Best all around dog?

280PLUS

January 3, 2007, 10:47 AM

Birds and small game. I'm most interested in find and flush, retrieval would be a nice bonus. Pointing I'd say not so much. You know, I have this sweet little black lab cross that's just about 2 years old. He'd probably be a great hunter but he is as shy as I've ever seen. Especially around me. He was obviously abused by his previous owner which we figure was a male. He won't come anywhere near me and shrinks away when I approach. He's been like this with me for almost a year now. With my daughter and wife he's just like a normal dog but as soon as he's aware of my presence he runs to his "chair" and won't move, watching and waiting for me to make that false move that indicates his fears have finally come true and he's going into the pot. LOL... Any thoughts or suggestions on this situation? He is no less afraid of me now than he was when we first got him. Anyone think it's possible to turn this around and make him a good hunter? other than this little problem he IS a great dog. Initially I was thinking of getting another so he can have a pal and I can have a hunter but it's like I'm sure if only he would come around I wouldn't need a second dog.

Please, let me repeat, let's NOT have a WWIII over which doggie is best, they're all good dogs. :D

sixgunner455

January 3, 2007, 11:35 AM

I have a French Brittany. They like to hunt anything, but they're little, so goose and fox retrieving is more of "drag it along" than "carry it to the boss". If you want to hunt ANYTHING, fur and fowl of any size, then you want a larger European versatile. There are a lot of them, the German Shorthair included. Vizla, GSP, GWP, Braque du Bourbonais, etc, etc.

Look at www.versatiledogs.com for more info on all those breeds.

There is no one single best. There is the one that is right for you.

MCgunner

January 3, 2007, 11:51 AM

Brittany is the classic "all around" dog.

I'm a duck hunter, so have owned labs, fantastic for what I need in a dog. Don't have one now, but hunt with a friend who trains 'em and has a fantastic yellow lab. He makes a hunt that much more fun just watching him. I don't think a brittany would do well in the marsh, would be swimming a lot. The lab is a taller dog.

thumper723

January 3, 2007, 11:58 AM

German Shorthaired Pointer / Chocolate Lab mix

"Sadie the foo" was the best damn hunting dog I have ever had. Never trained beyond playing with me as a kid, and would point and flush birds in the woods, and retrieve anything, anywhre. If 2 or more birds were out there, she would go back for the other.

The "Pointing Labs" they have now remind me of Foo.

She was also a great dog around kids, being there from when I was 9-24, and when my brothers kids were 0-6. Playful, never bit, kids could ride her like a horse, pull ears whatever. But god help anyone not family or the mailman who approached while kids were outside with her.

Geno

January 3, 2007, 12:13 PM

I have been wanting to get another dog...you know, extend the family. :) I asked my wife to please buy me a good pheasant hunting book for Christmas. She bought me the book: Modern Pheasant Hunting, (2nd Ed) by Steve Grooms. Grooms dedicates an entire chapter to dogs (pages 11 through 26).

I was pleasantly surprised to see the Lab listed as a pheasant dog! Though I don't know how they would do for rabbit. So, we have been thinking of a chocolate Lab for ducks, geese and pheasants. Any insights Re: labs for rabbit would be appreciated. Nice thread.. Thanks for starting it.

Doc2005

MCgunner

January 3, 2007, 12:26 PM

I would think a lab would be too fast for a rabbit. Beagles just sort of plod along, never push the rabbit really hard, just keep 'em running without seekin' a hole.

One thing about labs, there's no dog on the planet that has the sweet personality and is so good around kids as a lab. They're just fantastic family dogs and hunt like crazy. The lab I had just lived to hunt and they love the water, too. Ol' Midnight would jump off a bank all splayed out, go under water, come up swimmin' like a friggin' torpedo. It was fun to watch. :D

one-shot-one

January 3, 2007, 01:12 PM

it is hard to beat the spaniels, springers, cockers, field are all flushing dogs,
german short hair could probably be taught to flush and would be my 2nd choice with the brittney a very close 3rd.

dfaugh

January 3, 2007, 03:37 PM

Lots of "specialized" breeds...

But

Despite that my German Shepherd did a great job retrieving, I assume that you are talking about dogs that fit into the classic hunting dog roll.

