Chukar dogs

Dirty Dawger · Post by **Dirty Dawger** » Tue Feb 17, 2015 2:58 pm

Gertie....STUNNING dog! Lovely country too!
Yup, that's my close 2nd for a chukar dog right behind a pointer.
Hope to be picking up my setter pup this summer.
Thanks for sharing Gertie! Got any more pics of that dog? How is he bred? Got any Tekoa Mtn. Patriot blood?

oldbeek · Post by **oldbeek** » Fri Feb 20, 2015 11:32 pm

I once had GSP that were on the large side (65 lb). Even after roading along the railroad tracks, their feet would give out. I always thought it was because of their size/weight. Our chucker country is lava. My last three dogs were big running long on leg light (35 lb) Brittanys. No pad problems. BUT, I was a lot younger 30yrs ago and maybe I pushed the dogs harder.

Dirty Dawger · Post by **Dirty Dawger** » Sat Feb 21, 2015 2:24 pm

Exactly Oldbeek, some breedings where size, pigment, gait, are concerned might be more susceptible to wear and tear in rough terrain but at the end of the day, conditioning pads goes a long way, regardless of breed. I know my mature couch potato of a setter would still try to rock and roll but her current "indoor" pads won't last long at all. With all the years that I trialed/hunter her, I never once had pad problems but I used to put my time in with her too. I was a little younger then too.

Gertie · Post by **Gertie** » Sat Feb 21, 2015 9:51 pm

Dirty Dawger wrote:Gertie....STUNNING dog! Lovely country too!
Yup, that's my close 2nd for a chukar dog right behind a pointer.
Hope to be picking up my setter pup this summer.
Thanks for sharing Gertie! Got any more pics of that dog? How is he bred? Got any Tekoa Mtn. Patriot blood?

Thanks for the kind words. That's my Gertie dog. She's line bred Sunrise with some Smith on the bottom side. No Patriot however, I did breed her to Tekoa Mtn. Jettsun (son of Patriot) and had a very nice litter of pups. A few went to trial homes and the rest went to hunting homes so we should know here in the next couple of years how they stack up. I did take my pup that I kept from the litter out chukar hunting this year and she did great. Didn't cover as much ground as her mama but she kept up the whole time and found some birds. I like all the pointing breeds but there's just something about hunting behind a nice setter that I really enjoy.

Dirty Dawger · Post by **Dirty Dawger** » Tue Feb 24, 2015 1:34 pm

Did you have any pads problems chuhar hunting your setters?
Personally, I don't see it as a breed issue as much as a breeding issue. Either way, conditioning goes a long way, don't you think?

QuillGordon · Post by **QuillGordon** » Tue Feb 24, 2015 2:57 pm

I always thought it was because of their size/weight.

Seventy pounder here. He has some tough pads & does well on the lava rock.
Now if we could just keep the timber deadfall out of the webbed parts

Dirty Dawger · Post by **Dirty Dawger** » Tue Feb 24, 2015 4:43 pm

Wow.........nice pic QuillGordon!!

QuillGordon · Post by **QuillGordon** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 10:00 am

Thanks

DGFavor · Post by **DGFavor** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 12:00 pm

QuillGordon wrote:
I always thought it was because of their size/weight.
Seventy pounder here. He has some tough pads & does well on the lava rock.
Now if we could just keep the timber deadfall out of the webbed parts

Nothing good happens in the forest!!

You must have sweet shot of a burned up cedar grove in chukar country with about a thousand sharp daggers per acre?? This is closest pic I can find to one in my files...and was huns actually:

Chukar dogs need fresh air and open spaces!!

:

And another old one for fun - devil birds can't even flush right to get the best exposure!!

:

QuillGordon · Post by **QuillGordon** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 2:08 pm

Excellente shooting Docmawn.

