Dogs for Waterfowl and Upland Game

Part of the real joy of bird hunting is the use and companionship of a good dog. A hunting dog will find birds where no hunter could, follow their scent into brush and foliage where no hunter would enjoy going, set or flush the birds at decent gun range before the hunter, then run down any cripples and bring the dead game back to its master's hand. In the case of waterfowl, the good hunting dog will plunge into water icy and cold enough to chill the hunter's ancestors, and retrieve downed birds which would otherwise be lost.

More thrilling even is the fact that a good hunting dog enjoys all this effort and gladly does it, often for little more than a word of appreciation from its master. And aside from the work a hunting dog does, the pleasure of its companionship is worth the price of ownership.

Hunting dogs are specialists and as such have been bred through many generations both to preserve and to accent certain desirable qualities. Individual strains have been developed for certain uses, and in many breeds a combination of useful traits has been bred in.

Dogs for use on birds may be divided into two broad groups—those for use on upland game and those adapted to waterfowl hunting Some species may be used on both.

In the upland game division, dogs are further separated into those that "set" or "point" game, and those that only find, then flush birds. Those in the first group are, of course, the setters and pointers.

SETTERS AND POINTERS FOR UPLAND BIRDS

The English setter is the oldest game-bird dog used in America. These dogs are long-haired with wavy but not kinky hair, with thin feathering on the legs. Adult dogs average around 60 pounds in weight, and stand approximately 2 feet tall. In color an English setter may vary from black, white, or tan, to a combination of liver and white, lemon and white, or black and white. This breed is considered a one-man dog and worships the owner who treats it kindly.

The Llewellin setter, named after its originator, is similar to the English setter. It often has English setter blood mixed in, and is usually blue-ticked in coloration.

The Irish setter is another beautiful breed and is characterized by its rich mahogany-red color, silky feathering, and strong will.

Beautiful and strong-willed, the Irish setter is a long-haired breed popular with many bird hunters. Courtesy of David Michael Duffey.

The stylish English pointer is an avid hunter. Here one retrieves a pheasant for   his   master.

Gordon setters are comparatively rare today, and not too often used as field dogs. This breed, named after the Duke of Gordon, is black with tan markings, slightly smaller and more racy in appearance than the English setter, and is used more for show purposes than in the field.

The basic difference between the setter and the pointer is that the pointer is short-haired. This breed is English in development and rivals the setter for field use. Because of the pointer's short hair, it can take hot weather and does not pick up burrs like the setters do. Oppositely, it can't stand severe cold weather as well as long-haired dogs, or the beating a dog takes in heavy brush. Pointers love to hunt, are stronger willed than the setters and less easily offended. In color, pointers range from white and black, to white and liver, white and orange, and white and brown.

A more recent pointer coming to the American scene is the German short-haired pointer. This is a hard-working breed, not as fast as the English pointer, but adaptable to pointing and retrieving both upland species and waterfowl. The German pointer is short-haired, as its name indicates, and relatively stocky. A large dog, it sometimes weighs as much as 70 pounds. It has a mild disposition, but is a good scrapper. In color, German pointers range from solid liver to combinations of liver and white.

These are the main species of setters and pointers. Both classes are bred for intelligence, keen scent, stamina in the field, and tractability. Their common denominator is that upon smelling the hot scent of sitting birds, both will freeze into immobility. The sight of a statuesque animal, holding birds until he comes up, is one of the hunter's great thrills of the field; and a pointing or setting dog is a sight of classic beauty for any beholder.

"FLUSHERS"

There are other dogs that neither point nor set birds, but which are most useful in hunting birds that won't hold for a dog but run ahead. Those breeds of dogs that find game, scare it up, and can be taught to retrieve dead birds, might well be called the "flushers."

The German wirehaired pointer, a  recent arrival, works well  on both upland game and waterfowl. Courtesy of David Michael Duffey.

The affectionate little cocker spaniel is a fine flusher and retriever for upland game.

One of the most popular of these is the cocker spaniel. This affectionate little species weighs from 20 to 30 pounds, is solid black, golden, or multicolored, and has a cheerful disposition, which makes it unexcelled as a pet. Cockers hunt both by body scent and trailing. Dogs that develop the habit of depending on the bird scent left in air currents are preferable.

One of the desired traits of the cocker is that, because of its small size, it of necessity hunts slowly. This allows the hunter to keep up without too great an effort, and within range of the game as it flushes.

