friednewt Posted May 15, 2007 Report Share Posted May 15, 2007 Hello all, I have just joined a wild fowling club and they have advised me to get a gun dog. We already have a dog (picture to the left), but he is a old boy with no training. What i would like to know is if anybody has used a german shepherd as a gun dog? We really dont want a spaniel or labrador. Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted May 15, 2007 Report Share Posted May 15, 2007 i have a german sheperd and take him out in the fields he will put out any thing,and very good at it but when it comes to the gun no chance,but for smelling they are very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuck1 Posted May 15, 2007 Report Share Posted May 15, 2007 I have seen them TAKE DOWN a man with a gun. Not what I would advise on the local pheasant shoot. Probably better to spend a season or two fowling with an experienced made with dog, then see if it's for youand whats required etc. Don't want to tell you how to suck eggs, it's just a lot of commitment if you are new to the sport, and you may not like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russuk Posted May 15, 2007 Report Share Posted May 15, 2007 There was something in sporting shooter (or gun) about this recently. Can't find the issue, but basically it said just said don't bother, get a dog that's predisposed for the job in hand. How come you don't want a spaniel or lab? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BackLegger Posted May 15, 2007 Report Share Posted May 15, 2007 Tucks Right!!!! Don't go buying a dog or spending all your time training one until you've tasted the fruits...... Wildfowling is not for everyone and maybe you would not like it... if you do great!! Then think about a dog.... Not being over judge-mental, but Dogs are for life not just for our short pleasure.... Lots of thinking to be done here m8 On the other hand if you're intent on a dog, then maybe a spaniel would be better, they're up to the job of wildfowling but if you decide to give it a miss then the ol' springer will serve you well in other aspects like rough shooting, decoying maybe ?? etc etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
friednewt Posted May 16, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2007 Thank you for the great advice, I agree about testing the water before getting a dog The reason I am saying german shepherd is because we are (as a family) looking at a second dog, we have found a fab breeder. All his dogs are at show standards. Just trying to kill 2 birds with 1 stone. I will hold off until I know what we really need from a gun dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russuk Posted May 16, 2007 Report Share Posted May 16, 2007 Thank you for the great advice, I agree about testing the water before getting a dog The reason I am saying german shepherd is because we are (as a family) looking at a second dog, we have found a fab breeder. All his dogs are at show standards. Just trying to kill 2 birds with 1 stone. I will hold off until I know what we really need from a gun dog. A lot of people would say stay away from anything with show blood in it when buying a gundog (although I'm not to convinced on this subject), this coupled with the fact that a german sheperd isn't a gundog breed, so hasn't got the specific qualities bred into it over generations and generations, would keep me away from one for use in the shooting field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadeye Posted May 16, 2007 Report Share Posted May 16, 2007 Thank you for the great advice, I agree about testing the water before getting a dog The reason I am saying german shepherd is because we are (as a family) looking at a second dog, we have found a fab breeder. All his dogs are at show standards. Just trying to kill 2 birds with 1 stone. I will hold off until I know what we really need from a gun dog. A lot of people would say stay away from anything with show blood in it when buying a gundog (although I'm not to convinced on this subject), this coupled with the fact that a german sheperd isn't a gundog breed, so hasn't got the specific qualities bred into it over generations and generations, would keep me away from one for use in the shooting field. if you get a good spaniel or lab they also generally make very nice companion/family dogs assuming that you have a suitable environment for an energetic field dog. my springer has been not only a good field dog, but also a beloved family pet---hell she thinks that she is human! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted May 16, 2007 Report Share Posted May 16, 2007 The gaffas use them for work and they broken to gunfire so they can do it if trained right. A shoot I pick up on has a beater that works his GS no one has anything bad to sy about the dog. Shooting times had an articule last year citing a Rottweiler used effectively as a picker-up. LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul in North Lincs. Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 should be fine if trained porperly....try and keep away form anything with collie or sighthound in it.....they can be really skittish around guns.......I have seen a chap using a dalmation as a peg dog ...........that was the maddest thing I ever did see......the mut was very effective at his job though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 Each to his own but IMO I wouldn’t want to use anything like a GS as a gundog for a number of reasons; Bit like turning up on a pukka game shooting day with a semi auto…just not the done thing ol’ chap! Hard mouthed, dogs such as GS tend to bite hard on live things unlike a well-bred gun dog. For wildfowling you need a BIG dog, one with some strength and stamina preferably to cope with the wet, the wind, the ripping tides and the mud etc. One that’s been breed for generations to do that particular job. Show dogs are (usually) a breed apart from working dogs bit like super models, nice to look at but lacking in most other areas! Your dog is old you say and not trained so maybe ‘you can’t train an old dog to do new tricks’ not entirely true IMO but possibly relevant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barraboy Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 whilst i reckon you could make a reasonable rough shooters dog out of a GSD i am less convinced they'd make a good wildfowlers dog, plunging into the sea on a cold january is pretty daunting, then sitting around for an hour or so before diving in again, GSD definately powerful enough but not sure the coat is up to the task. but each to their own Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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