By Carolee Anita Boyles
Part 1: Retrieving Dogs
A good bird dog is a truly awesome animal. Here in Florida, one can make dove hunting easier and quail hunting possible.
Bird dogs are divided into three main categories, with a number of breeds in each. These categories include retrieving dogs, which fetch birds from where they’ve gone down in the field to the hunter’s hand; flushing dogs, which work close to the hunter and flush the bird out to give the hunter a shot; and pointing breeds (including setters), which locate upland birds and then wait for the hunter to flush the birds and shoot. Dogs from one group can—and frequently do—learn some of the skills the dogs in another group are known for; for instance, many pointers also retrieve birds after the hunter has shot them.
Although the retrieving breeds generally are regarded as “water dogs” that are best at duck hunting, as a group they’re quite versatile. Among the many retrieving breeds, Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are the most popular.A Labrador can do almost anything. A Lab with a good hunting background will quarter naturally for quail and will hunt waterfowl.A good Golden Retriever from hunting stock is the ultimate water dog, although its long hair does tend to bring a lot of water into the boat! Goldens also work well as flushing dogs when trained to do so. They also tend to be very sensitive, and take gentle handling.
Chesapeake Bay Retrievers tend to be one-person dogs. Some dislike working in the field with other dogs. Chesapeakes have a coarse, oily coat that in hot weather tends to develop a strong and unpleasant odor, no matter how clean you keep them.When you start looking for a retriever, look for a puppy, and be sure you know the puppy’s background. Be sure both parents are from hunting stock, but understand that even that’s not a guarantee that the dog will be a good hunter.
Part 2: Pointing and Flushing Dogs
In Part 1, we talked about all the reasons to get a good bird dog, and a bit about the retrieving breeds that are popular in Florida. This time we’ll take a look at pointing dogs—great for Florida’s bobwhite quail—and flushing dogs.
A good pointing dog quarters back and forth as you walk behind it, and when it scents a bird it “freezes,” letting you know that the bird is just ahead. It stands firm while you flush the bird and shoot, and if trained to do so, will retrieve the bird on your command.The most popular breeds of pointing dogs include the English Pointer, German Shorthaired Pointer, Brittany, and the English Setter, although there are quite a few others.If you’ve hunted bobwhite quail in Florida, chances are you’ve hunted over an English Pointer. With a short coat and stamina in the heat, they’re ideal for Florida hunting.
An English Pointer is bold and independent, sometimes to the point of hardheadedness, but when raised in a family environment from the time it’s a puppy, a pointer can be a good housedog if you’re prepared for its highly active disposition. They can be quite wide-ranging in the field, particularly if they’re bred from plantation dogs, which often are hunted from horseback.The German Shorthair is right behind the English Pointer in popularity for quail. He’s a steady and deliberate hunter, and although he’ll tolerate living in a kennel, he’d much rather be where you are.
Less popular in Florida is the English setter, longer haired than either of the pointers. Some English Setters take to retrieving naturally, but others must be force-trained. They’re gentle, and usually make good house dogs.In general, Brittanies are social and have a lot of energy, and they’re very birdy. They want to be around people, and generally are good with children and families. Besides being a great family dog, a good Brittany covers ground well.
A good flushing dog will work just ahead of you in the field, quartering back and forth until it scents a bird and then chasing it into the air for you to shoot. A well-trained dog marks where the bird falls, retrieves it, and brings it back to your hand. The most popular flushing dog today is the Springer Spaniel.
Flushing dogs aren’t as popular in Florida as pointers or setters because they’re more suited to ruffed grouse, woodcock or pheasant hunting than they are to quail. But if you hunt pen-reared pheasant here in Florida, or travel to hunt other upland birds, think about a Springer. A Springer has an intense enthusiasm for hunting and also makes a superb housedog. When you look for a Springer pup, be sure you’re getting hunting stock, not show stock.
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Hi Johnny does Carolee Train dogs train dogs or does she just wreit about them. Do you think she would like to come to the EXPO and taalk about dogs. Larry J