need a dog

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Draathaar or a German Wirehaired Pointer

Larger than a German Shorthaired Pointer, webbed feet, somewhat less hyper

I understand they are great on upland as well as blood trailing and passable on retrieving

I've never had one but am sure looking hard at one for my next hunting dog.
 
Be advised that the Germans have some strange ideas about dogs. A real Drathaar might kill all the neighborhood cats if given the chance. I knew a guy who had to have his dog put down for that reason.

I would probably go the American GWP route, and not listen too much to the "German breeding is cool!" crowd.:)
 
A real Drathaar might kill all the neighborhood cats if given the chance
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I've got two coon hounds that will kill all the neighborhood cats if given the chance, but I keep them penned up in their own dog compound out back.

Fortunately, the neighborhood cats around here know how to climb trees.
 
I keep them penned up in their own dog compound out back.
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Yeah. But a lot of us want family dogs, not baying livestock.

Coonhounds are great dogs. I wouldn't want to keep them penned up out back.
 
Be advised that the Germans have some strange ideas about dogs. A real Drathaar might kill all the neighborhood cats if given the chance
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Actually they better kill cats. That is part of the breeding in most of the European countries from years past. It applies to mostly the versatile hunting breeds. Rather than a strange idea about dogs it was a no non-sense approach to ridding the hunting grounds of feral cats. In the old days all animals that ate game birds including birds of prey, were eliminated on sight.

Czech bread dogs have been in my family for a couple of generations and the cat killing trait was always there. The female GSP I have now had some "American" blood slipped in. She lives with two cats with ease.

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Yeah. But a lot of us want family dogs, not baying livestock.

Coonhounds are great dogs. I wouldn't want to keep them penned up out back.
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My two girls are family pets too. They are as tame and sweet as can be, and they love kids and are good with everyone. However, they will terrorize a cat if given the chance. They are bred to chase furry critters up trees.

There is no alternative to keeping them penned up. They have 250 sq. foot pen - half of it covered, and two cozy doghouses. During the day they also have a fenced backyard to run around in.

These are both large hunting hounds - over 50 pounds. I do hunt with them and they are liable to run 5-7 miles easily in a nights hunting. It's a disservice to keep a dog like that cooped up in a house and only let it out a couple times a day. They need a great deal more exercise than they can get in a small fenced yard. When I can't hunt, I often take them out in the farm country and let them run in front of the truck for several miles.

I know many people do keep large working/hunting dogs in the house as house dogs, but I just can't do that to a dog. I live in town, and I care about them too much to let them run loose in the neighborhood and get bred, stolen, run over or wander off. So, mine are spending their down time out in the pen right now chewing on deer leg bones. They are pretty happy too.
 
In the old days all animals that ate game birds including birds of prey, were eliminated on sight.
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Not a bad idea, really. I wouldn't hesitate to shoot a feral cat in a hunting area, though I wouldn't shoot an owl even if it were legal.

It's just not all that compatible with the "family dog" spec in a modern neighborhood, though.:)
 
My first dog was a German Shorthaired Pointer. He could hande city life. He could run all day. Hel would be still as a rock. They are stubborn. but with early training they are a super dog.
But if the tail is not docked and you like to sit on the floor be prepare for a few hardy whacks across the head. Toby's tail would clear a coffee table.
 
I have a Red (Irish field breed) Setter I wouldn't trade for anything. Great Retriever and pointer. Need lot's of exercise though.
 
A hunter needs a dog for every occasion.
Cocker for pheasant hunting
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Taxen for hunting roedeer
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Kopov for getting a boar moving
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And a bigger lap to sit them on
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just get a couple dogs... a beagle for in the house (and for that deer that you know you hit but just can't seem to find)... and a bird dog that you can keep out back and not worry about socializing with kids and cats
 
Depends what you hunt and where you live, if you live farther north maybe a Laika, in northern Europe and Russia they are used to hunt everything from squirrels, to ducks, to wild boar, to giant brown bear.
I imagine that like any very primative breed of dog a very good trainer, and alpha is needed. I love my primative dogs, but they have a strong will and a prey drive that can block out your commands.
 
Here's a problem with the "sharpness" of a German-bred dog. I was chatting with a guy down at a local hunting spot on Wednesday morning. He had to put down his GSP because it attacked a porcupine and wouldn't let up. The dog ended up with so many spines down its throat that it couldn't be saved.
 
Labs can be taught to hunt anything. They are protective of their family and children, but are good around other dogs. +1 for labs.
 
only hunting dogs ive ever had were a gsp she was an awesome pet and a good hunting dog, until she got older and decided that she deserved to eat the quail. the other one was a Weim/gsp mix. This dog was AWESOME in every way. He would point birds, if they didnt flush he would chase them out of where they were hiding. He was a rabbithound, would chase them in circles until you shot them, he did refuse to retrieve them though he would just stand next to them and wait on you. And im going to guess if we ever needed help finding a deer he would have done it as he did lead us to a couple of roadkills during his life. On top of all his hunting prowess he was the best pet dog i have ever known. The only two drawbacks he had was that no one ever docked his tail, and you couldnt get him to go away, he just wanted to be within 3 feet of you at all times. I dont think ill ever stray away from visla, weimers and gsps personally.
 
The story of how I got my dog belongs in a country song (buddy's ex-girlfriend had to get rid of her dog, so I ended up with a German Shepherd). I know German Shepherds aren't 'hunting' dogs, but she doesn't seem to know that she's not a retriever, especially after spending a bunch of time with my buddy's German Shorthair (same buddy - the dogs were together when my buddy and the girl were too)

That doesn't have much to do with anything, but I thought I'd throw this out there:
http://webfootkennel.com/

This kennel is run by my uncle and my cousin in Southern Illinois. They don't breed labs but they do keep up with some good litters - I just checked the for sale page on their website and they have a couple of litters showing that they would be good to go around christmas so there may still be some pups available.

They can get dogs to some amazing things...
 
I have a GWP. If using the dog is more for upland then one of the VHD's like a GWP, GSP, Vissla, Munsterlander, Pudlepointer is the way to go. If you want it more for water fowl a pointing lab is a good bet.

I have the GWP in town and yes, they can be some work keeping them exercised mentally and physically during the off season. But they are great in the field and a goofball in the house.

Good luck!
 
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