"MEAT DOG"

Johng918 · Post by **Johng918** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 7:04 pm

What do you consider a meat dog? I have 3 GSP's 2 of them are trained to a MH level the other is only 5 weeks but will be held to the same standard and they all have very good trial pedigrees are they meat dogs because I only hunt them?

Just Wondering if it's slang for a hunting dog or a training thing because I see a lot of bird finding machines That are only trained steady to wing because that's what most hunters want.

Post by **ezzy333** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 7:08 pm

I never understood the reason meat dog is used to describe a hunting dog. lways seem like it was used as a derogitory name to me. Though a dog helps us put meat on the table there is so much more to hunting than just the killing of game.

Ezzy

TRoberts · Post by **TRoberts** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 7:25 pm

ezzy333 wrote:I never understood the reason meat dog is used to describe a hunting dog. lways seem like it was used as a derogitory name to me. Though a dog helps us put meat on the table there is so much more to hunting than just the killing of game.

Ezzy

Ezzy, it really started as razz! Good Ole Boys (mostly kin folks) would call their dogs meat dogs cause they had sacks full of birds and some other folks (trialers) would brag about their great dogs and never seem to kill any birds ... just a ribbon or two, and this happen in front of a crowd! LOL....really is a misnomer! As time past others would pass off sh*t dogs as meat dogs trying to get rid of them. Alot of that is true today!

Tyler S · Post by **Tyler S** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 7:27 pm

Ive heard that term my whole life and.... well still havent quite got it figured out. Can you look at a "meat dog" and tell? Could a "meat dog" actually perform in a trial? I suppose my dogs would be "meat dogs" to someone... or champions to another.

JKP · Post by **JKP** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 7:27 pm

The term "meat dog" is a high compliment....the only better compliment would be "superb meat dog"!!! It is a dog that is constantly putting game in front of the gun....a dog that every time you look up, the dog has found more game. It must be understood that we don't penalize "meat dogs" for such behavior...we don't "pick them up", nor do we speak in a derogatory manner about such dogs. We accept that they are just trashy "meat dogs" and that they can't help themselves.

Meat dogs come from a wide variety of backgrounds and are usually found in the hands of hunters who lack sophistication...

DonF · Post by **DonF** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 7:44 pm

I always took it to mean a hunting dog. Not anything derogatory. Hunting dog and meat dog same thing.

Tyler S · Post by **Tyler S** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 7:51 pm

JKP wrote: Meat dogs come from a wide variety of backgrounds and are usually found in the hands of hunters who lack sophistication...

Finally figured it out.... thanks JKP

I love me some meat dogs

romeo212000 · Post by **romeo212000** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 8:21 pm

To me a meat dog is a dog that isn't trained all that well, but does just enough to put birds in the bag.

Mountaineer · Post by **Mountaineer** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 8:31 pm

The term obviously has to do with where importance to an individual is placed....and not placed.
Perhaps not totally, but placed nonetheless.
it can also be a term to seperate, for those who find seperation important to them.
i equate it to a fine pump-action scattergun.

jarbo03 · Post by **jarbo03** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 8:32 pm

romeo212000 wrote:To me a meat dog is a dog that isn't trained all that well, but does just enough to put birds in the bag.

What is a well trained hunting dog called? Not sure, have heard meat dogs a few times, mostly around here they are just "bird dogs", whather they are good or bad, hunt or trial.

tn red · Post by **tn red** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 8:34 pm

My grandaddy used the word meat dog ALOT.It was a dog that hunted anything & everything.Only one i remember that even looked like a bird dog was a pointer x running walker cross. They used them for everything most had feist ,mt curr or july hounds. That was a long time ago tho.

SetterNut · Post by **SetterNut** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 8:45 pm

romeo212000 wrote:To me a meat dog is a dog that isn't trained all that well, but does just enough to put birds in the bag.

That is pretty much the way the term is used around here. But I would say not polished rather than not well trained.
And effective dog on birds, that gets the job done.

brad27 · Post by **brad27** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:36 pm

SetterNut wrote:
romeo212000 wrote:To me a meat dog is a dog that isn't trained all that well, but does just enough to put birds in the bag.
That is pretty much the way the term is used around here. But I would say not polished rather than not well trained.
And effective dog on birds, that gets the job done.

