Most Unlikely Gundog you have seen in the field?

Mollyontherun · Post by **Mollyontherun** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 1:11 pm

Just curious... what is the most unlikely gun dog that you have seen in the field?
My father n law used to hunt dove in AZ. with a Wienerdog. The dog would retieve the doves. Last week. my wife's Wienerdog did a classic three legged point at some live duck we keep in our backyard. I wonder if she could keep up with the GSPs

PntrRookie · Post by **PntrRookie** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 1:20 pm

My co-worker asked me to go on a hunt with him and his buddies. I am the ONLY one with a pointing dog (setter in the middle)...he owns the GoldenDoodle...and a WHITE one to boot (second from the right)! Here we all are. You should see how tall that doodle is. It is as tall as a standard poodle - nothing like seeing a white poodle lunging through the snow with a pheasant in it's mouth. He is happy...oh well

T70 1-03-10 748.jpg

gittrdonebritts · Post by **gittrdonebritts** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 1:28 pm

Poodles were originally bird dogs till the show folks got them well the standards were, they are very smart dogs indeed.
We had a Aussie when i was a kid that would tag along with our britts bird hunting and he would point with them and more often than not got to the bird first and brought it back with a soft mouth, he also treed a crap ton of coons and possum like a hound would and was a pretty fair bait dog for yotes he could really get em going

Mollyontherun · Post by **Mollyontherun** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 2:34 pm

It is as tall as a standard poodle

Nice dog!

Last weekend, while we were duck training Molly, there were some folks training their Standard Poodles in water retrieves. Very good dogs too?

Post by **kninebirddog** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 3:24 pm

RoostersMom · Post by **RoostersMom** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:12 am

Is that a Yorkie? Crazy. But they are terriers - so they're supposed to chase down and kill things I guess.

Poodles used to be the breed of choice for duck hunters - that's where the weird coat shaving patterns started from - to increase bouyancy in the field. I'd love to see a good field bred one.

My old blue heeler/german shepherd cross used to go hunting with us, would retrieve rabbits and learned to point quail. Was also a big cat killer.

The weirdest "hunting dog" I've ever been braced with was the Italian Spinone - it was like a Clydesdale in the field. I can't wait for Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic in Kansas City this year - there were over 30 different breeds of hunting dogs.

Post by **kninebirddog** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 9:36 am

A Silkie ..her name is Terra she is a tracker for Deer on our texas hunts and then at home she helps retrieve and then we also use her for flushing birds in front of the pointing dog

Post by **slistoe** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 10:11 am

A young fellow liked my pointing dogs but his dad was only having a useful farm dog on the place. So... he bought a pup and worked with it. His Australian Cattle Dog (commonly called Red Heeler in these parts) would point Huns staunch and intense and best of all - retrieve to hand with a soft mouth. Those things I saw the dog do - I have no idea if it would work cattle or not.

Cajun Casey · Post by **Cajun Casey** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 2:05 pm

I have a seven pound Pekingese that points and retrieves. She will not back, however. She has ripped out several teeth trying to get at the pigeons.

Ahumphers91a · Post by **Ahumphers91a** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 2:23 pm

The old Turkish Pointer ( A Dalmaition ). I don't think I have ever seen one hunting. How can you say that is a non-sporting dog!!!!!

proudag08 · Post by **proudag08** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 2:46 pm

Ahumphers91a wrote:The old Turkish Pointer ( A Dalmaition ). I don't think I have ever seen one hunting. How can you say that is a non-sporting dog!!!!!

All I have ever heard about dalmations are that they are dumb as a box of rocks... Obviously having some sporting background how could they loose all those smarts?

Ahumphers91a · Post by **Ahumphers91a** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 3:21 pm

Dumb breeders! breeding for color, this and that. Dalmatians were originally pointers, bred it and lost it.

RoostersMom · Post by **RoostersMom** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 7:30 pm

I thought Dalmations were bred to run with carriages? Did they hunt before that? I've heard the same - dumb and not good at all with kids. Too bad the 101 movie increased the appeal. Lots of them turned up in shelters after that debut.

