Uncommon bird dogs

TexasGSP83

TexasGSP83

Member
Guys tell me who has a bird dog breed that is uncommon. Most of us probably own GSP’s, Lab’s, Britney’s, English pointers etc.... But who hunts with an Italian Bracco, Clumber spaniel, German Longhaired pointer? The dogs you hardly see in the field if ever.
 
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I've hunted with a couple of the rarer breeds. Generally, they seem to be for people who are more interested in differentiating themselves through dog ownership and less interested in effective hunting. Nothing at all wrong with that, or with prioritizing certain aspects of a hunt more than others, but the times I have hunted with off breed or rare dogs, I've normally understood why they are rarely hunted over.
 
Lab’s seem to be king in Texas. I don’t disagree with the differentiating of breeds. I chose the shorthair because no one in my hunting circles have any. And shorthairs don’t seem to gain the weigh a lab puts on.
 
I run Vizslas. My third is now about 4 months old. Vs aren't GSPs, but they aren't Braccos or Clumbers either. You can decide for yourself if they're "uncommon." I picked the breed for several reasons: I didn't want a dog with as much range as a typical pointer/setter/GSP (some GSPs anyway), I like their reputation of being people-oriented, I was impressed by several that I had hunted over, and I like short-coated dogs.

Since I'm on my third now, you could safely assume that I've been satisfied. Just be sure to pick a breeder who breeds for the field.

IMO there's enough overlap between breeds and enough variation between breeding programs that I could have probably found a pointer or GSP breeder who produced dogs with the range and temperment I wanted. But that's why Baskin Robbins has 31 flavors.
 
I would say a vizsla is uncommon in my neck of the woods. I’ve never seen one that wasn’t on the internet. I have 2 GSP’s and I’m very happy with them. I started this thing over an episode of meat eater I watched. There are a few episodes that have the Italian Brocco, where they hunt blue and sage grouse. I’d love to see a boykin one day. It just made me curious to the odd ball breeds you never see.
 
Would you consider a Small Munsterlander uncommon? if you do, I can certainly say my two are very interested in effective hunting haha I think if more people hunted over them and had them around as their day to day pals, they would become as popular as labs are.
 
I hunted with a fellow that had a Jack Russell Terrier that was very good at flushing and, yes, retrieving roosters. He would ruin a hunt though by fighting any coon and skunk on the property and he had a bad habit of trying to steal birds. He was still fun to watch even with his bad habits.
 
Thought about a second breed many times. Went through a long list of oddball breeds and looked at what they had to offer. Some have some really interesting genetic skills. Than tried to find one that had all the health clearances and what I wanted and hoy boy. I'll stick with my Goldens because I can find a good dog when I need to. It can take me a year to find a Golden, so finding an XYZ that I think I could live with , golly I'm 70 I just need to go hunt.
 
Alaskan swamp collies said:
Thought about a second breed many times. Went through a long list of oddball breeds and looked at what they had to offer. Some have some really interesting genetic skills. Than tried to find one that had all the health clearances and what I wanted and hoy boy. I'll stick with my Goldens because I can find a good dog when I need to. It can take me a year to find a Golden, so finding an XYZ that I think I could live with , golly I'm 70 I just need to go hunt.
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Just out of curiosity, what breeds were you looking at that you had trouble with meeting your health clearances?
 
We picked up a Boykin Spaniel pup last year. He’s a go getter, already great on planted chuckars and some ducks. Runs circles around my 3 year old lab. Looking forward to this season!
 
I have the opportunity to hunt over a couple uncommon breeds regularly. Portuguese pointer, Poodle, and Braque Du Bourbonnais, I get why the owners picked the breed they did but as far as hunting skills there is a reason for their lack of popularity..... The Braque is considered one of the best in the country (commands a HUGE stud fee) and is not even comparable to an average GSP. The Portuguese pointer brings nothing to the table other than a pleasant disposition. The poodle is a passable gundog but requires a lot of fussing over for burrs and such.
I am boarding a Irish Water Spaniel for an extended period. This dog is great to be around, if I could find a well bred field line Irish spaniel I might pull the trigger.
 
Munster927 said:
Would you consider a Small Munsterlander uncommon? if you do, I can certainly say my two are very interested in effective hunting haha I think if more people hunted over them and had them around as their day to day pals, they would become as popular as labs are.
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Yes. I just barely learned about them recently. Beautiful dogs
 
labrador said:
I hunted with a fellow that had a Jack Russell Terrier that was very good at flushing and, yes, retrieving roosters. He would ruin a hunt though by fighting any coon and skunk on the property and he had a bad habit of trying to steal birds. He was still fun to watch even with his bad habits.
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I’ve actually heard of JR’s being good bird dogs.
 
Omotose said:
We picked up a Boykin Spaniel pup last year. He’s a go getter, already great on planted chuckars and some ducks. Runs circles around my 3 year old lab. Looking forward to this season!
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A springer or a boykin would be my next addition.
 
I’ve yet to meet another Braque Francais in the field.
 

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