Choosing High Quality Bird Hunting Dogs

?For those who enjoy hunting and taking their best bird hunting dogs with them, where to hunt is always an issue in crowded areas or during particular times of the year or seasons. Advertisements galore offer wild game habitats where an ongoing wildlife management practice is enforced to maintain the population of big and small game species. And if a dedicated hunter signs up with a commercial outfitter operation, usually generous bag limits and large areas of private land offer more of a change of success with a person's bird hunting dogs.

The type of bird hunting dogs that a hunter chooses to use will depend a lot on what type of bird a person enjoys to hunt. Choosing a highly trained hunting and gun dog is very important to "when that person hunts successfully."

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Additionally, knowing the environment your new dog will be in at home will help this decision to be made also: Will the dog be kept outside in the natural elements, or will it be inside or in a warmed kennel? Will there be more than one in the kennel, or will it be by itself in its own kennel? Will it have a large kennel run for exercise, or will it rely on its owner for walking or some alternative form of exercise? Many experienced hunters keep their bird hunting dogs acclimatized to the same atmosphere they hunt in at all times.

There are the many types of bird hunting dogs in regard to their levels of individual training, from raw puppies with no training, to young dogs with some early training, to finished or broke hunting dogs, and finally Field Trial Dogs. It is said that gun dogs can be purchased at any time during their gun training, but it is very important on this level to look for high-quality bird hunting dogs that are good with the specific bird-type they are built to hunt for. If the new dog is bred from a Quality Field Championship line, it can be expected to hunt upland game birds, compete in field trials at Local levels, Regional levels, and National levels.

Alternatively, a person can buy his bird-hunting dogs as puppies, and train them himself. It is a step-by-step process: buy it right, start it right, retrieve training needs to be done right, and point training needs to be done right. This whole process will in turn teach the bird hunting dogs to be "steady to wing and shot," according to professional dog trainer, Kenneth C. Roebuck in his book, Gun-Dog Training Pointing Dogs.

Emerging Breed Of Dove Hunting Dogs

?Dove hunting is a skill that some hunters have, but most do not. Having the best dove hunting dogs in the world will not matter if there are no doves around or the strategy being applied is worthless. Looking at where the doves are coming from in two or three good spots, finding out when they will arrive to their hunting grounds, and where they will feed are very important hunting strategies that most hunters pay no mind to. Dove hunting dogs are an asset, but the hunter needs to lay the field out for his dog to do its work.

The best dove hunting dogs are those with gentle mouths, and if you think that is not important, think again. I used to have a black Labrador who very gently, behind my back, took a raw egg off the table as I was baking cookies, and carried it around for two hours before I noticed what he was doing. Not a scratch on the egg, and he had carried it around like a newborn baby.

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Anyway, just because a favorite hunting dog is good at the field trial games does not necessary mean it is best as dove hunting dogs. Hunters are avid over this subject, and words get heatedly slung around like "breed superiority" and "forced retrieve training." A good example is an article in the Quail Unlimited Magazine, Jan/Feb 2002, regarding standards for hunting dogs.

Something new that has developed in dove hunting dogs are the small Boykin Spaniels, which are becoming quite popular in the South for dove hunting. These dove hunting dogs are known for working closer than the Brittany or Labs, in a more relaxed way than the upland dogs who are also known as dove hunting dogs, and are small in size for a house pet. In addition, this popular small spaniel also could work upland game like pheasants, quail, and grouse.

The history of these little dove hunting dogs did not originate hunting dove, but of a turkey hunting dog that was small enough to find a wild turkey, and then flush it out along with the whole flock of turkeys at the same time, which of course, did not set well with the hunters. This dog was not appreciated for its hunting talents until many years later, when intelligent hunters began to forsee that his little dog could do better at hunting something besides the turkeys which had so carefully ruined their reputation as a hunter.

Beginning with upland waterfowl hunting, the small dove hunting dogs fit well into small watercraft canoes or johnboats better than the larger Labs or retrievers by about 40 pounds, preventing uninvited upsets in the water. Over the past years, the Boykin has remerged as a high-quality hunter, unsurpassed as a hunter of dove and upland game birds, with its head held high.

Fierce Hog Hunting Dogs

?When you ask a hunter what makes the best breed of dog for wild boar hunting, each one will have a different answer to the best wild boar hunting dogs. Some will say the American Bulldog, others will say the cur or fiest, while others will say the pit bull or pit bull mix. It depends on the type of dog used favorably and what the results were. One thing for sure, they need to be strong with high stamina, in order to catch the wild boar.

