Choosing a Hunting Dog - What to Know | Scott Linden

Scott Linden shares some important things you should consider before choosing your furry hunting pal.
Scott Linden is a book author, magazine writer, podcaster and blogger as well as host/creator of the television series “Wingshooting USA,” the most watched show in the upland genre. He has hunted birds, trained hunting dogs, shot clay targets and created content on the topics for over 25 years.
Check out his ambassador page at MidwayUSA: www.midwayusa.com/brand-ambas...

[@161Sheriff]

Im just going to bed. I have a German Shorthair Britney cross at my feet. A Beagle on on side and a Pit Pull on the other. The Pit Bull is gun shy. But nobody messes with my truck while I’m hunting with the other two.

[@Jack-mw7tb]

The walk. Your welcome

[@gjo446]

Can you give us some info on the jacket you are wearing?

[@wzukr]

Taking the pheasant out of the dogs snout while he even didn´t retrieve it properly? In field trials the dog need to sit in front of the hunter and wait until he/she takes the game.

[@ScottLindenOutdoors]

We are hunting.

[@gizmocarr3093]

I had hunting dog most of my life and never had one I didn’t love, but had some far from perfect. There like children you never know what they are going to be like, until they grow up. It takes someone that understands that little point. You have to be at the least, as smart as the dog is. Moreover, some dogs are smarter than their owners are. 🤣😂

[@wzukr]

A hunting dog isn´t a hunting dog because it´s a specimen from a gun dog breed. Pick a dog from a hunting line and it´s unlikely a fail.
Of course it also depends on the training and neither I would expect from a retriever to be fit for boar hunting in a pack. Am I right?

[@gizmocarr3093]

@@wzukr Yes, you have an excellent point. However, I once hunted in Canada for fall Black Bear, Ducks, Grouse and Woodcock. The duties of the hunting dog used were all performed by a Brittany spaniel. His name was Scotty. He was my given pal for two weeks. He had no issues hunting grouse and woodcock or retrieving ducks. If a client shot a bear close to dark, he was the one sent out to find it the next morning. If he came back quickly running the Bear was likely close behind. People cannot always afford a pack of hunting dogs so one good one is all you need.

[@wzukr]

@@gizmocarr3093 sounds like Scotty was an awesome tracker. Of course it´s difficult to impossible to keep a whole pack for boar hunting but as you said. Over here in Austria the most are lucky to keep one or max. two gun dogs. A versatile dog breed is likely a good choice even while it is no competitor to the specialists like Pointer, (English), Bavarian Mountain Hound or a Deutscher Jagdterrier.
Here most keep German short hair pointer. Good for retrieving, tracking and pointing but not as fierce towards game (boar, predators) as a German Wire hair pointer.

[@ScottLindenOutdoors]

So where do I fit? Smarter than my dog? You decide!

[@ScottLindenOutdoors]

@@wzukr Absolutely. First step - find a good breeder.

[@ICOWBOYIM]

You get what you pay for...$