Working in the desert...

[milkmaid]

Out rounding up cows yesterday on the desert, lot of cactus out there and I probably spent a half hour working over my pup afterwards and picking cactus out of his paws. What do the rest of you do in that type of country? will he eventually learn to be more careful, or do you use booties like the sled dog folks do, or just leave the dogs at home, or...?

Thanks-

 

[dun]

If the dog is worth it's salt it will never learn to be carefull, it will go where it needs to and do what needs doing. I carried a small pair of pliers in my pocket at all times.

 

[Howdyjabo]

Posted your question on a cowdog forum- heres the reply

"After a few trips the pups will get used to it and figure how to stay out of it for the most part." WC

 

[SRBeef]

I have no experience with dogs but remember pulling cactus spines out of myself from military training out there.

Beautiful, even gorgeous picture of that country. Bringing them in from summer pasture?

Thanks for the picture. Hope your dog is ok.

Jim

 

[fargus]

They will learn, and get more careful. But as dun said, if they need to go somewhere, if the dog is a good one he's gonna go there. We've pulled hawthorn thorns out of most of our dogs at different times. They do learn, but I'd never count on them not picking some up. I wouldn't even think of leaving ours at home.... we'd never get cattle in! The dogs love their jobs too much anyways; if I could ask them what their choice would be I already know the answer.

 

[Howdyjabo]

Another one

i'm with WC they will learn
but the BC's catch more cactus than dogs with slick tight feet and they tend to get sore faster also
i am not against using boots on a dog if i have to but i don't like them as the dog loses alot of traction and it sure gives the cow an advantage
later
jerry

 

[milkmaid]

Beautiful, even gorgeous picture of that country. Bringing them in from summer pasture?

Thanks for the picture. Hope your dog is ok.

Jim

Thanks - we were weaning, trucked the calves back to the ranch; we'll bring the cows back in December. They still have feed out there. Pup is doing good today, was pretty sore that night but I think I finally found the last few offending cactus spines.

Howdyjabo - thanks for crossposting. On a side note, what cowdog forum?

Thanks for the input, y'all. Sure felt badly for the pup when I saw how sore he was at the end of the day. At least I don't think we'll have to work out in that pasture again for awhile, next big job will probably be trailing cows home in the snow.

 

[Howdyjabo]

http://www.miklescowdogs.net/forum/category-view.asp

 

[dun]

Something to remember. Cactus spines have little barbs on them so they aren;t smooth, that makes them painfull to remove and frequently a small pice of tissue will be attached. The barbs will migrate through soft tissue as the tissue flexs. If your lucky it will stop when it hits something hard (like my knee cap), but it and also change angles and keep walking it's way through the tissue.

 

[hillsdown]

I would get your beautiful and very smart pup some booties that protect his feet, a lot of bird dog owners use them and they are well worth the price.

 

[3waycross]

I always boot my hunting dog if there are sand burrs present. They will cripple a dog on the spot. They make them with vibram soles. Now. No loss of traction there

 

[TexasBred]

I always boot my hunting dog if there are sand burrs present. They will cripple a dog on the spot. They make them with vibram soles. Now. No loss of traction there

A birdog wearing "wolverines" huh?? :cowboy:

 

[3waycross]

I always boot my hunting dog if there are sand burrs present. They will cripple a dog on the spot. They make them with vibram soles. Now. No loss of traction there

A birdog wearing "wolverines" huh?? :cowboy:

Yes :lol2: But she sure does hate them. She runs with her feet real high for the first 15 min or until a bird gets up. I wish I had booted her on this last trip to SD she was awful sore by the 4th day.

 

[dun]

I always boot my hunting dog if there are sand burrs present. They will cripple a dog on the spot. They make them with vibram soles. Now. No loss of traction there

A birdog wearing "wolverines" huh?? :cowboy:

Yes :lol2: But she sure does hate them. She runs with her feet real high for the first 15 min or until a bird gets up. I wish I had booted her on this last trip to SD she was awful sore by the 4th day.

That was pretty much my results with them, except she tore them off and shredded them.