Advice on 1st dog

[Damz]

So, Mrs has been pestering me to get a dog, for the kids mainly. Iv never had any pets growing up, but do really like dogs, particularly Labs.

Im a novice hunter in my early 20's, and my old man has a few hundred acres in the hills just out of Wanganui. Love going out and shooting goats, and the odd fallow that wanders out from the bush edge.

I'd like to venture further into learning how to really hunt/stalk deer. Also like the thought of having a good hunting companion, even more so when they're eager to use their super-senses to help guide the way.

My knowledge of hunting, dogs, and hunting with dogs is limited, but very eager to grow. I went on a pig hunt a few years ago, was the only experience Iv had on the hills with dogs.

I dont want to make a mistake at the first step, choosing the right pooch. We all like the thought of getting a Lab, but very interested to hear what you think!

Any advice on anything below much appreciated! Iv googled the crap out it, but get so many conflicting stories. I'd love to hear from kiwi hunters and get their opinions.


The basics of what I have learned online tell me that basic training should be established at home before attemting to take the dog out on the hill. What age would you start taking out into the bush?

What (with the right training) could/should I expect a deer hunting dog to do? Find, track, point, latch onto, find wounded animals?

Do I need to get a puppy? Or can a 1yo be trained as easily?

Does it need to be purebred? (aka, do I need to spend $500+?) Why, why not?

Bitch or Dog, does it matter?

If I want to shoot goats, will I have to leave the dog at home? Otherwise he'll start thinking they're the main game and chase them instead of deer, right? Guess I cant feed him goat at home either? Just venison bones when theyre around

I will probably be buying a book soon to help me with training, any suggestions?

[UBZ]

get a puppy , bonding at the 7-12wk period is really important.

type of dog really depends on what you want it for.
A lab is going to make a great family pet , but not that good for hunting . And visa versa a hunting dog is not really going to make a good family pet.
A smart dog will be harder to train , but the end result will be better.

For a hunting dog , best is to get a puppy from a good line of hunting dogs , then if possible run the pup with the hunting dogs so it can learn from them.

[juz]

For a hunting dog I dont think youd get much better than a Hungarian Vizsla.
Not the cheapest but amazing dogs when it comes to deer.

[oljamesyboy]

we have used few different types of dogs for hunting from border collie to boxers even knew a guy who used a jack Russel (apparently pulled boars down by there nuts) but you have to be careful when using dogs as family pets and hunting as they can get quite aggressive.

[Swamped]

This topic can be as biased or more than what brand 4x4 you drive, and I'm no exception
For deerstalking, showing and family dogs we have run irish wolfhounds and dobermans for more than 30 years. My vote is always with a doberman bitch. I've run mine with vizslas and Cesky Fousek's, both upland breeds I rate very highly and they all performed about the same except dobermans aren't as good in water.

Pros:
- Very intelligent
- Excellent noses and endurance - Have held multiple tracking and pursuit records
- Tend to be high drive dogs so always want to work/play.
- Really easy to train - Don't need food like other dogs. Will work just for affection
- They don't bark much - Mine don't at all.
- Can naturally point without training.
- Not eating machines
- Been cheaper than vizslas and fouseks in the past.

Only cons I've found:
- Thin skin means they aren't hardened for pigs. I was going to cross my Pure Doberman with a ridgeback to remedy this.
- Mine have always been shit in the water. They get cold and can't swim like a lab or spaniel so for duckshooting they take a bit of work.
- Not a dog for a quarter acre town section.

Movies give em a bad rap with cropped ears in junkyards but the reality couldn't be more different.

We've found crosses can be hit or miss so if you go that way do some of the tests for high drive with the puppies. Just google it. Always go with a pup imo. Especially for family. Pure breds do have issues but they vary from breed to breed.

[madlux]

Cross breed, you cant go wrong. Most purebreeds always have comon health problems, should look at something like a staffy x or bull terrier x, even a huntaway x
those two types of x breeds are great around kids and love going bush for a bit of a hunt/sniff.. Also bitches will always be more loyal and loving towards people. Oh yeah and also the price.... Can pick up a perfectly healty x breed for next to nothing, where as purebreeds are $$$$.

[J_Dub]

I believe a good hunting dog can also be an awesome family pet.
get a pup and the first 6 months is bonding with the family and training at home, then when its time to start hunting out in the bush and start catching shit it already knows where its loyaltys stand.

A good dog is exactly that, a good dog, it knows when its at home and knows when its in hunt mode..

some of the best (if not all) all round hunting dogs are mixed breeds, but they have been purposely mixed to create a beter dog...

Im itching to get my pup out in the bush too, shes 11 months now, not as big as was hoping but friken as hard as nails and friken fast and has a good nose, but I dont know enough of the right people to get out.

good luck

[KIWI_TERRANO]

I have a mate who spends every weekend and I mean every weekend deer stalking, he has had labs and labs crossed with poiunter and he is always onto animals.
He trains them for 10months old but has them from a pup.
The brain isnt fully developed enough before that age to fully understand.
Same with training farm dogs.

My labs coming up 2 years she purebreed shes train to round up cows, retrieve ducks and can sort of find deer still working on that since i dont get out enough and most of all shes a house dog.
Its important to have time to train them and the right technic then you are onto a winner.

also when your buying ask if the parents have hunting experience it helps alot with training them.

[Damz]

Thanks for all of your replies!

I have read about the vizslas, and they sound great, but so is the price tag!

So by the sounds of it, spending the cash now, on a proven breed with hunting traits is the only way to REALLY do it.

I havent got anywhere near that to spend on a dog yet, so will have to settle for a tag-along. Who knows, the dog might be a freak and love tackling deer!

