Besides being an excellent wetland and upland hunter, Remington competes in the field, and even tried Dock Dogs. Now this is what we're talkin' about.

 

Dog are happiest when they have a job to do. Based on that, we'd say that Remington is one of the happiest dogs on earth. Russell has done all of the training himself, so he must be very happy too.

   

The system starts out with stainless steel pails and bowls that cleverly attach to a fence, wall, post or crate using a yoke (bowls) or mounting block (pails) and what Kennel Gear refers to as their Piranha Lox Secure Locking System.  These are stainless steel as well. The bowl or pail can easily be placed into or removed from the kennel bar mount by simply flipping the paw proof lever of the Piranha Lox system. 

What’s really nice is that all kennel bar mounts accept both the bowls and pails.  This is particularly useful when exchanging the feed bowl in the morning with a fresh water pail for the rest of the day.  And if you have it mounted high enough you won't have to worry about your male dogs lifting their legs into their water.

We like that the bowls and pails unlock easily with the flick of a tab and can be washed and sanitized. And you don't have your bowls and pails being beaten around the kennel floor, coming in contact with all that is disgusting.

We also like that there are several different attachment methods to fit your particular situation. 

The kennel bar mount comes standard with either the bowls or pails can be attached using a simple hand tightened plate style system.  This will work on most crate style dog transporters, most divider bars in your vehicle, and outdoor kennels that are not made of chain link fence. 

For a chain link fence, they offer a mounting plate accessory which gives you a nice, secure attachment.

For mounting to a pipe they offer a vertical post mount assembly that attaches to a post up to 1¼” in diameter.

And finally, for those who have left bowl after bowl along the side of the road while hunting or traveling,  they've come up with a  2” x 2” steel tube for a 2” receiver hitch on the back of you truck or SUV.  So no more leaving your good dishes along side the road or in a parking lot.

Sometimes something new comes along that not only is very cool but also serves an important function. That is exactly what Kennel Gear provides. This system keeps your feed bowls and water pails up and off of the floor of the kennel or crate, eliminating your dog's desire to use them as toys, banging them around the kennel for fun and entertainment.

Check them out at DOGSUnlimited.com or give us a call at 800/338-DOGS (3647).

Is it a certain age? Is it a certain point of your dog's training? Is it only to accomplish certain things?

There are lots of folks out there that can benefit by your experience. Let us (and them) know what
you've experienced. Don't be forget to include stories of times when things went wrong. Those are
possibly the most helpful lessons.

Click on "Comment" below.

 
Saturday was a sad day for everyone at Dogs Unlimited.  One of our office dogs, FC/AFC Davison's Orion on the Rise MH, call name Reko, had to be put to sleep after a long bout with a tumor that affected his nervous system.  From an early age Reko was stylish on point; pointing with intensity the fluttering of a pheasant wing dangling from the end of an old fishing pole.  We had high hopes for Reko but during his early formal training it appeared that he just wanted to play with his bracemate.  After much soul searching and conversations with our pro handler Tim Hidalgo about Reko's potential as a field trial prospect we decided to continue on with his formal training.

The light came on for Reko during the breaking process and he became as biddable as any dog could hope to be.  It seems that all he really wanted to do was to have a job and please his trainer and for Reko that job became finding and pointing birds.  Many of his placements came because of his long nose and incredible style on point.  When birds were tough to find Reko always found more.

As a field trial competitor, Reko was an absolute pleasure to watch.  Though not the biggest running Weimaraner around he was a classic horseback handling gun dog.  Always to the front, searching all available cover for his elusive quarry.  During his field trialing career Reko became a Field Champion, Amateur Field Champion and a Master Hunter.  He earned many placements in all breed stakes including a number of 1st placements along the way.  At the Weimaraner National Championships Reko earned placements in the National Championship and the National Amateur Championship including a 2nd Place in the National Championship the same year that his father, NAFC/FC Robynski Deaugh Davison, received a 4th Place in the same event.  That was a very good trial.

Reko also earned a 4th Place placement at the AKC Gun Dog Championships held at Branched Oaks just outside of Lincoln, Nebraska while competing in the Retrieving Stake against some of the best dogs in the country.  The retrieving stake is a shoot on course stake consisting of two series in which the dogs have to retrieve in each series.  Making it to the second series is an accomplishment in and of itself, finishing in the top four is just fantastic.

When Reko was not on the field trial circuit trying his hardest to beat the best he was in the fields of Colorado and Kansas with me, Eric Cook and the Colorado Chapter of the FOA hunting for the elusive pheasant.  He was a pleasure to watch in the field because all he wanted to do was please and that meant finding and pointing birds.  A many a pheasant ended up on the dinner plate because of Reko.