You can teach a GSD to do anything, and I mean ANYTHING. Mine can track ANYTHING (and I got lucky, they're "genetic" trackers---spent almost no time training tracking)....They'll retrieve a dumble/toy, or whatever on command (and they like water, and are good swimmers). They will range within only a certain distance (say for rabbits or birds) on command.

Seriously. Most people don't think them as hunting dogs, but for a "generic" hunting dog you could do worst. and they SMART and easily trained.

ArmedBear

January 3, 2007, 05:20 PM

These guys would know. Contact a chapter near you.

http://www.sandiegonavhda.com/pages/chapters.htm

North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association

They're all about all-around-dog breeds.

I'd say, off the cuff, a GSP, though. They're some of the only VHD's you can get pretty easily. Maybe Viszlas and Weimaraners, too, and the GWP.

Good luck finding something like a Muensterlander, Wirehaired Pointing Gryphon, etc., without joining a club, waiting a long time, signing contracts for trials and breeding, and putting up a good amount of cash. Of course, if you DO get one, it'll be a good hunting dog.:)

ZeSpectre

January 3, 2007, 06:04 PM

I was going to suggest maybe a Weimaraner but maybe a "lucky mutt" might be just the ticket. When I was a kid we had a "God knows what" mix with at least some lab and airdale in him and he'd flush/chase down any damned thing you set him after.

islandphish

January 3, 2007, 06:14 PM

I've owned Labradors, a Britney, several German Shorthairs and several other non-hunting breeds as well (Belgian Malinois etc.) and I've liked all of them. Any of the hunting breeds will be good if you find a puppy with strong drive.

That said, I'm looking towards the Draathaar/German Wirehaired Pointer as my next hunting dog. They are more in the 65-80lb range and are tough. They will scrap and kill most things they can catch and have good noses with some being excellent trackers. They look cool too.

That is just my choice today. You would be best to honestly analyze what your needs are and get the breed that fits best.

Keep in mind that "Retrievers" will generally retrieve and that alone. The versatile breeds will point, retrieve, track, and they will do it in water just like the Labs and Chesapeakes. Just beware of the overly hyper German Shorthair, Britney or whatever. You need to have a dog that fits your energy levels if you are to be happy with it.

ArmedBear

January 3, 2007, 06:18 PM

Our 35 MPH pitbull mix will chase anything. Catch it, too, if we let her. Swims like a motorboat, retrieves like a Labrador on steroids and crank. (All the other dogs were retrievers, twice her size, and she still took 2nd place: http://events.purina.com/dogs/events/results2.aspx )Great with kids, an all around sweetheart and super-athlete.

Doesn't like fireworks or gunshots much, though. And has very thin fur, so she gets cold in the mountains. As a Terrier breed, she isn't soft-mouthed, either. So she's an almost-ran as a hunting dog. This is true for many great dogs.

A real Versatile Hunting Dog has to have an intersection of a LOT of qualities, including swimming, gunshot tolerance, tracking, chasing, soft-mouth retrieving, cold and heat tolerance, pointing, etc.

Of all the common breeds around here, I'd say that the German Shorthaired Pointer stands out, especially if you want upland bird hunting to be part of the game. My friend's GSP will find anything, in the thickest, spiniest brush, in the roughest terrain, and come back for more.

High Planes Drifter

January 3, 2007, 10:14 PM

Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog. The only Dog a hunter will ever need. Will track a deer by day, and tear the living crap out of an intruder at night.

1911 guy

January 3, 2007, 11:45 PM

In no particular order, I'd choose either a Labrador, Brittany Spaniel or German Shorthair. All are usually smart, have a big-time drive and are good companions. Right now we have a Lab.

Liberty1776

January 3, 2007, 11:56 PM

Glad there are so many Brittany supporters here - I love 'em - they look the way they do only because they were bred to be smart and hunt great - not for looks, though they are cute and scruffy.... Mine is a bird hunting fool and HATES it when we have to stop. More heart, guts and instinct that you'd expect. Howsumever -- he HATES water! - won't go in it. That's why I also have a big goofy black lab the size of a buffalo calf - swimming and retrieving are his life...

a word of caution, or advice, if you will - IF you have a six or seven year old daughter, tread cautiously on giving her naming rights to the new puppy. When out with your gunning companions, and they are calling their staunch retrievers to them - Buck, Duke, Ranger, Digger, and Bob... one does not want to be heard shouting at the top of his lungs for ...Mr. Binkles! :D

ACP230

January 4, 2007, 01:03 AM

I have had three English Springer Spaniels.
The first one made me a Springer man. The second one needed extensive training which we couldn't afford so we didn't have him long.

