hunting/gun dogs

[Floorguy]

I was wondering who else here has a hunting/gun dog and what kind you have. I will be getting one the first part of next year a drahthaar. After loosing my first duck last year in a spot that should have been an easy spot to find one I was determined to get a dog that could hunt. One thing lead to another and I discovered drahts and decided to get one. As luck would have it there is only one registered breeder in Alaska I was able to get hooked up with him, his female will be heading to PA to be bred to the sire in December with pups if the breeding takes expected to be going home sometime in April. I am pretty excited it will be my first hunting dog. I have been to one of the hunt tests required for the dog to pass in order to be bred and what these dogs can do at 12-18 months if properly trained is impressive to say the least.

 

[Jlbmlb4]

I have a yellow lab. He is 64lbs of solid muscle, not your typical 90lb lab. Gun dogs are a blast. Mine is 3 this fall. I use him to hunt dove, duck, geese and pheasant. He is also a great running and kayaking buddy.I do hunt tests and it is a lot of fun to extend the season activity.

 

[Wapiti66]

I have a 4 year old black lab female. She is a great companion, running partner, pheasant dog, and dove dog so far. That's really all I have exposed her to.
She is also small, 50 lbs.

Helping scout elk.
View attachment 19092

Loves Boating
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Pheasants are her favorite.
View attachment 19093

 

[muleman]

I currently have a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon (WPG) and a German Shorthair Pointer (GSP). I have also had a brace of true Pointing Labs. I'd skip the Pointing Labs.

My family has also owned Irish and English Setters, GSP, hunting Cocker Spaniels. For your climate I think a German Wirehair or Drahthaar would be a good fit over a GSP or other short haired breed.

My only concern of a Drahtaar is that they can be too "sharp" in temperament for kids. I have seen both good and bad. I would want to see the sire and dam and also talk to owners of dogs from previous litters of that mating.

 

[Jason Snyder]

My GWP at 5 1/2 months.

He is now about 50 pounds of pure athleticism. Versatile dogs are very smart and it is a different process to train them. I used "Training the Versatile Dog" by Chuck Johnson, great book. You need to completely clear your mind of wanting to control everything the dog does while hunting. If you can't, then you are better of getting a lab.

Also, these dogs are different around kids, but as long as you understand that you'll be fine. My kids continually try to handle my GWP like they do my lab and it doesn't work. He's too smart.

 

[huntcurs]

I've got an Field Bred English Cocker Spaniel. Doesn't look much like the droopy eyed American version besides the long hair (which he gets shaved). I was not prepared for his energy levels lol. He never stops moving when he's around me. He's a fun little dog, but wish I had gone with something a little calmer.

 

[Bmcox86]

I have an almost 3 year old setter. Have probably killed over 200 birds over him. He a hunting machine and good with the baby.

 

[Frosty82]

You are in for some fun Floorguy! A good dog to hunt behind is awesome. Here is my buddy Scar, just turned 7 this spring. I don't think he likes our move to AK as much as I did. I don't get out bird hunting nearly as much as I did in ND.

 

[Floorguy]

I currently have a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon (WPG) and a German Shorthair Pointer (GSP). I have also had a brace of true Pointing Labs. I'd skip the Pointing Labs.

My family has also owned Irish and English Setters, GSP, hunting Cocker Spaniels. For your climate I think a German Wirehair or Drahthaar would be a good fit over a GSP or other short haired breed.

My only concern of a Drahtaar is that they can be too "sharp" in temperament for kids. I have seen both good and bad. I would want to see the sire and dam and also talk to owners of dogs from previous litters of that mating.

I have talked to the breeder and owner of the female, he was driving by and made a detour to meet me and my family. We hung out for two ours talking hunting and his dogs. His two drahts were better behaved and good around my kids than any other dog they have been around. My 5 year old daughter walked of with the breeders girlfriend and one draht had it heeling and retrieving bumpers. Their dogs have haven't had any thing more than casual interaction with kids. The sire of this litter is the sire of one of the litter that the dog my daughter was with came from.

I am trying to figure out where the kid sharpness warning comes from. Its not the first time I have heard it and it has never come from a draht owner.

Jason - the desire for the dog to "think for itself" is part of what made me choose the draht. I went to some NAVHDA training classes and just watched and had seen some labs training also. Not that I don't like labs I was looking for something with fur drive as well.

Here is a pic. The mother to be is on the left the one on the right is the daughter of the sire to be. The sire is Santo com Hohenfeld.

 

[husky390]

I have a 13 year old chocolate lab who now just hunts for treats, but in her prime would do anything I asked her to do. I also have a GSP that we got as a rescue and it's been a learning experience. She's gun shy but point and flush birds. I'm hoping to use her for grouse hunting with my bow sometime. When my lab passes, we'll probably get another rescue (either a GSP or Lab) as we currently rent and I don't want to go through puppyhood in a rental.

