Drahthaar...ultimate gun dog?
- Thread starter Elk man
- Start date
Had one and loved her. Excellent family dog.
Loads of instinct, very birdy, other than our cats had an extreme desire to hunt anything furry. Caught more mice than any cat we had. Would dig after ground squirrels and moles, and often catch them. Loved to dig, period. And dig seriously. Would also unstack the firewood and lumber pile looking for mice/packrats/marmots.
Fearless and very agile, chased & treed several bears and never got a scratch.
Very soft mouthed, brought me several of the neighbour's chickens, wet with dog-slobber but otherwise unharmed before we got her broke of that.
Really the only drawback was her aggresiveness to other dogs. When I told my (then) boss that we were getting a GWP, he said that every time he saw a dogfight at a bird dog trial, it always involver a wirehair.
My wife and I worked hard to socialise her; but she never lost her basic antipathy to other dogs (she behaved because she was obedient; but we could never let her off-leash at a dog park. Our other dogs were happy and friendly (Welsh Corgis and a Wheaten Terrier) but if some other dog came up and looked crosswise at my Lady-dog, the fight would be on.
But she loved children, toddlers could reach into her mouth and take away a bone and she'd never even give a hard look. She loved to go to playgrounds and schoolyards and let kids, especially really small kids "pet" (maul) her.
I would get another in a heartbeat.
Loads of instinct, very birdy, other than our cats had an extreme desire to hunt anything furry. Caught more mice than any cat we had. Would dig after ground squirrels and moles, and often catch them. Loved to dig, period. And dig seriously. Would also unstack the firewood and lumber pile looking for mice/packrats/marmots.
Fearless and very agile, chased & treed several bears and never got a scratch.
Very soft mouthed, brought me several of the neighbour's chickens, wet with dog-slobber but otherwise unharmed before we got her broke of that.
Really the only drawback was her aggresiveness to other dogs. When I told my (then) boss that we were getting a GWP, he said that every time he saw a dogfight at a bird dog trial, it always involver a wirehair.
My wife and I worked hard to socialise her; but she never lost her basic antipathy to other dogs (she behaved because she was obedient; but we could never let her off-leash at a dog park. Our other dogs were happy and friendly (Welsh Corgis and a Wheaten Terrier) but if some other dog came up and looked crosswise at my Lady-dog, the fight would be on.
But she loved children, toddlers could reach into her mouth and take away a bone and she'd never even give a hard look. She loved to go to playgrounds and schoolyards and let kids, especially really small kids "pet" (maul) her.
I would get another in a heartbeat.
A close friend that I still hunt with had one, and as much as we insulted the dog, it was probably the best all around hunting dog I've ever seen. It did it all, from run deer, point, water/land retrieval. While duck hunting one morning, the godamned dog was retrieving my ducks and taking them back to her master, who was hunting 200 yards or more from my blind. He now has a Visla, which is also a fairly good dog when it comes to all round hunting. One thing that is good or bad about the Drathaar, depending on your point of view, is that they are one man dogs, meaning if I happened to be doing the dogging during a deer hunt, the minute the dog was off her leash, she went straight for her lord and master. Like I say, this is not necessarily bad, just inconvenient at times.
Last edited:
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
Scar, that may be a trait of the individual dog. We had a beagle in camp that would do the same thing. Run straight for Mike, it's owner. But my beagles were more interested in hunting than in me.
Elk man... Splatter said it correctly, they are ONE HELL OF A DOG... I have seen some of the aggressiveness that he speaks of with regards to drahthaar and other dogs... The Germans hold their hunting dogs to a VERY high standard and they must pass all the testing to make the breed book, nothing like our "girly man" backyard breeding in North America, where anyone can breed their dog to anyone else's and still be considered purebred...
Have a look here... www.vdd-canada.ca
Read the testing requirements and you'll see why the breed is often considered the best all round hunting dog.
Cheers
Jay
P.S. My wife and I deeply miss our Gunnar who was killed in a motor-vehicle accident that my wife and English Pointer survived. He will be replaced by another German Drahthaar when Bamma passes.
Have a look here... www.vdd-canada.ca
Read the testing requirements and you'll see why the breed is often considered the best all round hunting dog.
Cheers
Jay
P.S. My wife and I deeply miss our Gunnar who was killed in a motor-vehicle accident that my wife and English Pointer survived. He will be replaced by another German Drahthaar when Bamma passes.
open-sights
Regular
- Location
- Aldergrove BC
In This months issue of Outdoor Canada, they listed the top 5 waterfowling dogs, I don't remember them all, but it was an English setter, Springer, Labrador retriever, a german pointer (I think it was the German) and another Spanial that looked just like the Springer.
