Originally Posted by northernnewbie

Hello ladies and gents. I'm hoping to get some advice from experienced hunters.

I am new to hunting - extremely new. It's a pastime my friends have started to get involved in and I've caught the bug myself! However, we're currently differing on approaches. My friends prefer to hunt without the help of a dog, and that's something I'm interested in. Additionally, they also prefer to hunt big game, and my interests are moving more into rabbits and fowl like ducks.

Normally, this would be pretty straightforward, however I have a mild allergy to dog fur, so can't go with a traditional lab or spaniel. I was wondering if anyone here has ever had to deal with something similar to my situation, or if there are any recommendations anyone may have.

My current interest is in a Bedlington Terrier, but a cursory glance at Google hasn't turned up anyone seriously hunting them on rabbit, or really working them at all. Are they unsuitable for rabbit/fowl work? They seem pretty racy to me (they remind me of a whippet) so I thought it might be good for rabbit. I was also told some folks use poodles, but can't find many good examples of this - mostly just pictures of frou-frou dogs.

Any input or advice would be greatly appreciated! Additionally, if anyone knows of a guide for beginners to hunting I would also be very interested.