Home Forums Birds & Dogs Gun Dogs Most Versatile Dog Youve Seen?

Thought this would be a fun thread.

I have a 6 month old Airedale. She is learning the ropes on retrieving ducks and doing really well. While I don't expect her to match a lab when it comes to water skills, or any bird dog when it comes to quail, I do think she will handle the gun fire and retrieval just fine.

I am also going to attempt to train her for tracking wounded game, and she will likely see a wounded coyote, rabbit, fox, or a raccoon in her life along with being a general companion with me in basically all things outdoors, minus turkey hunts and fishing on my 12' aluminum boat.

Always wanted to try an airedale. Have seen them on a number of mountain trails. Seem like a solid breed. Post a few pics of your's if you can.

I like my Drents. Hunt upland at a civilized pace, will retrieve waterfowl in decent weather, bay up a raccoon or feral cat, stretch a muskrat that’s not paying attention, great on the farm with the customers, and in a pinch, I could knit a sweater every time they shed!

My young lab is teaching me to yell, blow a whistle and pull my hair out. I think that’s pretty versatile.

The wirehaired breeds are easily the most versatile hunting dogs I have been around.

Range and point, swim and retrieve, hunt fur, track blood. There are breeds that do each better, none that do it all as well.

This coming from a shorthair guy, I lean more towards the upland than the water and fur. As do my dogs.

Lol, I don't prefer the wirehairs in the house though...

I love my goofy setters, but I grew up with a lot of Griffons, and I think there is no more versatile breed than the Grifs. The other wire haired breeds are on par, IMO.

Rosie agrees.



Always ready to keep hunting
[img]https://i.imgur.com/zAiVUSn.jpg?1[/img]

I have a Drathaar and he is good at water work, excels at tracking, decent on upland game, good on shed hunting, and great in the house and out in public. My GSP is an awesome upland dog and good shed hunter, but doesn't like swimming and could care less about trailing or tracking furred critters. He thinks he is a 70lb lap dog in the house but is a bit barky for me. My Braque is by far the best upland dog of my group and a great retriever having brought me ducks, geese, and even some fall turkeys I have shot. He doesn't have any interest in shed hunting but has a thing for rabbits and squirrels. He is what I call a velcro dog in the house but overall not bad. So for me the the Drathaar gets my vote as the most versatile out of my group.

When I am finally free of this god for saken alimony, I can see a professionally trained bird dog in my future. I have long been a fan of GSP's but I want something different. As an Airedale fan, I have long been a fan of the wire hair dogs. Also, my good friend Doug (redrabbbit) has always have GWPs and I liked his dogs. Something wirehair with pointing and retrieving abilities is likely in my future.

Laffin..... I get it!

Drathaar

A drathaar or Griffon has been on my radar for when the day comes!

Unless someone has a dog that does his taxes, this may be the winner! 😁

Drathaar, Groffon, German wire hair??? I got my GWP from a breeder who said he was GWP.????? He looks more like the other ones. What's the difference ??? All I know is he was the most amazing dog I've ever had & I miss him so much it hurts!!! I'm to old to get another, but I'm afraid if he had been my first dog i would have had nothing else. GWP, Dratthaar, Griff. I'm not sure about my avatar anymore. 🐾👣🐾👣🇨🇦

I love the photos! Thanks

Mbogo2106 yep he is versatile!

I have had GWPs for 35 yrs or so. With no training I have taken one to where I shot a coyote or in one case a coati. The dog knew exactly what to do! Blood trailed till it was found.

Ducks, all species of quail, doves or pigeons doesn't matter they will find it, point, if appropriate and retrieve it.

A friend had one that would point on rabbits and then look at him. Friend would say no rabbits today. The dog would then only look for quail!

Think staying with the Airedale your best bet

It will be several years before I even think of adding another to the pack. She will accompany me on many many hunts in the mean time. The only thing I don't expect her to do well is bird hunt, since she's not a pointer. However, she already has shown she will "hunt dead" and retrieve a bird she sees fall.
Similar to a flushing lab for pheasants.

Mutts have worked well for us a couple times.
I had a GSP crossed with an English Water Spaniel that was stupid smart and loved to hunt whatever you wanted. I mostly expected a bird dog, but as he got a little past puppy stuff he started in on all kinds of stuff, and would retrieve anything. Weirdest was a marmot, jumped out of the truck going slowly through a neighborhood to kill and bring back a cat, fetched muskrat out of ditches, and all kinds of birds, squirrels, and rabbit.

Have a what looks to be a McNabb crossed German shepherd. She's mostly got the mannerisms of a cow dog but protective like the GS.

Marmot you say???…..😁