What do you think is the all around best sporting dog?
07-10-2011, 02:12 PM
#31
I agree with the post about "whatever dog makes you happy, and goes hunting with you".
Take my 3 yr old female mutt named Amber as an example:
She is awesome, and loves going small game hunting with me. Squirrels, rabbits, birds, ...you name it. She does it all.
My vet gave her a good lookover one time when she was a puppy, and jotted down her breed/lineage for me.
Primary Breed: Beagle (mix).
Mixed with: Foxhound.
Mixed with: German Shepherd.
Possibly mixed with: Cur dog or something else.
Intelligence - Shepherd.
Nose - Beagle.
Bark/howl - Beagle.
Coloring - Foxhound.
Face & ears - Cur dog.
She is an awesome hunting dog and loves the outdoors. She always stays within 50 yards of me and/or we always keep each other in sight. She hunts over there, and I hunt over here, and we work together as a team. One of us will tree a squirrel or flush out a rabbit. She may be a mutt, but I wouldn't trade her for anything!
Take my 3 yr old female mutt named Amber as an example:
She is awesome, and loves going small game hunting with me. Squirrels, rabbits, birds, ...you name it. She does it all.
My vet gave her a good lookover one time when she was a puppy, and jotted down her breed/lineage for me.
Primary Breed: Beagle (mix).
Mixed with: Foxhound.
Mixed with: German Shepherd.
Possibly mixed with: Cur dog or something else.
Intelligence - Shepherd.
Nose - Beagle.
Bark/howl - Beagle.
Coloring - Foxhound.
Face & ears - Cur dog.
She is an awesome hunting dog and loves the outdoors. She always stays within 50 yards of me and/or we always keep each other in sight. She hunts over there, and I hunt over here, and we work together as a team. One of us will tree a squirrel or flush out a rabbit. She may be a mutt, but I wouldn't trade her for anything!
07-10-2011, 05:11 PM
#32
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: PA.
Posts: 5,195
a DOG ,any dog that goes into woods and LOOKS for you and hunts out in front of you and stays with you at home same way off leash is PRIZE to own.
i have such dog in toby my black lab.
but any dog that can do that in my opinion is something that is rare.
i have such dog in toby my black lab.
but any dog that can do that in my opinion is something that is rare.
07-14-2011, 08:18 PM
#33
Spike
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Blaine, MN 55414
Posts: 3
Weimaraner for me, The breed is used for hunting pheasant, quail, grouse, and other upland game birds, and for waterfowl. Because of the lack of a thick, insulating coat, many people consider the Weim to be a poor choice for a duck dog, due to the extreme conditions a great deal of duck hunting is done, but in more moderate temperatures, they are excellent swimmers, and will retrieve to hand, in or out of the water. They are bred for intelligence and stamina, and are able to work all day in the field. They love to work and play, and have seemingly endless energy. When not working, they are part of the family, and expect to be included in everything that the family does.
10-26-2011, 09:36 AM
#34
Spike
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 4
Sproulman,
I appreciate the advice. I guess I should have said that I am familiar with many hunting dog characteristics since I have had a number. My last one was a very special Irish Setter. He was a good bird dog and loved the water but, as a watch dog........he would hold the flashlight for a burglar.
My real difficulty is not so much picking out a hunting dog for birds, but picking out a hunting dog which is protective and will find those downed deer during archery season. That, is what makes this a problem. Finding a hunting dog or a watch dog or a tracker is not hard. I looking for the dog that can do all of it. A gordian knot for sure.
I appreciate the advice. I guess I should have said that I am familiar with many hunting dog characteristics since I have had a number. My last one was a very special Irish Setter. He was a good bird dog and loved the water but, as a watch dog........he would hold the flashlight for a burglar.
My real difficulty is not so much picking out a hunting dog for birds, but picking out a hunting dog which is protective and will find those downed deer during archery season. That, is what makes this a problem. Finding a hunting dog or a watch dog or a tracker is not hard. I looking for the dog that can do all of it. A gordian knot for sure.
10-31-2011, 08:55 AM
#36
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New England
Posts: 811
Sproulman,
I appreciate the advice. I guess I should have said that I am familiar with many hunting dog characteristics since I have had a number. My last one was a very special Irish Setter. He was a good bird dog and loved the water but, as a watch dog........he would hold the flashlight for a burglar.
My real difficulty is not so much picking out a hunting dog for birds, but picking out a hunting dog which is protective and will find those downed deer during archery season. That, is what makes this a problem. Finding a hunting dog or a watch dog or a tracker is not hard. I looking for the dog that can do all of it. A gordian knot for sure.