Cajun Casey · Post by **Cajun Casey** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:22 pm

RoostersMom wrote:I thought Dalmations were bred to run with carriages? Did they hunt before that? I've heard the same - dumb and not good at all with kids. Too bad the 101 movie increased the appeal. Lots of them turned up in shelters after that debut.

Dals are descended from sight hounds, most likely. They have an incomplete albinism gene that leads to deafness. They also have a fatal disorder involving the formation of uric acid stones. There is a line (LUA) that descends from a single outcross to pointers in which this gene was eliminated, but the Dalmatian Club of America and AKC will not allow the dogs to be registered.

Ahumphers91a · Post by **Ahumphers91a** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:46 pm

Yeah, that would have been very interesting watching a Dalmatian in the field... But yes, very bad breeding, too many people wanted pup's from those movies. Just bad all around.

Read this article: http://terriermandotcom.blogspot.com/20 ... -pain.html

Ahumphers91a · Post by **Ahumphers91a** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:57 pm

http://www.luadalmatians.com/

In any event, it would be strange to see a Dalmatian in the field.

brad27 · Post by **brad27** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 8:56 am

In any event, it would be strange to see a Dalmatian in the field

i was walking my GSP in a shopping center one time. guy comes up to me and says " hey nice dog. it's half dalmatian right?" :roll:

Ahumphers91a · Post by **Ahumphers91a** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 2:20 pm

LOL, some people are just stupid. :roll:

proudag08 · Post by **proudag08** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 2:27 pm

brad27 wrote:
In any event, it would be strange to see a Dalmatian in the field
i was walking my GSP in a shopping center one time. guy comes up to me and says " hey nice dog. it's half dalmatian right?" :roll:

Did you smack him right in the mouth?!?! Ha ha ha

Redfishkilla · Post by **Redfishkilla** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 1:33 pm

Knine, is that Wes's silky?

northern cajun · Post by **northern cajun** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 2:53 pm

Miniature Schnauzer tracks like a machine and does believe it or not a fair duck search learned it from a GSP thou.

Post by **kninebirddog** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 7:08 pm

Redfishkilla wrote:Knine, is that Wes's silky?

No that is Terra who is a cousin To Tessa Wes's Silky

ACooper · Post by **ACooper** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 7:11 pm

Border Collie, English Shepherd, and a Rott that did a pretty fair impression of a lab, of course that is probably due to all the lab bred into Rotts to "mellow" their temperament..

MO_GSP · Post by **MO_GSP** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 7:18 am

we have a 4 pound yorkie that is learning to point by watching my gsp the yorkie will also tree squirrels and chase the heck out of rabbitts. too bad being so small really wears down quick or he would be an amazing squirrel/rabbitt dog

Onk · Post by **Onk** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 7:58 am

Not sure if this counts but my daughters Maltese is a heck of a squirrel finder! If he sits at the base of a tree looking up, you best just sit there with your 22 and wait to plink a tree rat or two! Down side is a white long cotton haired dog in the timber....well you do the math! After re-reading the oringal question I quess the word gundog did'nt pop out to me...?!

jimbo&rooster · Post by **jimbo&rooster** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 7:11 pm

At both hunt tests i ran this spring there were a pair of Irish setters

....... My dad had field bred Irish setters when I was a kid it makes me sick to see what they have become.

JIm

SetterNut · Post by **SetterNut** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 8:09 pm

jimbo&rooster wrote:At both hunt tests i ran this spring there were a pair of Irish setters ....... My dad had field bred Irish setters when I was a kid it makes me sick to see what they have become.