The most recent one is a fine dog that hunts hard in the woods and wants to be a lap dog in the house. She did well on grouse this fall, and treed a squirrel to prove she had a "fur" side to go with the "feathers." She was easy to call off the squirrel when we didn't want it too. We didn't find any rabbits this fall. May try again this week if the good weather holds.

Unfortunately, my son is very allergic to dogs (we find out) and the latest Springer, a two year old, liver and white bitch, is going to have to go. I am allergic too, but meds work for me. They don't work for the kid.

Springers are great dogs, and good all arounders too.

Bob R

January 4, 2007, 01:35 AM

OK...don't laugh....look at the history if Standard Poodles. I used to use my mother's minature (about 15") for quail hunting growing up. She didn't think too much of the idea, but the dog and I sure loved it.

I am sure they can trained for other things. I know ours couldn't be kept out of the water whenever we went to the lake.

bob

Hofstet

January 4, 2007, 02:49 AM

Lab

pete f

January 4, 2007, 07:11 AM

Depends on use, Labs tend not to do so well at the wide open upland hunting. a little too short winded and not so tolerant of hot weather.

Shorthairs and spaniels can not take the cold as well as a lab or chessie.

There are labs that point, and shorthairs that work ducks like mad, but the norm is the opposite.

I have had two lab/springer mutts in the past and that mix seems to cancel out all the bad( however small) traits of both and gives a great family dog.

I will also say that i have had good luck in years past with other Mutts, the shorthair/poodle we had as kids was a tremendous dog, it was my moms all time favorite, I liked the lab/portuguese water dog but the hair was a deal breaker for mom, that thing shook in the spring time and it was like a hair bomb going off. My wife grew up with pointer/springer/irish setter mixes on her farm and they were all pretty good too, except for one which went nutso and had to be put down.

Not sure of the genetics but it seems a lot of the AKC dogs seem to have a lot of recessive genetics inside them to get that specific look, getting a mix breed seems to bring the good genes back to the front. JMHO.

Neighbors got a Vizsla, a hunting breed from the balkans. man what a pretty dog, and the thing has a nose.

instead of looking for AKC papers on a dog, there are several organizations more interested in output of the dogs rather than just looks.

www.ahdc.org
www.navhda.org
www.nagdog.com

are all groups devoted to dogs that function well both as hunters and as pets, vs the appearance only standard that the AKC seems to pursue.

Field trials dogs tend to be good choices too. although some of the higher bred dogs are real dynamos and require TONS of exercise to keep them happy.

and as i said, Mutts of the right stripe are often outstanding dogs.

280PLUS

January 4, 2007, 07:51 AM

Heh, that's funny, I was reading all this again earlier and was thinking, "Gee, if you could only take just the good traits from all of these and put them in one dog." :D

Interesting read here. Two things that came up are something I hadn't considered. Energy level and stamina. At this point I'm leaning towards the Spaniels. We had a Springer mix when I was a kid and more recently aquired an older full Springer that passed after only a short time but both were good dogs with good dispositions. I do remember the mix used to go beserk for the squirrels in the yard. We'd open the door and he'd roar off in hot pursuit although he never actually got one IIRC. :p

Plus we need something that's not going to overpower the timid Lab cross we have now and I think a Spaniel type might fit the bill there.

BTW I've been keying these breeds in and reading up on them. Interesting stuff. Thanks for all the ideas!

islandphish

January 4, 2007, 03:02 PM

don't forget about coat type. burrs and briars can be a real nightmare depending on where you live.

MrTuffPaws

January 4, 2007, 03:16 PM

If you want something that chases, get a Grey Hound

rwc

January 4, 2007, 07:54 PM

Any size preference?
My father in law's english cocker is a great little hunter.
Our Irish field setter is a sweet mid-sized dog which was never trained to hunt (GSPs and Vizlas are nice mid-sized dogs too).
Labs and goldens are great bigger dogs.
Beyond that I don't want to think about the food bill, let alone hoisting them out of trouble... :D

Essex County

January 6, 2007, 04:58 PM

Lots of good suggestions! Had to put my last Britt down a few months back and I've always been devoted to the breed. Tears ago I came very close to buying an American Water Spaniel from Paul Bovee's Kennel out in Wisconsin. I have also heard good things about the Boykin Spaniel, however I've only met one in person.....Essex

kbheiner7

January 7, 2007, 12:56 AM

I think Labs are the best all around dog by far, especially if cold weather is calculated in. Plenty of versatile breeds do great retrieving waterfowl, but I seen plenty of them tuck tail and whine when the water gets icy.