+1

campbellj21 · Post by **campbellj21** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:40 pm

Seems to me, just reading the posts here, it all depends on who you ask. First time I heard the term was from my Grandpa describing a couple of Llewellins he had, he clearly meant it as a compliment to the dogs. I also heard a guy at a preserve use it to describe a dog that was a little "rough around the edges" training wise, but still found everything.

Much like a lot of terms we use in our sport, its hard to pin down just one definition.

Post by **ezzy333** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:40 pm

JKP wrote:The term "meat dog" is a high compliment....the only better compliment would be "superb meat dog"!!! It is a dog that is constantly putting game in front of the gun....a dog that every time you look up, the dog has found more game. It must be understood that we don't penalize "meat dogs" for such behavior...we don't "pick them up", nor do we speak in a derogatory manner about such dogs. We accept that they are just trashy "meat dogs" and that they can't help themselves.

Meat dogs come from a wide variety of backgrounds and are usually found in the hands of hunters who lack sophistication...

Who is this "we" you speak of?

Ezzy

Chukar12 · Post by **Chukar12** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:45 pm

I always took it as a positive description in describing ones hunting dog . I think it was Delmar Smith that said, "the best meat dogs are NEVER for sale "

Post by **slistoe** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 11:22 pm

Isn't the Chow a meat dog?

Stoneface · Post by **Stoneface** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 11:33 pm

DonF wrote:I always took it to mean a hunting dog. Not anything derogatory. Hunting dog and meat dog same thing.

That's how I've always taken it. You've got your trial dogs, your trial/hunt dogs and your meat dogs.

donne · Post by **donne** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 7:17 am

I think to persons of certain nationalities , ALL dogs are MEAT dogs

ultracarry · Post by **ultracarry** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 7:51 am

Meat dog - trained enough to point and retrieve a bird.

Master hunter that hunts - well trained hunting dog.

FC that hunts - well trained hunting dog.

Trial only - only trials.

JH that hunts - almost meat dog.

Sh that hunts - trained hunting dog.

JKP · Post by **JKP** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 8:51 am

Who is this "we" you speak of?

Do you know what facetious means?? tongue in cheek?? C'mon Ezzy....lighten up.

Johng918 · Post by **Johng918** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 10:00 am

ultracarry wrote:Meat dog - trained enough to point and retrieve a bird.

Master hunter that hunts - well trained hunting dog.

FC that hunts - well trained hunting dog.

Trial only - only trials.

JH that hunts - almost meat dog.

Sh that hunts - trained hunting dog.

now everything is clear we need to get this on the AKC website

Post by **ezzy333** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 10:08 am

JKP wrote:
Who is this "we" you speak of?
Do you know what facetious means?? tongue in cheek?? C'mon Ezzy....lighten up.

Hard to lighten up when you post things as hard cold facts. :roll:

Ezzy

JKP · Post by **JKP** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 10:48 am

Hard to lighten up when you post things as hard cold facts.

Too bad we can't hear folks speak the words and see their expressions. We all tend to let our mood color what we read. I thought by jesting with the expression "superb meat dog", it wouldn't be misunderstood.
C'mon now....portfolio take a dip this week??? (that's a joke too!!).

deke · Post by **deke** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 11:13 am

Meat dog to me means a dog that puts up the most birds in the group, while the other guys dogs (usually more expensive, with a better pedigree) chase tweety birds around the field.

JKP · Post by **JKP** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 11:17 am

Meat dog to me means a dog that puts up the most birds in the group, while the other guys dogs (usually more expensive, with a better pedigree) chase tweety birds around the field.

Sounds like a hard cold fact to me....Ezzy's gonna "bounce" you on this one.

shollis · Post by **shollis** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 1:21 pm

Growing up in AL, a meat dog was a dog that hunted anything and everything. Squirrel, rabbit, deer, retrieve dove, etc. Some of my older relatives said it came from the depression when food was scarce and a good hunting dog was worth their weight in gold.

That's anecdotal, but what I've always grown up thinking.

RayGubernat · Post by **RayGubernat** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 6:41 pm

To me a "meat dog" was always a hunting dog. A bird dog. My "meat dogs" did not have the finish required to compete because they didn't need it. Simple as that. When the bird beat its wings...it was off to the races. They didn't do all the little things that I now expect my field trial dogs to do.

