Gun Dog

riden

riden

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
4   0   0
Location
Buffalo Head Hills
I have always been jeaolous of guys who hunt upland game with a dog. That just looks like so much fun, but I have never owned a dog that could do it or known a hunter who owned one of these dogs.

But damn it looks like fun. To be honest, I am not finding deer as rewarding as I did when was younger, and I am a moose hunter only now. I love moose camp. Geese is great but the haggling and planning to get fields is so much work and has become so competitive here, there are too many hunters. It's not for me. Duck hunting is out too.

I can see myself doing this and loving it. Any recommendations?

-traiing books
-dog breeders in nothern Alberta

I am thinking a spaniel?? I don't want a big dog. I live on an acreage and have two big Great Pyr's who stay outside. I don't want this dog out with them at night, it will be a house dog. A smaller one suits me more.

I am very open to suggestions and appreciate any help.
 
One thing I find interesting in the US is the notion of going to "bird camp." Owning a camp and organizing a week's hunt for birds is something foreign around here, but I think I would really enjoy that.

I've had GSP's since I got my first one in 1994. The breeder I used ceased operations in 2006 and so I started looking around. I wanted a rough coat dog to put up with the prickly ash we have around here so I was looking at drahthaars, griffons, pudelpointers and spinoni. I got myself a drahthaar in January 2010 and she is a charmer.

For prairie hunting (not something I've ever had the opportunity to do) I would think a pointing dog would be more suitable. But get what you like.

All breeds have variations in size - there are big brittanies and small shorthairs. I think what is more important is finding a breeder whose principles you agree with and go from there. Visit them often. Once you've established a rapport, show up unannounced: "I was just in the area..." so you can see how things run. Unless you know what you are getting into, stay away from "litters of opportunity."

I'm partial to the versatile breeds because I hunt waterfowl as well as upland birds. Unfortunately, we aren't allowed dogs for big game in Quebec, but I'd be all over it if we were. My draht's ##### is trained to lie down when she senses moose. So my recommendations for books are geared towards that type of dog: the NAVHDA green book, the AHDC orange book, the Armbruster manual. I even have some books that I read just to get a different perspective. It's important to arm yourself with as many tools as you can so that you can deal with the specific training traits of your dog. Blindly following the steps in a book without taking into account how your dog is reacting doesn't work very well.

You may want to take a peak at the Uplandjournal site. They are mostly a US-based site, though.
 
I have a Large Munsterlander , and would definitely get another when the time comes.Great on grouse and a wonderful companion. They are bred purely for hunting, with no show dog lines. Only dogs that have passed Natural Ability testing qualify for breeding, and breeders generally only sell to hunting households. Check out Large Munsterlander Club of North America , if interested in more info
 
Owning a dog is such big commitment, I would only undertake it voluntarily for a hunting dog. Unfortunately, not only am I not in a position to do so, I sort of inherited a non-hunting dog and will be stuck with him for at least a decade of urban poop-scooping!

I hope you get one an it works out well for you. I enjoy the threads with Gunnutz telling of their hunting dogs.
 
riden said:
Thanks looch


For where I live, this dog will be grouse only.
Click to expand...

For grouse, you will want a dog that hunts close to you. I'll likely get lots of naysayers but stay away from pointing dogs bred from field trialing lines. I've hunted behind a few "champion" English setters that you would have needed a horse to keep up with.

German wirehairs are great bird dogs that will hunt all day but get one from hunting lines. I have friends who just bought a couple of pups last fall from a guy in Vermillion I think and those pups were carrying birds and pointing the day they picked them up at 8 weeks old. If interested PM me and I'll try to get his info.

I am partial to Labs but they can get big and are better for the waterfowler who wants to shoot upland now and then.

All hunting dogs will be high energy and reqjuire some dog proofing of the house.
 
This is Voodoo, he has been a great housedog even though we have let him think he is a lapdog. My constant companion and upland hunting partner, I hunted upland for 2 decades without a dog and now it would seem like a crime without him.

