what dog for ducks and grouse?

Look here first though. This is where i got my pooch. It's a site where all the rescued dogs are posted and it's not hard to find a pup in the breed or mixed breeds that may interest you.

www.petfinder.com Fill in the fields of where you live and what age and type of dog you're looking for and it will show all the hits from shelters and rescues around your area with matches to what you're looking for.

Most ask for a small adoption fee. I paid $300 or something (adoption fee) and still send a bag of dog food or money to the shelter i got Remmy from every few months.
 
My lab, only about 55lbs will retrieve in slush, water, snow and even a half inch of ice... she just breaks right through it.

I even had her retrieving a tennis ball in a 6 foot high brush pile, she would disappear and pop out a few seconds- a few minutes later with the ball.

She stays close wen grouse hunting and has a very soft mouth. She brought me back a still live grouse the other day and didn't even leave a mark on it.

But she is scared of my woodstove, every time I open the door she leaves the room.


Oh and she is the Aunty of 7mmleftys new pup.
 
A lab will be a perfect choice if you mainly hunt ducks and a few pheasant. If you also hunt prairie grouse and huns, a versatile pointing breed is a MUCH better choice. A flushing dog is not much help for grouse compared to a good pointer. With a pointer, shots will be closer and the hunt more productive. Versatile dogs will also retrieve on land and water. They do not hold up in icy water conditions as well as a lab though.
Check out the Versatile Hunting Dog Federation (VHDF)or North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA) They both provide standardized hunt tests for the versatile breeds, mainly European breeds that have been developed for the last two hundred years or so to be a one-dog, do-it-all hunting companion. Test scores are used by member breeders as an objective measure of ability, in order to develop reliable dogs for the one-dog waterfowl and upland bird hunter. Test scores of sire and dam are a good predictor of your pup's potential.
Any of the versatile breeds can be good hunters, but a good pedigree is an absolute must, more important than the breed. I have had good success with a Weimaraner, Large Munsterlander, and a Pudelpointer. Friends hunt with Vizlas, German Wirehairs, German Shorthairs, Brittanys, and Griffons. I'd encourage you to check out the versatile breeds before handicapping yourself with a Lab, unless you plan to do a lot of big water duck/goose hunting and your upland birds are limited to pheasant and maybe ruffed grouse.
 
Longwalker said:
I'd encourage you to check out the versatile breeds before handicapping yourself with a Lab, unless you plan to do a lot of big water duck/goose hunting and your upland birds are limited to pheasant and maybe ruffed grouse.
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The Lab is perfect for here, although I would love to try huns sometime, hard with a lab but can be done if they stay close like mine does.
She is great on ruffies, we also have Sharptails here but no season yet, likely in the next few years.
 
I have a Vizsla, great all around hunting dog and extremely intelligent. Excellent on upland birds, loves pheasants. Natural retriever, loves the water and will retrieve ducks. Will chase cottontails and locate other critters.

BUT.....I would not recommend for a duck hunting dog, in cold weather/cold water they will freeze their butt off, they get very cold very quick. Short hair and minimal fat.
 
My French Spaniel is good for all....

It's the largest continental Spaniel, mine being in the "extra-large" class.
It's a group 7 polyvalent pointing dog. That is the oldest Spaniel breed, too.

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Iron Glove said:
Suppport a true Canadian breed and get a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever aka "Toller".
The only dog that will bring ("toll") the ducks in for you and then retrieve it too.
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My old GWP, tolled a pair of geese for me one day.
He was just goofing around with a stick in the river and knew the birds were there, (so vocal) but purposely kept playing with the stick while the geese kept coming closer to investigate this crazy creature that was seemingly taunting them.:D

They came within 30 yards and it was too late for them, and Indy dropped the stick and fetched the birds.:) He played the game well, and enjoyed it.
 
bill c68 said:
My lab, only about 55lbs will retrieve in slush, water, snow and even a half inch of ice... she just breaks right through it.

I even had her retrieving a tennis ball in a 6 foot high brush pile, she would disappear and pop out a few seconds- a few minutes later with the ball.

She stays close wen grouse hunting and has a very soft mouth. She brought me back a still live grouse the other day and didn't even leave a mark on it.

But she is scared of my woodstove, every time I open the door she leaves the room.


