Why One Hunting Dog Isn't Enough

Do you ever stop and look around your house, and think, 'blimey, I have a lot of dogs?' It's alright. Upland hunters and wildfowlers are always acquiring more. We need more shotguns, more cartridges to fire through them, more floating decoys, more field decoys. Boats, motors, leases, land access … more, more, more. So, it shouldn't be surprising that when we buy one gun dog, we soon fancy another. The worst thing that can happen to a hunter's wallet is to have a pointer or retriever that turns out to be an absolute star, because then, of course, we have to buy another. With that in mind, we asked some of the most dog-obsessed hunters and trainers we know why, exactly, they keep acquiring dogs.

Drew Palmer is a former college pitcher turned waterfowl media man and Kansas duck guide. The ex-fast bowler has a four-year-old black Lab—his main bird dog—and has just picked up a 10-week-old German wirehaired pointer he can barely let in the door at his parents' house for fear she will eat everything in sight.

"The best thing about watching a young dog grow is seeing them pick up new skills every time they're in the field," says Palmer. "They're just like athletes… some days they're great and some days they're not. But, seeing them work and have the desire to hunt hard is very cool to see. It adds another dimension to any hunt that I go on, watching them do what they love."

You probably know the name Tom Dokken. The renowned trainer, who divides his time between South Dakota and Minnesota, has raised quite a few pups in his time. You won't find a more committed dog enthusiast. Tom adores his dogs to such an extent that even when they pass away, he cremates them and places the ashes inside a duck decoy, so they continue to accompany him on hunts season after season. Tom and his wife Tina currently have young Labs, and there's always a plethora of dogs at the Dokken household.

"Having a new puppy signifies the start of a new chapter and fills me with anticipation for teaching and observing a novice evolve into a true hunting companion," Dokken remarked.

John Gordon probably treats his dogs better than people, which is rather difficult to do, because the Banded/Avery PR man is about the nicest chap you'll ever meet. A passionate snow goose hunter, John loves to shoot greenheads and quail… well, honestly anything with feathers or fur. But, he wants to do it with a dog by his side, which is no problem since he owns a Lab, Chessie, German shorthair, and a new golden retriever.

"I never planned on having so many dogs, but I'm not unhappy that I do," Gordon said. "And I love the diverse breeds; they all have distinct personalities. I'm a dog man to the core. I don't feel right without them."

Mark Atwater is a renowned photographer of gun dogs. He also owns a prestigious golden retriever, GRHRCH (6) Runs Creek's Be Ready for Yeti MH MNR QAA. The (6) signifies that Yeti has passed the UKC's Hunting Retriever Champion Grand six times. One more passing score at a Master National event, and he'll qualify for the hall of fame. The Atwaters have a total of five goldens, ranging from just over a year old to seven.

"Understanding the potential of a pup based on their ancestry or owning/being around great dogs and realising the potential of the progeny and then shaping that innate or inherent talent into a superb working and companion dog is an unparalleled experience," Atwater remarked. "Plus, puppy breath is incredibly addictive."