Another big plus for the labs is that they are exceptionally easy to train. Their temperments are generally much easier to deal with. They don't have quite the nose of some of the pointers, but they do have stamina that no other breed beats.

Dr.Rob

January 8, 2007, 02:54 AM

Springers were the best hunters I ever had. Too small for waterfowl really, but perfect for upland game.

duckjihad

January 11, 2007, 01:13 PM

Vizla's are suppose to do it all. Have a black lab, myself and am very partial. It's the do anything dog: retrieving, upland flusher, jogging companion, foot warmer, and child protector. Never blood trailed with him, but probably shopuld have taught him a few things along that path.

dfaugh

January 12, 2007, 10:47 AM

Not sure of the genetics but it seems a lot of the AKC dogs seem to have a lot of recessive genetics inside them to get that specific look, getting a mix breed seems to bring the good genes back to the front. JMHO.

Neighbors got a Vizsla, a hunting breed from the balkans. man what a pretty dog, and the thing has a nose.

instead of looking for AKC papers on a dog, there are several organizations more interested in output of the dogs rather than just looks.

Yeah, the AKC has ruined more dog breeds than you'd ever imagine. That's why all my German Shepherds come from European lines (and are "registered" in Germany). They've (mostly) been bred to WORK. Although the best GSD I ever had was an American line dog (who had acquired every AKC obedience title, AND most Schutzhund titles AND the AKC "good citizen" title by the time he was 2), but he was a "throw back" to the time when AKC standards were quite different. Nowadays they would've thrown him outa the show ring (for one, because he was easily 9" over the standard, and weighed 125 lbs!) I can't even go to an AKC show and see what they've done to the breed any more. I don't even bother to register any of my (breeding) dogs with AKC any more.

P.S. Once owned a "purebred" GSD, w/ AKC papers, that had webbed feet, and a long coat. She was 1/2 Newfoundland, but since AKC doesn't verify any paperwork, she had been registered as a GSD.

rwc

January 12, 2007, 02:32 PM

Our setter is "field" not show. A very different dog from the show breed - smaller, thinner, lighter coloring, and smarter.

scout26

January 12, 2007, 02:36 PM

German Shorthair Pointer.

Good for Upland Birds, Waterfowl and a great family dog.

High Planes Drifter

January 14, 2007, 10:07 PM

By no means am I an exper on this, however, I have heard for a long time that the Louisiana Catahoula has earned a reputaion as an all around dog. From hutning most game, to being a well respected gaurd/watch dog, the "Cat" is supposed to be able to do it all.

velojym

January 14, 2007, 11:51 PM

German Shorthair.
Lucy was put up for adoption because she's black and white, and AKC
only recognizes Liver for the GSP. She's never had any sort of training,
but she points, flushes, and chases (oh, Gawd, how she loves to chase).
She has a really high drive, and keeps us on our toes when outdoors.
On the other hand, at home, she's perfectly fine sleeping in on Saturday morning, keeping my feet warm.
Twizzler is a Catahoula/Collie mix, and is more of a furry cartoon character
than a huntin' dog. He's deathly afraid of loud noise, but he's high-larious
to be around, and I wouldn't trade him off for nothin'.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/50/140522025_4e8d0f9c17.jpg?v=1146788111

chuckmo

January 15, 2007, 11:45 PM

...but my Chocolate Lab bitch has done great on quail, dove, woodcock, chukars, grouse, pheasants, ducks and geese. She will also retrieve cottontails and squirrels, attack coons and other varmints on command, blood-trail arrowed deer, and well as bring coyotes right to me. She's great at busting up turkey coveys in the fall. That being said, I think it's because she's a great dog. I don't think every lab will be as useful, and some of the versatile breeds might be more what you're looking for. Good luck.

Kali Endgame

January 16, 2007, 12:18 AM

I've got a black Lab that: hates the water, goes psycho with gunfire, won't fetch more than five times, and sometimes won't return when called. My Grandpa, on the other hand, has a black Lab that does everything mine doesn't and is one heck of a bird dog. Great eyes and remembers were the birds fall.

