I have one question why?
By cross breeding you weaken a gene pool that has been developed for years. Each breed is used and bread for certain huntable characteristics. The Catahoula is used for other game more fur, while a Brittany is one of the versatile pointing breeds. Used on upland game aka birds. Can one dog do it all? Certainly but then I suggest looking for a pup that way rather than creating a mutt.
Sorry to disappoint but that is my suggestion.
Not to clear a few things up - I owned mutts and hunted mutts at an early age. They can hunt but with the variety of great breeds one can get now - I must ask why?
JW
Originally Posted by
Oldtimr
Hundreds of years of careful breeding of hunting dogs by people who care about making the breed the best it can be at the job it is meant for, only to be undone by someone who wonders what the result of breeding two different breeds that are meant for two different purposes . Ridiculous! Dog pounds and rescue organization are over run with mutts, go get one of them instead of creating more!
WHOA. Everybody has a good point. Dogs were bred for certain purposes. Some have been able to adapt to changing circumstances and some have not. Drahthaar's perhaps the most popular hunting dog in Germany, a nation who gave us many excellent dog breeds. Is not a "pure breed". Most countries have been crossing various breeds to come up with something that is useful for the way they themselves hunt. My own Lurcher is an example of this.
In the States we have been a little behind the ball on this Mainly because of the influence the AKC has.
I think like JW, for most applications a versatile dog is the best option. Some relate to a specific breed that specializes in a specific hunting style. They go to great lengths I believe to manufacture situations where their breed can be useful. This is fine but not for me. Our own hog hunters have been crossing curs and scent hounds for years to come up with useful hog dogs.
Lets not get caught up in our own beliefs and experiences so that we end up criticizing another hunters ways.
ATB