Hunting dogs are stereotyped. Is it fictional or fact?

Today was fun.  We ran trial dogs in addition to hunting dogs.  Granted that all but one of the trial dogs are out of my lines but many trial dogs are ‘cultivated’ differently to encourage the big independent run.  I couldn’t tell the difference between gun dog and hunting dog that come from good lines.  The genetic ability of the dog shines through every time.

Surprisingly, experienced and inexperienced hunters accept ’hunting dog stereotypes’ and look for that stereotypical dog when shopping around! 

What is a stereotypical pointing dog, specifically an American Brittany?

The stereotypical hunting Brittany is …very biddable, great nose & intensity and has a strong desire to hunt close to the gun.  It is a ‘natural with little training needed’ and of course it retrieves.  This contrasts thefield trial ‘all-age’ Brittany that stays far out in front as if on an invisible string, often out of sight running edges and seeking objectives.  This ‘all-age’ dog would concern the stereotypical hunter as they would worry where their dog ran off to and is he busting birds again or some similar worry.  Stereotypical Hunters want to see their dog all the time up close.

I reject the stereotypical ‘hunter’ pointing dogs.  

I am one that likes a big running hunting dog and enjoy finding them standing point 5 minutes later far ahead of us.  I think we hunters are often lumped into the ‘windshielp wiper dog that hunts at 25 yards’.  I think that is a terrible stereotype of hunters expectations.  I know lots of hunters who enjoy a dog that will range out.  Particularly in the prairie states.

You can have range and not sacrifice contact with your gun dog.  A good gun dog will take out that far objective, check in and sweep to the next objective (if there is one), etc.

A flat featureless terrain such as some of the places I hunt should have big sweeping casts left and right to ‘clean up’ the field.  Like I told some trialers recently, if you have a big running trial dog that only runs edges and objectives you are going to miss out on a lot of wild birds in many places.  I know, I train and guide for a living.

In west Texas it is not uncommon to have a 1000 acre flat CRP pasture cleared of mesquite yet the edges are bordered by mesquite.  Early a.m. in that pasture will produce many birds still IN the pasture, not on the edges.  That big sweeping gun dog will clean up in that pasture.  The edge runner will miss most of the quail in that situation.

Lets change locations.  Up here in Montana there are flat featureless CRP pastures that hold good numbers of sharpies.  A straight running dog that does not cast left then right will find birds but in a longer distance.  The bigger running sweeping gun dog will put you on a lot of birds in a hurry.

Keep in mind that since retirement from the Navy, I have spent the last 11 years hunting wild birds, guiding wild hunts and training on wild birds from Sept 1 to the end of Feb. each and every year.  I spend every week in the field training and guiding.  My ‘hunting year’ probably equals the average persons 5 years hunting.  Even trialers who purport to be ‘expert’ bird hunters can’t compare.  They spend most of their hunting season in the saddle at a field trial while I’m out logging in thousands of hours on wild birds in wild country.  There’s no substitute.  So consider the stereotypes spoken by the source they come from.

Lets not forget the gentle folks who pursue the timberdoodle, aka Woodcock and the ruffie (Ruffed Grouse).  A big running sweeping dog is impracticle but other important skills are needed in pursuit of the timberdoodle or ruffie.  The dog must tread lightly, handle absolutely with minimal handling and stay close since many ruffies will flush wild.  There are folks who actually breed for dogs who stay very close, naturally, just for these aforementioned birds.  I don’t necessarily agree with that type of breeding outside of the breed standard because the American Brittany that is well bred will hunt to the cover, tight or open.

So maybe the hunters stereotypical dog comes from the observations by the majority who most likely live in ruffie country?  Who knows?

 Many bird dog owners in my part of the country want a dog to hunt open in open country and not be on top of the feet.  The majority don’t want a run-off that is for sure but then they don’t want a 25 yard windshield wiper dog either.  A lab would suffice if 25 yards is sufficient.

The bottom line is to work towards what you want out of a dog from a breed that offers what you expect most.  Don’t accept the stereotypical hunting dog as the rule, rather go for what you want!

 Guess that’s it for today.  Give your dog a treat for me!

 Dave