Sometime this sumer I would like to buy a small, 10-20lbs or so, hunting/companion dog. I am looking for something like a Dashund, fiest, rat terrier,&etc. It will mainly be used to help me find downed/wounded game, from birds to pigs and deer. It will be a house/outside dog, so I want something that can handle hill country winters. I won't leave it outside on extremely cold nights, but don't want to worry about it if we're in a deer blind in sub-freezing weather. I wish that they made a minature lab. what would you suggest? FWIW, I'll be moving to the HC this summer if anyone has something that I might be intrested in

JRT!!!!! Hands down. Got a hell of a nose too.

My mutt I rescued from the shelter is turning into a great tracking dog, and is also a wonderful family dog.

There are also breed specific rescues if you are looking for a specific breed.

And lots of dog breeders on here if you are worried about health and genetics.

JRTs are too intense for me!! capt david

get a beagle. they can be trained for anything.

I have heard JRTs and Schnauzers are both used for hunting

If you can stand a little bigger dog a Mtn, Cur's awfull hard to beat for a multi tasker.
My 37# Sally dog is a hunting/game retrieving machine that's at home in the house,,,,,,,,,,,

or under a Cat.

Probably the easiest handling, smartest dog I've ever owned.


Stay Safe
Charlie

Jagd terrier

English Cocker.

You mentioned Dachshund - http://www.born-to-track.com/

I have a hunting Dachshund out of one of the sires at Born to track. The bitch is owned by Tracking Dog Supply.
He is 7 months old, 24 lbs and loves to hunt. He blood trailed 3 deer this year and I have taken him coon hunting a few times also. He loves it. We are planning a rabbit hunt in the near future.
His disposition is great and he trains easier than i thought he would.
I hunt him with a friend that has mountain curs, they are also fantastic dogs.

here is my Boston Terrier - Beagle mix rescue from the pound.

She has caught 3 Squirrels and a Rat in less than a year.



She climbs trees too.

Friend has a JRT at the lease and it's an awesome little tracker.

Our neighbor uses a JRT at his land and he does in awesome job, they're just to hyper for me.
We have two weiner dogs and I cant say how good they are at hunting but they are awesome little dogs in general. Very loving and smart for as small as they are!

Another vote for JRT

I had one that retrieved doves land and water

Tree climbing Hounds are usually a recipe for disaster and frowned upon around here, but I gotta love that pic Ed.
Looks like a nice little dog with a lotta hunt in em, and good on you for rescuing.

I'm not well versed in the terrier world- so I can't help you on that, but we own, and have known many people that own short-hair dachshund. If you're leaving em in the could- i recommend getting a long haired(obviously). But, dachshunds are one of the smartest breed dogs we've owned. They are typically great in small areas, great with kids/families (if taught to be), and have good personalities. We take ours chuckar/pheasant hunting. They have great noses- just takes them a little bit longer than the big dogs to get somewhere due to the short legs. But we have found they have higher endurance than the big dogs.
I think also somewhere online there is a quiz you can take that pairs your personality, living situation, and wants in a dog with the best suited breed. It has been pretty accurate for everyone I know who has used it- and it never hurts to try it out. Good luck!

My fiance had one Dachsund and decided to get another as a play mate for the first. This one pretty much ended up being mine. Just for fun I shot a squirrel and let him have it then let him carry a dove while dove hunting....any time I have a gun in my hands and he's with me he's looking in the air or up trees. Very little "training" and he is always hunting. Loves being outside and has to be told when to stop hunting. The only bad thing is he while go 100 mph into a burrow looking for whatever he smells. Including skunks. O Yeah the LOVE TO DIG...ALL THE TIME