German Sheps for hunting?

[ShottieMan]

Anyone use sheps for hunting? Anyone know anyone who uses them? Waiting for puppies now and would like to know if anyone has had any expierience on   how they react in the field?

[Airedale From NY]

Anything is possible but if you are really serious about hunting with a dog and want to have a reasonable chance at having a decent dog, I would get a dog from a hunting breed. On top of that make sure the dog comes from a breeder with working lines that is hunting the same type of game you are wanting to hunt.

[ShottieMan]

The dog is coming from my cousin. I have noticed while watching the parents that they do exhibit what appears to be flushing. They will work the brush and such when told. They are also very good with guns. The father hears a gunshot and is ready to go. My cousin was hunting ducks one day and he had  papa in the garage. When he heard the gunshot he just about went out the window. I did have a yellow lab but was way to highstrung. I got him before I really started hunting so I never had the chance to take him into the field.

[Qaz]

Shottieman, not to burst the bubble but if you want to hunt get a hunting breed developed for the type of hunting you do. Just about any setter or spaniel would run rings around that shepard in the field. If the parents seem to exhibit what appears to be flushing skills, go watch a English setter work and then make up your mind what flushing skills are.
 The German shepard is probably one of the most versatile breeds ever. I had one that was a true multi-purpose dog a couple years ago, but he couldn't compete with a hound for finding game or my spaniel for birds. If some thing came around that may harm me or my family, that is when he really shined.

[ShottieMan]

Woman says NO HUNTING DOGS  

I tried to convince her on letting me get a GSP, but that was a no go. That is why I had to find a home for the Lab, he was way to hyper. You could run that dog all day and he would never get tired. So I have to make due with the shep.

[Qaz]

ShottieMan- You said  "Woman says NO HUNTING DOGS "  is she planning to neuter the shepard like she did you

[ShottieMan]

I have no comment to that reply  :-D

[Don Fischer]

Let's see, several prison's use them and so did the natzi's.

Probally good that you found a good home for your lab, you'ed have been hard pressed to find one for your wife! My last girl friend tried to kick my dog's out of the house; she now has her own house!

There aren't a lot of great dog's in this world and you may have gotton rid of one. there's lot's of good women and many of them like all dog's. Maybe you better not let your wife read this.

I knew a guy when I lived in Alaska that thru his wife out because HER dog didn't get along with his. Such courage!!!!!!!!!

[DakotaMike]

shottieman,
Here in North Dakota I hunt pheasant, grouse and partridge as far as upland game and Canadian geese in the late fall. My hunting has been done exclusively with my German Shepherd. The two dominant "hunting dog" breeds up here are Black or Choclate Labs and Vizla's (spelling??). When we hunt upland game there will usually be at least two sometimes three dogs. I have never had a dog out perform my German Shepherd. One of my friends trains labs and they are excellent dogs but he is impressed with the German Shepherds abillity to respond to remote commands such as whistles or hand signals. There are some posts here that imply a German Shepherd's stamina is not as good as a "hunting dog", my comment to this is they are only experienced with house or kennel dogs or they have no experience with the breed at all. A well conditioned German Shepherd is stronger than most breeds and second to none in intelligence. I have not been able to get my dog to point but I can give him the stay command before he flush's, this gives the opportunity for multible hunts to position before allowing the dog to flush.
dakotamike

[Don Fischer]

There is no breed that is as prone to Hip dysplasia as the German Shepard. One of the next worst breed's is the Labrador Retriever and then the English Springer Spaniel (mostly in show breeding).

You could teach a goat to fetch, that won't make it a retriever. You could teach your brother-in-law to cook and clean, hope that wouldn't make him a good wife! Most any breed dog can be taught to do thing's that resemble hunting and if they make you happy, so be it. Please tho, if you get one and it work's for you, don't start advertising "hunting German Shepard's".  We got enough wanna be do it all breed's that have never proven themselves in any recognized forum.

[rockbilly]

As a kid I did a lot of bushy tail and rabbit hunting, mostly with my grandfathers old German Shepard. That dog was a combination dawg, he was the guard dog, he worked cattle, he was almost always at my grandfather's side.  Bud would tree with the best, and not too many bushy tails lost him.  He would hunt rabbits like a beagle, and take him out at night, he would find you a possum or coon.  I remember my grandfather telling someone that he never trained the dog, he just picked it up.

[hillbill]

my dad had a shep when he was a kid and swore it was the best pheasnt dog he ever saw. i magine it was a close hunting flusher. i think a lot of dogs will hunt bout anything yu want but the key is just takeing them out over and over till they realize what it is your after. once they realize what game yu are after they will catch on. i had a rott that was one of the best hunting dogs ive been around, only thing was she preferred to eat whatever it was yu killed whether yu wanted her to or not.

[oso45-70]

Don Fischer

Our X old ladys ought to get togather, Mine started to come up with suggestions like that and i asked her how long would it take to get her stuff out of my house and i went to a gun show for a long week end when i got home she was gone. Its a shame that there are women or some women who want to be the boss of every thing, LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR THAT, Have a nice day........Joe........

[dodd3]

had a shep years ago, was a good pig hunting dog never got ripped  he was to smart for that.not bad bird dog to ,i think it  depends on the dog. seen kelpie sheep dogs that were real good hunting dogs.if thats all you have give it ago you never now till you give it a go good luck.  
bernie