Wild boars or wild hogs originated with our settlers, who did not pen the domesticated pigs up, but let them run loose. Due to the high intelligence of these pigs, they did their own thing and began to run wild in intelligent packs. Once out of control, the wild boar hunting dogs were needed to keep them controlled from damaging the environment and hurting small game and pets.

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A cautious big game animal, the wild hog is a fierce animal, considering the hunters, their guides, outfitters, and their dogs an enemy as it hides in the dense thickets from danger. The worse time to hunt wild boars with wild boar hunting dogs is after December, which is the month for mating. The litter is born into a depressed area into the ground, which has been dug out by the sow. Lining the den with grass and branches, she becomes extremely violent when defending her young.

As stated, there are several breeds of wild boar hunting dogs, with the cur as one of those top-quality versatile dogs that are so loyal and full of ability that it will do whatever its owner wants it to hunt. Many hunters use the American Bulldog but for those who professionally understand the performance-bred standard American bulldogs, they do not mistake them for the Johnson lines, where the American Bulldog has been mixed with the English Bulldog and the Mastiff. The Scott lines American Bullodgs or Old English Whites were bred to be big game hunters by the Early American settlers for wild boar hunting dogs and wild bull hunting dogs.

When a person begins to plan on his wild boar hunting dogs trip, make sure the rules and regulations are well planned before leaving. Only 15 states actually have wild boar hunting: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, And of these areas, the rules and regulations need to be checked out completely to comply with the individual hunting laws, but if an outfitter is hired, part of the trip will be the license fee. Read the fine print all the way to the bottom of the page, making sure nothing is left uncovered.

Health Issues Of Sporting Group Hunting Dogs

?When purchasing good hunting dog breeds, each breed will have their own particular health risk. Also, each will have their own particular exercise need to prevent any health problems from arising. So lets look at a few of the major and most popular hunting dogs bred and sold for the specific area of hunting. And it needs to be mentioned that most of the hunting dogs should have straight front legs, with the rear wide and straight, and a slight varying of angulations in the back legs depending on the breed type of the specific dog.

Labrador Retrievers are extremely popular over-all hunting dogs in the Sporting Group, with a number one ranking in the AKC. Originally an all-purpose water known from Newfoundland, it was known as the "St. John's" Newfoundland in the 1800s. A working retriever, it is upper moderate on the energy level but high on the playfulness, affection, friendliness toward other pets, dogs, and unfortunately, strangers that are welcomed by their owners in the home. But it is of a high level watch dog when required.

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The major health concerns for this breed are CHD, gastric torsion, retinal dysplasia/skeletal dwarfism, muscular dystrophy, and elbow dysplasia. Minor concerns are cataracts, OCD, CPRA, pyotraumatic dermatitis. Diabetes, entropion, and distichiasis are occasionally seen throughout its 10-12 year life span of this favorite of hunting dog breeds.

The German Short-haired Pointer is extremely popular, also known as the German Short-haired Pointing Dog or Deutsch Kurzhaar. Rated 24 in the AKC ranking, it is part of their Sporting Group breed that requires a moderate amount of training in this hunting dogs group. A day hunting dog that can live from 12 to 14 years; it can become frustrated if not given adequate exercise mentally and physically. The major health concern for this breed is lymphedema, with minor concerns consisting of CHD, entropion, gastric torsion, vWD, pannus, OCD. The testing that should be done on the puppy, and checking on up-to-date testing in the parents, are in the hip, eye and blood area.

The Brittany is a cross between small land spaniels and an English Setter back in the 1800s. It has a rating of 33 in the AKC ranking and belongs to the Sporting Group. The leggiest of all the sporting hunting dog breeds, they require a high amount of exercise and are very easy to train. Health issues that are high are CHD, with minor concerns of epilepsy and lipfold pyoderma. Extrememly friendly, this hunting dog has a high affection level and watchdog level.

English Pointers, or just Pointers, go way back to the 17th centuries, used to point hare with Greyhounds finishing the hunt for a cooperation of hunting dogs of various styles. A ranking of 92 in AKC, it is high on energy, exercise, playfulness, affection, friendliness toward other dogs and pets, and watchdog ability levels. The major health risks are entropion, with CHD as a minor concern. Suggested testing for concern should be the hip and eye, with a proneness to tail-tip injuries.

