Versatile hunting dog?

[KurtR]

I vote Draht. I live in Sd and hunt pheasants over 50 days per season have had labs, wirehairs and drahts. In the last two weeks my young draht has retrieved pheasants, geese, coon and a couple coyotes. Oh and he came back with a possum from his kennel break today too. They have a "shutoff" switch in the house to rival a lab and will truly hunt anything you ask it too with relish. A great lab is hard to beat but getting hard to find also where as a draht has a very high probability of being a hunting machine.

Right now there are more great lab litters hitting the ground than ever. Just don’t buy one from a back yard breeder and there is no problem. Wouldn’t be over 1200 dogs at master nationals if labs were getting worse and not better.

 

[MJB]

Jagdterriers

Pound per pound the biggest hunt drive.

Natural retrievers land or water, some of the best blood/scent trackers. Have a switch to go from hunt to family dog.
In Mexicali these dogs rule the pheasants in the ditches.
Mine will catch 1-2 birds before they can flush per season. Only the best dogs can do that.

I also hunt with a lot of GSP & Visalia, ducks and upland

The key to any good hunting dog is HUNT DRIVE the rest you can teach

 

[Zak406]

I have always had shorthairs they work great and are friendly dogs. They can be a handful in the house but mine are not to bad 99% or the time

 

[Moserkr]

Im referring to a chessie below, but mine was a mix. Not a breed for everyone, and will hunt everything. Would not match the speed of the german dogs, and they wouldnt last against a chessie in the freezing cold water. More lab like, but a very different dog. Best breed? I dunno. Versatile? Absolutely.

I had a chesador - unofficial breed - half lab, half chesapeake bay retriever. Nose like a bloodhound, he would even bawl in his sleep. Natural blind retriever with that nose, if his nose went down and tail up on a trail, i would let him go and he always brought that bird back. Bulldozer in the brush. Caught many roosters that were hiding who wouldnt flush. Would sit all day with icicles hanging off him in freezing weather just watching the sky for ducks and geese - chessies have a double coat and are oily so water repels - he was dry under the ice coat. Brought back everything and anything I shot. Also liked to chase deer naturally so I took him deer hunting (surprising legal in CA). We jumped one buck in some thick brush. But during pheasant hunting in SD he would flush deer constantly. Thought he was on a pheasant and told him to get it, got a face full of porcupine quills. Hunted the next day. Got bit by a rattlesnake on the leg. Was slower, but kept hunting, would not let us leave him in the truck. Hated skunks and took 3 times to learn to stay away. He went after turkey too. Would even “point” kinda, he would get so excited when on top of a bird that wouldnt flush he would freeze - that was always fun. Great with kids and was fascinated by the smell of babies. Lazy like a lab at home but lived to hunt. Thats the good.

The bad: hated all other male dogs, got into many scraps. Loved female dogs, til they told him off. Stubborn as all hell but he minded me after a while. Oily, a little smelly - wife hated it, I didnt mind it. Wouldnt play fetch on land, only in water, but retrieved all birds - never understood that. Slow and steady, not winning a speed race to the bird. But he went all day.

 

[Customweld]

Im referring to a chessie below, but mine was a mix. Not a breed for everyone, and will hunt everything. Would not match the speed of the german dogs, and they wouldnt last against a chessie in the freezing cold water. More lab like, but a very different dog. Best breed? I dunno. Versatile? Absolutely.

I had a chesador - unofficial breed - half lab, half chesapeake bay retriever. Nose like a bloodhound, he would even bawl in his sleep. Natural blind retriever with that nose, if his nose went down and tail up on a trail, i would let him go and he always brought that bird back. Bulldozer in the brush. Caught many roosters that were hiding who wouldnt flush. Would sit all day with icicles hanging off him in freezing weather just watching the sky for ducks and geese - chessies have a double coat and are oily so water repels - he was dry under the ice coat. Brought back everything and anything I shot. Also liked to chase deer naturally so I took him deer hunting (surprising legal in CA). We jumped one buck in some thick brush. But during pheasant hunting in SD he would flush deer constantly. Thought he was on a pheasant and told him to get it, got a face full of porcupine quills. Hunted the next day. Got bit by a rattlesnake on the leg. Was slower, but kept hunting, would not let us leave him in the truck. Hated skunks and took 3 times to learn to stay away. He went after turkey too. Would even “point” kinda, he would get so excited when on top of a bird that wouldnt flush he would freeze - that was always fun. Great with kids and was fascinated by the smell of babies. Lazy like a lab at home but lived to hunt. Thats the good.

