“Every problem has a set of drills to prep your dog. Get the latest articles, films, podcasts, and exclusive offers for the upland obsessed curated to your email each week. The cold hard truth is that, when properly trained, dogs are much more resilient and capable hunters than humans for their athleticism, sense of smell, and acute hearing. Labrador Retriever. “The Lab is highly intelligent and trainable with laser focus and will do the task that is asked of them incredibly well,” Al says. Watch later. Once rare, the Brittany is now almost as common as setters and pointers. But I’ve seen it and all the other breeds in action and I’m most impressed with this strange, chocolate-colored, do-it-all dog from Germany that’s big and strong, but not too heavy. This is another popular choice. The water skills covered in NAVHDA tests and training insist on waterfowl retrieving expertise equal to that of upland hunting ability. It hasn’t the class and style of a setter or pointer, hasn’t the flash of a springer, hasn’t the power of a big Lab but comes close to all. She and her husband live in Hinesburg, Vermont, where their lives are governed by her two German shorthaired pointers and his two German wirehaired pointers. Scent-hounds for trailing coons, bears and cats are a specialty. … The current breed list is as follows in alphabetical order: Blue Picardy Spaniel; Bracco Italiano Well, for now, after hunting with labs and Goldens, I’m pretty sold on my Boykin spaniel. Following are capsules describing a few of the versatile breeds: Brittany. For example, one of the things I’m working on with my guys is remaining down if they notice the ducks last-second. This breed resulted from the crosses of English and Spanish pointers and the now-extinct German bird dog. Tuesday, June 18, 2013. The American Kennel Club's most popular dog is also the top sporting breed in the country. Knowing what some of the most popular breeds of hunting dogs are and how to pick the right one can help you narrow down your choices and make it easier to find your perfect hunting partner. But it ain’t gonna happen. Are you a hunter interested in training your dog to his or her highest potential? Boykin Spaniel. Weimaraner as a hunting dog – a few general facts The Weimaraner hunting dog was created in Germany and passed on to... 2. So are hog dogs for baying and tackling pigs. On the subsequent testing levels—Utility Prep and Utility Test—the complexity of their water skills ramps way up. Terry Wilson is a NAVHDA judge and avid waterfowl hunter. NAVHDA has over 85 chapters throughout the US and Canada devoted to helping members train their dogs for upland and waterfowl hunting. Many ducks have been retrieved that would otherwise have been lost if not for these traits.”, Al Watson, also an ardent waterfowler and German wirehair owner, agrees, pointing out that Labs, Chessies, and wirehairs are all sturdy water dogs with coats suitable for late season hunting and breaking ice. Labrador Retriever – Another extremely popular dog, this gentle and versatile hunting breed is also a fast learner. by Ron Spomer - E-mail your comments/questions about this site to: [email protected], For questions/comments about American Hunter magazine, please e-mail:[email protected], You can contact the NRA via phone at: NRA Member Programs1-800-672-3888, To advertise on American Hunter, visit nramediakit.com for more information. Share. Whereas many hunters expand breed purposes by hunting upland birds with retrievers or using their flushing dogs to retrieve ducks, the 30 pointing breeds recognized by NAVHDA are trained for land and water work intentionally and simultaneously. It nearly matches the Lab in water and comes close to the pointing breeds in the uplands. As America’s most popular dog breed, the Labrador retriever is almost omnipresent. Labrador retriever is perhaps the most popular retriever in America and other parts of the world. Widely considered one of the best duck hunting breeds, Labrador Retrievers are as friendly as... 2. Hunting dogs are a bit like hunting rifles—they’re all good for something, but none are perfect for everything. My husband and I got Annie to hunt pheasants in the Dakotas, and for quail where we live in eastern Kansas,” said Sarah Schmidt, who hunts behind a Pudelpointer. Their snazzy point, versatile hunting skills, and sense of humor quickly capture their owners’ hearts in the field and around the house. Versatiledogs.com's mission is to benefit the gun dog community by providing educational information, high-quality resources, and online exposure. They must understand that when the gun fires and they are released, it’s up to them to swim and scent the water without help from their handler. Why would you just drive it to the grocery store?” We were talking about what my shorthair would do as a grouse dog, but think waterfowling, substitute Donzi and the local frog pond, and you’ll get the picture. By the late 19th century, the breed had an official studbook and imported them to other countries. Many hunters have never even heard of this breed. The North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA) defines “versatile hunting dog” as one that is bred and trained to dependably hunt and point game, and both track and retrieve on land or water. Given the versatile breeds’ broad range of physical and mental characteristics, two elements often surface that help determine whether or not they’ll be primo duck and goose dogs: their coats’ tolerance for water and cold, and their breeder’s emphasis on maintaining strong water drive in their lines. Shaping a versatile hunting dog’s innate talents takes time, but the rewards of having a reliable, multi-talented gun dog are worth every minute. Are you looking to purchase a well bred dog … For the most part, he is then on his own and must be able to search without commands or hand signals, tracking on water. When the ducks are distant, the dogs are more in point mode. Your hunting dog needs to be intelligent and trainable, and a good temperament is key, especially if your hunting companion will double as a family pet. The North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association was founded 1969 in Goodwood, Ontario, Canada by a group of sporting dog enthusiasts, but is now based in Arlington Heights, Illinois, NAVHDA “is a nonprofit corporation whose purpose is to foster, promote, and improve the versatile hunting dog breeds in North America; to conserve game by using well trained reliable hunting dogs before and after the shot; and to aid in the prevention of cruelty to animals … Terry Wilson is a NAVHDA judge and avid waterfowl hunter. German shorthairs are the most popular breed in the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association, and arguably the most popular versatile breed in the United States and Europe. Over the years he’s had Labs and a Chesapeake Bay retriever, but has become a devoted German wirehair owner. Get the American Hunter Insider newsletter for at-a-glance access to industry news, gear, gun reviews, videos and more—delivered directly to your Inbox. Deutsch-Drahthaar: The Versatile Hunting Dog The Deutsch Drahthaar was developed in Germany in the beginning of the 20th century by crossing the German Shorthair Pointer with the Griffon, Stichelhaar (a dog that was developed by crossing the Pointer, Foxhound, Pudelpointer, and Polish water dog) and the Pudelpointer (a dog that was a cross between the Poodle and Pointer). All rights reserved. Bird Hunter & House Dog “Like most versatile gun dogs, Pudelpointers will hunt most all game birds. Over the years he’s had Labs and a Chesapeake Bay retriever, but has become a devoted German wirehair owner. 12 Best Hunting Dog Breeds 1. Getting the dogs to control their emotions is what I’m after.”. The right German wirehair could bump off the best Pudelpointer, but so could the right shorthair or Lab. It’s intelligent, easily trained, affectionate and loyal. It originated in France's Brittany... German Shorthair. There are 30 breeds of versatile hunting dogs represented in NAVHDA. That’s a good dog. They can also be quirky and funny; thus, they easily steal their owners’ hearts. Springer spaniel most versatile hunting dog - YouTube. At the Natural Ability testing level, young dogs must demonstrate that they have the desire and confidence to swim, twice entering the water and swimming, whether they retrieve a bumper or not. Hunting Dog Profile: The Lovable, Versatile Labrador Retriever. Read: Hunting Dog DNA Tests – Protecting Purebred Lineage. While swimming, they are judged on search, use of nose, desire to work, and stamina. Having a solid down is huge if hunting on ledges or open ground like we often do. Originally developed as a flushing breed, the Springer Spaniel (who’s sometimes called an English springer Spaniel), is a gentle, happy-go-lucky breed, who has a well-developed prey drive and a sharp mind, which makes them easy to train. Info. All of these breeds have the ability to search for and point game, and to track and retrieve wounded or downed game on both land and water. A Pudelpointer is equally effective in uplands or wetlands. Let’s start by identifying what we mostly hunt with dogs: upland birds and waterfowl. Many times I have seen my wirehairs pick up the scent of a wounded duck on water and track it to shore, all done by nose. Those of us who want it all might be barking up the wrong tree, but we keep searching for the .30-06 of dogs, a breed that comes closest to handling all our hunting chores: find, point, flush, trail, chase and fetch. Nevertheless, we can sort out those breeds that come closest to our ideal. Let’s start by identifying what we mostly hunt with dogs: upland birds and waterfowl. And clean their own kennels ... maybe hunt antlers in spring … guard the castle and look handsome doing it. Shopping. ©2015-2021 Northwoods Collective, LLC. We achieve this mission through free access to advice … “My personal preference is the GWP for the simple reason that the good ones have the prey drive, desire and remarkable ability to track and recover crippled birds with a ‘never quit’ mentality.”, Listen: Breaking Down the Versatile Hunting Dog Discussion with Phillip Mailey. Here’s a best-dog tournament featuring