Deutsch Drahthaar

I am headed out to Sulphur Springs next month to watch some 1 year old Drahthaars do some pre-trial training. Many of these pups have come from a breeder I am looking at so it's a way for me to get an idea of what kind of dogs he's producing and become more familiar with the breed. I duck hunt and upland hunt. Right now I have a black lab that duck hunts with me and I rely on my uncle's dogs when upland hunting. I am looking at Drahthaars because everything I read and hear seems to indicate that they would fit both of my needs.

What are your experiences with Drahthaars in regards to upland hunting and/or retrieving?

Your question will best be answered by the owner of the pups and the breeder. Assuming that at least one of the pups parents are part of the breeding you are getting your pup from.

There are many breeds that would fit a upland and water fowl hunters needs.


Mine has been a natural retriever and a typical ff routine has not been necessary. His high point in duck hunting has been his prey drive and nose in tracking down cripples for me.

Upland he has done pretty well but I would like more range and run out of him then he has. I upland hunt in south Texas so the heat takes a lot out of him on warmer days. He is not a pointer or setter I know so am ok with it.

I'm very interested in them as well, saw one in Oklahoma, good looking dog !!

I have 2 DDs. One I hand picked like you are doing and I trained it myself from a pup. The other I rescued at about 5 years old.

They are both incredible. I have never been disappointed. I hunt everything and mine have hunted dove, duck, snipe, quail, chucker, pheasant, prairie chicken, squirrel, rabbits, hogs, and tracked deer. (probably missed some).

Both of mine would rather upland hunt than anything. They don't like sitting around waiting for a duck to come in and be shot. They are active hunters. They will sit, but they are ready to go.

Before I had a DD, I was a deer hunter with dove and duck on the side. Now I am an upland hunter with dove and duck on the side and deer if I get time.

They will change you.

Gary's dogs do get disappointed when he misses roosters though, he forgot to tell you that part of the breed personality.

nm

So are they pointing dogs or flushing dogs?

Thanks for the many good comments

rowdydog makes a good point. These are versatile dogs that are bred to do everything, but you can't just buy one and say go. I have seen several handlers that think just because they got a DD they don't have to do their part. If you do your part, they will hold their own with any breed.

Now CinchMan, that is not entirely true. Mine show no emotion when I miss a pheasant they just keep on hunting, but when I miss a duck they yell at me. It is kind of funny how disappointed they are after sitting doing nothing for so long and when it is their turn to work, I miss the shot.

What about their retrieving was only adequate?

No one expects a versatile dog to be on par with an upland specialist but a far cry seems like a bit of a stretch. I wonder how many you have seen on quail and what their experience was hunting them.

Thanks for the comments folks.

They do both but so will a lab. My best friend runs a DD, I run a lab. Both have great noses. The lab has a little more drive on a retrieve, his DD is a little steadier on point.

He who hunts his dog the most will always have the better dog regardless of breed

I got a DD this year, she is now 10 months, she is great, she retrieved dove at 7 months, has tracked two deer, killed a pig (not what we were going for but what they do "produce game"), at 9 months retrieved ducks (like stated above she is not keen on sitting long but will do it), tracked 3 deer, and at 10 months I am still working her on quail, last Saturday she had 10 points in about 3 hrs. She is starting to hold point well. She has done everything asked and more in my opinion a great breed. I'm not a professional dog handler, just a hunter and I guide a little on the side.