Obscure dog breeds in the field

MacraPat

I was walking my Irish terrier around the fields there today, for a small dog she's got a hell of a nose,she's a beast to work in cover and she can retrieve when the mood fits. Unfortunately her recall and manners towards livestock aren't as reliable. So as an individual she can't work effectively in the field. A bit of selective breeding however for hunting traits I think could see The Irish terrier return as a rough shooting or rabbiting companion. I'm sure someone out there breeds with this in mind.

This made me think about what other breeds have you guys seen in the field, anything out of the ordinary or just Springers, GSPs and Labs?


Here's a video of Kerry Blue Terriers preforming the Teastas Beag (rabbit tracking)and Teastas Mór(badger drawing) trials in the 1920's. I in no way condone the abuse of badgers. http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=19874

Vizzy

Pat
I bought a Vizsla about 2 months ago but he's only a pup(4 months old)so I don't know what he will turn out like but the early signs are good.
I know that Tackleberry has 2 of them as well.

MacraPat

Lovely Stuff Viz!
The Vizsla is ment to be a great HPR dog.
Certainly on the shortlist for a few years time.
Best of luck with the rest of his training!

Spunk84

Haven't seen a Gordon Setter in the field in a very long time:mad: very nice dog to work

Vizzy

Spunk84 wrote: »

Haven't seen a Gordon Setter in the field in a very long time:mad: very nice dog to work

Here is a photo of the brother's Gordon and his English Setters.( The photo was set up by the way)

Was out with them today.You are right they are a great dog to work.Much faster than the English setter but great to set and stay set.
We only met one pheasant and that was in a place where we couldn't carry the guns because of horses.The brother is working on refining him on snipe so he got loads of work during the afternoon

Spunk84

Vizzy wrote: »

Here is a photo of the brother's Gordon and his English Setters.( The photo was set up by the way)

Was out with them today.You are right they are a great dog to work.Much faster than the English setter but great to set and stay set.
We only met one pheasant and that was in a place where we couldn't carry the guns because of horses.The brother is working on refining him on snipe so he got loads of work during the afternoon

The size of their tongues:eek: LOL nice looking dog he has. I find them a better dog and stronger dog than some of the other setters.The English setter as well is a big brute of a dog in the pic. 2 class looking dogs. It's great to see they are still being used:D

round tower huntsman

its a shame how alot of native irish breeds have lost their working ability. irish breeds like the irish,glen and wheaten,kerry blue terriers where well respected for their gameness and tenacity.

Vizzy

Spunk84 wrote: »

The size of their tongues:eek: LOL nice looking dog he has. I find them a better dog and stronger dog than some of the other setters.The English setter as well is a big brute of a dog in the pic. 2 class looking dogs. It's great to see they are still being used:D

It's funny actually,the English fella was supposed to be dead 11 years ago(according to the Vet) due to a heart complaint.Needless to say the brother has since changed Vets.
He also collapsed about 6 months ago and the brother brought him to the vet to get him put down !!
He was so bad the brother asked the vet to come out to the car to do the job but when he opened the boot the dog leapt out with nothing wrong with him.He must have realised what was goin to happen and said to himself f**k this,I'm not ready yet
You wouldn't think that there was anything wrong with him today though,he hunted like a 3 year old dog and he swims as good as any Lab

MacraPat

round tower huntsman wrote: »

its a shame how alot of native irish breeds have lost their working ability. irish breeds like the irish,glen and wheaten,kerry blue terriers where well respected for their gameness and tenacity.

From All I could find the tall Irish terrier breeds were used above ground as more so than below. The Kerry Blue and the Wheaten both have herding instincts, some regional breed clubs promote trialling them in this regard.The Irish was as much a ratter,rabbiter and watchdog as anything else.

You can see on the link above the Kerry Blues were the "man's dog" of the '20s in Ireland with Michael Collins a personal fan. It's a pity trials similar to the Teastas Mór agus Beag aren't held any more. If they were I doubt the breeds would be consigned to the show bench the way they are. I found a "Hunting Terrier Trial" which probably suits our three tall terrier breeds best I think it originates in Slovakia. What do ye think?

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TEST OF WORKING ABILITY/INSTINCT, where can be included:
1. "Nose"- smell
2. "Loudness"- barking
3. Obedience
4. Acting after shooting
5. Leading on /off the leash
6. Searching (for prey)
7. Tracking * alive prey
8. Tracking- the master

This test is a basic for "higher" level tests as :

AUTUMN TESTS for terriers, include:
9. find and retrieve "feather" prey
10. find and retrieve "furry" prey at field
11. retrieve a duck from deep water (duck are hunted in autumn, when migrating)

After passing this test, the terrier is approved for work in the region with a small prey.

FOREST TEST for terriers:
Includes work on blood marked track 1-4 hours old and chasing.

After passing this test, the terrier is approved for work in the region with ungulate prey as deer.

SPECIAL TEST FROM WATER WORK of terriers:
Includes enthusiasm working in deep water, retrieving duck from deep water, chasing and fining dead or wounded birds in reed, obedience and behavior at standpoint.

TRACKING TEST used for areas with ungulate prey (different for deer and wild boar):
1.leading on and off leash
2.command "stay" on and off leash
3.working at 12 hours old track

MULTI-PURPOSE TEST of terriers.
This is the highest type of hunting tests. The dogs which pass this exam are listed in a breeding book as U (universal) dogs, which is prove of their use in a forest, field or water.

Besides classic test there is included: searching, tracking of alive prey, finding and retrieving of "feather" prey, retrieving of "furry" prey on a field (usually rabbit), working in the water, following, work at bloody track-1-4 hours old and chasing.

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Spunk84

Also the Large Airedale Terrier:) is supposed to be a good bird dog

jap gt

Spunk84 wrote: »

Also the Large Airedale Terrier:) is supposed to be a good bird dog

we have one here at home, great nose for birds, but will run a mile at the sight of a gun :rolleyes:

id say if they are got from working lines they would be very good dog for a fox

djflawless

seen a fella yday mornin with a rhodesian ridgeback.great lookin dog.wonder would they make a great dog?

deeksofdoom

Was talking to a fellah at the weekend up in Co. Clare. They use a lot of springers for the hunting woodcock. He found that the field trialing springers were no good for this as they were too light and they were only good for about an hour or so and then they were bate. Also he liked the dog to bark when a bird got up in front. So a few years back he bred a collie back into the springers and then bred back the springer again. What he got was a more intelligent dog, more stamina, a little bit lanky but it was still a springer.

sean raff

that is a very common complaint with field trialing dogs only made to last an hour

kermitpwee

My uncle uses an Irish Water Spaniel.

deeksofdoom

sean raff wrote: »

that is a very common complaint with field trialing dogs only made to last an hour

I was at the spaniel championship this year and they were all small light dogs.

Bizzum

Years ago I owned a Border Collie who 'set' pheasants. I shot a few birds over him untill I owned a gundog proper.

MacraPat

sean raff wrote: »

that is a very common complaint with field trialing dogs only made to last an hour

It makes sense when ya think about it. I wouldn't expect you to go out and sprint a marathon. (marathon in these terms refering to a days rough shooting)