Hunting Dogs For Sale In Georgia

?Georgia is known for its hunting, so hunting dogs for sale in Georgia while a person is hunting there is a good idea. Recently one search led me to the AKC standard hunting Georgia poodle, with parents having OFOA, Genetic Tested, and bred for intelligence. Also, it was trainable for therapy and obedience, in addition to their natural born skills at hunting.

Started pups were available at a beginning price of $1,500 each, which looks as if the hunting dogs for sale in Georgia may be a tad bit high compared to other parts of the country. But on the average, the prices ranged from $500 and up. A person could purchase a beginning young pup to train themselves, plus they could purchase a starting puppy or dog with some basic hunting training, purchase a finished hunting dog, or use a stud dog for a female hunting dog the hunter already had.

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Anyone can breed a dog and list them as a "highly trained hunting dog." It is up to the buyer to make sure these claims are true. If you do purchase a hunting dog in Georgia, if you don't live there, it will make a long trip back to return the dog, if you can even get your money back. Most breeders do not refund money, only exchange for another puppy. You may not want another puppy from that breeder if the original purchase was not a good one.

Championship backgrounds beyond the second or third litter usually means the grandfather or great-grandfather, or grandmother or great-grandmother, was shown at agility shows, demonstrating their intelligence and ability to hunt. Word of mouth regarding hunting dogs for sale in Georgia means a lot in Georgia, as everyone seems to know everyone, and occasionally the championship backgrounds simply serve to raise the prices. Talk to hunting people or highly recommended hunting groups. Make sure this type of background in your prospective puppy refers to the parents of the puppy, and/or the grandparents, which refers to Field Trial championships or participants of the parents.

Environmental issues are another major concern in the puppy or hunting adult dog you are planning on purchasing. With the majority of hunting dogs for sale in Georgia being German Short-Haired, consider where they will live with you. Needing a very large yard and highly athletic family to maintain their health and well being, they are not recommended for apartment or small house living.

They will be exposed to excessive elements of the outdoors elements at all time, depending on the type of kennel they live in. Will that kennel be warmed, protected, or insulated while facing away from storms or excess wind? Or will they live inside with the family? If so, it will be of the minority—most people who buy good hunting dogs spend good money for it, but think little of the life of a dog, keeping it cooped up all year and then taking it out for hunting, expecting the dog to be full of stamina and pep. Good hunting dogs are best purchased by good hunters, who care for that dog like their life and best friend.

Styles Of Hunting Dogs

?Hunting dogs are here to assist the hunter, and these dogs have slowly evolved into many different types of hunting dogs. These are the general hunting dogs; sporting or gun dogs; or scenthounds. The origin of today's gun dog breeds began back in the 1400s to 1600s in Western Europe. The dogs used during this time were the Pointers, for locating game. And as more and more guns were being used for hunting, other types of hunting dogs that developed were the flushing setter and spaniel breeds.

Over time, especially in England, to go on a hunt may have required many different types of hunting dogs. Pointing and flushing hunting dogs located game in the surrounding brush. The windhounds coursed it down, terriers went underground after the game if it went into the burrows, and the scenthounds tracked it down if it ran across country.

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But over time, the hunt simplified itself, with the sporting dogs maintaining a wide tolerance of people and little territoriality due to the fact they are mostly used by non-owners for hunting. A high tolerance for other dogs and people are almost a needed requirement for hunting dogs. If the owner has a hunting lodge or some form of hunting business that hires hunting dogs out, that dog has to obey commands and go hunting for a stranger as if that person is their owner.

These types of hunting dogs do not growl or show signs of aggression toward their hunted prey, because this would be a behavior that would scare the prey away instead of catching it. Instead, the behavior is of silent intenseness, to allow for the catch. Other types of skills and behavior demonstrate what various types of hunting dogs do better than another. The scent hounds on their leashes can pick up tracks and scents that other dogs may miss, one that is many days old. On the other hand, a good pointer can point and freeze birds that assume they are well hidden from view, while the popular retrievers can retrieve birds in freezing water all day long. This is a lot different than England's many steps of different birds for hunting.

So, the types of hunting dogs have changed a lot over the years and from one country over another. And then, of course, different countries breed different hunting dogs for hunting different types of game birds in their country. Some hunters will travel overseas to hunt, while others prefer to hunt in their back yard, so knowing these differences will make a difference.