During his later years Reko was our office dog along with another one of our Weimaraners, Raja.  Each of them slept by the main entrance making sure that everyone who entered was on the up and up and of course treats would help with that concensus.

Reko taught me to be a better handler, a better hunter and a better person.  Reko had absolute unconditional love for everyone and every day was a good day for him even up until Saturday.  Everyone at Dogs Unlimited will miss Reko, I will miss him more.

John from Wisconsin sent us this picture of his dog, Belle, and her new pups. He writes:
"I raised my litter in the heated whelping dish from Dogs U.  Absolutely one of the best dog products I've ever purchased."



To see the Whelping Nest, click HERE.
For a related article, go to March 2007 archive.

Everybody's doing it.

Get yours HERE.

 

 

Send us a picture at orderdesk@DOGSUnlimited.com! Don't forget to include your Good Dog!

 

It's everything you wish for in a training vest, and everything you need in a hunting vest - all rolled into one!

Click here for more details!

The new 2008 Big Book will be on its way to your mailbox in mid-January. Click here if you don't receive one!

The new DOGS Unlimited 2007 Big Book catalog is here!

It's sixty-eight pages of your favorite gear, new products, and big, bold pictures of Dog Oriented Gear for Sportsmen and Women.

Check out all the possibilities of our Custom Shop, plus TWELVE pages of E-Collars and Beeper Collars, some amazing things for your home from the Hunter at Home, and even jackets, chaps, and duffel bags, and MUCH MUCH MORE!

To get yours, call us at 800.338.DOGS(3647) or click HERE

Welcome to the DOGS Unlimited Blog!

While this is a new media, this is not entirely a foreign function for me. Before I discovered bird dogs I trained as a journalist and worked in that field – on paper. In fact, I first set type from a California Job Case while still in high school. Later offset printing eliminated the need for lead type. Next documents were prepared on computers for publication on paper. Now I move on to preparation on computer for display on the web.

Like a new publication just where and how it will grow is unknown at this moment. If it is to grow, it must serve its readers. Their “feedback” will provide direction. This might become a collection of articles on how to train and develop dogs for field work. It might be a vehicle for civilized exchange of opinion. It might become a reliable source for information. It might do all of this and more.

This introduction is my first posting, so it is a beginning for me. I am hoping this “first step” is but a beginning of a long and interesting journey. With my horizons open, I see the only limitation at this point is that this is a site for dogs which function afield. Pointing, retrieving and flushing breeds are all candidates for this site. Might we touch on related topics like guns, where to go to hunt, equipment of interest to hunters is entirely possible. On the other hand, we do not want the “focus” of the site to be lost so we will likely avoid fishing, auto racing and other topics unrelated to bird hunting or water fowling. We will also screen out “advertising” since that will distract from information and discussion.

While the site is new, I am not. I was “into” bird dogs before NAVHDA and NSTRA were founded. I originally sold leather collars painted with orange to make them more visible. Bill Brown was editor of American Field and Henry P. Davis was still writing and judging. Some of the issues that were discussed over coffee then are still being discussed now – and may be topics for discussion for many years to come.

It has been my observation that many who take up this bird hunting sport are involved for the rest of their lives. It does not get “old” or lose its luster. Even when the “learning curve” is mostly accomplished, there is the appreciation that there is more. Every young dog brings something new. At the beginning of each hunt, there is anticipation that this one will be special. And for those who get involved with the breeding of dogs, they now look to see how progeny do afield; are they better than their parents? What characteristics do they display?

Technology has changed the sport some. We have electronic collars. We have dog locaters. New studies of animal behavior have lead to new training techniques. Nutrition for dogs is better understood and resulted in improved rations. This has led to better performance over a longer life span in many cases.

That said, bird hunting is still a sport of tradition and many of the practices of 200 years ago are still in place. There are many who like traditional double guns,.traditional clothing and want the dogs to hunt in a “traditional” way. They enjoy reading the classic sporting books and may even display classic sporting art in their office or den.

There are events held nationwide so competitors can see who has the best dog. There are more different kinds of venues today than ever. There are also non-competitive events available so hunters can get together, help each other, exchange ideas and, hopefully, come away with better dogs. Not every hunter takes advantage of this. Many still seek the peace of field, forest and lake reveling in nature with their dog. For them the “competition” is their teamwork against meeting their quarry in their native habitat. Through all of this diversity, the dog is a pliant partner. He will share your joy on “shooting a double” in the grouse woods. He will feel your exhilaration when you are handed a blue ribbon. And he will know his world is o.k. when you put down that food pan in the evening.

A lot of this is about me. That will change. Oh, I'll be here. I'll still be hunting. I'll still be making some events. I'm still cleaning kennels and putting down food pans. But this is not MY blog; it's yours. Let me hear from you. You can email me at: blog@dogsunlimited.com