JIm

I had an Irish that was darn good when I was young.
Don't find many good Irish Setters any more, but the Reds can be really good now.

cmc274 · Post by **cmc274** » Sun Jun 12, 2011 4:23 am

I don't know if this counts as 'in the field', but my grandfather used to have a yorkie that would happily dispatch farm cats and groundhogs. If it could keep a groundhog from getting back to the hole, that little yipper would get it every time. Not sure how it got started dispatching fur, but he sure always encouraged it. It died within a week of my grandfather.

Ruffshooter · Post by **Ruffshooter** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 4:54 am

When I was a kid, we had a nasty mean little minature poodle. That dog used to get loose and on occassion would bring home a rabbit.. So

at 10 years old, I took my 30 pound bow out and tried to follow her along, never got a shot at a rabbit, but she caught one once when I was with her, but she did chase a Quinnee fowl by, I took a shot but nothing, probably a good thing, the neighbor might have been a little upset. But being 10, I did not know what it was and it was in the woods. :roll:

setterbud · Post by **setterbud** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 5:43 am

Our standard poodle, was one heck of a dead bird finder, only problem was cockleburrs, she was like a magnet to them

SHORTFAT · Post by **SHORTFAT** » Sun Jun 26, 2011 6:31 pm

My Grandad had a Scotty that was death to woodchucks and squirrels... I also have a friend that had a Jack Russell that was a great squirrel dog and would run bunnies like a Beagle... I've always thought with a little patience you could teach just about any dog to hunt something...

Post by **ezzy333** » Sun Jun 26, 2011 8:34 pm

Ahumphers91a wrote:Yeah, that would have been very interesting watching a Dalmatian in the field... But yes, very bad breeding, too many people wanted pup's from those movies. Just bad all around.

Read this article: http://terriermandotcom.blogspot.com/20 ... -pain.html

The problems with Dals was well established long before the movie was ever thought of. We had one as a kid and she was a birddog. Wasn't the best dog around people though.

Ezzy

Thinking · Post by **Thinking** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 9:11 pm

One of the guys we use to deer hunt with had an Austrailian cattle dog that we'd let run with the hounds. He was a great dog, he'd go in and root out deer from places that the hounds would balk at.

Ahumphers91a · Post by **Ahumphers91a** » Wed Jun 29, 2011 11:13 pm

I was thinking back, my sister had a Lab/Chow mix (it looked identical to a flat coated retriever) that I use to pheasant hunt with. she was actually really good at flushing close to me instead of running off and spooking all the birds

mrcreole · Post by **mrcreole** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 7:18 am

There is a young man in Hathaway, Louisiana that duck and goose hunts with a pit bull. I was skeptical when he came to hunt with us......I was delightfully surprised after two dozen or so retrieves.

jimbo&rooster · Post by **jimbo&rooster** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 7:50 am

Probly helps to have a dog that is as mean as the gators

.

Jim

gittrdonebritts · Post by **gittrdonebritts** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 12:40 pm

mrcreole wrote:There is a young man in Hathaway, Louisiana that duck and goose hunts with a pit bull. I was skeptical when he came to hunt with us......I was delightfully surprised after two dozen or so retrieves.

They love to please !

Sniper John · Post by **Sniper John** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 6:05 am

Yeas ago, Texas did an experimental public draw hunt at Granger Lake for pheasant. They had stocked pheasants there. The stocking failed miserably and the project was given up on. The hunts were ok, but they were in September and hard on dogs. I was on one of these hunts with a Brittany. They had assigned some guys from Louisiana with us in hour hunt compartment. At the gate I saw they were hunting with a Pit Bull. In a respectful way I made fun of them. They said you can put a "whoa" on any animal. They killed the first pheasant right in front of us soon after walking in the gate. That night at camp, they had two limits of pheasants. We had none. I don't make fun of Cajuns with Pit Bulls no more.

