Sporting dogs are gaining popularity again, probably due to the rise in bird populations. Our grouse population is on the up-swing, pheasants seem to be holding their own in certain areas, and the duck population has had one of the most dramatic up-swings in recent history.
When the bird numbers are low, interest in keeping a hunting god seems to be low also. I have talked to old-timers who complain that there are not enough birds to warrant feeding a dog all year. They site the boom years in the 50s and 60s as being the standard to judge numbers by. But, let's face it, we will probably never see pheasants at those number again. With the encroachment of housing subdivisions and shopping malls being built in what was once open land, the face of our state is ever-changing.
But for every pessimist who leaves the sport of bird hunting, a new and younger optimist seems to pop up. Look at the new chapters of Pheasants Forever and the Ruffed Grouse Society that are starting up. And it seems like the Ducks Unlimited has started chapters up all across southern Michigan. The Department of Natural Resource's Hunter Access Program, or HAP, combined with the thousands of acres of public land still afford plenty of places to hunt. More and more people are deciding to purchase a dog from sporting lines to accompany them in the field during hunting season.
Springtime seems to be the most active time for puppy sales. Just check the classified ad section of your local sporting magazines or paper and you will see what I mean. If your family has decided to purchase a puppy this spring, do not rush into the sale without first doing your homework. Remember that a cute little puppy will turn into an adult dog that will probably live for fourteen or fifteen years.
The first question a prospective owner needs to think about is what type of dog he or she needs. The best way to decide this is to go to your local library and find a book on sporting dogs. The book should give you a little background on the breed, what they were bred to hunt for, and the average size and weight of the grown animal. Let's look at some of the more popular breeds.
If you hunt ducks exclusively, the retrievers such as Labradors, Chesapeake's, Flat Coats or Curly Coats come to mind. There are several spaniel breeds that do a good job on the water also. The English Springer Spaniel, the Boykin, and the American Water Spaniel are all readily available. If you hunt upland birds exclusively, one of the setter lines may interest you. There are English, Irish, and the Gordon. English Pointers are very popular, especially in the South.
If your hunting interests vary, and depending on the day, you may be hunting the marsh in the morning for ducks and then hunting the farm fields in the evening for pheasants, you may decide on one of the more versatile breeds. The versatile breeds are pointing breed dogs that are used on land and in water. They include Brittany Spaniels, German Short-haired, German Wire-haired or Drahthaar, and the Vizsla. This is not to say that retrievers or flushing spaniels can't hunt upland birds, or that setters and pointers will not hunt ducks. I know a fellow who hunted pheasant with a beagle and managed to do quite well.
I love the setters for upland hunting, but as a whole they are not being bred for water work, with very few handling water retrieving at the level of retrievers , and visa versa on an all-day upland hunt. This is a rule of thumb, not an absolute truth. I have seen retrievers that handle upland hunting very well and the flushing spaniels are definitely being bred to hunt the uplands as well as ducks. But the bottom line is to find a breeder who hunts their dogs under the same conditions that you plan on hunting.
My preference is towards the pointing breeds. I enjoy the drama of the pointing dog as it finds game scent and slams into a rock-solid point, all of its muscles quivering with excitement and anticipation. By using a pointing dog, the excitement of each find and flush is drawn out by the dog holding point. With the flusher or retriever, there is a similar heightening of anticipation as the dog makes game, but the flush happens much quicker.
Problems inherent to the pointing breeds are a lack of desire to retrieve in some lines and dogs that either self-hunt or range at great distances. I am asked quite often about how far out from the handler a dog should range. There is no set answer to this question. You will find that the more experience a person has with pointing dogs, the greater the acceptable range will be. That is to a point, as I do not want my dogs ranging over two hundred yards in Michigan-type cover and I prefer my dogs at the fifty to sixty-yard range in the woods. A good part of the enjoyment of the hunt for me is in watching my dogs work.
I have friends who want their dogs ranging at great distances with the belief that they will find more birds. They buy the loudest beeper collars they can find in order to hear where the dogs are and they spend most of their days afield searching for their dogs and listening for the sound of the beeper. The novice hunter will be concerned when their dog is out of sight. Your average first-time pointing dog owner will find his field time much more enjoyable if he has a dog that hunts with him, checking back in from time to time. A high-spirited competition-line dog can be very hard to control because of the bred-in desire to run wide.
A strictly show-bred dog may not have the desire to hunt hard for extended periods of time. If the emphasis by the breeder has been on show looks and not field ability, you may end up with what is called a boot-polisher. This is a dog that lacks the drive to search for birds and spends most of its time walking by the owner's side and playing. But then again, if your hunting time consists of two or three one-day outings a year and the rest of the dog's time is spent as a family pet, this type of dog might be better suited to your needs. I have seen my share of first-time dog owners who purchased a pup from champion field lines and could never figure out how to handle the dog once out in the field.
No matter what your choice, whether flusher or pointer, hard-charger or easy-going, a healthy pup is a must. Check to see if the parents have had hip x-rays done for hip dysplaysia. Check to see if the pup's teeth mesh properly and if the males have both testicles. If only one testicle is present, surgery may be needed. Do the pup's legs seem to be straight or bowed? Avoid any overly-aggressive or overly-shy pups. And finally, take a long look at both parents. If possible, have the breeder take you to the field with the parents and see how they hunt. Then compare this to how you would like your pup to hunt. A well-bred pup will set you back a few bucks. When you combine this with the first year's vet bills and training costs, you can easily spend a thousand dollars or more.
Buying a pup is a risk, as even the most conscientious breeders will have the occasional problem pup. Take your time to make your selection carefully and you can reduce the risks considerably.
Charlie Linblade
Mighigan Wing Shooters Hunt Club
Michigan Pheasant Hunting
Michigan Bird Dog Training
