When to retire a bird dog

[wildweeds]

I have setters, they are like a Def Leppard song, some burn out before they fade away. Ive had several that were dead by 8 and half a dozen make it to 14 plus, those dogs were still hard chargers when I put em up as retired at 12/13, deafness and sight is what made them training day dogs. The sickest feeling you'll ever feel is losing one miles from the truck and not being able to find them. I got a telemetry system shortly after that event. Was long before a garmin was ever thought about. If there's a health type issue it's most likely time to get a youngster started .

[birddogdad]

I think you will find that the dog will tell you when they are at that point. if you change your roll, slow down, maybe breaks more, shorter trips ect. they really will stick with you till the end. Obstacles like hearing and sight may cause you to retire but, they want to be with you and you them so adapt and overcome. 

[Duckgtr]

My brother hunted our old chessie until she was about 13 or so. He'd take both dogs out and the young one would honor the older one and let her get the short easy retrieves on honkers. Once she wasn't able to pick up and hold the honkers in her mouth anymore she got left at home and would retrieve the birds from the hunt in the yard after he returned.