9aa847ab.jpg


6bf30908.jpg


PA140100.jpg


PA150103.jpg


Tim
 
Do your research first and don't get hung up on any particular breed, as I find it is more about the breeder than it is the breed. I have three Weimaraners and I can not imagine upland hunting with out them. Good luck with your search for a new hunting partner.
 
Its cheaper in the end to buy a field trial washout 2 or three year old. training is complete the dog will outperform your abilities as a handler and if your worried about the puppy bond thing don't. once you bring a kennel dog into the home and treat it like family they bond to you and stick to your heels like ####
 
I copied this from my post on another forum, seems to fit here too...

If you want a really good objective analysis of all the European versatile pointing breeds, have a look at this book written by Craig Koshyk. http://www.dogwilling.ca/volume-one.html

It is by far the best reference I have found on the versatile pointing breeds, has wonderful photos, and a well reasoned analysis of each breeds strong and weak points.
I personally grew up with Weimaraners, the first bird dog I trained myself was a Large Munsterlander, and I have since switched to Pudelpointers. I found all of them to be good hunters and fine family dogs.
 
Spaniels. They are born with aggressive instinct to find birds, humans just teach them to bring the birds back. There are lots of dog clubs in Alberta who can recommend quality breeders, as not all dogs come from quality field stock. If you've never trained a dog before, join a club for the first year and attend the puppy training and retrieving lessons. Dog owners often need more lessons than the dog. Club memberships can be between 50 and 100 bucks, and they often gather weekly for lessons and trials.

Springer and Brittany spaniels make great house dogs, and only poorly bred dogs will ever bite or show their teeth to humans and more importantly , children. When at home, they are part of the furniture accessories, much like pillows, but out hunting, they are all business. When you invest into a good quality field dog, you are investing in a hunting partner that will never; let you down, be late, have a hang over, sleep in, nor cancel a hunting trip because someone's Mother is coming for a visit.



These Pups are no longer with me, but put birds onto the table for over a dozen years.

Speckledog.jpg
 
Once I got Boo (my avatar pic) I stopped hunting big game. He is so much fun to hunt with that I don't miss the big game at all. I like labs because they can do upland and waterfowl but I agree with the others who have said get a good dog from a reputable person. I got Boo from a friend of mine who breeds dogs from hunting lines for hunters. He was my first dog and all I had to do was teach him a few obedience commands and he already knew the rest. He brought his first duck off the water at 6 months and has never looked back.
 
I think the first thing you need to determine is if you would like to hunt with a pointing dog or a flusher. There is a HUGE difference in hunting style.
I personally prefer pointing dogs for upland birds. Nothing wrong with hunting upland birds with a flushing dog, but it is not the same activity. That said, a good argument could be made for hunting pheasants only with flushing dogs. Pheasant hunting is difficult for many pointers to master, or put another way, pheasants habit of running away can ruin a good pointer.
Hunting covey birds like huns or wild flushing birds like sharptails with a flushing dog is better than with no dog, but a pointing dog was made for such work. Any dog can flush a forest grouse and make it sit in a tree to be potted there. Again, purists would choose a pointing breed and wing shooting ruffed grouse. I all depends on how and what you want to hunt!
 
Longwalker said:
I think the first thing you need to determine is if you would like to hunt with a pointing dog or a flusher. There is a HUGE difference in hunting style.
I personally prefer pointing dogs for upland birds. Nothing wrong with hunting upland birds with a flushing dog, but it is not the same activity. That said, a good argument could be made for hunting pheasants only with flushing dogs. Pheasant hunting is difficult for many pointers to master, or put another way, pheasants habit of running away can ruin a good pointer.
Hunting covey birds like huns or wild flushing birds like sharptails with a flushing dog is better than with no dog, but a pointing dog was made for such work. Any dog can flush a forest grouse and make it sit in a tree to be potted there. Again, purists would choose a pointing breed and wing shooting ruffed grouse. I all depends on how and what you want to hunt!
Click to expand...

