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"Should I breed my female?" Please see Frequently Asked Questions for things to consider.
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Here at Topper-Lyn Kennels, we occasionally offer, “started Dogs”. We feel it is very important that a perspective buyer of such a dog understand exactly what purchasing a started dog entails. These are not merely dogs that we were not able to sell and are now too old to be sold as puppies. These are dogs that we found to be excellent prospects for ourselves and have chosen to keep for further evaluation. We maintain a limited breeding stock to allow us to produce top quality dogs that will excel in both field and show ring. Not every dog is going to fit into our program, but that does not make him or her a “bad” dog. We are not simply unloading dogs that do not perform. We stand behind every dog that comes out of our kennel, and consider each dog to be a reflection of our standards as breeders. If a dog were to not be a good hunting prospect, that dog would be sold as a pet to someone looking for a family companion, not as a started dog.
Started dogs are generally, but not always, for the more avid hunter, someone who is looking toward aggressively hunting their dog and may not have the time to invest in training a dog to that level. This brings up the next point: TIME. It is important to bear in mind that we also have neither the time nor inclination to put forth the effort to train a puppy as a started dog if we do not truly believe in that dogs’ potential to be a great hunting dog. Anyone who has ever so much as house-trained a dog can attest to the hours and effort that can go into training a dog. Consider, then, the time it takes to produce consistent results from the most basic command: “Whoa.”
A started dog can take months to reach the level that we have set forth in our policies. The small-added investment of purchasing a started dog can easily be weighed against the cost of sending that dog to a trainer. First the puppy must be reared at home until he/she is at least six months old (or older). Starting a puppy too early can often do more harm than good. Younger puppies may not respond as well to formal training. They may become too dependent on the handler and then never really hunt independently. There is never a date set in stone to start a dog. Dogs determine that for themselves, and that is something that is best evaluated by an experienced handler or trainer. Beyond that, you then must do all of the house/kennel training yourself. Not to mention that while waiting for that golden moment that training can begin, the puppy must be fed and medical needs be taken care of. Adding all that together with the cost of a puppy, the cost of investing in a “started” dog doesn’t seem so unreasonable.
Purchasing a started dog does not mean that the training is over. It simply means that they have been introduced to and are able to demonstrate many of the key points that make a good hunting dog. They may not be steady to wing and shot and they are not likely to do multiple retrieves or blind retrieves. They will however posses the foundation of a good hunting dog. They will whoa, come, kennel, be introduced to birds in the field and retrieving, and shot over, all of which will make the difference between an enjoyable, productive hunt and a day looking for a lost dog that has gone ahead to warn the birds that you are coming and they should head over the next hill.
We encourage everyone to be personally involved in training his or her own dog. The rewards of watching a dog that you have trained work a field and find the birds is immeasurable. Not everyone, though, has the time or facilities to train their dog to that level. For this reason, we will have available the occasional started dog. Remember that these are dogs taken from our own program and not leftovers, so the opportunities will be few and far between to find one of our started dogs.
If you decide that maybe a started dog is simply too large of an initial investment, we are always available to lend whatever advice we can to help you start your own dog, whether your dog came from our kennel or not.