Can look into a hunting breed later, when Iv got some experience!

[Sausage]

Vizsla mate they go great all round, mines a family pet first and out hunting every now and then and he still does an ok job. as everyone says key to get from a pup for the bonding (i got my boy at 8 weeks). He does take a bit of exersise but a run/big walk a day seems to do the job. The price is a bit of a catch but i think well worth it.

[curly12]

Curly Coated Retreviers....................

Hence the user name.
Were bred in the early 1900's as hunting dogs in England. Bred for their nature and ability. They were bred for the Lords to take hunting during the day and the then curl up in front of the fire and behave themselves while the old farts drank and talked

Great as they don't have fur as such but more hair/wool like, so no problems with allergies or asmatha.

Very strong and good hunters, have used mine on everything from pigs to quail, to bringing in the eggs from the chook shed, to finding fishing flies lost of the end of the line, to picking up a hammer and climbing the ladder, to getting all the other dogs bowls together, to putting the fallen almonds into a bucket each day, to lying in front of the fire with mate young baby (3 months up ) sleeping with them, to bringing trout in because I have no net and not breaking the skin, to carrying a canadian goose for 2ks through meter deep snow because he didnt want anyone to touch till he got back to camp, swimming the Clarance River in the middle of winter after we had to break the ice to get the boat accross, turning white in a frost because didnt want to move incase missed the sound of wingbeats in the air( was great cause i watched him and waited), bringing down a wounded stag in the bush, think I will shut up now.......................

They are the good points

Bad points are you want to kill them ever day of the week until they turn 2, before then they think they know it all and reckon their way is the right way. They will look at a duck that has fallen in a paddock and turn away because the reckon that you can get that one easy enough.
They can smell bad, lots of oils produced throught the skin if they are wet a lot.

Very hard to handle when young if you havent had much to do with dogs. Most older people remember then as they were popular in NZ during the 30's and 40's.
They are not airheads, but for the first two years they need firm training in the basics daily, their hunting ability comes naturally later. And I mean firm training, never ever had to use the newspaper on mine as a growl would keep them inline but do give them an inch.

But I tell you, they go good. Was on one St James winter trip, the only dog allowed out was my male. He sat next to my chair all night and never took his eyes off me. Was a sad day when he was killed

They have NO road sense, people have tried to breed that out with no luck.

One funny thing is they are very shortsighted
Is funny to watch them in heavly populated areas(ie rabbits) trying to find what you have shot, even standing on the rabbit because there is so much scent around.

That reminders me, they dont bark, My neighbours didnt even know I had 4 dogs because they are quiet.

Did teach my breeding bitch to round up cattle and sheep though while living on a farm, took two hours for her to bark on command. Mind you I could work them from 400m away via hand signals

[wopass]

i am on the side of a GSP, they do everything and do it extreemely well. loving and carreful family pet and unbeatable pointer/retriever,soft natured but very territorial so make a good gaurd dog.

the only down side is having enough time to do all the things they/you love to do.

ill be getting one in the near future to replace my aged Rhodesian Ridgeback.

[ice4x4]

MY vote also goes with a Hungarian Viszla. Fantastic hunting dogs and great with the family! They do require a fair bit of exercise though..

[DieselBoy]

i am on the side of a GSP, they do everything and do it extreemely well. loving and carreful family pet and unbeatable pointer/retriever,soft natured but very territorial so make a good gaurd dog.

the only down side is having enough time to do all the things they/you love to do.

ill be getting one in the near future to replace my aged Rhodesian Ridgeback.

Yeah, GSP if you want to "use" the dog, or a Flabrador if you want a goofy family pet that may or may not be good for duck shooting

Boarder Collies are mad fun if you have the time and space for them, but they are super high drive, impossible to tire out, have the quirkiest behavior traits like heading/herding kids, cats, people, bikes, birds, cars what ever they can find, will play fetch all day untill your throwing arm is dead, then move onto the next available person to throw the ball. Thats after a 5km run as well. They are fiercely loyal, very suspicious of strangers, but are the cuddliest smooches to family members.

Zuki and Chess

[wopass]

Yeah, GSP if you want to "use" the dog, or a Flabrador if you want a goofy family pet that may or may not be good for duck shooting

Boarder Collies are mad fun if you have the time and space for them, but they are super high drive, impossible to tire out, have the quirkiest behavior traits like heading/herding kids, cats, people, bikes, birds, cars what ever they can find, will play fetch all day untill your throwing arm is dead, then move onto the next available person to throw the ball. Thats after a 5km run as well. They are fiercely loyal, very suspicious of strangers, but are the cuddliest smooches to family members.

flabrador, . true that.

for stalking you need a dog that winds,ground scents and then points, all the while making no noise. one of the other breeds that do it all are poodles, you may laugh but they were bred for hunting and do so very well.
the only trouble i can see with a collie as a deer stalking dog is it would try to heard the fookers

[butcherboy]

dogs are what you make them i have a pitbull cross it will find and pull hogs dwn with ease and is great with kids, she loves the water and im working on getting her to retreive now she is getting older, its all about how much time you put into them. get them from a pup and mould them into what you want

[007]

My exsperiances with pig dogs.

I have scene all types of dogs hunt well. I thInk the biggest thing to concider is proven parents and calm trouble free nature. Hypo dogs drive me insane and cost you animals. Plus nobody will want to hunt with you.

Calm dogs are easy and make hunting more enjoyable. You don't need the flashiest dog to go hunting and have a good time.


Training up a young dog is very satisfying and can be very rewarding. And should prove better for the children. The dog must know who is boss.

I find bitches to be more steady and mature faster. Only Issues is when they come on heat once and while. If you hunt with other dogs that can be an issue.