Cedars don't scare me half as bad as the pines

Example (A)

Notice knife guarding pine chicken

So then hound puctures paw & comes limping back. Knothead owner chks leg over & discovers broken twig in webbed part of paw & thinks no big deal. Turns hound loose to carry on. Hound travels through cow dung, dirt and whatever the forest floor has to offer. Also, hound likes water so refreshes himself in high altitude pond

Example (B)

Fast forward three weeks later hound has been on antibiotics for said three weeks for an infected paw/toe to no avail. Knothead extremely worried. Hound has drain hole in webbed part of paw (no huntink). Culture test comes back with three bacteria growing in the petri, one being e-coli, another only survives if another bacteria is present and the last is the kicker, an aquatic type of bacteria that took the vet some research to find a anitbiotic to kill it. Once on the right meds hound was back at'er three weeks later. Six weeks down in the prime of Forest Chicken season. It can happen out on the Chukar slopes but there are not nearly the # of knives as in the forest...

Sorry for the hi-jack

QuillGordon · Post by **QuillGordon** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 2:21 pm

Example (Si)

DGFavor · Post by **DGFavor** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 10:58 pm

Yah thats the stuff! Knock on wood never had a dog or myself get daggered yet!!

Amazing they don't get more injuries than they do.

Gertie · Post by **Gertie** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 7:48 am

After running around in the chukar hills it sure feels nice to rest those ol' bones in the nearest hot spring

Vision · Post by **Vision** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 8:28 am

Gertie

Love that pic, the expression is priceless.

Garrison · Post by **Garrison** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 10:32 am

That is great.

Gertie wrote:After running around in the chukar hills it sure feels nice to rest those ol' bones in the nearest hot spring

QuillGordon · Post by **QuillGordon** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 2:26 pm

Amazing they don't get more injuries than they do.

Yah, I thought the same thing right before this, which was four weeks before the paw puncture
It was also a forest knife wound
He was on a big time roll to lighten up my wallet...

Neil · Post by **Neil** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 2:53 pm

I like whatever specices my dogs are able to handle, but have always admired the top chuckar dogs. Or maybe I should admire the chuckar hunter equaly, for it is where they choose to live, instead of difficulty in pointing them. They are my favorite non-native species, right after the Swedish ski team.

P&PGunsmith · Post by **P&PGunsmith** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 3:54 pm

Garrison wrote:That is great.

Gertie wrote:After running around in the chukar hills it sure feels nice to rest those ol' bones in the nearest hot spring

I know exactly how that dog feels in that picture and would bet that I have had the same expression on my face.

Chukar country

Gertie · Post by **Gertie** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 5:16 pm

Another chukar country photo. I had to start running again just to train for bird season

DGFavor · Post by **DGFavor** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 5:56 pm

QuillGordon wrote:
Amazing they don't get more injuries than they do.
Yah, I thought the same thing right before this, which was four weeks before the paw puncture
It was also a forest knife wound
He was on a big time roll to lighten up my wallet...

Geesh! I'm tellin' ya' - stay outta the woods!!

Yah, loving the chukar country photos - probably one of the biggest reasons I enjoy being out amongst 'em so much! A couple of my faves from my photo archives:

Garrison · Post by **Garrison** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 8:48 pm

My turn, some from one of this year's trips, a few hunting a few that I think are pretty and one of home base with my hunting rig. We did have some stitches when we ran into some wire. It was the most memorable vet appointment I have ever had, the dog is dripping blood and mud all over the floor and the vet spends 10 minutes trying to get the location of where we ran into birds out of me before he stapled him up. The great basin is exactly that. I know I probably posted them before, but I sure like looking at them. Time to switch gears and start thinking about fishing.

hi-tailyn · Post by **hi-tailyn** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 9:19 pm

1st off I have never chuckar hunted, and I feel that is my loss. Too out of breath to do the 6 hr death march hunts anymore. Can you do it off horse back?

I have several now repeat puppy buyers that are avid chuckar hunters and they seem very happy with what they have got from my field trial dogs.

What they all keep looking for are the smaller pups in the litter. They like the smaller dogs that they say are more nimble and not so hard at pounding on their feet and legs on the rough terrain.

Has anyone else found this a preferred trait or is it just these guys's thing?

