Non-typical Waterfowl Dogs

[kansasdad]

Friend hunts waterfowl and most feathered birds with his Boykin. That dog will not retrieve a dove under any circumstance.

Due to in home allergies, we looked at a Portuguese Water Dog as they are supposed to be allergen neutral. Never went beyond the looking stage, but there are some working water dogs here and in Europe.

 

[Irrelevant]

I would rather not own a dog than own a lab. I have yet to meet one that didn't try to lick me to death, while wiggling non-stop, thrashing that otter tail against any and everything. Stealing food off the table, destroying everything in sight, running away, and outside of retrieving a duck (which a couple are actually good at), they're worthless.

I like @Hunting Wife suggestion of a small spaniel. There in Portlandia you don't need to worry too much about the cold.

My co-workers wife got a specialty doodle thingy... it's pretty small, super cute, and I keep trying to talk him into taking it hunting. His push back is that if he takes it, and it's not totally worthless, then he can't continue to hold that over his wife's head.

 

[Irrelevant]

I rabbit hunted with a chihuahua mutt a few times as a kid, rescue dog my mom brought home instead of the horse she went to look at. Was actually a pretty sweet dog. But that little guy mentality proved ineffective against the local coyote pack.

 

[brocksw]

I would rather not own a dog than own a lab. I have yet to meet one that didn't try to lick me to death, while wiggling non-stop, thrashing that otter tail against any and everything. Stealing food off the table, destroying everything in sight, running away, and outside of retrieving a duck (which a couple are actually good at), they're worthless.

I like @Hunting Wife suggestion of a small spaniel. There in Portlandia you don't need to worry too much about the cold.

My co-workers wife got a specialty doodle thingy... it's pretty small, super cute, and I keep trying to talk him into taking it hunting. He's push back is that if he takes it, and it's not totally worthless, then he can't continue to hold that over his wife's head.

Sounds like a problem with the owner, not the dog.

 

[Irrelevant]

Sounds like a problem with the owner, not the dog.

Owners... Literally dozens and dozens of them.

 

[brocksw]

Owners... Literally dozens and dozens of them.

Millions of dog owners like that.

 

[brocksw]

Funny I was just thinking… I bet a heeler could be a great duck dog. My buddies has a strong fur drive, super athletic/smart and loves retrieving.

In @Cornell2012s post he mentioned non-typical duck breeds so to that end, anyone here hunted with either a beagle or a feist?

My neighbor has a beagle and all of the houses surrounding him hate listening to that dog bark, for hours on end. My wife and I will be watching TV in the evening and all the sudden it starts barking, walk out there and it's just standing in the dark, barking at nothing. Even his kennel mate looks annoyed. My in laws have one and it's the same thing. They just bark, constantly, for no God damn reason whatsoever....because theyre alive I guess. It's the most annoying dog breed I've ever run across. My neighbor has tried bark collars, ecollars, nothing works. Maybe they aren't all like that, though.

 

[nastynate]

I would rather not own a dog than own a lab. I have yet to meet one that didn't try to lick me to death, while wiggling non-stop, thrashing that otter tail against any and everything. Stealing food off the table, destroying everything in sight, running away, and outside of retrieving a duck (which a couple are actually good at), they're worthless.

Boohoo. While I actually completely get why many would be annoyed with that, I love that big lab personality. Each and every time I get home my dog is more excited to see me than any human has ever been.... I just love it. Affectionate, easily trained and socialized, etc. And hard to beat for my style of hunting, which is midwest pheasants which includes pounding a lot of cattails.

But back on subject, my brother has a brittany-doodle that is probably 30lbs. We don't waterfowl hunt, but it's a pretty damn good grouse and pheasant dog.

 

[npaden]

I had a Rottweiler that was fairly good at retrieving. Well maybe not exactly retrieving but he would help find the birds. Not the softest mouth though. You had to get to him quick or there might not be much left. He swallowed a small dove whole one time.

 

[nastynate]

My co-workers wife got a specialty doodle thingy... it's pretty small, super cute, and I keep trying to talk him into taking it hunting. His push back is that if he takes it, and it's not totally worthless, then he can't continue to hold that over his wife's head.

Cornell is an administrator. Can we make it so I can be angry at the lab hating part of your post but like this part?