 

[Travis Bertrand]

My Brittany is 8. She's been a great dog. Has her health issues though.

 

[muleman]

I am trying to figure out where the kid sharpness warning comes from. Its not the first time I have heard it and it has never come from a draht owner.

I used to do a lot of NAVHDA training. In my chapter GWP/Drahts are popular. I have seen some very nice dogs and wouldn't hesitate getting one. Outside of NAVHDA I have seen some uber aggressive (sharp) Drahts. My belief is that some breeders want sharp dogs to help them do well in the Draht testing. Thus the reason to check out the breeder and other litters.

Any dog can have problems. I sold, with full disclosure, a very aggressive GSP. This dog was a gentle as can be with people but never met a dog he didn't want to fight.

Speaking of fur drive, a NAVHDA friend of mine's GWP had so much fur drive he always was trying to track and take out my hairy WPG. After a few weeks of training together we figured this out and couldn't run those two dogs together anymore.

 

[Floorguy]

I used to do a lot of NAVHDA training. In my chapter Drahts are popular. I have seen some very nice dogs and wouldn't hesitate getting one. Outside of NAVHDA I have seen some uber aggressive (sharp) Drahts. My belief is that some breeders want sharp dogs to help them do well in the Draht testing. Thus the reason to check out the breeder and other litters.

Any dog can have problems. I sold, with full disclosure, a very aggressive GSP. This dog was a gentle as can be with people but never met a dog he didn't want to fight.

Speaking of fur drive, a NAVHDA friend of mine's Draht had so much fur drive he always was trying to track and take out my hairy WPG. After a few weeks of training together we figured this out and couldn't run those two dogs together anymore.

Interesting, not sure why they would want a sharp draht particularly if planning to breed. As any sharpness towards humans at all is a test fail and will DQ the dog from being able to breed in the VDD system. Not saying it doesn't happen it is just strange.

Fortunately I have had a chance to meet the breeder and the female as well as one from the sires past litter. This stud has been fairly popular and been used in a number of other breedings. My breeder knows the dog will be in a house with kids and will be having his friends kids and neighbor kids over to help socialize the pups to children.

Drhorsepower - my parents have Brittany's they are probably the only reason my wife will refuse to get a britany. One is a human vaccumm that could win a counter surfing competition consuming anything that is on the counter edible or not. They used mouse traps and he ate them.

Husky my wife isn't looking forward to the puppy part at all. After I put the deposit down for the pup she tried to add the stipulation that we replace the carpet on the ground floor with hard surface flooring.

 

[muleman]

Interesting, not sure why they would want a sharp draht particularly if planning to breed. As any sharpness towards humans at all is a test fail and will DQ the dog from being able to breed in the VDD system. Not saying it doesn't happen it is just strange.

Fortunately I have had a chance to meet the breeder and the female as well as one from the sires past litter. This stud has been fairly popular and been used in a number of other breedings. My breeder knows the dog will be in a house with kids and will be having his friends kids and neighbor kids over to help socialize the pups to children.

The aggression isn't intended for humans but sometimes that tight wire snaps.

Sounds like you have done your due diligence and have found a good fit. I'm egar to see pics of that first limit of Ptarmigan lined up in front of your pup.

 

[husky390]

Husky my wife isn't looking forward to the puppy part at all. After I put the deposit down for the pup she tried to add the stipulation that we replace the carpet on the ground floor with hard surface flooring.

Just promise her the hard surface flooring when puppyhood is over with.

 

[husky390]

Does anyone know of rescue sites for dogs that are not up to snuff for field trials but will work as hunting dogs?

 

[Forestryguy]

I have an 8yr old Chesapeake Retriever. He has had health problems since day one. But, that is due to the kid that had the parents did not know what he was doing with the littler and bad genetics, although bad hips are common in Chessies. He has a thyroid issue and is on medication daily. With all that he will do anything that I want him too, and is a great hunter. He has found birds that I were sure were lost, as long as I let him do his thing. Even when I can tell his hips hurt he still wants to go hunt. Best dog I have seen around kids, although they can be protective. He will let them, stranger kids, crawl all over him. When at home he lays by the chair or is following me around. Besides that I will argue that they are the true American working dog.

 

[Floorguy]

Just promise her the hard surface flooring when puppyhood is over with.

I told her I don't bring my work home with me and don't trust the workmanship of other installers.

Don't know of any rescue sites gun dog breeders.com has started dog listing though

Forestry guy sounds like your dog is awesome I won't be able to claim mine is anything american except bred the mother of mines parents were both imports and the sire is an import

 

[Snowcrest6]

Simon, 96# of solid muscle, and only 15 months old. This is his first year hunting, doing pretty well.

 

[hobbes]

I've got an 8 1/2 month old Griffon. She is my first Griffon. Definitely different than my previous labs. I haven't bird hunted for almost 20 years and that was with a setter. The Griffon is a whole new experience. She is a great family dog.