Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Little dogs...?

Ok, this might sound kind of wonky (big suprise coming from me) but from time to time on African shows and in pics from African hunts I see these neato looking lil dogs.

Look sort of like jack russells to me but I don't think they are.

Any of you dog people have any idea what the hounds are?

Many thx

Dober

They do use a lot of Jack Russells over there. Several of the PH's I've hunted have had them.

Haven't run into any other little hunting dogs that sort of look like JR's, but anything's possible.

Thx John

Dober

I remember a similar thread awhile ago and they did use a lot or JR's as well as other terrier breeds. My future pooch will be an Airedale if I can convince the wife. They are the best of both worlds IMHO. A sturdy, smart, agile medium weight dog that doesn't shed (a lot) and has plenty of prey kill instinct. I was around one for a minute or two in the military working it in-between posts. The other fun one was a bouvier des flandres. A bit big but interesting dog.

If you are looking at getting a Jack Russell and have never owned one think "bird dog." They are ACTIVE and SMART which means if you don't exercise them they will get into mischief and you will come home to a mess thinking some one cut loose a tornado in your house.

In Zim, I've seen many Jack Russels owned by the white farmers. These canines make great pets, and are some times utilized to track wounded game.

The other canines you may see in the tribal areas are just mutts, and these are oft-times used as aids in poaching activities. I can vouch for this type activity, because I've witnessed it first hand. On more than one occasion during the 1990's, I assisted in apprehending several groups of poachers who had "kaffir dogs" with them. Prior to turning the miscreants over to the authorities, we eliminated their canine accomplices.

As an aside, the term "KD" was used by the PH's in Zim to describe the poacher's canines.

JLS

We saw mostly Bavarian Mountain Hounds in Namibia. Very sweet dogs and a pleasure to watch them work in the field. Less intensity than a Jack Russel, but just as effective from what I saw for blood trailing.

The ranch I hunted had wire haired dashounds. All three were eventually killed by puff adders at different times - very sad.

After following their resident old bushman tracking game it didn't appear they need canine help.

Last year in S/A we hunted with a PH that had Fox Terriers. Didn't need them for tracking wounded game but that is what they were for. PH said that they were pretty useful with agressive animals.

Probably a pretty even mix of Jack Russell Terriers and Smooth Fox Terriers. They look similar, but the Fox has a longer, flatter snout and might be a wee bit taller. All are used for tracking but most are used for going in after and locating wounded animals that are holed up in the bush.

They are quick enough to keep out of harm's way from nasty critters like bushbuck and nyala, which, when wounded, a man may not want to be the first to find out it is in the next bush you plan on poking your head into.

When I hunted in the Limpopo Province a few years, the PH used two JR's. They were a delight to watch as they launched themselves from the hunting vehicle whenever we stopped, and immediately began scenting. My hunting buddy wounded an impala one day and both dogs streaked after it. When we caught up to them, one JR had the antelope by the nose, the other by the hind leg, and they were tugging for all they were worth.

And I agree with you, brinky72: airedales are great dogs. Not too big, not too small, smart as hell, and great family dogs.

I found JR and a JR cross very popular. Those little mutts were quick to win you over with their love of hunting and fearless nature.



This little dog, "Jock" was six months old and had no concept he was only ten pounds. He went nose to nose with a wounded white tailed gnu and kept his attention while I shot it. How do you not love that.

Randy

My wife has 2 JR's, I use them for blood trailing on a leash. They are the most fearless pound for pound of any dog I have had the pleasure to be with.

I have used them to trail black bears and deer at night and have seen them worry a 400 lb. bear like it was a one pound squirrel. I cannot watch a program on TV with bears in it, because they will attack the TV. The TV is mounted on the wall 4' off the floor, they will jump and bark like the bear is treed. I have tried to discourage it, but they are a very head strong breed.

Kei River Safaris all had what they described to me as "Short Legged JRT's". The one I saw, Gotcha was awesome. He didnt track anything wounded that we didnt see where it died, but Andrew would let him out on every animal possible for practice. It was neat to see him zig zag into the breeze until he would catch the scent of blood...Once he got on the blood trail, it was all over from there.

I head-shot two poacher's dogs in Zim. Both looked like over-sized Rhodesian ridgebacks. Dead-and-dead

Our PHs in the Northern Transvaal had three dogs that were similar to Weimaraners. Toward the end of one of our safaris, my buddy Dave wounded an good-sized eland. The bull wasn't as big as mine (which weighed 2,556 pounds), but the sucker was still over one-ton.

Anyway, Davie wounded the bull and the race was on. One of the big weimaraners took off on the trail and the hunters came upon the two about an hour, and many miles, later.

Here is the scene: the dog had a death-grip on the eland's nose-lips and was holding him in one place. The bull was gushing blood out of his mouth and nose and the blood was flowing down and into the dog's mouth.

The dog was literally drowning in the eland's blood ... but he surely was not letting go of his death-grip on the eland's lips/nose.

When we got close to the scene, Davie shot the eland at the base of the ear and the dog still held on. Pulling and coughing and pulling.

Eventually, we disattached the dog and he started puking like you would not believe. Pure blood came out of the dog's stomach, just puking it up, for probably fifteen minutes.

The dog was also covered with blood. There happened to be a watering trough there, so one of the blacks lifted the dog and dumped him into the water. The water turned red and it took quite a while for the blacks to wash the dog ... whose name was "Kondor"

Kondor was worth his weight in dogfood that evening. No doubt about it.

Blessings,

Steve

JRT's are a very popular breed on the farms in RSA. Had my introduction to the breed there.

Thinking a JR is calling my name. After I asked about them I ran into one at the gas station on the way to look 4 bruins tonight. Odd how things like this happen.

Dober

Randy,

That is a fine photo!

It also perfectly captures the personality of every one of the 5 Jack Russell terriers I have met.

John

My parents have 7, I have two. Needless to say not much goes unchallenged around the homes. Adam

Perro,

I have been thinking about a smaller sized dog to accompany me everywhere. WIth 4 dogs in the house (70, 72, 65, 55 pounds), a small, go anywhere dog could be a good thing. My ball and chain says NO. And a firm NO, not a NO that can be changed into a yes...


SO I want an airedale... She says no, but not the solid NO of the smaller dog. If I brought one home, she would learn to love it.

Go big or go home, take her to see some pups and allow her to pick......

Perro