I am in college right now, but once I move off campus next year, I would love to buy a dog to have with me. I am looking for one to mostly be part of a family, but that could track deer if needed. I love black labs and was curious if they would be sufficient for what I am looking for. Also, are labs okay inside for a while, or would I be better off having a fenced in backyard for the dog.

Finally, what am I looking at spending on a dog? How much do yall spend on the pup and then on its food per year?

Thanks,
bass

A Lab could be taught to blood trail, but there would be a lot of dogs that would do it much better.
Regardless of the breed, Hunting Dogs need both outdoor and indoor time.

The original cost of a dog is the least of your total expenses. At the end of 12 years, the $800 dog has only cost you 1 - 1/2 cents a day more than the $250 dog.

As for cost of food, that depends on how much the dog eats (breed specific) and the quality of the food.
I feed my dog Eagle Pack Performance food. I feed him 1.5 cups twice a day. It costs about $1.00 a pound. 40 pounds lasts him over a month.


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Thinking about your post.................... It seems you are concerned about the financial side of owning a dog.
I applaud you for that. I've been a dog owning college student myself (many years ago).
If you are concerned about the financial side of dog ownership, then I would suggest that you not get a dog. Unexpected expensies can kill ya.


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I am concerned about the financial side, but I think I might be able to work that out by working a little more during the school year and my grandparents might be willing to help out a bit, or even my roommates if we went in on it together.

what dogs are best for blood trailing?

Thanks for the help Doc E

Not being a Houndsman, I really don't know, but I'm guessing any of the Hound breeds................All I know is that Labs have great noses and can track -- but that there are a lot of dogs who can do it better.

Labs are called Labrador Retrievers or Pointing Labradors for a reason and that reason isn't tracking.


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Costs of owning a dog?
Costs of owning a horse?
The simplest answer is to dig a hole and take as much money as you have, put it in the hole, set it on fire.
The initial cost of any animal is cheap compairedto what it costs in the long run.
Kennel $200
Pad for kennel $350
Roof for Kennel $275
House $45
Kennel Crate $60
Bowl, Bucket, Hose, snap hooks, misc. kennel supplies $120
Set up total $775
Feed (adv. dog food) $28 per month (best dog feed )$54per month
heart-wormer and de-wormer $8 per month
flea-tick meds$12 per month
Vet bill every-year (if nothing happens) $78
Kennel Maint. per year $225
vacation someone to feed your dog or bording $100
total Yr Costs $643.00
Life span 15yrs
total costs over $10k

ya buddy, that is a lot of money...but i am assuming well worth it with the companionship you can get from a dog.

Very true. At the end of 12 years, an $800 dog costs less than 2 cents a day more than a $200 dog............Sometimes the "cheap" dog ends up being the most expensive, because of Health Expenses.


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A lab can trail, but they dont pick it up as naturally as a beagle or a deer hound. You will have to teach a lab to trail, a beagle will let you train him, but they already know how to trail, and will do so.

I would suggest a Beagle for you, they make great family pets, and are small enough for the house, and are excellent recovery dogs.

I have had both beagles and labs that I used for trailing, beagles are more instinctive trailers, labs are retrievers.

Below is a lab that I use to trail occasionally,Labs are best suited outdoors in a fence, they are destructive as hell for the first 2 years... Chew on everything. Plus they shed like crazy. But they do make a great pet/hunting dog.