Bird dogs: Man’s best friend; perfect hunting partners

For serious upland bird hunters, the idea of hunting gamebirds without a bird dog is a path to frustration, futility and no fun, according to Pheasants Forever.

Traditional hunting breeds can also make great family dogs because they tend to be intelligent, sociable and loyal. But they were not bred to be couch potatoes, so make sure these dogs get plenty of exercise.

Bird dogs, or gun dogs, are types of hunting dogs developed to assist a hunter in finding and retrieving gamebirds.

The term “bird dog” is a reference to hunting dogs that point to the location of birds and retrieve any birds the hunter successfully shoots.

Scenting ability, love of the water, cold-hardiness, athleticism and the desire to find game are all very important qualities a hunting dog must possess.

These dogs are divided into three primary types: retrievers, flushing dogs and pointing breeds.

A dog “points” by freezing his body, often with one front paw up, and aiming his nose at a particular spot.

When a bird is found, the dog “locks up” and points, and the hunter walks in for the flush.

Most pointing dogs are good at finding and repointing downed birds and running down cripples.

Flushing dogs work cover close to the hunter and within shotgun range. They work to put birds into the air for a shot.

Many flushing dogs are also natural retrievers and can be easily trained to bring birds back.

The trainer’s job is to bring out the dog’s natural ability, hone it and make it applicable to the kind of hunting the dog’s intended to do.

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