Training A dog
 

I've been bird hunting for about 4 years now and I've decided to by a dog and train it myself. So far i have just been reading books about it, but I was just wondering if some dogs are easier to train then others? If so what should I get for a dog? I will be hunting ruffed grouse in Maine.

RE: Training A dog
 

I really think this question is a matter of opinion, but I have pheasant and quailhunted in Indiana with many different dogs from Labs, German Shorthaired Pointers, Brittany Spaniel, English Pointer, and Wiemaraner. My favorite is German Shorthaird Pointer because they don't get tired easy and they are very well minded from the start. I trained my GSP as soon as I got her at 7 weeks old. She is a realy smart dog but it takes alot of time and patience with any dog.Brittany Spaniel is my next in line for the same reason but cleaning briars and burs out of their hair is no fun. Overal out of all the dogs I have hunted with I think that the dog is only as smart as the person training it.

RE: Training A dog
 

yea lol but there worth it

its gets old quick

RE: Training A dog
 

Although lots of breeds can do well with Grouse, the true specialist is the English Setter.



.

RE: Training A dog
 

as you see,we all have our favorites..mine is LONG LEGGED SMALL LAB..they train easy, dont run away,they hunt close to you,dont chase deer,briars dont stick in hair, feet are strong ,they can swim, they can handle themselves against other dogs and animals,good nose,good in home..

they are not great at all hunting but handle all better than other dogs..gsp is another one i like..it weather is bad or swamp water,high grass etc..those other dogs have a hardtime..i seen many a dog walking behind owner in 50 years do to high grass ,snow, water, swamps, rain, wind..

lab oe gsp are 1 tough all around dog..my favorite in 50 years to do it all,not great but good is the long legged smalllab.. PS,if you can get a POINTING LAB,OH my what a dog you would have..

RE: Training A dog
 

Sproulman,

I have a Pointing Lab -- Long Legs, but also a pretty big fella (82 to 86 lbs).
We bag large numbers of Grouse -- also hunt pheasants, quail, ducks, geese and rabbits.
We harvested 132 birds last year (some of all of the species mentioned). We took 33 grouse this season in just 6 weekends of hunting.......................But, if all I was going to hunt were Grouse and Quail, I'd choose an ES.



.

RE: Training A dog
 

doc, i was over at warriorsmark for trails on labs..they had many MALES that looked real small to me which is GREAT..

i asked the owners what the weight was of each i talked to,most were 80 pds..thats just right,so i dont think yours is to heavy..

big labs ,90 and up get wore out easy on upland from what i saw..they shined on water trails but were awful on upland..those small long legged labs, they were something to see..

i saw many females that went 55 to 65 pds,boy, they looked real small..

i also agree on english setter on grouse..

most dogs i see hunting here for grouse are those BRITTANYS..they almost look like beagles..

does your lab point and you shoot or does he FLUSH on grouse..all labs we hunted behind for grouse FLUSH and pheasants too..

grouse here in pa after the leaves drop are one hard bird to hit..they flush way before you even get into sniper range..i have to use 12 ga,full choke,2 and 3/4 high brass,no 6s..you get only 2 seconds to fire, thats it..

lots of fun if you find birds..here is our club..www.warriorsmark.com

RE: Training A dog
 

He points -- then depending on the situation either I flush or have him flush on command. He points all upland birds -- and again, depending on the situation, either I or he will make the flush.



.

RE: Training A dog
 

They use alot of different dogs up here for grouse and woodcock.
Some use Brittany, GSP, English Setter, and what ever else you can think of. I have even seen little Cocker Spaniels hunting grouse. My self I like the Irish Setter, so it is more of a matter of choice. Over the years there has been a quite a few bird dogs killed by coyotes up here. So sometimes big can be better to use. But, whatever you decide on good luck to you.

RE: Training A dog
 

thats something to see, lab pointing.. do you think a pointing lab isas good on grouse as the english setters you rec.?i was out today, ticks are terrible..as i was driving home i pulled 6 off my friends lab..

we had 6 grouse flushes and i got 1,only one thati was able to see to shoot..that brush is awful thick yet,i was using 7 and 1/2 ,low brass 1 and 1/8 shot dove loads..i had 5 woodcock that i could have shot but i cant see killing them..they were good training for our young dog,he flushed them over and over, then i shot over woodcocks head..

great day,but those ticks are terrible..we pulled 12 ticks off his dog after we got home..

