Training GSD for hunting and retreiving waterfowl and game - Page 2

A setter sets to indicate game .. a GSD can set to indicate an article .. no difference.

Whatever you say bubba.

Next thing you know someone will be herding with setters. Then what Bunnies?   Oh wait that's already been done.
Pointing and setting are different then just smelling a bird and jumping into the bush.

And Bubba that old man was a National professional bird dog trainer and world wide sports writer. But i guess 50 years ago people had standards. Not so much these days.
 

Dragonfry apparently fifty years ago idiots wrote about and participated in gun sports and today it is the same.  Any man who would kill a dog for a training mistake is a turd wrapped turd with turd icing.  Anyone who supports and condones such action is one and the same with him.  Plus I think the story is bogus to begin with.  Did they leave the dog to rot where he fell after the mysterious "old man" shot him immediately after eating the game bird or did they carry his  dead body back to where he could be buried or disposed of??  Sounds like pure BS to me.  If anyone doesn't have standards it is the idiot "old man" who had an ego larger than his IQ.

a good ole shot an' beer bar where i use to live had signs [2] on the bath room doors . One sign said ''POINTERS'' and the other "SETTERS". A little humor before this thread goes dark. LOL 

bubba,
when was the last time you went duck hunting?
And in what climate?

A GSD would have no problem retrieving, but I doubt one could compete in the field with any breed of hunting dog.
Each has it's own specific genetic specialty.

I've seen trained dogs riding bicycles that's just not the same.

My GSD has brought me game he caught, I never asked how he caught it...lol

 

I had a GSD that would retrieve squirrels I shot, without ever damaging the goods....yet he would chase down and catch wild young rabbits and eat them and hunt for wild rabbit nests to eat the young.
He would hunt and tree squirrels for me to shoot, and I didn't need to teach him, he did it on his own. I'd say," squirrel" and he'd look up into the trees....the hunt was on. Or pick up the 410 and he would go nuts with joy, anticipating the "hunt". I have a female GSD who also hunts squirrels (also self taught)...I just say, squirrel, to her and she is looking up into the trees, hunting. She'll follow a squirrel tree to tree through the woods, swampy area, briars....doesn't matter, she is focused and won't quit till I call her off. One of these days I'm going to remember to take my gun with me, so I can shoot a squirrel for her, bet she'll bring back undamaged ;-)

I got one who knows to watch the trees when a squirrel is on the run, some breeds don't look up but a GSD will.

We were on hard times when my male brought me that rabbit, how he knew I'll never know, but we ate it...
He just walked up and gave it to me...lol
 

I live on the Snake River in Southern Idaho and have used German Shepherds for hunting Ducks, Geese and Pheasants since 1990. I just recently purchased another male pup from Germany. While researching his pedigree I found this post. I plan on doing the same training with my new pup.  I also own 3 Labrador Retrievers all 100% Field Bred Working dogs. My male Labrador is working on his QAA in AKC Field Trials and my 2-females are both JH and working on their SH titled. Why would I hunt with a German Shepherd you might ask. Well it all started as gentleman's bet almost 25 yrs ago. My good Friend was a Fishing Guide in Oregon. Like most Guides he had a Labrador. Early one morning after dropping his boat in the water with all his equipment (including his Labrador) he drove down river to leave his truck at the docking / pick up area. He returned to find everything gone. Somebody had stolen the boat all the equipment and the damn dog. 2 weeks later he purchased a German Shepherd pup from a Schutzhund competitor named Charlie Mezoros. Out of his dog Droll vom Fuchtalshen.  As this pup matured he turned into the typical working Shepherd. Incredible intelligence, trainability and of course natural protective nature. Because this dog spent so much time on the river he was used to swimming in moving water and he loved to retrieve. During one of our fishing trips the subject of retrieving came up, Since I had Labradors, I was running my mouth about how much better my Labradors were then his Shepherd. As you can guess, one shake of the hands and a bet was laid down. Could his Shepherd do what my Labradors could do? Well every working Shepherd owner knows the answer to that one. HELL YES HE COULD, and protect the damn boat at the same time. Result. I was humbled, and very impressed. In the close to 23 yrs since that day my friend has never lost another thing to theft from his boat and I have had a working German Shepherd by my side with my Labradors. While I always have to spend just a little bit more time with my Shepherds on teaching a calm retrieve  then my Labradors. The extra time is nothing compared to the joy and safety I feel when I am out hunting.  FYI if you are ever fishing on any of the rivers in Southern Oregon and you see a drift boat with German Shepherd sitting in it. Send a smile and a wave because now you know the story of why he is in the boat and not a Labrador.   

Re the National Champion field dog trainer from back in the day who shot the dog that was sent to him to be evaluated--I can only hope that the person who actually OWNED the dog came visiting and kicked that wicked old man's sorry, weathered old ass.