Not in agreeance or disagreeance, just thought it was interesting timing in relation to this thread.
Not in agreeance or disagreeance, just thought it was interesting timing in relation to this thread.
Gwp
Hi Elk Man,
Have one, he is eight years old, called Shadow. He is nothing short of unbelievable. Easily trained, obedient and has the heart and drive of a champion. I have three young kids and he has been phenominal with them, has never growled or nipped. Soft mouth, unbelievable waterfowl retriever and a solid pointer, but loves to range once in a while. Guess the dog has to have fun too!
I have hunted with many other dogs in my life, but nothing has been like this one. A big, lovable guy who makes hunting an unbelievable experience. I bought him as a pup from a gentleman named Ryan McNally, who lives by Villeneuve, Alberta, a bit North (10 minutes) from Edmonton.
Buy one, you will never be disappointed.
Good luck
Mark
Hi Elk Man,
Have one, he is eight years old, called Shadow. He is nothing short of unbelievable. Easily trained, obedient and has the heart and drive of a champion. I have three young kids and he has been phenominal with them, has never growled or nipped. Soft mouth, unbelievable waterfowl retriever and a solid pointer, but loves to range once in a while. Guess the dog has to have fun too!
I have hunted with many other dogs in my life, but nothing has been like this one. A big, lovable guy who makes hunting an unbelievable experience. I bought him as a pup from a gentleman named Ryan McNally, who lives by Villeneuve, Alberta, a bit North (10 minutes) from Edmonton.
Buy one, you will never be disappointed.
Good luck
Mark
Drahthaar
I owned them all my life -and I love them ,my first one fetched a duck at 4 months of age in 1980...now I have 8 m old DD registered and 11 y old GWP registered.Make no mistake German Wirehair Pointer as registered in North America is not Deutsch-Drahthaar.
Why ? DD has been under strict breeding standards for last 110 years or so and they have breed wardens eliminating average dogs from breeding stock.They have to pass hunting tests before they are accepted as breeding prospects.
My GWP has very poor hair coat almost like Griffon and no hair on her abdomen, so is not prepared for harsh winter hunting and I could breed her and sell registered puppies...This would not happened in Drahthaar...
Life is short, don't waste it ...get Deutsch-Drahthaar, Sako 75 Stainless Synthetic , Leupold LPS scope and Berreta shotgun.
Good luck
Andrew
I owned them all my life -and I love them ,my first one fetched a duck at 4 months of age in 1980...now I have 8 m old DD registered and 11 y old GWP registered.Make no mistake German Wirehair Pointer as registered in North America is not Deutsch-Drahthaar.
Why ? DD has been under strict breeding standards for last 110 years or so and they have breed wardens eliminating average dogs from breeding stock.They have to pass hunting tests before they are accepted as breeding prospects.
My GWP has very poor hair coat almost like Griffon and no hair on her abdomen, so is not prepared for harsh winter hunting and I could breed her and sell registered puppies...This would not happened in Drahthaar...
Life is short, don't waste it ...get Deutsch-Drahthaar, Sako 75 Stainless Synthetic , Leupold LPS scope and Berreta shotgun.
Good luck
Andrew
In answer to the Outdoor Canada article, a Wirehaired Pointer will rarely be the best dog for any one discipline; but it does a very good job in all areas.
By the way, if they missed Cheaspeake Bay Retriever in the waterfower category they need a re-bore.
By the way, if they missed Cheaspeake Bay Retriever in the waterfower category they need a re-bore.
We just got a DD this fall. Got a bit lucky and found a pup from a good litter that the original buyer backed out on because his wife was having a baby (he's getting one from the next litter). Most pups in Canada are spoken for before they are born and most breeders won't sell pups into non-hunting families it seems. Why go through the grief of testing and breeding a DD if it's not going to hunt? I find the whole DD testing scheme and the culture around it a bit disconcerting, I call it the Teutonic Amway Cult. I am a big fan of the results though. We found our pup remarkably, suprisingly intelligent and with instincts good enough that we are afraid we won't be able to train him to his potential. Thats where the testing fraternity really comes in handy. There are a number of ways of accessing training manuals, help and hints through VDD Canada.
There are lots of good hunting dogs out there and I can't imagine a good DD is any better than a good hunter of any other breed. I do think though that the testing requirements give some one not intimately familiar with a particular litter a much better chance of finding a good hunting dog.
Good luck with your search and your pup. Ours is being a giant pain tonight!
Dean
There are lots of good hunting dogs out there and I can't imagine a good DD is any better than a good hunter of any other breed. I do think though that the testing requirements give some one not intimately familiar with a particular litter a much better chance of finding a good hunting dog.
Good luck with your search and your pup. Ours is being a giant pain tonight!
Dean