The springer spaniel is another fine hunting dog for upland game. It is larger than the cocker, often weighing up to 50 pounds and reaching 20 inches height at the shoulder. The springer varies in color from black and white to liver and white. This breed is one of the best Chinese pheasant dogs imaginable. Where a setter or pointer will often break point in order to keep up with a skulking ringneck, the springer keeps right on after it until the bird flushes. Like the cocker, the springer hunts both by body scent and by trailing. The pheasant leaves both kinds of scent, and the springer's popularity in America followed closely the rise of the pheasant as a growing game-bird species. Due to the springer's larger size, it is a better worker in heavy brush and swamplands than the cocker.

The Brittany spaniel is another fine flushing dog, which might also have been included with the pointers and setters, since it has an instinct to point game. This spaniel is a short-tailed species reaching a shoulder height of 18 inches on an average, and runs in color to combinations of liver, white, and orange. This species ranges wider in field use than the springer or cocker, and is very adaptable to work on pheasants. The dog has a good disposition and makes a friendly hunting companion.

The Labrador retriever is another fine flusher of game birds, especially pheasants. As its name suggests, the Labrador was originally known for its use on waterfowl, but it adapts easily to upland hunting. This is a big, relatively short-haired dog, rather stockily built and usually pure black overall. Occasionally a Labrador will be pure tan or other solid color. This dog has a mild temperament, making it an ideal family dog.

The Chesapeake retriever, similarly, is noted for its work in retrieving waterfowl, but makes a good dog for flushing upland game. This dog, too, is large, reaching 70 pounds and over. The predominant colors are solid tan, brown, or straw color. Both the Labrador and the Chesapeake make

One of the best dogs for Chinese pheasants, the springer spaniel is tops in heavy brush, swamplands. Courtesy of David Michael Duffey.

good children's dogs as they have a patience and tolerance not found in many other species.

The Weimaraner is a late-comer to the American hunting scene, but an exceedingly popular breed. This is a large, short-haired dog, with males reaching as much as 80 pounds in weight. This German-originated breed is silver-gray to dark blue-gray, is highly intelligent, and most striking in appearance. It learns easily and has an instinct for pointing. Weimaraner owners are very careful not to allow the strain to become contaminated, and currently Weimaraners bring high prices.

These are the principal breeds of hunting dogs used for hunting upland game. As with any animals, both deliberate and accidental crossbreeding has been extensive. Sometimes hunters try to breed out unwanted traits and breed in others by crossing two definite breeds or bloodlines. More often, and especially in the more rural areas, crossbreeding comes about through the freedom given dogs.

As with lion dogs, the exceptional bird dog is apt to appear in any bloodline or within  any breed.  Dogs  are  individualistic,  with  varying The Brittany spaniel, imported from France about thirty years ago, is both a flusher and a pointer. Courtesy of Paradise Brittany Kennels.

Adaptable to waterfowl and upland game, the Labrador retriever is also a fine family dog.

degree of hunting instinct and receptiveness to training. Because of this, mongrel dogs sometimes make fine hunting dogs, especially dogs born on ranches or farms which live among various species of game birds and are used in hunting early. There is many an instance of some lowly mongrel pup whose sire was likely the best half-dozen dogs in the community becoming a real hunter on pheasants. Many a farm boy has been given a puppy of such democratic ancestry, has grown up with it, loved the animal, romped with it over the fields, and had a "scarer-upper" on pheasants worth its weight in biscuits and gravy.

The chances, however, are smaller than when starting with a young dog of good hunting bloodlines. The percentages lie with the pure-blood breeds in which good hunting qualities have long been in-bred.

DOGS FOR WATERFOWL

For use on waterfowl, the various pure-blood retrievers are best. Two of the very best, as indicated above, are the Labrador and the Chesapeake. The Irish water spaniel is one of the oldest breeds used in this country on waterfowl and is also a fine retriever on upland game birds. This breed is fairly large, with males weighing up to 60 pounds. The curly coat of hair all over the body and ears is the most striking feature. This coat is liver-colored all over, including the ratlike tail. The abundance of the coat makes work in cold water relatively comfortable, and is one of the useful, as well as ornamental, assets of the breed.

Another retriever useful on both upland game birds and waterfowl is the golden retriever. This is a large, intelligent dog, distinguished by its pure golden color. The breed has abundant wavy hair. Adult males weigh up 65 pounds and like Labradors and Chesapeakes make fine companions.

BUYING A HUNTING DOG

There are two ways of obtaining a good hunting dog. One is to go to a reputable dog trainer and buy the dog of one's choice. For this the new owner pays not only for the dog, but for the hours which have gone into the dog's training, the general understanding of dogs, and the necessary patience in educating a young animal for the hunting field.

For many bird hunters, all this is an advantage. Often they haven't the space or the time necessary for dog training. Moreover, they are naturally less proficient than an expert, and the training of a professional usually brings the dog to a higher level of field ability.

