Versatile Hunting Dog

Hi everyone, im looking for a good, family, upland and a little waterfowl, hunting dog. Im looking for a good companion dog, and a good dove/quail dog, and maybe a little duck! Please give me your best feedback!

Although I have owned Brittany's for many years, and consider them very versatile upland bird dogs that make fantastic family pets, I could never imagine them sitting still and quiet for me in a duck blind.

Maybe a lab or other retriever breed?

It sounds like you're not really wanting a lab and you upland hunt more so than waterfowl, so I'd look at the Vizsla's and the German Wirehaired Pointer, in no particular order. Both very versatile gun dogs, loving companions, and very intelligent. They both need a ton of exercise though.

I waterfowl and upland hunt with a vizsla.
When he was real young it would have been hard for him to sit still for long periods of time. With a little maturity he has no problem with it. You could also look at the Deutsch Drahthaar and the Wire hair vizsla.

this is a double post.

Boykin Spaniel

GWP, GSP, Vizla, Boykin, (deutsch drathaar or deutsch Kurzhaar if you want a little more reliable) then if you are looking for a dog that can waterfowl retreive but doesnt specialize in it, Britanys, springers, or even cockers. Labs can be used upland, but retreiving is their game.

Hey Joe, you rode that brace Sunday, when the GWP pointed five birds. What did you think of him as a pointing dog?

Still wish I had the money to get my own. That is the dog breed I was hoping for before I got these pups, had decided on a shorthair due to prices. I only saw him good on 1 point and he was steady as a board. Only thing he did somewhat bad was he kept trying to go into the other fields.

Vizsla (again)

If you are going to use the dog as a retriever the Boykin is hard to beat. They can retrieve as well as a lab and upland like just like all the other spaniel breeds. But their retrieving is what sets them apart from the other spaniels. The Boykin is as much a retriever as it is a flusher if you want more info let me know. I believe they may be the most versatile dog there is as they are used as waterfowl/dove retrievers, upland flushers, blood trackers, squirrel hunting, turkey hunting and can be trained to point and flush on command if that's what you want.

How do you turkey hunt with a dog?

I know of bird dogs that will run rabbits and some that will tree squirrels, but these types of hunting can be taught to nearly any dog and are not natural to boykins or most bird dog breeds. I've seen a beagle point a bird and retreive it. It doesnt mean that a beagle is a bird dog, it was just trained to do it.

Well big joe, squirrel hunting is natural to the Boykin they have been doing it for over a 100 years. My Boykin has never been trained to hunt squirrels but he trees every one he sees and then barks up that tree to alert me. This has never been trained he just does it naturally. As far as turkey hunting with a dog, the Boykin started its working life in South Carolina in about 1900 as a turkey hunting dog. The market hunters of the day would use the dogs to bust up flocks of turkeys so they could call in single toms to shoot. That's how you turkey hunt with a dog. Like I said I believe the Boykin is probably the most versatile breed there is. Are they bird dogs...your damn right they are and they are better retrievers than any of the other versatile breeds.

Some states it is no longer allowed, but there are a few left that allow fall turkey hunting with a dog. After losing a shot Turkey one hunt and then seeing a TV hunting show that featured a Lab used by a hunter as a catch dog on spring turkey hunts, I started using mine for the same thing. She sits behind me on behind me on every spring Turkey hunt I do. And she is by my side on some fall hunts as well if I am not also deer hunting. As long as it is legal for the place and time, the sky is the limit in ways to utilize a versatile dog.

reread my post and found it sounded critical, I hadn't intended it to be. I have never even heard or thought to take a dog turkey hunting. I have seen people drive deer with them, but turkey seems an odd choice of needing a dog for. If it works I say go for it.

As for squirrel, eh it was mainly an example. I have seen dogs of all types pick it up nearly naturally, but it isn't what they were bred for. If you were looking to breed your Boykin to someone elses, the qualification of if it will tree a squirrel or not is probably not coming out of your mouth. Then again modern GSP's and GWP's are supposed to be bred for bird and rabbit, but I've never heard anyone advertise a GWP with "and she runs a rabbit like a beagle."

How about a pointing lab? Best quail/pheasant dog I ever had was a lab, he was also an incredible duck dog.

Many Vizslas are natural Fur and Feather dogs. For a time in history they were used by Falconers. It was expected of them.
Blaze has always tracked and pointed rabbits. (texas quail purists reading this are agasp right now) I was hunting rabbits with her starting at 6 months old. But for squirrel it did take some work to get her to start looking up when she got to the base of a tree.

