Thread: deer and bird dog.

im wanting to get a dog for hunting, dose anyone have dogs they use for deer hunting and bird hunting aswell and how do they go, what breed do you use etc? would i be asking too much of the dog to do both? i do alot of both types of hunting and i am looking at a lab x gsp. any advise is appreciated. thanks

lab x gsp. I hope theres a gsp somewhere to cross with my lab one day.

Gsps and wire hairs are known to do both ( HPR dogs hunt point retrieve ) there is sometimes a compromise as can be a "jack of all ". Plenty use pure labs for deer and ducks , the ones that do usually swear by them . I just swear at my gsp
Consider getting a well breed purebred . I fell you get more benefits from them . Just my opinion

GSP, GWP, vizsla, and labs are all breeds commonly used on deer and birds.

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You end out finding a bitch for your boy eventually, BC?

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No I haven't breed him

Here is a curve ball, a golden retriever. I've had GWP's for 13 years and used on deer, pheasants and ducks. They excelled on pheasants and were good retrievers. On deer they were hard work keeping close because I primarily focused on the pheasants and they were use to ranging out. I just got my daughter a golden retriever, she (the dog) was a delight to take deer stalking, stayed in close all the time and was well behaved around camp.
If you are after a retriever and deer dog, just a get a plain retriever of some sort, lab, golden etc. Don't worry about a cross. When you cross you don't always get the best of both worlds, you can get the worst as well. One of my hunting mates uses black labs, they work fine on deer as well.

Its all about time and training. Naturally some dogs are more intelligent then others, but at the end of the day its all about how much you put in too how much you get out.
Id recommend a bitch with whatever breed you choose, soley based on my experience with their temperament (Generally). I have a choc lab but he needs more work. Natural in the water though I must say.

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I have a GWP the 3rd I have owned. Why because I love the breed. They are not as soft as a GSP and not as prone to scavenge as a Slab (wait for it) I have found the Breed , providing you get one from a hunting line, to be easy to train and will work easily on both fur and feather. Only downside, well not in my case Security Company Owner. But they can be very protective of family and don't take well to strangers around what the preserve as theirs i.e family, vehicle and house. When I hunt upland game I prefer to do so in a Gentlemanly fashion, not in a pair of track shoes chasing a Dog (Lab) that is hot on a trail.

I know were there is a litter of GWP's due on the ground soon. Going to get one myself if the right dog got at her....

thats pretty much exactly what im looking for in a dog. im sure with a lot of work i could get any dog and train it to be great at both. thanks for your help.

Originally Posted by silentscope

im sure with a lot of work i could get any dog and train it to be great at both..

And that's exactly what you don't want, the 'polished turd' - you want the dog with enough natural ability to not need extensive training.

But to your question I'd go straight, well bred working lab

Originally Posted by Pointer

And that's exactly what you don't want, the 'polished turd' - you want the dog with enough natural ability to not need extensive training.

But to your question I'd go straight, well bred working lab

by that i didnt mean any old mongrel, ill get something with good blood and go from there. itl get alot of use thats for sure.