There are plenty of dog breeds born for hunting, and, if you are a skilled hunter, one of them can be of really good help.
Because they are trained for hunting, they do this as well as they do at home. And even dogs which are not really hunting dogs can become a good helping paw for a hunter if they have such physical capabilities and like to please their owner.
One of the family breeds which are easy to train as waterfowl hunting dogs are the retrievers. Even if we are talking about a Golden Retriever, a Labrador retriever, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, or especially a Nova Scotia Duck Trolling Retriever. The last one is smaller than his other cousins, but has the exact same capabilities as they do. He really loves to be praised and might look depressed when he is not working.
The sporting spaniels are another breed very good for waterfowl hunting. Even if they are not very good in cold weather, their enthusiasm makes them very good hunting companions. The small English cocker spaniel is very joyous when working on a field. He might be though too small for large birds.
Pointers are also recommended for hunting. Waterfowl might not be their strongest point, but there are some which can handle themselves in the water as well as they can do it on land. One of them is the German Wirehaired Pointer who is very devoted and has plenty of energy and creativity. Another one is the Pudelpointer. This one is very loving and affectionate, even as a hunting companion.
Indeed, the dogs presented above have some inborn skills for hunting and waterfowl retrieving. But, in case you have another type of dog and you love hunting, you should not think about getting a new one just for when you want to go hunting. There are big chances that your pet, if his size allows it, will retrieve your catch better than a hunting dog if you have enough patience to train him.
A waterfowl dog is not seen as the helper who retrieves the catch, but also as a very loyal, trustworthy and fun companion. Your dog will stay with you in the worst weather and environment conditions, offering you unconditional love and support. What more could you wish for?
Imagine how long it would take you to retrieve all the shot birds from the water if it wasn?t for your lovely furry friend. This way, even if you are not a good swimmer, but just a good waterfowl hunter, you can practice your hobby without worrying about losing your prey.
Yes, a boat would be a good solution for waterfowl hunting, in order to gather the prey by yourself, but it surely wouldn?t be as fun as it is to have your dog around, doing the job for you.
Taking all this into consideration, maybe you will appreciate all the help your dog gives you and more the next time you go hunting together and will offer him a good reward.