My Dash on the other hand has it in him bad. He trees squirrels naturally. Though I don't encourage it, I don't discourage it either. At some point in his future he will used for that kind of hunting when called for. But for now I avoid exposing it to him as much as I can because of the tests and trials.

At the hunt test last weekend, As he hunted I saw him look up and check in the trees a time or two and I know all too well what he was looking for. I chanted to myself, "please don't be a squirrel in that tree, please don't be a squirrel in that tree", because if there was one, his lock on that tree would have been so beautiful it would have made a houndsman cry. Well, a birdman too, but for different reasons.

At a trial last weekend I heard a handler say OH NO all the way across the field. His dog was on point, and he went into flush what should have been quail. Its was baby rabbits.

Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla

That was by a tallow tree sprout. We put orange flags on the tree. Everyone knew it was there. That had to be a bold mother rabbit.

Also, I'm sorry I missed you. You are one of my favorite members on this forum.

I hunt with my wife's pet Vizsla, Marta. She has a great nose for putting me on birds but I haven't trained her well enough to retrieve for me, my bad, she thinks retrieving is a game for balls in the park, not work.

I don't think Marta would be a good duck dog as she only wades into water up to her ankles. Without underbelly hair, these short haired pointers get cold pretty easy. Most upland game guides I've hunted with use GSPs as they are more hearty that Vizslas. That being said if you want a pet that will hunt I'd go Vizsla.

A v will duck hunt.

Really, I did not know that. Glad no one told my dogs this.

Sniper, Sniper, Sniper, you're going to have to quit using facts with these guys.

You and me both Sniper.

my lab totally dominated a squirrel in the back yard yesterday. Almost felt bad for it...almost.

OK, I get it. It's just my dog that doesn't swim.

I start mine on water as pups.

Have you taken the dog to water. I didn't have to coxes my V at all to get in water. Retrieve? now that's a different story

I have one that loves to retrieve and one that wanted to do it on his terms. Meaning not to hand, so had him force fetched.

I'll jump in and give my $.02 - Wirehaired Pointing Griffon. I love mine and as she is at my feet while I type this, I felt the need to take up for her and her breed . She is more than I could ask for. A little harder to find then some of the breeds mentioned, somewhat of a burr magnet (they seem to come out pretty easy for me since she has a lighter coat than some), great with my kids (7 and 4) and doesn't seem to shed much if at all. Not the best dog for the heat and mine is going to the vet to get tested for allergies. I don't think you could go wrong with the V or GSP as many on this board have already stated. Good luck in your search.

Had mine FF too young (13 month)He would retrieve but he looked like you just beat him with a tree branch
Like to see some pictures of the Griff

GSP

A well bred, spayed, female, Lab is going to be hard to beat for all around versatility. They tend to pick up on what you want them to do quick and are eager to please. Minimum kennel time and maximum time with their master is a big plus. Leave your temper at home while training as usually the smartest ones are tender hearted.
I keep two pointers, a setter, and a brittany for bird dogs. I have always liked English pointers best for the simple reason they were the best dogs I had but none of them has ever been good for anything but quail. If I could only have one out of the pack I feed now, it would be the Brittany because it is the most versatile bird dog I own. But nowhere close to my eleven year old Lab. Sometimes I think she can read my mind.

Lab , hands down. I've always had pointing dogs and had some very good ones. I've also had some bad ones of all breeds ( E.P., GSP, Brittanys, Poodles, cockers and springers and crosses of them. Except for a lab. I've never had a bad lab and never had one that didn't learn to do anything I wanted. Blood trail, point upland birds, retrieve on land or water, loved the family, trail down crippled birds, would retrieve rabbits shot with a 22 from a vehicle and spot fish from the boat bow (as good as any fish finder ). I honestly believe they are the most versatile dog breed. Ever.

The best all around dog I ever had was a French Brittany. I hunted quail at least 3 times a week during season. Hunted dove every day of September and duck hunted a few times a year. The only problem I ever had from him was he was a one man dog and did not like being left with anyone else and prefered to sleep in the bed. He also retrieved everyone's dove to me and would retrieve until be was ready to fall over from the heat when 7 or 8 of us would be hunting during dove season. He also did a good job tracking wounded deer. I did tell him to fetch a wounded turkey he tracked and pointed during spring season. He held him until I could get a boot on the birds neck besides the beating he took from those wings.
I have my first lab now that was very easy to train but a lab in my opinion won't ever hunt as hard or as long as any of the pointers, shorthairs, or Brittany's I've had.

