Thread: Non hunting breeds out there hunting

Anyone using a non typical dog breed for hunting feather or fur?

Poodles might have good hunting skills. Dont know anyone that uses one in NZ.

Originally Posted by headcase

Poodles might have good hunting skills. Dont know anyone that uses one in NZ.

Have heard of a guy that uses one for deer hunting. Don't know him at all and not seen the hound but heard of him walking in a hut one day and everyone pissing themselves at the sight of his trusty black poodle.
He had the last laught though when he returned with a butchered red skin the next day lol

Apparently it did pretty well for itself.

took one of my rotties out once it had no training at all for hunting but it showed good instinct it was also pretty good in the paddock helping round horses up considering it was just a pet

From wikipedia, a pic of a standard poodle at work:



From Wikipedia article, a problem of the poodle is that it's difficult to train as it's too intelligent, second in intelligence only to the border collie. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poodle#Work_and_sport

Originally Posted by Cordite

From wikipedia, a pic of a standard poodle at worK...

From Wikipedia article, a problem of the poodle is that it's difficult to train as it's too intelligent, second in intelligence only to the border collie.

I’ve known two standard poodles used as gun dogs, both in the UK in the same family, for retrieving ducks over water. Outstanding dogs, as you say hyper intelligent. Both were kept with medium length fur all over for buoyany rather than the poncy haircuts they are known for. If I were doing a lot of that kind of shooting I’d seriously consider a standard poodle, the ones I knew were a pleasure to be around and not as daft as young labs or spaniels.

Rottweiler make great dear dogs, or at least my mates ones do, his do not run chase or bark merely alert us and track the deer, they do not go nuts like my pig dogs

My German Shepherd was a great tracker on deer

I've looked around for a standard poodle breeder that can supply a pup with some hunting instinct still in the genes. Have not found one yet. Took my miniature poodle out pig hunting years ago but he was not very interested. And he did not like swimming at all so duck hunting was out as well. But he was a very good watch dog (for which the miniatures are originally bred).

I've got a little pitty cross who loves retrieving. Very soft mouthed and an excellent swimmer. She gets very cold though as she has super short hair. Don't think she would be much of a deer dog as she doesn't use her nose as much.

Have another who was an unwanted pigdog pup and he's hopeless even though he never hunted pigs. Awesome nose but loud and strong chase instinct.

Still bring him on open country hunts for a bit of company and to track a wounded deer

I've got a little pitty cross who loves retrieving. Very soft mouthed and an excellent swimmer. She gets very cold though as she has super short hair. Don't think she would be much of a deer dog as she doesn't use her nose as much.

Have another who was an unwanted pigdog pup and he's hopeless even though he never hunted pigs. Awesome nose but loud and strong chase instinct.

Still bring him on open country hunts for a bit of company and to track a wounded deer

Any Breed can become an indicator and/or retriever/finder.
Its a controlled form of worrying - its a natural Instinct for a dog to want kill/find/eat.

I have seen in Kiev - watched with amazement at the street dogs that form packs (a licorice all sorts of breed)
Cats don't last long outside there.

My cousin uses a purebred staffy on ducks

Originally Posted by Pointer

My cousin uses a purebred staffy on ducks

I have a staffy also, its funny because a lot of people will tell you that staffys and other bull breeds are not good swimmers and wont like deep water as they have too much muscle and not enough fat and sink like stones, but mine loves the water, I wouldnt call him a strong swimmer but he enters the water himself and will swim quite happily.
As far as hunting goes hes not that good... took him out with a mates very good finder/bailers one weekend and all he managed to do was teach my mates dogs to bail possums up trees... mate wasnt happy at all haha.

Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

I have a staffy also, its funny because a lot of people will tell you that staffys and other bull breeds are not good swimmers and wont like deep water as they have too much muscle and not enough fat and sink like stones, but mine loves the water, I wouldnt call him a strong swimmer but he enters the water himself and will swim quite happily.
As far as hunting goes hes not that good... took him out with a mates very good finder/bailers one weekend and all he managed to do was teach my mates dogs to bail possums up trees... mate wasnt happy at all haha.

Our staffy died in the water, used to swim with us every day in summer, even dived under for sticks and rocks. Had a heart attack in a deep pool in Waimana while chasing something think it was a trout...was over 14yo