Category Archives: hunting dogs

hunting dogs

Hunting Dogs

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Hunting dogs are certainly the best possible ally of the hunter, as they sniff and scavenge for prey in the deepest and darkest brush of the forest. There are many different possibilities for a hunting dog type that you can take on your next trip. The type of dog you should take on your hunting trip should be directly related to the type of hunting you are planning on. If you are planning on hunting fur-bearing animals, for example, you would be more satisfied with a hound than you would be with a terrier. Regardless of what dog you choose to take with you on your next hunting trip, you can be sure that you will have made a new friend by the end of the journey.

The most common main category of hunting dogs is the hound. Hounds are actually divided into two categories from there: the sighthound and the scent hound. As their names imply, each sub-category of dog type refers to a certain skill that the dog tends to be more proficient in. Sighthounds, like the Whippet, are adapted to hunting because of their visual acumen. They practice a method that is known as coursing, referring to the notion of spotting the prey from a long distance and following it in a quick pursuit. Scent hounds, like the Coonhound, work by scent rather than sight. They tend to pick up on a trace of the prey from the ground and follow that scent, hopefully to the prey. Scent hounds often work in packs and are regarded as having some of the most sensitive noses of all other dog types.

The next classification of dogs used for hunting is the gun dog. These dogs are used mostly by short range hunters using shotguns. There are three sub-categories of gun dogs: flushing spaniels, pointing breeds and retrievers. Again, their names are reflective of the particular skill that the dog has to offer the hunter. The retrievers, once known as water spaniels, are great for finding and getting shot or killed game for the hunter. If the hunter kills a duck, the retriever heads over to pick it up and brings it back to the hunter. The pointing breed, such as an English setter, tend to “point out” the prey by pointing at upland birds or other upland animals being hunted. The pointing breed of dogs sometimes also help flush the prey out from their hiding spot. The flushing spaniels, such as the English Cocker spaniel, are used to locate and spring the prey for the hunter. They are trained to remain close to the hunter, ensuring an easy kill.

Still another popular type of hunting dog is the terrier. Terriers are used to hunt mammals, for the most part. These animals, such as the Lakeland terrier, are used to locate the actual den of the animal and spring or capture the animal. Some terriers are bred to kill the animal at the animal’s den. A large number of terriers are used to hunt what are known as “pest species”. The pest species refer to groundhogs, hunted by the Jack Russel terriers, or the badger or fox, hunted by the Fell terrier. The legality of some of these hunts is in question, so you may want to check your local regulations before you set upon and hunt a fox.

There are many particulars that make using hunting dogs a popular option for hunting. Whether you choose a sighthound or a scent hound, you can be assured that your companion hound will be working for you at finding your prey. Using a gun dog can not only provide great companionship, but it can bring prey right to your doorstep and literally take the hunt out of hunting. Terriers not only make a vigorous hunting companion, but they also make for a nice domesticated animal. Make sure that you consider the hunting dog type before you go out on the hunt so that you can bring the best possible breed with you and land the best possible kill for this hunting season.

hunting dogs

Hunting Dogs

Leave a comment

Hunting dogs are certainly the best possible ally of the hunter, as they sniff and scavenge for prey in the deepest and darkest brush of the forest. There are many different possibilities for a hunting dog type that you can take on your next trip. The type of dog you should take on your hunting trip should be directly related to the type of hunting you are planning on. If you are planning on hunting fur-bearing animals, for example, you would be more satisfied with a hound than you would be with a terrier. Regardless of what dog you choose to take with you on your next hunting trip, you can be sure that you will have made a new friend by the end of the journey.

The most common main category of hunting dogs is the hound. Hounds are actually divided into two categories from there: the sighthound and the scent hound. As their names imply, each sub-category of dog type refers to a certain skill that the dog tends to be more proficient in. Sighthounds, like the Whippet, are adapted to hunting because of their visual acumen. They practice a method that is known as coursing, referring to the notion of spotting the prey from a long distance and following it in a quick pursuit. Scent hounds, like the Coonhound, work by scent rather than sight. They tend to pick up on a trace of the prey from the ground and follow that scent, hopefully to the prey. Scent hounds often work in packs and are regarded as having some of the most sensitive noses of all other dog types.

The next classification of dogs used for hunting is the gun dog. These dogs are used mostly by short range hunters using shotguns. There are three sub-categories of gun dogs: flushing spaniels, pointing breeds and retrievers. Again, their names are reflective of the particular skill that the dog has to offer the hunter. The retrievers, once known as water spaniels, are great for finding and getting shot or killed game for the hunter. If the hunter kills a duck, the retriever heads over to pick it up and brings it back to the hunter. The pointing breed, such as an English setter, tend to “point out” the prey by pointing at upland birds or other upland animals being hunted. The pointing breed of dogs sometimes also help flush the prey out from their hiding spot. The flushing spaniels, such as the English Cocker spaniel, are used to locate and spring the prey for the hunter. They are trained to remain close to the hunter, ensuring an easy kill.