I appreciate the advice. I guess I should have said that I am familiar with many hunting dog characteristics since I have had a number. My last one was a very special Irish Setter. He was a good bird dog and loved the water but, as a watch dog........he would hold the flashlight for a burglar.
My real difficulty is not so much picking out a hunting dog for birds, but picking out a hunting dog which is protective and will find those downed deer during archery season. That, is what makes this a problem. Finding a hunting dog or a watch dog or a tracker is not hard. I looking for the dog that can do all of it. A gordian knot for sure.
Deutsche Drahthaars
Pudelpointers
Deutchse Kurzhaars
Weimeraner
Stichelhaar
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
Bracco Italiano
and the list goes on. The DD has a huge presence here in North America and would be the first place I would go to, especially if you're looking for a dog that could double as a watchdog/guarddog. The group responsible for this breed in the US is the VDD/GNA (www.vdd-gna.org) This would be a great place to start.
Good luck
11-30-2011, 08:27 AM
#37
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 213
Gun dogs
Best IMHO is the English Springer Spaniel, American bloodlines.
Slightly taller at the whithers & bigger boned than direct English bloodlines. Field Springers are not the show variety found at Madison Square Garden.
Can withstand all day working the brambles and other tough hunts. I've had Springers that resented being pulled from the field even though their jowels, lips and eyelids were bloodied, their coat was brown from muck and they stunk to high-heaven!
Not everyone can hunt behind a Springer but I have not found a more trainable, affectionate, game dog for Pheasant and Grouse than the Springer.
Eve of opening day, first year for my first Springer. She watches me stow my gear in the corner of my shop in my house. Waders, vest, shells, her vest and bell. She comes over and sits on one corner of the waders next to the gun.
After I wake at 5AM and come downstairs, I find her still sitting on my waders next to the gun. She didn't move all night! Guess I wasn't leaving without her as far as SHE was concerned!
True that!
Slightly taller at the whithers & bigger boned than direct English bloodlines. Field Springers are not the show variety found at Madison Square Garden.
Can withstand all day working the brambles and other tough hunts. I've had Springers that resented being pulled from the field even though their jowels, lips and eyelids were bloodied, their coat was brown from muck and they stunk to high-heaven!
Not everyone can hunt behind a Springer but I have not found a more trainable, affectionate, game dog for Pheasant and Grouse than the Springer.
Eve of opening day, first year for my first Springer. She watches me stow my gear in the corner of my shop in my house. Waders, vest, shells, her vest and bell. She comes over and sits on one corner of the waders next to the gun.
After I wake at 5AM and come downstairs, I find her still sitting on my waders next to the gun. She didn't move all night! Guess I wasn't leaving without her as far as SHE was concerned!
True that!
11-30-2011, 09:10 AM
#38
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: PA.
Posts: 5,195
most know i like labs.but if i was looking for killing machine dog ,yes ENGLISH SPRINGER SPANIEL i would consider.
took me years to open my eyes to what i saw.
todays pheasants look for briars and hedgerows.
if you dont have dog that can go inside that stuff,ITS GOING TO BE HARD .
setters,labs,gsp CANT get into that stuff.their size is against them.toby my lab trys and does get inside on SOME of that stuff but most times, he cant.
springer is not great if it gets too far out in front .I SAW THAT A LOT THIS YEAR.pheasants flushed to far out.
this is where TOBY shined and i got phesant BUT after pressuree is on, birds dont sit in fields, they head to thick stuff with briars.
took me years to open my eyes to what i saw.
todays pheasants look for briars and hedgerows.
if you dont have dog that can go inside that stuff,ITS GOING TO BE HARD .
setters,labs,gsp CANT get into that stuff.their size is against them.toby my lab trys and does get inside on SOME of that stuff but most times, he cant.
springer is not great if it gets too far out in front .I SAW THAT A LOT THIS YEAR.pheasants flushed to far out.
this is where TOBY shined and i got phesant BUT after pressuree is on, birds dont sit in fields, they head to thick stuff with briars.
12-03-2011, 05:14 PM
#39
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Allegan, MI
Posts: 8,019
Best Dog
I have to agree with mustad. The DD is as good as it gets for an all around dog. Hercules (Herc for short) is my best buddy and will hunt anything on land or water. He is solid on point and will fetch on land or in the water. He is 8 and is out of the Moorehaus kennel in Georgia.
Last edited by Topgun 3006; 06-09-2015 at 07:28 PM.