Yeah, my brother has his (actually he has a golden-doodle and a brittany-doodle) due my sis-in-laws requirements. They can hunt. But their coats are very high maintenance. He has to brush and bathe those things forever after a hunt. (probably true of many other hunting dogs, but labs coats are pretty burr resistant... not so bad).

 

[Nameless Range]

It seems that one of the risks of getting a non-typical waterfowl dog, is that it is more likely that that individual dog will not like water. Of course an owner can do their best to influence this, but it also does seem to be something innate to the dog and sort of a roll of the dice. My folks have had two cocker spaniels - one loved the water, and retrieved a duck or two in his time. Their current one flinches when facing a puddle.

I think getting a small "English" Lab, would be safer bet. If you really weren't wanting a lab, it seems a safer middle ground could be a springer spaniel.

 

[BZNHNTR]

Have a puddle pointer currently, great at upland, mediocre with waterfowl and kids, poor with other dogs and in the blind. Miss my last dog, a big friendly lab that would nap in the blind but drag a wounded goose through whitewater and love it.

 

[CorkyM]

This is what I like about ‘em along with about twenty other things

 

[OntarioHunter]

English Labs aren't "smaller." They just have shorter legs. Not a good thing if you want to hunt uplands. My daughter has one and it's about the least "calm" Lab I've ever been around.

My Ellie was just to the vet last week. She weighed in at 63 lbs. But of course that was after six weeks of hunting for pheasants. I cannot understand why anyone would want any other breed for either the home or the field. After my wife and son died I needed a healthy distraction. We had two Labs and I decided to try "something new" and bought a French Brittany pup. She filled the role of a distraction and though she's a wonderful upland dog, those dogs are not designed for waterfowl. Sitting wet in a blind would be too cold for her.

 

[OntarioHunter]

I would rather not own a dog than own a lab. I have yet to meet one that didn't try to lick me to death, while wiggling non-stop, thrashing that otter tail against any and everything. Stealing food off the table, destroying everything in sight, running away, and outside of retrieving a duck (which a couple are actually good at), they're worthless.

I like @Hunting Wife suggestion of a small spaniel. There in Portlandia you don't need to worry too much about the cold.

My co-workers wife got a specialty doodle thingy... it's pretty small, super cute, and I keep trying to talk him into taking it hunting. His push back is that if he takes it, and it's not totally worthless, then he can't continue to hold that over his wife's head.

The problems you associated with Labs are the product of the owners not the dogs. I can leave a steak dinner on the couch and go take a crap in the bathroom. That plate is still there untouched when I return ... with two dogs sitting two inches away from it "on guard." But if I walk out the front door, they'll clean the paint off it. Labs are notoriously close working dogs in the field. I've never owned one that would "run away" or chase deer or rabbits ... because I don't allow it. Labs are also notorious for their devotion and desire to please. Very few are hardheaded, unlike Chesapeakes. Labradoodles are colorless airheads.

 

[Camdu7]

A PP would be my vote. No shedding but a rough coat requires some work. A WPG or GWP/DD would also be good choices. They will hunt anything you want and mine is great in the house, with kids, other dogs, and riding in the car. My GSP is tough to beat for upland but doesn't enjoy the cold water.

 

[BackofBeyond]

A buddy up north hunts with his heeler
View attachment 256749

The answer is always “get a dingo” but thinking back about all the heelers I’ve had and been around, I’ve never seen one swim - could be a small downside to waterfowl.

Had one, Zach, only had three legs but would retrieve and drag a dead coyote 500 yards if you told him too. They would be hell on wheels with upland birds, that’s for sure.

 

[T Bone]

The Munsterlander breed is worth a look. I've hunted upland and jumpshot waterfowl over one. They are versatile!

Labs are tough to beat, but finding a 50 pounder is difficult. Gwp/DD or pudelpointers have merit also.

 

[Nick87]

. I can leave a steak dinner on the couch and go take a crap in the bathroom. That plate is still there untouched when I return ... with two dogs sitting two inches away from it "on guard

Not to derail but are we talking about the plate with the steak or the one you took a dump on?

 

[Irrelevant]

The problems you associated with Labs are the product of the owners not the dogs.

That can't be true because two of them have other bird dogs and they're great.

Lab lovers have their heads in the sand so deep as to be laughable. There are good labs out there, but not nearly as many as lab owners would lead a person to believe.