I agree with you if the dog wouldn’t handle, but with a tracking collar and the lack of birds these days a big running dog makes sense. Sure there’s going to be birds that will flush before you get to her but that’s just part of the hunt. I never needed a tracking collar until this dog came along, I always thought I wanted to see my dog at least 90% of the time. I can always call my dog in at any time I choose, I’d rather have to call my dog in than have one that I wished would cover more ground but doesn’t. It really comes down to what you prefer nothing more and at my age I’ll never go back to a close ranging dog. My dog was trained by a professional that hunted off horseback which I’m sure encourages dogs to run wide. Hope you have a good upcoming season .
Hunting with a brittany dog
- Thread starter Bob Peters
- Start date
Birdman2
Well-known member
Yes, Hope your season is a good one also. I used to have a French Brittany that was fantastic on Grouse. I always had to have her wear at least one check cord to slow her down. It took her about 30 minutes to get her in the right range. Then it was game on...
birddude
Well-known member
I trained a Britt for my boss once (for free). Of course, he was out of a grand champion something or another. The catch was he did not want me to use the shock collar. This was before tracking collars and after I'd lost a lot of my hearing from sledged hammers, heavy machinery, and gun shots so beeper collars didn't do a lot of good either. To say he was a handful was an understatement! I taught him heal, come and whoa. Then I cut him loose. I could not see him or hear the beeper most of the time. 500 yards was common. I told my boss that I needed to shock him, but he wouldn't have it. So, I told him I would try and run him down but no guarantees. It was tuff since he spang it on me a week before season opened. But I had the lungs, legs, and time so I did it. I probably ran him 12-15 times for hours each trip and was about to say uncle when he just quit running big. I think he finally realized each trip out was not going to be his last. I got him pointing and partially retrieving. I had him out with some friends after season and had some generous offers for him, but my boss wouldn't. I had him for about 4 months. I gave him back with directions, that he had to keep him exercised or he would run big. His wife walked him every day and moved him in the house. He never ran him until the next season. He took him out where he promptly lost him, fell in a creek, got lost himself and thought he was going to have a heart attack before he found him. So, Gunner wound up a house dog. But at least he got to walk every day.
dakotasj
Well-known member
Just got back from a hunt in SD, hunted 4 straight days, 6 to 7 hours a day. 3 Brits, 2 ten-year-olds - one M, one F, 1 six-year-old M. I did usually have only 2 on the ground at the same time. Geriatric - no. They were tired at the end of the day as I was yes. But ready to go the next morning. My dogs run, exercise all year.
I think genetics plays a part, but more important is how they are trained, fed and conditioned. Same applies to 2 legged hunters. I believe my two 10-year-olds will be fine next year.
Not so sure about me...
Miforester
Well-known member
I have had Brits my whole and every one has hunted until 12 or 13 generally and all hunted up til they passed. Yeah they can't go for 5 days but a half day with rest. My expectations of them shifted as well, I didn't push them into hard/thick cover, I let them make that choice. I have a 9.5 year old and I have to watch her as I think she would she would run herself into the ground. She is still a machine both land and water.
BRITTMAN
Well-known member
I would say they (Brittanys) hunt extremely well to and through age 10 and then it depends on the dog. Some have retired themselves at 11. My 13 (just about 14) year old is a big, hard running dog in a small 33 pound frame. She did fantastic at 11 but at 12 she started to have issues with her breathing (she wasn't going to slow down). She has a "fallen" trachea and she is now mostly retired. Few 10-15 minute runs are about it. I suppose I could let her die in the field hunting, but that is NOT what I have decided to do.
Shot a limit of woodcock one day and a pair of roosters two days later with the Britt in my avatar at age 12.
Shot a limit of woodcock one day and a pair of roosters two days later with the Britt in my avatar at age 12.
Thanks for your insight on the age issue -it sort of confirms what I've seen around here in a limited way. Past 10, it's a crapshoot with Brits. Barring injury, gsps and pointers will hunt well from 10-12 and sometimes a year or three longer. But, those breeds are a lot of dog, so as always, trade-offs exist.
It would be kind of heartbreaking to have a dog that was retired for almost 1/3 of its life. Brits seem to be long-lived, but maybe their hunting careers are a little on the short side.
It would be kind of heartbreaking to have a dog that was retired for almost 1/3 of its life. Brits seem to be long-lived, but maybe their hunting careers are a little on the short side.
Haretrigger
Active member
One of the greatest pleasures I get is watching my dogs work. I use an alpha now and find it very useful, especially in heavy cover.
But that said...it's mostly eyeballs on what my dog is doing a majority of the time.....and as I said, that's for my enjoyment
Your math is good Brittman - my point was that if it's a crapshoot past 10 and the dog lives to 15....that would be a bummer to go 5 yrs in retirement mode. 5/15 yrs which is assuming the worst is, of course, 1/3 of its life. I didn't at all say or mean to imply that would be all britt dogs. My last shorthair was retired 1 year out of her 16. So 6.25% of a dog's life is probably close to a best case scenario. My current dog is 13 and still hunting, so she's probably looking at around 7-14% of her lifespan as a retiree. Sample size 2, but pretty good numbers. I'm sure some britts get there too. Are there lines that are well-respected for longevity and health?