Kimber1911_06238

January 16, 2007, 12:31 AM

German shorthair or an american pointer

MDig

January 16, 2007, 12:38 PM

My kind of Dog

280PLUS

January 17, 2007, 08:06 PM

LOL,,,now THAT'S the dog I want. :D

Jrsmith

January 19, 2007, 12:41 PM

"I have this sweet little black lab cross that's just about 2 years old. He'd probably be a great hunter but he is as shy as I've ever seen. Especially around me. He was obviously abused by his previous owner which we figure was a male. He won't come anywhere near me and shrinks away when I approach. He's been like this with me for almost a year now"

We have a lab/german shorthair like that, she got abandoned at our farm last winter, and she's just starting to warm up better to guys. We still have to be careful when a guy raises our hands around her, but she's coming around. I haven't really started working on her yet, but she points naturally (mostly our cat, or my mom's birds). We'll see this spring how she takes. I do know she HATES fireworks, so I am going to assume she's going to be gun shy.

mohican

January 19, 2007, 04:53 PM

in my experience, Labs are good dogs

Lab mixes seem to be the only mix dog where temperment is far worse than a standard bred

The best hunting dog I ever owned (probably the smartest and easiest to train) was a Golden Beagtreaver (tubby) my MIL gave me. (the neighbors golden retriever got to her beagle, my MIL is the only person I know that went to a garage sale and traded Avon products for a registered beagle :neener: :D )

One of three dogs in a row that I had out at the farm that were very protective of the wife and kids.

A friend that used to run field trial beagles was very confused when he came over. He heard a beagle baying but only saw what he thought was a goldie.
Tubby became a medium sized dog, about 20 inches and 50 lbs. Come and stay took some effort, everything else was easy. He would head the oldest boyoff before he got to the road, and on command heard him back to us. And he hated people dressed in suits!!! He turned up missing Turkey season of 2006.

to get on topic, if I was to actually go out, spend money, and buy a hunting dog it would probably be a Rhodesian Ridgeback.

RIDE

April 12, 2007, 11:32 AM

I'm a bit biased, as I have two of them... But IMO the Rhodesian Ridgeback is the absolute best "all-around" dog... Family, protecting, hunting ,etc.... Unbelievable patient and well behaved with small kids, fiercely protective of family and property, amazing endurance, very smart, amazing noses, decent retrieving skills, etc.

I have a story about 1 of our Ridgebacks, a 9 year old female Ridgeback named Belle (our hero). About 9 months ago our family (wife, 2 young kids, and I) are sleeping in our home, which is thankfully in a really nice neighborhood here. Outside the house our 2 cars, parked in front of the garage (we were obviously home). The pathway leading to the entry of our home has the Security Co. sign in the flower/rock garden (obvious we have an alarm). We have a 6' wrought iron fence that surrounds our yard.

Ok... So we are all asleep in our beds... at 3:30 am we awake to hearing our Ridgeback Belle going literally Bizirk!!! I jump out of bed to see what is the matter.. Our dog will bark at people walking down the road by our house, or if a neighbor has guests stay late she will bark as they leave... but nothing compared to what she sounded like this night.

I walked out of our bedroom, anticipating finding Belle (our dog) barking at the front door at a neighbors house... As I rounded the corner there is Belle, going NUTS! barking (frothing, etc) at the stairs leading down to the basement.

Realizing this is not good... I quickly go back into our bedroom and get a 12 gauge Semi-Auto Browning Gold shotgun. I return to the hallway that only leads to my bedroom and our kids bedroom, I tell my wife to get the phone and the glock 27, get in the kids bedroom and call the police.

Belle is still going CRAZY. While watching all around, my primary focus is on the stairs. We wait for the police to arrive. The dispatcher tells us the police are outside, that a window in the basement is open, and that the police are coming to the front door. The dispatcher asks that we gain control of Belle and put the Shotgun away....

The Officer comes inside (1 stays outside)... After telling the officer that NO window should be opened. He and I go downstairs, his gun and flashlight out, I see the open window (freaky).. The basement secure, we go to take a closer look at the window, and see a huge muddy footprint on the couch (more freaky).. He was in the house.

I think Belle was sleeping on the floor near the couch... the guy slid open the window (my fault for not having it locked) quite enough to not wake Belle.. but when he came in and stepped on the couch, that woke her and she went crazy...