There are, however, drawbacks to buying a trained dog. First, the trusting loyalty common to a puppy has gone not to the new owner who will use the animal, but to someone else. The adult dog is less apt to treat the new owner with the affection that is a most pleasant part of the man-dog association. Also, the trained dog, under the less skilled handling technique of the new owner, is apt to perform less efficiently than for his original trainer.

These are factors which must be considered. However, in any case the prospective owner should give the new dog a trial workout in his own hunting country before final purchase. In addition, the. word of a reputable trainer as to the dog's capabilities and probabilities should be accepted as the kennel's reputation is at stake.

For some, a better way is to buy the animal as a puppy, to be trained by the owner. This applies especially when the dog is to be a companion, a family pet as well, or double as a child's dog. All pups worship human beings who treat them well, and by starting with a pup, this bond of affection begins growing from the very first; and the grown dog not only will perform better for his owner but will be a better companion.

In choosing a pup for later hunting, several important decisions should be made. First, the breed should be chosen for the game to be hunted and the owner's housing accommodations. No use buying a Great Dane for use on teal if one lives in an apartment. Again, the probability of the dog's being a companion for children or wife should be considered. The new owner's skill in training a dog should not be forgotten. If the owner has little experience and expects to devote a minimum of time to the chore, he is better off with a flusher breed than one of the pointing breeds. It takes less time to bring a flusher to the point of field use than it does to perfect the pointing-and-holding ability of a pointer or setter.

In choosing a puppy from a litter, things to look for are general liveli­ness, eager, intent eyes, a relatively wide head and nostrils, its general actions within the litter, the condition of its coat, and whether or not it seems to like people. These all indicate an over-all intelligence, healthiness, tractability, and desire to please. Any pup chosen should be given its shots for distemper and similar ailments before purchase.

DOG TRAINING

Pups, like children, are individualistic. No two are exactly the same and each must be treated a bit differently. The new owner's first job is to understand his pup. Some breeds are strong-willed and this shows in puppyhood. A strong-willed breed like the English pointer will take harsher commands and corrective punishment better than the setters, for example. But any dog should be taught to obey. An adult hunting dog which won't mind is worthless. In teaching a dog anything, the owner should be kind but firm; and the type of discipline should fit the individual dog.

A puppy is a playful bundle, and should be allowed to play without serious training until it is from six to ten months old. For later hunting purposes, the more a pup can be taken into the field while young, the quicker it will learn to hunt. Many a young pup will pick up bird scent, or tracks which are fresh, show interest, and "root" along, mesmerized by the strange appealing scent. This should be encouraged.

When actual training begins, a must procedure for the person who wants to give his dog an adequate and correct training, especially if he has a setter or pointer, is to purchase an authoritative book on dog training, study it, and follow the directions. Such a text will show step-by step the technique for teaching the new dog the fundamentals, as well as methods to correct basic faults.

Actually, the basic training consists in the dog's mastering a few fun­damentals. These are to mind a command; to heel when not hunting; to point or set birds and hold them (if a pointer); to hunt and flush them within shotgun range of the hunter (if a flusher); and to retrieve de id birds.

Dogs, like people, learn by association and repetition. They learn more slowly because of a lesser intelligence. Consequently, teaching a dog any­thing boils down to patience in getting it to understand what is, wanted; praise for its accomplishments; the necessary discipline for disobedience; repetition of lessons; and more praise for each success.

A dog's first lesson, that of obeying, comes gradually and through the word-association of a command coupled to an appropriate action. If the command is "Come!" or "Come here!" and the trainer lightly pulls the pup towards him on the training cord, the dog soon gets the idea. After a few times, and suitable praise, the young dog learns to come without any pulling on a cord, or without any cord.

Similarly, in teaching a dog to lie down, the instructor says clearly, "Down! Down!"—all the while pushing the dog gently to the ground by the collar. Eventually the association of ideas takes over and the dog will lie down at the simple command, "Down!" Or, to break an eager dog of jumping on one with its forepaws, one commands, "Down " while stepping on the animal's hind toes with increasing pressure until it gets the association.

Teaching a dog to heel likewise requires the repetition of the command-action association. While leading the dog by the neck cord, each time it starts to run ahead the command "Heel!" is given. At the same time, the running end of the cord or a length of heavier rope is whirled in front like a propeller. It takes only a few times of running its sensitive nose into the whirling rope for the dog to understand that "Heel!" means to stay behind.

Making a dog learn to stay reasonably close in front of the hunter, to stop, or to come back, is one of the most difficult lessons. The situation is aggravated by the very nature of a bird-hunting dog's most priceless feature—its nose. Once the dog scents game, it naturally wants to come upon that game at once, and set or flush it, regardless of its master's ability to keep up.

Often, too, pointers and setters are allowed to run wide, find game, and set it; but they are also taught both to hold such birds on point until the shooter comes up and to come back when called.