Garrison · Post by **Garrison** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 9:39 pm

hi-tailyn wrote:1st off I have never chuckar hunted, and I feel that is my loss. Too out of breath to do the 6 hr death march hunts anymore. Can you do it off horse back?

I have several now repeat puppy buyers that are avid chuckar hunters and they seem very happy with what they have got from my field trial dogs.

What they all keep looking for are the smaller pups in the litter. They like the smaller dogs that they say are more nimble and not so hard at pounding on their feet and legs on the rough terrain.

Has anyone else found this a preferred trait or is it just these guys's thing?

From my limited (compared to some) experience smaller lighter cat like feet are desirable. My little setter's feet held together pretty well, my 60ish lb GSP has boxing gloves for feet and will split a pad and get sore depending on terrain but has never stopped him, I have booted him up a few times. My buddies 42lb gsp female with tight little feet can run all day long and then some and I have never once noticed a single problem no matter what she runs through, they don't work so well in water though. I have also seen what hunting through crops, grass and corn stubble can do to a dog that doesn't pick up its feet. That can be pretty tough on a dog as well.

Gertie · Post by **Gertie** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 11:14 pm

Wow! Awesome photos guys. How many days until bird season?

QuillGordon · Post by **QuillGordon** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 7:40 am

How many days until bird season?

Still bird season here. Well, sort of. No gun but we continue to seek out birdy places while keeping the hounds fit & occasionally shoot a keeper with the camera

A friends Llewellyn last weekend points a covey that flushes out the front door while one escapes out the back...

P&PGunsmith · Post by **P&PGunsmith** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 12:47 pm

hi-tailyn wrote:1st off I have never chuckar hunted, and I feel that is my loss. Too out of breath to do the 6 hr death march hunts anymore. Can you do it off horse back?

I have several now repeat puppy buyers that are avid chuckar hunters and they seem very happy with what they have got from my field trial dogs.

What they all keep looking for are the smaller pups in the litter. They like the smaller dogs that they say are more nimble and not so hard at pounding on their feet and legs on the rough terrain.

Has anyone else found this a preferred trait or is it just these guys's thing?

Now that I buy my dogs from breeders. I ask about the sire and dams feet. tight feet with no splaying seems to hold up better. My two males both were 65 lbers and never had major foot problems. If they hit or slip just right on a lava rock it wont matter what size they are and no matter what after 3 days straight they are probably going to get sore to a degree.

Gertie · Post by **Gertie** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 2:11 pm

QuillGordon wrote:
How many days until bird season?
Still bird season here. Well, sort of. No gun but we continue to seek out birdy places while keeping the hounds fit & occasionally shoot a keeper with the camera

A friends Llewellyn last weekend points a covey that flushes out the front door while one escapes out the back...

That's an awesome photo! Pretty setter too. I guess I was under the impression that here in Oregon we're not allowed to run our dogs on (i.e. "harass") upland birds during the pairing/nesting season. I think we can still release pen raised birds for training but the wild ones are off limits. Good for you that you're able to get out there and get some good camera hunting in though!

rkappes · Post by **rkappes** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 4:26 pm

Wood Knife To The Chest

QuillGordon · Post by **QuillGordon** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 6:26 pm

Ouch!!!
Did the wound heal up ok?

Gertie, here in Utah we are legal to run on wild birds until April 15 before it's considered wildlife harassment. Not that we push it that far. Once the snake comes out were done...

pumatom · Post by **pumatom** » Sat Feb 28, 2015 3:59 pm

That's one good looking Shorthair !