That was just fine with me. In point of fact...it still is fine with me.

As long as the dog hunts with heart, finds game and is honest...that is all I need, or can rightfully ask of a bird dog.

I never attached anything "negative" to the term. It was simply a descriptor of what the dog was...a hunting dog.

And YES, you are right if you make the assumption that some of mine were pretty d@mn good at what they did and that I was proud to share the field with them.

RayG

zigzag · Post by **zigzag** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 8:12 pm

[quote][/quote]it can also be a term to seperate, for those who find seperation important to them.
i equate it to a fine pump-action scattergun.

I thought this was a nice example. To me a meat dog puts meat on the table. It gets the task at hand done Just like my Pump shotgun. It's a working mans Gun/Dog.

birddogger · Post by **birddogger** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 8:21 pm

JKP wrote:
Who is this "we" you speak of?
Do you know what facetious means?? tongue in cheek?? C'mon Ezzy....lighten up.

Thanks for clearing that up because I took it the same way Ezzy did when I read it and I'll bet we weren't the only ones. I understand now.

Charlie

TChism · Post by **TChism** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 10:46 pm

How I have always understood it, A meat dog must hunt with desire, find game, be reliabe at helping the hunter harvest the game whether it be pointing, flushing or retrieving, and be generally self-handling.

A meat dog may or may not have, style, speed, or any other great attributes we look for but still goes out time and time again and gets it done.
A meat dog is a good dog in my opinion, even though it may not be the total package.

"That dog is ugly as sin, points with a low head and tail, and doesn't run very pretty, but she sure finds birds." "Yep, she is one heck of a meat dog."

You folks should know, there was one a them studys done bout this stuff at Amez Farm a while back. Quess it said that them meat dogs is the best there is. Heck they are better than all the field trial dogs hands down. The comparision was somewhat subjective but 4 out of 5 dentists agreed, so it must be a fact.

M&M Shorthairs · Post by **M&M Shorthairs** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 1:22 pm

I refer to my dogs as Meat dogs because I don't break them to wing and shot. Also I don't have a horse to keep up with them so I demand that they don't range into the next county. This being said the same dogs do well if the owner decides to trial them. S

o to me it doesn't have anything to do with pedigree or dogs drive or any other perceived defect.

Rufrider

Francois P vd Walt · Post by **Francois P vd Walt** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 12:08 pm

Johng918 wrote:What do you consider a meat dog? I have 3 GSP's 2 of them are trained to a MH level the other is only 5 weeks but will be held to the same standard and they all have very good trial pedigrees are they meat dogs because I only hunt them?

Just Wondering if it's slang for a hunting dog or a training thing because I see a lot of bird finding machines That are only trained steady to wing because that's what most hunters want.

Who the heck cares to what level your dog is trained !
If he finds birds presents them to the gun and retrieves them good enough to meet your standard, what more do you need.
Trialing has many faces ...... Pro trainers and handlers, not wrong but they expect more on a different level, if that makes your chimney smoke, great !

We must all remember to enjoy what we doing and let others enjoy their dogs at their level.

TraditionsGSPs2010 · Post by **TraditionsGSPs2010** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 12:40 pm

I always thought it was spelled "meet dog" as if this was something you say when you took one of your buddies out hunting. For instance, hey pal-o-mine, "meet dog".... as in the kind of animal you should have but we both know your wife wears the pants in the family.

ultracarry · Post by **ultracarry** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 12:42 pm

Says the guy with no trained dogs....

Post by **ezzy333** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 2:56 pm

ultracarry wrote:Says the guy with no trained dogs....

You have to feel special to think your dog is trained better than anyone elses? I will concede our dogs may be trained differently butthere is no way one dog is rained better than any other. Of course we like to think so to make us feel better.

Ezzy

Post by **slistoe** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 3:01 pm

ezzy333 wrote:
ultracarry wrote:Says the guy with no trained dogs....
You have to feel special to think your dog is trained better than anyone elses? I will concede our dogs may be trained differently butthere is no way one dog is rained better than any other. Of course we like to think so to make us feel better.