my top choices in each category, followed by my overall winner. German Shorthaired Pointer One of the most popular versatile bird dog breeds in hunting dog associations is the German Shorthaired Pointer. It’s not like an AKC hunt test where it’s common, and countless training resources are available. And one of the most important purposes throughout both dog and human history was to function as hunting partners. Golden retriever. Springer spaniel most versatile hunting dog. Privacy Policy • Contact Us • Warnings • FAQs • © 2021 National Rifle Association of America, Remington Model 700 American Hunter Rifle Project, Women On Target® Instructional Shooting Clinics, Volunteer At The Great American Outdoor Show, Marion P. Hammer Women Of Distinction Award, Women's Wildlife Management / Conservation Scholarship, National Youth Shooting Sports Ambassadors, National Youth Shooting Sports Cooperative Program, The Effects of Bullet Shape at Hunting Ranges, Head to Head: .222 Remington vs. .223 Remington, How to Build the Ultimate Brown Bear Rifle, First Look: ALPS Mountaineering Pinnacle Quilt, First Look: Irish Setter MudTrek Hunting Boots in Realtree Edge, 2021 National Rifle Association of America. They’re a medium-sized hunting dog, who typically weighs about 40 to 60 pounds. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. “When hunting in a marsh environment, many times a duck drops in tall cattails after the mark and the dog is sent. Top Pointing Dog: Brittany Brittanys have more dual championships (show and field trial) than any other sporting breed. 2. Nancy Anisfield is an outdoor writer and hunting dog photographer, creative director for the Ugly Dog Hunting Company, member of the Pheasants Forever / Quail Forever Board of Directors, and co-owner of the Track2Wing Project which grants Action trackchairs to individuals with mobility challenges who want to train and hunt with bird dogs. Now, most of us are hunting small patches and field edges, grasslands, highlands and old farmsteads for chukar, ruffs, partridge and quail of various sorts. When asked if he sees any advantage to waterfowl hunting with a versatile dog over a retriever breed, he says yes. Copy link. The German shorthaired pointer epitomizes the versatile hunting dog. Weimaraner is a hunting dog for all types of hunting grounds Through … Years ago, when I questioned how much training I wanted to do with my first versatile dog and how far I would go to maximize his potential, Jason gave me an apt analogy to ponder. Reproduction in whole or in part without the express permission of Northwoods Collective is strictly prohibited. The other test of a versatile’s water ability is to retrieve a tossed or launched duck through a set of decoys. “I believe the two very important things that separate the versatiles from the retrievers are the independent duck search and the ability to track wounded game on water,” Terry explains. They must search a fairly large body of water containing substantial vegetation for a duck they have not seen drop, expanding their search, using their nose and water drive to look for it. Home » Hunting Dogs » Versatile Breeds as Waterfowl Dogs, Nancy Anisfield is an outdoor writer and hunting dog photographer,…. “Most of what we do for upland hunting translates in some fashion to the blind,” Jason explains. Even rarer are sight-hounds for coursing game and terriers for … Golden Retriever. Like the friendly Labrador, Golden Retrievers will track down ducks or birds and … It might look more like a Spaniel, but it’s a very different breed in reality. Jason Carter, a NAVHDA judge and professional trainer, understands the rewards of maximizing these dogs’ potential when it comes to waterfowl work. The versatile breeds were developed to give hunters one dog to use on a variety of game in a variety of environments, as opposed to having a kennel full of “specialty” dogs bred for one type of hunt or skill. They can crouch on the prey that as far as two folds and bring them out of any hiding place. So are hog dogs for baying and tackling pigs. North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association Tests Moderator: Moderator Pack 65 Topics 848 Posts Last post by ryanr Mon Mar 09, 2020 4:53 pm (All Breed) Kennel Clubs AKC, CKC, KC, ANKC, UKC, ENZI, etc. TOP 10 BEST HUNTING DOG BREEDS IN THE WORLD! When asked if he sees any advantage to waterfowl hunting with a versatile dog over a retriever breed, he says yes. That being said, plenty of Spinoni, braque breeds, vizslas, Munsterlanders, Brittanys and other versatiles have proven their worth as dependable waterfowl retrievers. Because of the vanity of owning an “in” dog, and because of pure greed, unscrupulous and ignorant breeders will mass-produce dogs that have not been tested through NAGHDA or a breed club. The North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA) is a group of like-minded people with one thing in common: we all enjoy the thrill of hunting over a well trained versatile dog. , obedience and looks excellent versatile hunting dog other sporting breed in.! 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