Still another popular type of hunting dog is the terrier. Terriers are used to hunt mammals, for the most part. These animals, such as the Lakeland terrier, are used to locate the actual den of the animal and spring or capture the animal. Some terriers are bred to kill the animal at the animal’s den. A large number of terriers are used to hunt what are known as “pest species”. The pest species refer to groundhogs, hunted by the Jack Russel terriers, or the badger or fox, hunted by the Fell terrier. The legality of some of these hunts is in question, so you may want to check your local regulations before you set upon and hunt a fox.

There are many particulars that make using hunting dogs a popular option for hunting. Whether you choose a sighthound or a scent hound, you can be assured that your companion hound will be working for you at finding your prey. Using a gun dog can not only provide great companionship, but it can bring prey right to your doorstep and literally take the hunt out of hunting. Terriers not only make a vigorous hunting companion, but they also make for a nice domesticated animal. Make sure that you consider the hunting dog type before you go out on the hunt so that you can bring the best possible breed with you and land the best possible kill for this hunting season.

hunting dogs

Duck Hunting Dogs

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Duck hunting dogs belong to a wide group of hunting dogs referred to as AKC’s Group One, the group of Sporting Dogs, also referred to as the waterfowl hunting dogs. It is from this group the duck hunting dogs have developed and gained their reputation. Today duck hunting is considered to be an outdoor sporting activity, and the duck hunting dogs are now part of a huge world of hunting, where commercial waterfowl hunting is not as popular as in the past. But for those who do hunt for a variety of other reasons, the water dogs or waterfowl hunting dogs can spot and remember perfectly the exact location of the downed bird.

Birds such as ducks and geese are part of the same habitat, and have the same hunting seasons or at least they will overlap while using the same hunting methods. In the early days, waterfowl was hunted for food, their down and feathers. Today, considered more of a sporting event, the bird dog or the duck hunting dogs consist of breeds such as the Clumber spaniels, American cocker spaniel, English Springer spaniels, German Wirehairs, Irish Water Spaniels, and Nova Scotia Duck Trollers.

It is no accident that the duck hunting dogs eventually became located in the United States in the early settler days, as the Europeans and early settlers brought hunting dogs with them when with they first came over to North America. The most prominent early imported hunting dogs were the imported Mountain Curs and the American coonhounds, with early diaries of Hernando de Soto having the first written word of the hounds in America. This diary said their hunting dogs were not used for hunting gamebirds or small game, but used for hunting Indians, unfortunately.

In the late 1800s, bird dogs became the thing for “sporting gentlemen” with the quail hunting preserves developing, and then onto more duck hunting dogs and small game bird hunting dogs, in a variety of hunting events. Titles, contests, and money became the thing to do by highly bred gentlemen with highly bred bird hunting dogs that were trained to win by the best. It was at this time that events brought in breeds such as the duck hunting dogs to participate in the first annual National Championship Field Trial in Massachusetts, sponsored by Hobart Ames. Eventually, this became a 25,000-acre hunting reserve by the country. Today, bird dog clubs hold annual events that eventually lead into the national contest, with the duck hunting dogs participating. This area near Grand Junction is the home of the original National Bird Dog Museum honoring 40 breeds of those first hunting days.

hunting dogs

The Excitement of Hunting With Dogs

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Hunting with dogs is a controversial sport in today’s world, and there are some specific types of dogs who hunt either better than others or better “at” certain game, making the art of hunting with dogs a popular sport with many. There are no specific groups in the AKC registry for hunting alone other than maybe the hounds, and this one is of the largest group that have a wonderful hunting nose—with the hounds seeming to have a dominant amount of breeds in their group who do hunt with an ancestral background in their lineage, with the most known hunting traits. These traits vary, such as scenting ability, baying when the scent is found, or excessive stamina to follow a trail or scent for excessive periods of time, with the breeds known as Beagles, Norwegian Elkhounds, Basset Hounds, American Foxhounds, Dachshund, English Foxhound, Bloodhound, Black and Tan Coonhound, and so on.

The AKC Sporting group is a large group of hunting dogs for those who enjoy hunting with dogs, and that specifically enjoy the water and the woods–the American Water Spaniel, Brittany, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Clumber Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel, Curly-Coated Retriever, English Cocker Spaniel, English Setter, English Springer Spaniel, Field Spaniel, Flat-Coated Retriever, German Shorthaired Pointer, German Wirehaired Pointer, Golden Retriever, Gordon Setter, Irish Setter, Irish Water Spaniel, Labrador Retriever, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, Pointer, Spinone Italiano, Sussex Spaniel, Vizsla, Weimaraner, Welsh Springer Spaniel, and Wirehaired Pointing Griffon.

