30 Nebraskaland • December 2021
W
ho doesn't want a puppy for Christmas? A hunting companion for the next
several years sounds really enticing to most hunters. But fi nding that right
puppy is not only challenging, it's also downright confusing.
The fi rst Lab I ever owned cost me $50 and came as a referral from a friend who
off ered to help me train her. I had no idea what I was getting into, but I was certain
that this was the dog for me. Call it dumb luck or my friend's persistence in helping
me train her, but Nikki was a great retriever and an even better companion. It might
have helped that I killed a lot of birds over her, but either way, it taught me a lot
about fi nding the right fi t in gun dogs.
Bloodlines Matter but Aren't a Deal Breaker
I can't tell you how many times an eager hunter bragged about the bloodlines
of the new puppy he was getting. Field trial champion, hunt test champion, HRC
champion ... you name it and I've heard it. But is that really important in choosing
the right puppy for you? I think the answer is both yes and no.
A Puppy
for the
Holidays
By Todd Mills
LEFT: From the runt to the
big bully of the bunch, each
puppy will come with diff erent
challenges. Choose one that fi ts
your personality.
JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND
ABOVE: Nothing is better than
watching a puppy nap among the
same decoys they'll be retrieving
over in a short matter of time.
JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND
