What would you recommend as a good versatile dog?

D

dhughes

New member
I'm thinking about getting another dog and can't decide on what breed. I'll be using it as a decoy dog, for blood trailing, running traps, a little hog hunting maybe and pretty much take it with me everywhere. I was planning on getting a jagd terrier but the more I read and talk to people about them I think they might be more than I can handle. I would like to have a smaller dog so he could come in the house some and ride in the front of the pickup some. I found some mountain feist pups but don't know a lot about them. I would like to find a jagd/patterdale/feist crossed with a cur or cat but can't find any. Will one of the little guys be good for all of this stuff or should I stick with the curs/cats?

Thanks in advance for ya'lls opinions.

Daniel
 
get yourself a cowdog breed. i have aussies, hangin trees, border collies and mixes. they do everything. Duane will say somethin soon i imagine but his 1st good dog was a heeler and his mcnabb hes got now works rite along with his good decoy dogs. cowdogs r wonderful
 
I am sold on cowdogs too. My dog of choice is a McNab, they are hard working, smart, agressive, headers, and crazy athletic. My male is 50 pounds, but you could find a female or small male in the 35 - 40 pound range.
 
Thanks for the info. Give me some more info on the McNab's. I don't know much about them. The best dog we have ever had was an australian shepard thats now 16 years old. He would hunt anything and trail anything. I would like a dog that doesn't have the long hair and shed like the aussie though.
Thanks for the tips and keep them coming.

Daniel
 
just like with anything some mcnabbs bite and are gritty and some arent. ive had great luck with these hangin trees. they have the grit due to the catahoula in them. im a big fan and have a few here at the ranch. they are usually short haired but dependin on the breedin they mitgh be long haired. aussies and borders tend not to have so much grit but then again there are certain lines that get er done if you know what i mean! ive never been a heeler fan, i like herders more but a true heeler is 50% dingo so of course they have grit. id look into a hangin tree if i was u
 
http://www.legacyconnemaras.com/McNab_Is_a_McNab_right_for_you.html

Of course the grit in a dog can vary across the litter, but with them being instinctually a head dog, they seem to have smart grit.

To me, the most important 3 characteristics of a dog are...
1) Good around my kid and wife
2) Smart
3) Athletic / hard working

These are the 3 things I don't think you can train into a dog. If I have a dog that has the above 3 things, I can train them to hunt.

The downsides to a McNab are that they can be mischevious if they are not excercised every day. They are so hard working, that if they get bored, they will take out their boredom on anything from digging holes to chewing up things. But to me the payoff is when it's time to hunt, they will go all day and do it day after day.
 
There are quite a few versatile breeds that'll be right up your alley of what you are wanting to do with a dog. Sounds like the same things I do with my dogs. Cat, BMC, Lacy, Ridgeback, Jagd, Patterdale, etc... Of course, there are the cross breeds. All should do the job. It really comes down to personal preference and time spent with the dog.

Tony
 
I might end up going with a mountain cur but still can't decide. I've already got a 3/4 ridgeback 1/4 cur, a catahoula and a birddog that I use on hogs some. I would like something a little smaller but might end up going with a little bigger one.


Thanks, Daniel
 
I'm having great fun with our Mountan Cur, Tucker. She has a jag of Plott & Redbone in her also. I have spent a lot of time with her and folks here really helped us get off to a good start with her.

Many have seen these pics, but I thought I would throw them up for newer members to see. Hope others will do the same.

TuckerSit.jpg


TuckersFirstYote.jpg


TuckerRubicon1.jpg


TuckerCloser.jpg


TuckerCoon5.jpg


Tucker3rdCoon1.jpg


TuckerOct4.jpg


TuckerTreed.jpg


TuckerRubicon.jpg

 
Good looking pup, looks like mine but with bigger ears lol!
I don't have a ton of experience as a dog man but the two I have I really enjoy... they are both from Duane at Shooters Services Unlimited. They are very versital in the field and make for great companions. Hope you find what you're looking for!
Ty
 
Tanner, and Ty both thru me under the bus, so I guess I better say something. Here goes..... I like my cowdogs, my best and favorite dog ever was a blue heeler. He was with me everyday for ten years, I took him every where,he would do it all, from bite on command to blood trail,to play with my little girl. The Mcnab I have now is not quite as good, but has big shoes to fill, to be honest.
I have a pen full of Catahoulla cur crosses, and they can all bite a cow, decoy a yote, bloodtrail, ride in the rig, catch a hog. Fact is find a dog ya like, spent the time to train it, and go to the feild alot.
You wanna see pics of my dogs, just clink my banner, you'll see that I'm not at all "breed specific".
Here is a little slide show a freind did last weekend.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjSZSiKnfT8&sns=fb
 
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That is a good looking dog DoubleCK. Sounds like just what I'm looking for.

You have some good looking dogs too Duane. I'm not breed Specific either.

I'm just going to keep an eye out until I see something I like.
 
I sure have been happy with my dog from Duane. He's put a lot of time into his bloodline and it shows with consistant litters. My whiskey dog is easy to handle, friendly to all people, she tolerates other dogs and knows when it's time to hunt or take it easy. She is just a joy to be around and handles all the tasks that I ask of her. Make sure you check out the parents of a pup before you get one and make sure they have the desired traits you are looking for.
 
We got our dog from Duane and it bloodtrails and has found everything we've looked for, finds sheds, sleeps in my lap, and goes about everyplace with us. It is well mannered, great with kids and way smarter than me. My wife put a stop to shed traing in the house because Suzy carried a shed everyplace she went....Greg
 
I got my Little Abby from Tony last year and could not be happier. She loves going for a ride in the truck even if it is just to the end of the driveway to make room for the snow plow. She is SUPER, GREAT, FANTASTIC with the baby. She rides in the back seet with him and around the house sniffs and licks him, even mom ins not worried about her. I have not hunted with her near enough but she is not scared of agressive dogs and holds her ground, but decoys them to me, can't wait to see what she does with a coyote. Took her bird hunting last fall at 4 months of age. She wasn't scatred for the gun fire just was unsure as to what it was. She is still a puppy and gets intoa little trouble now and then with the wife's flowers and shoes but not to bad, she is deffenatly growing out of it. In the last month a switch went on in her head and she is responding to comands so much faster. She has even won over a few dog dislikers with her gental manner and responsiveness (is that a word).

She is a total joy to have around the house, and even if she sucked on coyote's she would shill be out in the woods with me.

Steve
 


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