Oh and she is the Aunty of 7mmleftys new pup.
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So looking forward to my new little buddy, Bill C68. Hopefully the little guy will grow into being half the clown Indy was. It pays to watch you're dog and sometimes let him take the lead . Some times they really surprise you by just letting go of the reins and let them be free.:)
 
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No offence but you should pick a dog on how much experience you have as a trainer. A dog that is hyper may range too far for your upland hunting. Calm and shy dog may work close fo you, like me a new trainer. All dogs mentioned are good, but find the dog that hunts the way you do. See the parents in the field at work , ask questions. A dog may be a long time commitment. He or she will only try to please you and do the things they do best, you will fix the bad points and perfect the good ones. Good luck with your new hunting friend AGE. No offence if you are a trainer
 
Good info Age, but how about being the leader and showing you're dog how you want to hunt? Isn't that dog training?:)

No offence, but dog handling comes with experience with hunting over dogs, and more importantly, letting you're dog hunt while you take the back seat and enjoy the rewards of a well trained dog working for you.:D

Wish all the new gundog owners and "trainers" could learn to enjoy the day in the field without all the verbal commands, whistle blowing, yelling, and aggression turned towards their dogs that I've seen.:(
 
I just brought home a new pup...well, 5 months...but still a pup :)

A good friend of mine is a Lab breeder...and he knew I was A: Looking for a big lab that was his signature colour (Fox red)

and B:

Didn't have the time to start a pup with a brand new baby at home.

Anyway, he bred his 85 lb champ ##### "Scooter" with a 110 lb champ ("puddlejumper") and just *happened* to keep a fox male.

He introduced the dog as "Ruger", to which I replied "You bastard! You KNEW I was going to name my next dog that!"...his reply? "I know" :)

Beautifull pup, smart smart SMART! He's allready started, housbroken, is obeying basic commands (sit/stay/lay down/come/hold....and he is even door trained :) ) Start his retriever training in a couple of weeks :) I just wish I could get him to be a *little* suspicious of strangers......
 
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Our last dog was a golden retriever and she was a great dog and a great hunter but she was gun shy, so she ended up being just a great house pet and agility champ. We lost her in May of '06 and it took us until this year to find a new member for the family. After researching several breeds and visiting several breeders we finally settled on a Weimeraner that came from Shadowpoint Kennel in London Ontario. Shadowpoint has very strong field blood lines with several NAVHDA VCs and they even went to the Invitational tests in Minnesota this year. Our new pup, Briggs, is only 7 months old, but I have already shot pheasant, woodcock, grouse and chuckars that he has pointed and retrieved. Granted the pheasant and chuckars were pen raised birds, but he showed me that he can point, track wounded birds and return them to hand. I am a novice (VERY novice) handler and I am learning WAY more from him than he will ever learn from me, and I am having a great time doing it. I used to be a died in the wool bowhunter, but I have always enjoyed bird hunting and always had a child hood dream of having a great bird dog. If this is as good as it gets, I will be a very happy bird hunter; but my breeder assures me that it will get even better. :dancingbanana:
 
casterpollox said:
What about a hound dog like a red tick? Does anyone have any experience with these breeds?
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Using a red tick hound to hunt birds is a stretch! They are bred for scent trailing animals (not birds) while baying to let the hunters know they are on the trail. They are NOT bird dogs, though like any dog breed, no doubt someone, somewhere has used them for birds.
 
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I hunt upland with my Brittany Spaniel. I can't imagine any other breed could be any better in the uplands (equal, sure, but not better).

I doubt that a Brittany would make much of a waterfowler, though. Brittanies are known for pointing and retrieving, but they are somewhat high strung. This characteristic lends itself well to long days in the field, but might be disruptive in a blind. Might be just a matter of training the dog to lay quietly in the blind between shots, but my guess is it would be easier and require less training to start with a Lab or a GSP/GWP.
 
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My vote goes to the Springer Spaniel.Awesome Upland and Waterfowl dogs. They also make a good family dog as they are very gentle. Lab would be my second choice but the amount of overbreeding can make for some iffy bloodlines. Whatever dog you choose ask to see the parents if possible. Chck ancestry and ask for guarantees against displasia. My first Springer Quinn coiuld hold her own in the marsh against any Lab in the early season. Once the water got cold the labs and Chessies did better. On upland the Springer is a flusher so action is fast and you better be ready. If you're a not a quick shooter a pointing dog may be a better choice. I guess it depends on what you're going to hunt the most. Try reading a few good dog books like Gundog or Waterdog they may be helpful. Anyways, Good Luck.
 
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