What is your favorite hunting dog and why ?

[RMajors]

My personal favorite hunting dog is the German Shorthaired Pointer. They are the most versatile breed in my opinion their style and grace are topped by none in my opinion. The only con I could ever complain about is the hyper fits of non stop energy. I operate a small kennel in Illinois and have a great success. I breed for results not $. The dog below is Rooster my male. Check out our facebook @spoonrivershorthairs




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For upland game, they're my favorite if youre only gonna have one dog. We used to run pointers down the ranch roads in south Texas to find coveys of bobwhites. After we broke the covey we would turn the gsp's out for the close work. They excel at this as they generally stay around fifty yards from you. Our pointers almost always tended to be a bit (or a lot) more wide-ranging dogs, and many didn't care two cents for retrieving dead birds or hunting singles. We had a Brittany once, that had probably the best nose of any bird dog we ever had. She would smell where birds had been the night before fairly often in the mornings,, and was also the most patient dog we ever had. She was a great singles and dead bird dog too. We only have one dog these days, and it's a gsp. Some others have mentioned they dont like water, and it's true to some degree. We have had some that did and some that didn't. But our dogs are primarily quail dogs, with a minor in dove hunting, so the water thing isn't that big of a deal to me.

 

[encrevenge]

As a waterfowler I love a golden retriever. The ones I've had have been every bit as driven as labs I've had and they have a great disposition with the family when hunting season is over. I've heard of people training them to point but I really don't know anything about that and have never seen it myself but I don't do much upland hunting anyway.

 

[willtim]

I am an avid waterfowler and I have always had Chesapeakes. Toughest breed I have ever seen.

 

[Ducknut]

I am an avid waterfowler and I have always had Chesapeakes. Toughest breed I have ever seen.

Hard to beat a chessie if you're just doing waterfowl. I grew up with labs and my previous retrievers were labs. Went with a chessie 5 years ago. Don't see myself going back. Some of the people that hunt with her comment about her drive and never seem to get cold. I joke she's too stubborn to get cold. The labs were pretty easy to see signs of getting too cold. Her you really have to watch. The way I look at it is there's no bad or wrong breed of hunting dog. As long as your out there working together and building that bond then what could be better?

 

[CharlieTX]

This my bird dog Woody, retrieves my doves and ducks. My second lab I have had, great hunting tool and pet as well.

 

[sf jakey]

I’m pretty happy with my lab.

 

[toughluck]

I've got a 6mo GSP pup. First one that I have worked with and she is sharp. Already retrieving and is hard on the birds my wife feeds.

 

[twall13]

We wouldn't have recovered the second bird last night without my Boykin. We knew where it went down but even though I was literally standing less than 2 feet from it I couldn't see it until my dog got on his sent and dug under the brush to come out with it. Fun youth hunt for these two in their first year with a license.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[bowhuntr14]

Always had labs but our 1 1/2 year old silver lab has stolen our hearts.

 

[Blackstorm]

Labs are my #1 choice I've had 20+ dogs over 40 yrs most versatile dog around but certain situations they are only adequate.
But they have been the best handling and most tractable dogs I've ever owned. Many were outstanding hunters some were great at field trials others couch potatoes but I miss every one that is gone.
Big cold water my old Chesapeake was the bomb, broke on almost every bird we shot but could stand up to the current in the Niagara river at 105 lbs and had the ability to corral birds using the river current
On big open country mine and my old hunting partners GSP were bird finding machines and field lock down experts, both dogs regularly point 100 birds or more in a Sodak season.
Another hunting buddy creates a hybrid(mutt) between GSP and Britany's that are awesome dogs for out west upland and down south quail but useless for grouse and waterfowl.
Have not found a great grouse dog yet

 

[HuntInWild88]

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Always had labs but our 1 1/2 year old silver lab has stolen our hearts.

What beautiful dog!

 

[shootbrownelk]

I've had a Chesapeake for waterfowl when I was younger, he was my hunting partner for 12 years. Now that I'm a geezer I'd probably look at an American Water Spaniel. Much easier to manage than a 110 lb. Chessie.

 

[RichP]

Smitty is my favorite hunting dog

 

[adventure907]

My favorite hunting dog and best friend of 13 years....

 

[Roksliding]

There’s so many cool dogs. Everyone thinks they have the best dogs, and their not wrong..

I have Griffons, I can’t see myself ever getting anything else.. Thinking about training them for blood tracking.. anyone got any insight?

Almost forgot- the dogs on the deck with a rabbit- I love that pic, my wife lets them out at night and like clockwork they’ll kill a rabbit when I am working nights. So she freaks out and takes a picture.

 

[sutton17]

I'm pretty partial to mutts. But the cur is fitting in well and is a ton of fun to chase around looking for squirrels. Hes my first true "hunting" dog, the mutts are great brush dogs and I shot a bunch of rabbits because of them last year. Nothing makes them more excited then seeing the bang sticks and collars come out!!

 

[Goatie]

Sorry you lost your dog, Kurt. I used to think a guy paid for a dog when he received the puppy from the breeder. Now I know it is when we have to say goodbye that we really pay for that time with them.

This is the truth. Put my first dog down last week. Never understood how ppl got so upset when their dog died, and always viewed them for utility/hunting. After having a dog from birth, to puppy... to holding it in death.... ohhh boy ignorance is bliss.

GSP is a great breed. Our boy was a robot on commands if he got his 3 mile run in the AM. If not, he would whine for attention in the evening.

Even with the flaws we will get another.

 

[eatmyfly]

Lab man here. Retrieves anything. Calm, easy to trail breed. Good blood trailer. Can be trained to hunt sheds. Great family dog.

 

[hartigjosh]

I had GWPs then got my first lab 7 years ago and I dont know if I will ever be the same... mentally or financially! This dog has cost more than my truck, literally. Between buying her, vet bills, multiple surgeries, physical therapy, training, and gear, the spend has been unreal.
Through it all she has really set the standard for every hunting dog going forward. At a mere 45 lbs she is a beast and will chase geese and ducks all day without hesitation. Her only limitations now is that she has so much metal in her from putting her back together that she gets too cold in cold weather. She had both knees done, then was run over by a truck and had her pelvis reconstructed among other things... the reconstruction happened in August of '19 and she was in the duck blind and not missing a retrieve by November '19.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

I’ve really enjoyed my draht Ida for the last 2 years. I’ve done a duck hunt on Friday, filled my limit of pheasants on Saturday and tracked a buck on Sunday. I’ve really enjoyed the versatility. Very driven breed and my only somewhat complaint is that she literally needs to be touching someone at all times when we’re in the house! That, and her fur drive is intense and gets into more coon fights than I’d care to count. View attachment 228633View attachment 228634View attachment 228635View attachment 228636View attachment 228637View attachment 228827

vom Who???