Dirty Dawger · Post by **Dirty Dawger** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 10:04 pm

QuillGordon, love your pics! Very nice dog(s)!!
Genetics play a big part in pads for sure. You'd think Gordons should do well in chukar country when you consider where they came from - a heather based blend along with "cragy" mountain sides. That said, pads are not unlike other aspects of an athlete. While some breed lines are more volatile, pads can be hardened through a progressive process. It's always more difficult when a dog is house-borne for the most part and then taken out to bird hunt without the proper progressive conditioning.
When my personal dogs lived in kennels outside, I rarely if ever had pad issues. Once they came inside, getting them prepped for the season included a consideration for their pads.
The black pigment does seem to hold a following of toughness in the canine community. Again, that can easily be compromised if due diligence is not applied ahead of a plans for an enduring hunt in a nasty environment.
Application can also contribute significantly to a dog's well-being - including pads. Some dogs have a much greater pace supported by a gait that allows them to really fly. Other more methodical dogs might not put their physical stature to the test or not as much within a given time frame/distance on the ground.
In my opinion, certain breeds do not have a buy on pad toughness. Certain breedings....for sure.
Then there is that other aspect. I have pulled 1 inch thorns out of my dog's pads because I noticed they're movement was compromised. I had to call the dog in to me and it was all I could do to remove the thorn so that they could return to hunting! Some dogs might quit or try to removed said thorn. Some will run on three legs. That's genetics. A pointer I was working on the prairies got into a porcupine! He ripped it to pieces, then with a mouth full of quills, quills all over his face, around his one eye, on his chest and front pads, he turned and happily went looking for birds with a happy HIGH TAIL!?!?! It took a DVM with an assistant hours to collect the quills while said dog was sedated. With dogs like this, you have to take responsibility for their well being or they will injure themselves. Checking pads cyclically is a good habit to get into.
Is your dog "accident prone"?

Brazosvalleyvizslas · Post by **Brazosvalleyvizslas** » Wed Apr 22, 2015 5:43 am

Tuff Pads, ( tincture of Benzoin) will strengthen
the pads and mushers wax will keep them from cracking. Its not all about breeding.

QuillGordon · Post by **QuillGordon** » Mon Apr 27, 2015 9:55 am

Is your dog "accident prone"?

Not sure if this was addressed to me or not but when a hound see's as much run time as mine, things are bound to go wrong once in awhile. Heck, I've broke ribs & a scapula within a weeks time playing football as a youngster. I see it more as being the nature of the game than having anything to do with "accident prone"
Two injuries in a months span seem's excessive but where we run & hunt it's not surprising.

Elkhunter · Post by **Elkhunter** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 11:38 am

Brazosvalleyvizslas wrote:Tuff Pads, ( tincture of Benzoin) will strengthen
the pads and mushers wax will keep them from cracking. Its not all about breeding.

But it should be!

If i have to rub tonics and lotions all over my dogs feet to take him hunting, I am afraid I would send him down the road.

Elkhunter · Post by **Elkhunter** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 11:40 am

QuillGordon wrote:
Is your dog "accident prone"?
Not sure if this was addressed to me or not but when a hound see's as much run time as mine, things are bound to go wrong once in awhile. Heck, I've broke ribs & a scapula within a weeks time playing football as a youngster. I see it more as being the nature of the game than having anything to do with "accident prone"
Two injuries in a months span seem's excessive but where we run & hunt it's not surprising.

I am surprised our dogs are not hurt more often, heck I roll my ankles all the time, drop my gun and this year impaled my hand on a burnt log that required a trip to Urgent Care!

A dog that can go consistently in the chukar hills is one impressive animal IMO. Its just so tough on man and beast.

Gertie · Post by **Gertie** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 1:41 pm

Elkhunter wrote:
QuillGordon wrote:
Is your dog "accident prone"?
Not sure if this was addressed to me or not but when a hound see's as much run time as mine, things are bound to go wrong once in awhile. Heck, I've broke ribs & a scapula within a weeks time playing football as a youngster. I see it more as being the nature of the game than having anything to do with "accident prone"
Two injuries in a months span seem's excessive but where we run & hunt it's not surprising.
I am surprised our dogs are not hurt more often, heck I roll my ankles all the time, drop my gun and this year impaled my hand on a burnt log that required a trip to Urgent Care!

A dog that can go consistently in the chukar hills is one impressive animal IMO. Its just so tough on man and beast.

I'll second that last sentiment. I injured my shoulder by sacrificing my body to keep my gun from hitting the rocks this year and that was after stitches in my lower leg from a previous wreck that also involved a sprained ankle. The dogs are definitely a lot more graceful than I am out there on those hills!