SeriousBirdman · Post by **SeriousBirdman** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 4:39 pm

In MN saw a guy pull one of those little white fuzzy yipper dogs out of a truck, put it on the ground and walk in right after a grouse. And this was right after (same day) a guy at a gun store told me and a buddy he used to hunt grouse with dachshunds. We thought we were on candid camera....

gspguy · Post by **gspguy** » Sat Jul 23, 2011 8:13 am

I saw a guy hunting pheasants in high cattails with a German Sheperd once.

birddogger · Post by **birddogger** » Sun Jul 24, 2011 4:18 pm

As a boy, we had a heinz 57 mutt that was a great jump dog for rabbit hunting. He would stay close to us and flush them out. We had a beagle that would then pick up the track, if we didn't kill it first, and run it until it came back around. They made a great team. On a side note...boy do I cherish those memories!!!

Just about any dog can make a hunting dog with enough exposure.

Charlie

nj gsp · Post by **nj gsp** » Sun Jul 24, 2011 7:46 pm

We use one of our lurchers as a flushing dog.

captainshotgun · Post by **captainshotgun** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 5:29 am

Boston Bulldog, (Terrier). The first one I saw I thought was odd in W River SD. Since then I have owned 2 that would hunt Phez, but the grass is really tough on their build. Deadly squirrel dogs though!

Garrison · Post by **Garrison** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 6:10 am

proudag08 wrote:
Ahumphers91a wrote:The old Turkish Pointer ( A Dalmaition ). I don't think I have ever seen one hunting. How can you say that is a non-sporting dog!!!!!
All I have ever heard about dalmations are that they are dumb as a box of rocks... Obviously having some sporting background how could they loose all those smarts?

I guess like any breed there are some dumb ones, but I think that the stigma comes more from the high percentage of deffnes in the breed, my brother happened upon a stray that ended up staying, not his first choice in animals but what I have learned over the 13 years of her being around is she is anything but dumb and the dog has some serious utility. Birdy as any I have seen and has a natural point, the absolute best ratter, or kill anythig small and furry that shouldn't be around the property dog I have ever seen, she will split a rat in half and pieces will literally fly in each direction. She can run with any dog for any distance and hardly need a drop of water and one heck of a guard dog. Would we go look for another probably not but if another came our way he would have hard time saying no, his dog has earned her food.

eebstein · Post by **eebstein** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 11:59 pm

Yeah, I've seen a pretty unlikely Gundog, His name is Baxter. He will flush and retrieve but he doesn't have that much endurance which can be expected. Here he is with a squirrel he found and retrieved. I wish I had some more pics of the doves he has retrieved. He is more of a novelty than really a true gun dog so thats why I have a GSP too

nj gsp · Post by **nj gsp** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 6:54 am

When I was a very small child our family had a dalmatian / pointer mix. She was a pet and never put on birds but my dad says when she wanted to go for a walk she would point at the door, and when she wanted to go out at night she would point at the flashlight. Apparently she had a lot of brains and style to match. My dad has pictures of that somewhere...

chuck_t1990 · Post by **chuck_t1990** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 7:12 pm

As owner of a dalmatian I did my own research and apparently its all in the bloodied their trot supposedly is for running in time with horses so they never get caught up running between their legs and fending off board dogs and whatnot from attacking the horses. They were also used for pointing birds in dalmatia and are all the owners I've talked to agree with dalmatians are too smart for their own good but stubborn as a rock. Most people can't put up with their stubbornness and high energy level but my dog will do anything to make me happy that's all she wants. Before I get my vizsla I will trial my training methods on her and let yall know how it turns out on a 2 yo dog

Crufts Writer · Post by **Crufts Writer** » Thu Jun 26, 2014 12:53 pm

Hello All! I'm writing an article for dog-focused magazine Crufts on "unlikely gundogs", so I've been reading all your posts with much interest! I'd love to quote some of you talking about these unlikely gundogs you've seen in the field. Ideally it would be brilliant to know things like what breed you saw, how they seemed to be coping with the experience of a shoot, any memorable anecdotes, whether you think any dog can be trained to be a gundog or whether traditional breeds are far superior.... You can contact me on this forum or by email suzy.bashford@btinternet.com - photos of unlikely gundogs in action would also be most welcome! Thank you.