The bad: hated all other male dogs, got into many scraps. Loved female dogs, til they told him off. Stubborn as all hell but he minded me after a while. Oily, a little smelly - wife hated it, I didnt mind it. Wouldnt play fetch on land, only in water, but retrieved all birds - never understood that. Slow and steady, not winning a speed race to the bird. But he went all day.

Chessies are an interesting dog. Most that I have been around have been 1 man dogs. I had a half chessie, half GSP. Man he was a handful!

 

[Sierra Hunter]

Been a Draht owner for 30 plus years. They are great dogs for all purposes but not for everyone as they can be a handful if they sense weakness.

They are all highly prey driven but the off switch varies, I purposely seek breeders that work on that as I am getting too old to keep up with a big runner.

Take your time, look at and hunt with as many breeds as you can and then make your decision.

In full disclosure, I love labs and Goldens but family has the same allergy issues which the Drahts solved.

I’ve considered DD for awhile but live in a warmer climate and prefer a bigger running dog. What’s been your experience with the breed in weather 60+ and a normal range?

 

[Moserkr]

Chessies are an interesting dog. Most that I have been around have been 1 man dogs. I had a half chessie, half GSP. Man he was a handful!

Cant imagine a chessie/gsp… That would be insane! But yes, very loyal, one man dog is about right. Mine only listened to me, and my dad when hunting. But if he knew someone was watching him that didnt know his tricks, he would disappear to go find girls lol. Forgot that in his younger days he was an escape trickster - not artist. Couldnt jump a 3’ fence and didnt dig. But would stand behind a tree or bush on a run and let you look for him, then sneak off once you thought he was gone. Stay out all night meeting the neighborhood girls and come back for breakfast like any blue balled youngster. He used one head a lot better than the other but loved to hunt, and that was our bond.

 

[Montana Slim]

I’ve considered DD for awhile but live in a warmer climate and prefer a bigger running dog. What’s been your experience with the breed in weather 60+ and a normal range?

I have had a DK and DD. The two I've had were like night and day in cold/warm weather... my DK would lay by the heater if it hit 40 outside - the draht will be tunneling and playing in the snow at 0. If it is over 65 though in the early season, the DD isn't hunting any long periods for upland.
DD definitely a closer working dog - but that all depends on breeding (which you can research...)
Awesome dogs - just be realistic about what/how you hunt vs what you want to do.

 

[Wrench]

My Drahthaars have rarely been over 80 yards away from me, 30-40 is typical if I'm not lazy. I've hunted with my FIL who would bring a English pointer and setter and rotate them out after 2 days, my dog would hunt at 85-90% pretty much forever. Mine don't care what the temp is. Ivy runs 7 miles a day if its minus 10 or 80....and if it's hunt time, they just do it till you call them off.

 

[Tod osier]

I keep hearing "prey drive" with the versatile breeds.... When I hear that my mind says "they will kill your neighbors cat" - am I wrong on that? If not that is another thing to consider if you don't' want to deal with that.

Disclaimer, I'm all for cats getting killed, but I'd prefer not have a dog that lives for it.

 

[fasttalker27]

One of the best dogs I ever hunted waterfowl with is a mixed breed lab and GSP. My buddy paid $10 for him. He is great in the field as well. It is funny to watch him during a goose hunt as sometimes he will stop and point a goose before picking it up!
Don’t discount a mixed breed.

 

[Zak406]

I keep hearing "prey drive" with the versatile breeds.... When I hear that my mind says "they will kill your neighbors cat" - am I wrong on that? If not that is another thing to consider if you don't' want to deal with that.