RE: Training A dog
 

I will not cut down a lab after owning one for 17 years. Shortly after her 17th birthday we had to put her to sleep, due to her health.( not many live that long ) She had a great nose, but, not as active as the setters are. The setters cover more ground quicker and uses the ground and air to scent by. My flushing setter will put up fourteen to eighteen birds in one hour on an average bird year. She is a great locator for my pointing setter. I like taking her out the day before I use my pointing one. They are both very fast and have no problem finding birds. IMO setters are tops for grouse and woodcock and I preffer the Irish over the English though both are good dogs as well as the gordons.

RE: Training A dog
 

why do you prefer the irish setter over english?i watched the english setter this week hunting grouse..i was invited to go, so i thought, what the heck..

i agree ,that es covered more ground quick..the only problem i saw was the es flushed bird to far out to get shot at it..but thats not dogs fault,our grouse here in pa. after leaves drop are one h of bird to hunt..

the labs we used always seeme to hunt real close to you,like 20 yds max..we get better shots at grouse with lab BUT they dont point,they flush bird..

i know if lab pointed it may help get few more grouse..

i agree on nose on es /is..sometimes i see lab going by a bird,but then other times they impress the heck out of me on their nose..

i agree with you, those dogs cover more area and faster but the only problem i see is they hunt to far out in front of you..

i have friend that runs preserve here in pa..he uses thos lewliilen setters..also he uses labs..he told me that setters will flush about 7 birds to 3 for lab..he said its something to do with breed, like es is bird dog and lab is retriever..

RE: Training A dog
 

I preffer the Irish over the English be cause of their style. I also have 2 children home and they play nicely with them. They can be hard to handle at times if not given the time to run some of the energy off. But, once you do you can not find a better dog any where in my opion. The Irish has in its history the ability to get between kids and trouble. When hunting they look more like they are playing until they start senting birds and then it is all business. My female, as stated before, is a flusher although she will point onagain and off again. I am still trying to work with her on this. My male is a pointer and I can let them run out big or bring them in close. But, which ever I choose they are always on the go, and I have no fear of chasing around looking. They always seem to know where you are and when called come running back in to you. Their "devil may care attitude" makes them a great bird dog. I do not hunt for waterfowl but, in the Irish's history they can do well at this as well. This is how I see the Irish as a dog wanting to make it's owner happy and if trained right they can do just that.

RE: Training A dog
 

isnt it funny that we all have the dog we like even tho they may not be best type of dog for what we hunt..

other things like you said, dog gets along with kids etc..i think at times most of us enjoy the type of dog we have more than how many birds they will get..i know i am like that..

i still feel the more time a dog gets to hunt say grouse/pheasant,better hunter they will be no matter what type of dog..

what i see as BEST dog is one that is not afraid or can enter into the thick briars ..i see many dogs that will not go into that stuff..this is why our vice president of our beagle club has shot more pheasants than most pheasant hunters with best bird dogs..he would have got more pheasants but he uses a .410 shotgun as he is hunting rabbits..

i seen him go behind bird hunters ,right behind them and flush up pheasants..he has beagles that go into that nasty stuff..

RE: Training A dog
 

sproulman, check this out and see what others that have hunted over the Irish say about the Irish as well. This is not where mine have come from as I had found this after I flew mine in.They state they are from the UK when in fact those are Irish lines. I believe it is more of a thing where Canada honors the Queen and does not except Ireland as a country so much. Although I am not sure of the logic.So please take a moment and check this out. Check the woodcock and grouse out as well as the type of dogs. You may be very surprised at these.

www.miramichiinn.com

RE: Training A dog
 

braveheart wallace kicked the brits arse so i can understand why canada does not except ireland..i have not seen many irish setters at all,most here use pointers or english setter..

it may be size and hair, i dont know..it seems that the irish setters i saw were real big dogs,most like dogs smaller,but what do i know, you do..

nice info to read..boy, the grouse here dont let a dog get that close and point after leaves are off..they flush 50 yds before dog even gets there..

my neighbor had 2 irish setters and did they have energy..when they got loose ,they ran like heck ..

i like that picture of irish pointing in river, ha..i was just out back and my dog put a raccoon up tree in dark..

thanks for info..