHING like watching the dog work. They love it and you will too!

Get a dog AND a Kayak

Thanks for the base costs of training a dog. I atleast now have an idea of what I'm looking at spending overall.

I see you are in Fort Worth. JC Strange of Cripple Creek Retrievers is just north in Decatur. He is a stand up guy and a great trainer for both handler and the dog.

He will answer your questions and may even have a dog for you to purchase.

Thanks for that info. Unfortunately I don't have the funds to purchase a dog but will hopefully be doing that sometime in the near future.

Also I will need the time to read up and research retrieval training cause I dont know some of the terms used on the forum.

One of the best resources for me was http://www.retrievertraining.net/forums/

GREAT info and decent people. Chris Atkinson runs the site. Great guy.

BTW- I couldnt afford a trained dog, bought a decent pup and did most myself. much much cheaper and wayyyyy more fun and fulfilling yhan buying.

A good pair of waders and a long extendable pole with a hook on it.

I have been considering doing that as well and would probably be the most likely choice I would make. Cause you're right about it being more fulfilling work.

My dog is the main reason I waterfowl, it's been addicting for over 40 years! I've trained all my duck dogs and they did a good job. My newest pup has made me want to get him to a higher level as far as a retriever. I joined Cowtown HRC and have learned a ton! Excellent group of amateurs and pros that are more than willing to lend a hand. I didn't plan on running him in any tests, but I did and what an addition to his and my retriever skills.
My vote would be to get a dog, he'll be your best buddy!

Best bet for getting a dog is to take someone who has a dog with you. Idk about everyone else but there's no way id send my dog out with anyone besides myself. Not to mention a dog you have never spent time with isn't going to obey you worth a crap. Really I would try to save up and get a dog for yourself. You don't have to spend 1000 dollars either. My white lab was almost 2000$ and my chocolate only 300, the chocolate is only 6 months old now and has close to 100 retrieves in the field already. She's going to be a machine when she gets older.

Yeah that thought never crossed my mind.

If you are short on funds, and have the time, HRC is a great way to go. HRC is one of those things you get out of it what you put into it. I would complement the HRC experience with some DVDs or books, I like DVDs myself. Get a retriever pup DVD and start out right, followed by good obedience DVD. You can do all this yourself with ease. The next stage is force fetch, and if you spend any money on a pro, this is where you want to do it, at least have a pro do the first few seasons and watch you do some sessions, that is what I did.

Don’t think you will be able to rent a dog. If you are not ready to buy one, find a hutting buddy that has one. You can find many on here especially if you know some spots with ducks, lol.

Nothing more rewarding than watching your dog work and perform in the field. They really do turn into your child, and every time you get a complement on how awesome he/she is, the feeling is just great. Get a pup, get the waterdog dvd, and work with him/her everyday for 15-20 min. You may not get a master trial dog, but 99% of the time your dog will be good enough to do anything you ask. Good luck!

Agreed!

I have a very good friend that my dog trust, let him take my dog hunting while I was out of town... Said he never do it again! He has seen my dog hunt with us for years and said it didn't have a clue how to get that dog to listen To his commands! Told me he tried to use the collar at 1st, thought Remi was going to attack him over that!! Lol...
Get a pup...if it's a pure lab it will hunt, read a book, YouTube, go to some workshops thru trainers. It's not as difficult as it sounds. Patients is key with persistence. If it's old enough to walk, it's old enough to learn, and they love to learn, working dog is a happy dog!

Do you have a place to hunt? I have decoys and a decent retrieving dog that just needs more duck action. However, he will fetch every duck from the water.

let me know

Obedient and well trained dogs don't fall from the sky. If they did everyone would have one. While the time and money requirements are never ending so are the rewards. It's kind of like having kids, you'll know when you're ready.

One last piece of advise. Educate yourself PRIOR to getting your dog. Your odds of success increase exponentially. All too often people do it backwards and then seem surprised when their new canine is a subpar performer or worse.