Disclaimer, I'm all for cats getting killed, but I'd prefer not have a dog that lives for it.

My gsp will chase cats and rabbits out of the yard. However they know the boundary and when to stop as they are not allowed to leave the yard. My female has killed a rabbit in the yard and would gladly kill a squirrel if she could figure out a way to get him. She’s been close but not close enough. They also kill every baby bird they can find but with 17 years of me owning gsp they have never killed a neighbors cat or dog

 

[grossklw]

I'll throw a wrench in it and suggest a golden. Mine is a predator in the uplands and duck blind when it's cold out, but has a great off switch when we're at home and turns into a big dope. I would think a lab or a golden would both fit your bill pretty well. I run 30 miles/week with mine all summer to keep him shape, I'll never buy anything else. I would think a drath or a GWP would do ok as well.

 

[Mosby]

A lot of dogs will hunt and retrieve birds. A kid I hunt with has a lab that gets his beer out of the fridge for him. Told him he should breed and train dogs solely for the purpose of getting beer out of the fridge. A dog that will hunt all day and get you a cold beer when you get home would sell quickly. He'd make a fortune.

 

[NDGuy]

Love my Vizsla but they aren't great in cold weather, thin skinned.

 

[Wrench]

I keep hearing "prey drive" with the versatile breeds.... When I hear that my mind says "they will kill your neighbors cat" - am I wrong on that? If not that is another thing to consider if you don't' want to deal with that.

Disclaimer, I'm all for cats getting killed, but I'd prefer not have a dog that lives for it.

A lot depends on the dog, training and situation. My last Drahthaar and my pudelpointer killed my neighbor's dog when it entered my yard and my young daughter was outside. We had 5ac fenced with chain link, so it was very rare for a stray to enter.

The pudelpointer was the catalyst that fueled the behavior as competition kicked in.

I also saw the same Drahthaar snugle with cats.... and kill cats.

I wouldn't expect them to turn off the drive, but if you are a good owner, they'll listen and not have the need to kill ready to explode all the time.

 

[Customweld]

I keep hearing "prey drive" with the versatile breeds.... When I hear that my mind says "they will kill your neighbors cat" - am I wrong on that? If not that is another thing to consider if you don't' want to deal with that.

Disclaimer, I'm all for cats getting killed, but I'd prefer not have a dog that lives for it.

My dogs live with a cat in the house. They tolerate it fine . The problem is outside. If a cat, squirrel or other small furred animal takes off running from them, that’s a trigger. Botha recall very well, but there are times it happens in an instant. They haven’t killed the neighbors cat, but I wouldn’t give them a chance to.

 

[TSAMP]

I keep hearing "prey drive" with the versatile breeds.... When I hear that my mind says "they will kill your neighbors cat" - am I wrong on that? If not that is another thing to consider if you don't' want to deal with that.

Disclaimer, I'm all for cats getting killed, but I'd prefer not have a dog that lives for it.

As a generality, The german bred/tested hunting line dogs typically are "sharper". Over there its encouraged that the dog finish the kill if neccessary. So those dogs do seem to have a higher prey drive/more aggressive i.e sharper nature. I actually avoided them due to that concern which is how i ended up with my last PP since we had a cat in the house at the time. Although admittedly, i would never leave this dog with anyones cat and close the door.. It really comes down to training. However it is nice knowing that if i were not to be looking, the odds he would straight up murder kill someones pet are very low. He has brought back live rabbits to me before.

 

[KurtR]

Got my dog to flip the cooler open and grab bear out of it. When ff its not that hard i have a couple buddies with ropes on the fridge and their dogs grab beers for them

A lot of dogs will hunt and retrieve birds. A kid I hunt with has a lab that gets his beer out of the fridge for him. Told him he should breed and train dogs solely for the purpose of getting beer out of the fridge. A dog that will hunt all day and get you a cold beer when you get home would sell quickly. He'd make a fortune.

 

[tops911]

I will say that my DDs did not do real well in the heat. Sometimes hunting I carry 1 1/2 gallons of water just for the dogs. I try to plan activities around water when it's hot out.