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Old 03-25-2019, 05:25 PM
  #5  
MudderChuck
Nontypical Buck
 
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Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Germany/Calif.
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It is really hard to get it all in one package. You may live your whole life and have multiple dogs and still not find the perfect pooch.

IMO the herding dogs come the closest. They almost by definition have to be good communicators with humans. Nose dominant is also a plus.

I had a Warmeraner that was good at hunting varied game. He was nose dominant, had a strong prey drive, was an excellent personal protection dog. He was kind of a bone head and some of his training was pretty intense. He pointed instinctively. And his nose was unbelievable, I mean superpower unbelievable. I watched him wake from a deep sleep and point a Fox at four hundred yards.

The best all around dog I ever had was a Black Mouth Cur female. If I was able to communicate what I wanted she'd try her darndest to give it to me. It was almost like telepathy. I taught her to point Rattlesnakes, IMO this was an indicator she could be taught anything.

Instead of trying to turn my dog into what I want it to be, I watch closely, learn it's strong points and modify my hunting to fit its talents. Example, I have a Plummer Terrier I take Pheasant hunting. I keep him on a leash until I get close to a likely spot and then turn him loose to flush. He is really good at finding the stay at home Pheasants that refuse to flush and play hide and seak in the hedgerows. I almost always shoot more birds than anybody else. Some Pheasnat flush far away before a pointer can get anywhere near them. Some are textbook and the pointers fix them. Just as many or more hide in the thick bush where the larger dogs can't go and creep through the underbrush, this is where my Terrier excels.

Last edited by MudderChuck; 03-25-2019 at 05:36 PM.
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