Well, I don't know if I have an opinion...We have about 13 dogs and one of the best all round dogs I ever had was a Catahoula that I worked Cows with, treed Coon & Squirrel, trailed blood on
wounded deer and hogs and caught hogs with..and he was a pretty fair watch dog..I've had Airedales that work, Pointers, Setters,
and currently have a new Drathaar...w/whiskers that is taking the house over..he thinks he's a Mastiff..We had a Lab that would do guard work, retrieve, ect..and was good w/kids..and worked cows...It depends on how you handle them and the animal..DD

Bill just stepped away, and this is offensive to me. If he'd just let me go more, I could tell you a thing or two.



He has not let me go since I stole miss fancy pants point. What the heck, I didn't flush the bird;



You guys didn't include guard dog. I'm great at that.

Haha!

Here's the breed you need
http://www.digplanet.com/wiki/German_Spaniel

Either he was to young, or the trainer didn't finish the job.
Mine was older and ran force to pile. Then doubles and triples before he came home.

I have owned or do own about all of the most popular breeds of bird dogs most would want..My Labs are good on water, around the house, and for dove or quail in S. Texas..but I have one that points..I also have a Gordon..he's good on birds..but probably the best all round hair and feather dogs are German Wirehaired Pointers..they will work a hog, catch a wounded deer, retrieve and point..and they have abundant energy..Very good w/the household dogs and kids..If you have very small children, I'd lean toward a Lab Female..DD

http://www.craneyhill.com/page.cfm?pageid=20304

I am pretty sure you are looking for a Spaniel. This is the one that I am getting to fill the exact role you laid out. This was the best all around choice in my opinion...

English cockers are close relatives of springers. I wish I had discovered them sooner. I always thought of spaniels as pretty much a sissy dog.....NOT SO.

I don't think I would be ready to give up my pointing dogs, because the vast majority of my time in the field is in pursuit of bobwhite, but if that wasn't the case, a field bred springer, cocker, or boykin would be very high on my short list, right up there with a lab if I was only going to the field with one dog.

a lab would be the last thing on my list for only having one dog in the field, about as graceful as a hippo.

Haha that's idiotic. A lab in the field is much more graceful than a pointer in the water. We're talking versatile dogs here, not just dogs in the upland field.

I hunt with a GWP. She does it all, she is a great companion and super good hunting dog.

Here are some more, I love this dog!!!!

Here is one more

Ray B - Here are some pictures of my Lulu. Sorry for the delay in posting - One thing I noticed - I am horrible at taking pictures while Lulu and I are hunting. These were taken over the weekend on a walk. I recently rolled her coat so its a bit thinner than usual.

Great looking dog

My GWP VC Socks Won Gulfcoast NSTRA regional Championship with a 4 Finds 4 Retrieves one was a water retrieve and a back and on 4/7/2013 she got her 1X CH , three weeks after having puppies

Thanks to Dr. Tim's momentum dog food and Tina Richter Carles from T&T kennels, if Tina had not told me to run her, I would've of ran her, Thx.

Better late than never JS, that is a good looking pooch. Of course I'm bias, I love dogs, cats... not so much

Congratulations!! Stick around for awhile.

hARD TO BEAT A gERMAN WIREHAIR POINTER.bEST RETRIEVER I EVER HAD AND WILL POINT AND TRACK AND GREAT WITH FAMILY.VERY LOVING.sOME MALES CAN BE POSSESSIVE.hARD TO BEAT FOR ALL AROUND DOG

We who? The poster is looking for a "a little waterfowl" meaning mostly upland. Who said anything about a pointer anyway?

Found out recently that mine loves water.

I've got a Brit that would do great sitting in the blind but he ain't gettin' in that water, I guarantee.

iliketohunt
Lucy has same bitch and shire as yours, and she is the same way. She tries to catch fish and minnows at the creek. She will find a good vantage point above the water and start looking for them. Once she spots them, she leaps in and tries to catch them. Swims around looking for them and the goes back to her spot.
Ive had to lean over the steep banks to help her get out a few times, only to have her spot a fish and leap back in.

Haha that's awesome. We've known for a while he likes running around in shallow water but we spent a couple hours at the paluxy river the other day and he was in the water the entire time. You could tell he was getting better and better swimming. At first he splashed alot but after a few tries he was doing great. He'd get to one side run a huge circle on the bank then sprint back in the water and swim across again, lol.

I had a golden that did everything mentioned for many years. Wish I had a dollar for every time someone told me they weren't true hunting dogs.