Gertie · Post by **Gertie** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 1:52 pm

Dirty Dawger wrote:Did you have any pads problems chuhar hunting your setters?
Personally, I don't see it as a breed issue as much as a breeding issue. Either way, conditioning goes a long way, don't you think?

I haven't looked at this thread in a while and didn't see this until just now so sorry for the delay in my response. To answer your question, we get the occasional pad blow out but not very often. The last time we had a major one was a pretty decent size cut through the large part of one of her pads. I was able to patch it up with vet glue, wrap it with coflex, and keep hunting. She didn't even seem to notice while we were hunting but was a bit of a drama queen (as setters can be) when we got back home. It gets pretty rough in some of the volcanic rock stuff around here so I think it's going to happen occasionally regardless of the dog's breeding.

mask · Post by **mask** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 6:20 pm

Some times how well a dogs feet hold up depends on the gait at which it hunts. Some hunt at a fast run, some at a trot, and some at a trot and/or slower. A dog that covers the country at a run is more prone to injury.

UglyD · Post by **UglyD** » Wed Apr 29, 2015 8:11 am

one of my boys is a "prancer" never has problems with his feet- the other is a "plodder" he is an exceptional hunter but his pads get beat up because of his gait and how his feet hit the ground.

Gertie · Post by **Gertie** » Wed Apr 29, 2015 1:33 pm

That makes sense. Mine is fairly light on her feet and we don't generally have a problem. It'll be interesting to see how the pup does when she starts hunting hard.

Brazosvalleyvizslas · Post by **Brazosvalleyvizslas** » Mon May 04, 2015 1:46 pm

Elkhunter wrote:
Brazosvalleyvizslas wrote:Tuff Pads, ( tincture of Benzoin) will strengthen
the pads and mushers wax will keep them from cracking. Its not all about breeding.

But it should be!

If i have to rub tonics and lotions all over my dogs feet to take him hunting, I am afraid I would send him down the road.

I don't mind taking 30 seconds to help my buddies stay healthy. Heck, it takes more time to "send them down the road". I must get too attached to my dogs to get rid of them for such a small problem.

Elkhunter · Post by **Elkhunter** » Tue May 05, 2015 6:41 pm

I also have no problem making sure my hounds stay healthy, but its a crutch for a dog to be able to actually hunt. I would much rather hunt with a dog that does not need all the TLC just to go hunting! Just me though.

Dirty Dawger · Post by **Dirty Dawger** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 7:53 pm

Ugly D, that's exactly what I was alluding to. The dog's gait/pace has a lot to do with this subject.

DGFavor · Post by **DGFavor** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 1:28 pm

Couple pics I took of Scoot's feet after 7 straight days hunting chukars a few years ago - not a mark on 'em.

Gotta be a huge consideration IMO when considering and breeding dogs primarily for the chukar hills - which, out here, is largely what we are breeding for. It sure carries a lot of weight with me when considering the breeding of my dogs. Personally, I would never breed to a dog that had to be routinely booted to go on a chukar hunt.

SCT · Post by **SCT** » Wed Jun 24, 2015 12:19 pm

"Personally, I would never breed to a dog that had to be routinely booted to go on a chukar hunt."

Exactly Doug, I agree that it's a genetic thing.

clink83 · Post by **clink83** » Wed Jun 24, 2015 1:57 pm

IMO Chukar hunting can be easy or hard on a dogs feet and legs, depending on where you hunt. I rarely have pad problems with my britt, but his hocks and the webbing betwern his toes get cut up hunting in certain areas. Not a lot can be done about that breeding wise, but Lewis boots sure do help.

Heat tolerance is a funny thing to mention for a chukar dog, if it's warm enough to matter its very easy to find birds.

Wa Chukar Hunter · Post by **Wa Chukar Hunter** » Tue Jun 30, 2015 8:34 pm

I am kinda partial to setters (llewellin) for chukar hunting but that said - the last time I hunted them was in 2007 with small munsterlander's