Ezzy

Yeah, sometimes guys make stuff up to pretend that untrained dogs are somehow better hunting dogs.

TraditionsGSPs2010 · Post by **TraditionsGSPs2010** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 3:22 pm

Am I reading the last three posts wrong or am I getting bagged on for poking fun at my buddies who don't own dogs. Please explain?

rschmeider · Post by **rschmeider** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 3:39 pm

IMO....a MEAT DOG should go to the beaver pond and sit and hunt woodies to dark...Then if i get a call from a friend/bow hunter to find cold/trail game..Stop by the Neighbor's sweet corn patch and take out some Racoon's from eating all the corn.

Go to the local reindeer games and take the blue...Filll you game bag with wild birds on the way home ..

Maybe do some groundhog hunting .... Sit down by cut field, have the Meat dog retrieve the deads one's.....If one comes out close,send your dog.
Save yourself a round.

Just my Stanard of a Meat dog.

Elkhunter · Post by **Elkhunter** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 4:02 pm

When I hear "meat dog" I think of hunting dog only. No trials.

birddogger · Post by **birddogger** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 6:12 pm

TraditionsGSPs2010 wrote:Am I reading the last three posts wrong or am I getting bagged on for poking fun at my buddies who don't own dogs. Please explain?

Hey David, since nobody else has responded to this, I will put in my .02 cents worth. I think the answer to your question is yes, but only the last two posts. Maybe just no sense of humor, and from the posts, it is obvious they don't know you or your dogs!!

Charlie

Hattrick · Post by **Hattrick** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 6:23 pm

getting deep!! LOL Kinda funny eveybody is getting hit but the NAVHDA guys in this one

birddogger · Post by **birddogger** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 6:31 pm

Hattrick wrote:getting deep!! LOL Kinda funny eveybody is getting hit but the NAVHDA guys in this one

Uh, not really.

Charlie

TraditionsGSPs2010 · Post by **TraditionsGSPs2010** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 6:38 pm

It's OK Charlie. I wouldn't trade my not trained "meat" dogs for anything. I guess its my fault for wiping the turds off my rose colored glasses, but hey, to each their own.

birddogger · Post by **birddogger** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 6:53 pm

birddogger wrote:
TraditionsGSPs2010 wrote:Am I reading the last three posts wrong or am I getting bagged on for poking fun at my buddies who don't own dogs. Please explain?
Hey David, since nobody else has responded to this, I will put in my .02 cents worth. I think the answer to your question is yes, but only the last two posts. Maybe just no sense of humor, and from the posts, it is obvious they don't know you or your dogs!!

Charlie

I need to clarify something though. I made a mistake....I meant to refer to the first and third previous posts instead of the last two.

Charlie

brad27 · Post by **brad27** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 6:55 pm

I'm lost.

AzDoggin · Post by **AzDoggin** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 7:01 pm

The term "meat dog" is nothing but positive to me. It means a dog that gets it done on a hunt. Might not be pretty, might not be the best trained, might not even be a "pure bred" but a dog that gets it done.

Post by **slistoe** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 7:14 pm

TraditionsGSPs2010 wrote:Am I reading the last three posts wrong or am I getting bagged on for poking fun at my buddies who don't own dogs. Please explain?

I didn't respond to your post because it didn't make sense to me - but it does now

And no, my post had nothing to do with you or your dogs.

Hattrick · Post by **Hattrick** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 7:28 pm

This is funny stuff. Let me try to sum up the topic. MEAT DOG is a good dam bird dog in the rawless form. could of been , should of been if trained but not. = untrained ,snappy producing predator, and will die if you let it hunting wildbirds. owned by a owner who could careless about a #%cking title cus he nos what hes got and is dam happy and dont need more. hows that?

TraditionsGSPs2010 · Post by **TraditionsGSPs2010** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:35 pm

slistoe wrote:
TraditionsGSPs2010 wrote:Am I reading the last three posts wrong or am I getting bagged on for poking fun at my buddies who don't own dogs. Please explain?
I didn't respond to your post because it didn't make sense to me - but it does now

And no, my post had nothing to do with you or your dogs.

Slistoe, no sweat and thanks for clarifying. Man code says not to judge another man's dogs and I just didn't understand the comments. My apologizes to the OP for highjacking the thread a bit.