The exciting things about dogs, especially noticeable when we are hunting with dogs, are that each breed has their own natural behavior. The best breed for being a total workaholic out in the field is the Border Collie when herding livestock or children. And the terriers are something else, believe me–they were originally developed to hunt small game, and kill vermin, and nothing had EVER get in their way! And then we have the hunting dogs, maintaining a continuous drive to confront some form of prey or another, to the point if you don’t have the time or energy to train and go with them—don’t buy one, as without proper socialization or training, severe problems will definitely develop. For the hunting dogs that have a high predatory behavior, the word “challenging” doesn’t even come close to the experience of training them.

Hunting with dogs is not an easy task to accomplish by the time they are ready to go to the field—and that is when the quality of training will show up. Because if not, spaniels, retrievers, pointers, and so on, that have a naturally born predatory behavior that has to go somewhere and do something—and if the family has small children, small animals like cats or guinea pigs, they will instantly become game for their hunt that is natural born to them.

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The Famous Walker Hunting Dogs

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When you look at the Walker hunting dogs, you will remember them the rest of your life. I had one here as part of our rescue unit, and to this day I hear his beautiful baying and the company of his gentle and sweet personality. Of course, he treed cats on the property—did not hurt them, mind you, but treed everything in sight because that is what they do best. Choosing Walker hunting dogs for hunting or an exercise companion is a joy in itself, as compared to other hunting dogs.

The Walker hunting dogs have quite a history, going clear back to the 1700 days of George Washington when his “Tennessee Lead” chased foxes across Virginia. The dog was carefully and meticulously bred by George Washington and his friend John W. Walker with the foxhound, continuing on for centuries. The Walker hunting dogs were the result of this careful breeding, with the goal of high quality hunting foxes. Today, they are popular with the deer hunters because of their lean bodies, and speed with quick movements. The origin of the English Foxhound is where the importance lies for the fastest and most agile of hunters.

One major requirement that is almost mandatory is top-notch quality training, something that is of the utmost need for this breed of hunting dog, the famous Walker hunting dogs–as when on the hunt they hear nothing but their own baying and the scent of the prey. Completely oblivious to the commands of the hunter, just like a basset or beagle, this dog cannot go to the field and hunt without the utmost training for basic commands and then on into high agility training. A few commands on sit or stay just won’t cut it, believe me. It would be almost impossible to stop them on your own, with their powerful shoulders, while weighing up to 70 pounds and over two feet high.

Several types of Walker hunting dogs have passed down into our hunting world, with the Treeing Walker the most popular for hunting rabbit, fox, raccoon, and sometimes large game such as bear or wild boar. As stated, their disposition is what has added to their popularity as a hunting dog. They love children and other dogs, and more than enjoy sleeping in the bottom of the bed during the night—a gentle giant with the heart of a cuddly bear. But be prepared for the multitude of bays that herald anything from someone at the door to the scent of a squirrel or cat outside, as each baying sound of the Walker hunting dogs sounds off to a different job.

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Looking for Good Hunting Dogs

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How does one choose good hunting dogs without getting stung? Many dog breeders are like horse traders—you get what you get, and that isn’t what was listed. So a dog breeder’s reputation, letters of reputation or phone calls, and looking at siblings or mother and father of the dog means a lot when looking for good hunting dogs. Make sure they have some form of guarantee and for how long they guarantee the puppy or dog.

But what is good for one hunter may not mean the same for another, so make sure you know what you want before going out and looking. Do you want versatile good hunting dogs for all-purpose hunting, or one that is excellent at squirrel hunting or coon hunting? Look at where they will be living the remaining time—will it it he be a family member? Make sure the breed you want is one you have information on and have done your homework on. Just because grandpa had one doesn’t mean you know what you need to know regarding the purchase of good hunting dogs.

Good hunting dogs need to be disease from and have clean genetic lines, regardless the breed. Make sure routine worming has been done as a puppy—which has usually been done from two weeks. Also, look at their shot records—did they receive a two-week puppy shot series with only two weeks between them, beginning around five or six weeks? Once the puppy is weaned from its mother, its immune system becomes compromised, and it is up to the breeder to maintain that system up to eight weeks of age when it leaves the next. A breeder who sells before then is not worth his/her weight in salt. Good hunting dogs mean that—a good hunting dog, not one that is haphazardly bred to make a quick buck. Georgia is famous for good hunting dogs, as most Georgia hunters think more of their dogs than anywhere else, but make sure you don’t get a bad breeder anyway.

Different breeds have different health risks—with the popular German Short