The best thing: The kids slept through the ENTIRE thing... innocence preserved!

Long story short... We love Ridgebacks. Here's a couple pictures of our newest Ridgback pup... She is 62 lbs at 4.5 months old.. She's gonna be a big girl.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/236/450808983_ae4cc912cd.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/239/450795874_9d53f5a083.jpg

USMC - Retired

April 12, 2007, 12:35 PM

Best all around dog?

Mine! Your opinion may be different....

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y130/standmixer/mpdog.jpg

ADKWOODSMAN

April 12, 2007, 01:09 PM

As I spend parts of a hundred days or so in the woods and marshes my vote goes to the lab. They sleep on the range when I practice high power, or practice with the pistols at a private range. They check traps with me in the marshes, hunt ducks, grouse hunt, and sleep on the floor on my side of the bed. However they come to my wife in the evening and look at her until she says "ok" and then they follow her to bed! They do need room to run and ours could not be left alone in the house until 2 years old or they would chew something.:D

buck460XVR

April 12, 2007, 02:38 PM

One word.......Drahthaar(German Wirehaired Pointer)..... will do everything from pointing upland game and retrieving waterfowl to bloodtrailing deer. There's a reason they call em "versatile hunting dogs".

DixieTexian

April 12, 2007, 04:17 PM

Every kind of hunting with dogs that I have done much of has required a dog that will fight something that fights back, so I'm partial to Black Mouth Curs (like Old Yeller) or mixes of them with a splash of pit bull. They will hunt, and they will guard. They are probably not the best on the retrieving and pointing end, though. Catahoulas are good too.

koja48

April 12, 2007, 06:13 PM

Hunted over Labs for 30 years now & ain't likely to change . . . must be something about 'em I like . . .

Kimber1911_06238

April 12, 2007, 09:20 PM

for upland game I'd say german shorthairs....but all around prolly a lab

sixgun MAK

April 15, 2007, 06:29 PM

I have a 12 week old English Pointer. I choose this breed because I mostly hunt ruffed grouse in northern Minnesota with a longbow. It's important not to flush the birds. I'm not about to unleash an arrow through trees and possibly hit a bowhunter. I shoot grouse on the ground using blunts.

Don't laugh, but my wife has a pomeranian that is a heck of a bird dog......yes, I said pomeranian.

parisite

April 19, 2007, 01:12 AM

Taking into consideration the attributes of nose, speed, and endurance the American Foxhound has no equal of any animal on earth.

56807

peteinct

April 19, 2007, 10:29 AM

I guess the thing with mutts is that you never know what you'll get but my old dog was a German shepard-Beagle cross and she loved the outdoors. She was small only 50 lbs and fast quick enough to catch a squirrel on the ground if it hesitated for just a second. If she saw some outside she would wait by the front door for to open it and then BANG she'd take off like a rocket.She even brought me back a rabbit she caught one morning.

We would go on hikes and she would do many times the miles I did and she loved to go out cross country skiing with us. She would run through drifts taller than she was.

I had to put her down last summer and I still miss her
pete

H&Hhunter

April 22, 2007, 11:38 PM

Retrievers and pointers are for the birds.;)

All real houndsmen know that the best sporting dog on this planet is a German Jadgterrier.:)

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y187/GTAllyn/doubledogdoublehog.jpg

trueblue1776

April 22, 2007, 11:45 PM

Pig hunter here, I like two dogs; Am Bull and Rott. My newest American is in bird dog training and doing really well. I like heavier boned dogs for pig hunting, the Am Bulldogs are fantastic corsing dogs as long as they are the athletic type (less than 85lbs or so).

rkh

April 23, 2007, 07:55 AM

I always get odd looks when I tell people about my fine triple hackled Georgian masticus.

Quite a dog, he is.

ldyates

April 23, 2007, 11:04 AM

If you want to go all day, this will get it done. Mine usually log 15 - 20 miles in one session. They are not formally trained, so if it moves, it will get caught or shot! Sorry brutha... skunks are just part of the routine, but like rattlesnakes, it only takes one encounter for them to stay away.... as a general rule.

Do your research on this breed before obtaining. They are quirky in nature and nothing like a lab or GSP which is why many of them end up in rescue or die in shelters.

Point, Chase, Retrive, Swim, Protect, Dig and destroy.......... all traits of the Weimaraner. :)