I wish I was getting this dog to hunt pheasants. But, I am too far north, this will be a grouse only dog except for special occasions.

Because of that, a GSP or GWP seems to be the most sensible choice for what I want and especially availability.

I have a couple of leads on breeders, but no puppies yet. I would really like some recommendations if anyone has any. I live in the north (8 hours from ED) and I can't go visit breeders, I'll have to buy a dog over the phone really. I have breeders telling me they have the right dog for me, but I need more than that.

I want a dog from a good quality hunting background. If anyone knows a breeder or knows of puppies in AB, I would appreciate a PM.

Thanks guys.
 
Ditto on the Brittany Spaniels, I've hunted upland birds with a buddy who has one..... great dog!

Also, ditto on the German wirehairs, I had a chance to hunt over one of those in Alberta a few years ago, for Hungarian Partridge.

My dogs are; a Golden Retriever, who is just a couple months old and hasn't seen his first bird yet, and a Golden Retriever / Nova Scotia Duck Toller cross who loves to get out grousing with me! He had no special training, just his own natural instincts. He's very birdy.

Both are wonderful companion dogs also. That part is really important to me, as hunting is only a part of what they give.
 
Decide on what breed you want, then find the local dog club for that breed. They can tell you who has the best dogs, who has puppies, and they will give you references for people who purchased from the breeders.
 
riden said:
I wish I was getting this dog to hunt pheasants. But, I am too far north, this will be a grouse only dog except for special occasions.

Because of that, a GSP or GWP seems to be the most sensible choice for what I want and especially availability.

I have a couple of leads on breeders, but no puppies yet. I would really like some recommendations if anyone has any. I live in the north (8 hours from ED) and I can't go visit breeders, I'll have to buy a dog over the phone really. I have breeders telling me they have the right dog for me, but I need more than that.

I want a dog from a good quality hunting background. If anyone knows a breeder or knows of puppies in AB, I would appreciate a PM.

Thanks guys.
Click to expand...

Being far away from breeders was the reason I chose a drahthaar. This is basically (forgive me, drahthaar evangelists) a GWP that comes from and is registered with the VDD program - not the AKC or FDSB. The VDD program is vigorous (putting it lightly here) and seriously reduces the likelihood of getting a dud. That is not to say that are not excellent GWP's out there, but you would have more homework to do with them.

Mine came from here (by plane): vomwillowrock.netkennel.com. But the club, VDD Group Canada, is tightly knit and they often ship studs between kennels, so it would be difficult to say one is better than the other.
 
looch said:
Being far away from breeders was the reason I chose a drahthaar. This is basically (forgive me, drahthaar evangelists) a GWP that comes from and is registered with the VDD program - not the AKC or FDSB. The VDD program is vigorous (putting it lightly here) and seriously reduces the likelihood of getting a dud. That is not to say that are not excellent GWP's out there, but you would have more homework to do with them.

Mine came from here (by plane): vomwillowrock.netkennel.com. But the club, VDD Group Canada, is tightly knit and they often ship studs between kennels, so it would be difficult to say one is better than the other.
Click to expand...

I was looking at a Drahtaar breeder in Man. They do look like awesome dogs, I will give you that.

I will never need a versatile gun dog though, just a grouse dog. So I wonder if they are the breed for me.
 
Vizla's are great Dog's. Here is a pic. of my buddy Ross who passed a few years past. When we were Hunting and he was on point tail waging low it was usually a Bunny. Tail waging high it was a Bird. On his last Hunt he flushed a Bunny into a small patch of Bush. Ross went in after him. While we waited till he flushed him out.
Thirty seconds later Ross came out with Bunny in mouth no shots fired. God how I miss that Dog. It's amazing how attached you can get to an Animal. I desperately want another one but not sure I am ready for that kind of commitment at the moment.


 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom