Best all around dog?

[280PLUS]

I know this could be a touchy subject but I'm wondering what the best breed(s) might be for an all around hunting dog. Dogs that will chase anything, except maybe skunks. I would prefer that it run away from those.

Any suggestions? And please, no fighting.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

If you mean best all around to include retrieving, as well as pointing, including retrieving waterfowl, the Large Brittany spaniels seem a good all around dog. They don't have quite the stamina of a lab or a chesapeak, but labs and chessies don't point. If you omit the waterfowl, I have seen good English Setters, and good normal sized Brittany Spaniels.

LD

 

[GreenFurniture]

German Shorthaired Pointer.

 

[rustymaggot]

one of my childhood dogs was half ridgeback half airdale. she used to go out into the woods and bring back elk. chased 3 or 4 of em past us on more than one occasion. treed a racoon while it was tied to the tree once. strange dog. i miss her.

 

[DogBonz]

OK, glad that you narrowed it down

I was afraid that you were about to start WWIII in here. 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. I think that you cant beat a Lab for all around retrieving. They have a high work/ play drive, and love to please their owners. Above that, they are excellent family dogs, fairly low maintenance, and if exercised sufficiently they are not mischief makers.

 

[AirForceShooter]

Lab.
Best damn'd bird dog ever.

AFS

 

[280PLUS]

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.

 

[sixgunner455]

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]

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]

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]

Just asked this myself...

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]

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.

 

[one-shot-one]

FOR FIND & FLUSH ON FUR & FEATHERS

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

My top three choices.

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]

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!

 

[ACP230]

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]

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]

Lab

 

[pete f]

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.