Having a great dog makes hunting better. Having a poor hunting dog can make your hunt miserable. The perfect hunting dog starts with picking a great hunting puppy. This task can be daunting. There are a lot of great hunting dog breeds out there, and lots of different opinions around the hunting community.
There are a few things that get a hunter’s blood pumping without hesitation. Imagine the sun rising on your duck blind. A flock of mallards materialize in the distance and instantly respond to your call. Imagine stepping out of our truck on a cool fall afternoon with your buddies, rooster pheasants cackle in the distance on the field you’re about to walk. Picture the sight of a flock of doves on the bead of your shotgun cruising right toward you, unaware of your position.
The only thing that makes moments like these better is a great hunting dog. We hope to demystify the hunting dog selection process, so you can pick the perfect puppy and move on to training, and ultimately, hunting moments like these.
Special thanks to Midwest Dream Breeders, a top show and hunting dog breeder of vizslas and weimaraners in Iowa, for contributing insights for this article.
1. The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From The Tree
Parents are more valuable than papers when trying to determine how effective a hunting dog will be. Archie Manning didn’t give birth to Eli and Peyton by accident. Genetics are incredibly important.
Midwest Dream Breeders recommends making sure the parents are health test certified through OFA. You can’t expect a healthy puppy to come from unhealthy parents.
If possible, ask to see the parents work. This can give you a fairly accurate picture of what your puppy could become in the field. You want to see those desirable characteristics in both the dam (mother) and sire (father), but pay special attention to the dam. She spends all her time with the pups for the first few weeks. Her influence is very strong.
2. Grandparents Matter Too
“Research has indicated grandsires and granddams prove to have more genetic influence upon the litter than the sire and dam.” – Ducks Unlimited
Digging deeper into genealogy will give you more confidence in your decision. If you can see positive traits and health in the grandparents and parents, you’re on the right track.
3. Pick a Breed
One could argue for days over which hunting dog breeds are best for any particular style of hunting. To begin narrowing down your options, do you prefer hunting upland birds or waterfowl?
For upland birds like pheasants, grouse, and quail, most people choose pointing breeds or flushing breeds. Do you prefer the adrenaline and anticipation of a bird dog locked in a hard point, or would you rather experience the spontaneous rush of a flush as your dog works through a field?
For waterfowl hunting, people tend to pick retriever breeds. Consider weather, too. Many breeds can’t handle sitting wet in freezing temperatures in a duck blind.
READ: Labrador Retrievers – Characteristics, Facts, and Information About Labs
Other things to consider: affordability, maintenance, shedding, allergies, kid-friendliness etc. On any breed, do your research on the strengths and weaknesses.
4. Pick Litters, Not Pups
Although the purpose of this article is to help you find the perfect puppy, focus more on finding a great litter than a great pup. Find a breeder with a proven bloodline, rather than trying to find a diamond in the rough in a litter for sale down the street. Yes, you should still look for the premium pup in a litter, but a well-bred litter can be full of great hunting puppies.
5. Ask the Right Questions, Find the Right Breeder
When looking for a breeder, here are a few important things to ask for:
- Health/genetic disorder guarantees
- Puppy health records and veterinarian they use
- Parental health records and titles (see tip #1)
- References (not always reliable, but helpful)
- Years in business
Have a few old-fashioned, personal conversations. Networking will produce a wealth of information that’s more reliable than what you can find online. Attend local hunting expos, dog trials, shows, etc. and strike up a few conversations. You’ll be amazed what you can learn.
6.Evaluate Health
Do your research by looking at the parents and the papers. The more information a breeder can give you, the better.
When you get to the litter, there are a few things you can check to assure that you’re picking a healthy puppy. Look for:
- Clean coat. Look for bare spots or red spots of irritation.
- Clean ears. There should be no redness or irritation.
- Clear eyes and nose. Look for clear, bright eyes. Ensure there is no nasal discharge
- Lively behavior. Every puppy has different energy levels, and that’s okay, but a puppy shouldn’t seem lethargic and disinterested.
- Solid stools. Watch out for signs of loose stools. Check for a clean bottom.
- Clean environment. A well-kept environment is more likely to produce healthy pups.
7. Get the Pick of the Litter
If the litter appears healthy overall, it’s time to look for the pick of the litter. Midwest Dream Breeders recommends looking for a puppy that is bold, confident, and outgoing. These traits suggest that a pup could have great hunting potential. They also suggest avoiding puppies that hide, or seem shy and reserved.
8. Male or Female?
It’s the battle of the sexes. For a hunting dog, should you buy a male or a female? While every male and female dog is different, here are a few generalities of each.
Males:
Male dogs have many traits you’d expect of masculinity. They may be more likely to have conflict with other dogs. They also like to pee on everything. You may have to prove your dominance with a male more than a female. For better or worse, males are often larger.
Females:
While there are alpha females, some females may become pouty and discouraged if you push too hard. However, they can be more compassionate companions. You have to deal with a female dog’s cycle, which can affect responsiveness and performance. Females can be more expensive because they can produce puppies.
You’ll find hunting dog owners in both camps. Many hunters will accept any sex, as long as it is well-trained and well-bred.
9. Red Flags
There are some bad breeders out there who will put puppy health at risk if they can make an extra buck. It’s important to stay away from these breeders in order to avoid a low-quality dog, and to avoid supporting unethical breeding practices. There may be cause for concern if:
- The breeder is selling puppies younger than 8 weeks old
- Puppies are for sale year-round
- The seller wants to meet you in a public place, rather than the home of the dogs
- The breeder doesn’t ask you any questions, shows no concern for the kind of home the dog is going to
- You can’t meet the parents
- The breeder offers “new” or “rare” breeds
- There is significant hesitation to any questions about the dogs or operation
- They advertise with constant newspaper classifieds, roadway signs, etc.
Picking the perfect hunting puppy with ultimately lead to excellent hunting, and an incredible companion for many years. With a little time and effort, you can set yourself up with very high probability of picking a great hunting dog. The more work you do ahead of time, the easier you can rest afterward the purchase.
To learn more about Midwest Dream Breeders, visit them on Facebook.