This lesson, too, is taught by association and with a training cord. A cord of 40 feet or so is attached to the dog's collar. A simple leather collar is usually sufficient for most young dogs. Some require collars with in-pointing studs, so that when pulled by the cord, the studs dig into the animal's neck.

The dog is allowed to wander or hunt until the command "Ho!" is given. The command is not given often enough to be confusing, but each time it is given the rope is tightened until it stops the dog. Eventually the dog will stop each time at the word-command only, without the use of the cord.

The pointing breeds have the built-in instinct to set or point birds when they come close upon them. But most young dogs, until trained differently, have the built-in yen to break point and chase the birds into the adjoining township. The training cord is used, together with a word-command, to break this habit. The command "Hold!" is given, the birds flushed (usually by a helper), and if the dog breaks to run them, it is jerked back with the cord.

Often severe jerking is necessary. One method is to fasten the cord's end to a solid object once the dog is on point. Then if it breaks and runs to the full length of the cord, it is stopped short. A dog whistle is used to call dogs back from too far afield, and response to it also is taught with a training cord.

At each successful performance, some form of reward should be given the learning dog. Usually a kind word or two of real praise and a pat on the head is all the dog wants. Most dogs want to please.

The final important lesson of retrieving is taught in comparable fashion, through the association of ideas. Any young dog is playful and likes to pick up objects in its mouth, drag them playfully, or wrestle with them. Many a boy teaches his dog to bring the newspaper simply by putting it into the animal's mouth a few times, then saying, "Come on." The general procedure with a bird dog is the same. The young dog is given something it likes to hold in its mouth, such as a rubber bone or soft stick. Often, after one plays with a dog with such an object a few minutes, then tosses it away a few feet, the pup will naturally race for it.

Once the dog will run for or grab an object, its lesson in retrieving is well under way. Next, the neck cord is attached to the collar and the object again tossed a few feet away. After the dog has gone for it and picked it up, the cord is gently pulled while giving the command, pleas­antly, "Fetch!" Gradually the animal sees the connection between holding the object in its mouth, and coming to the owner for his word of praise.

Later, as it practices, the dog will come to do the trick without the use of the cord. At this stage, the object may be tossed farther away, and eventually hidden from its sight until the command "Fetch!" is given. As the dog improves further, a feathered dummy "bird" is given it and the words "Dead bird!" and "Fetch!" are used in combination. When the animal will find a hidden "bird" and bring it in at these commands, it is ready for practice on live birds. Retrievers for use on waterfowl are taught in the same way.

Other field manners, such as sitting down when presenting the bird to the shooter, are taught in a similar word-action manner. In all training, the dog must be given the notion that its work is pleasant. Lessons should be kept fairly short, say a half hour a day, and any lesson should be stopped after a success rather than a failure.

When hunting birds, the same kindness, care, and firmness should con­tinue in the field as in the yard. It is important to control the dog's tend­ency to run wide in the presence of game. The tendency must be held down.

While hunting, the dog is waved into likely-looking cover and allowed to work, and when moving from one field to another it is made to heel. The whistle is used to call it back when it gets too far away. Some handlers use a couple of toots on the whistle, like a starting train, to signal the dog it is to go ahead and hunt.

To keep a dog from becoming gun-shy, the first shots during its field training should not be fired directly over it, but at a distance of several yards. The first shooting should be done with a BB rifle or cap gun while some­one else stands near the dog. If the animal tends to run or tremble, it is rubbed and assured that it is all right. The next step is to shoot from a closer distance, possibly with a .22, until a point is reached by degrees where it doesn't bother the animal to shoot over its head. Gun-shy dogs can be cured by such a patient, graduated process.

Hauling dogs to and from hunting areas presents quite a problem for the one-car owner. Pickup trucks and station wagons with the rear seats removed are perhaps the best vehicles for hauling dogs, either in or out of wire cages. If the family car must be used, large sheets of plastic neoprene placed over all seats and upholstery will protect them from hair and toe scratches.

Trunk cages are not so good, as dust in hunting areas is spread from the tires into the dog's nostrils, and fumes from the exhaust are too apt to make it sick. Periodic stops should be made so that dogs can be taken out, on leash, and allowed to move about to search for available trees.

Regardless of the training of any bird dog, or the shooting and handling skill of the hunter, there will be those inevitable "off" days afield when neither seems able to do anything right. The hunter cannot hit the broad side of the proverbial barn, and the chief ability of his prized setter or pointer seems to be sitting on its hind end and pointing at the lunch box. Instead of cussing the birds or walloping the tar out of the dog, it is always wisest to simply say, "Old boy, we're a couple of bums today, aren't we?" Then go home and try it again another day.

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