A bushcraft dog????

[bambodoggy]

Anyone got any pics of their faithful hounds?

Oh go on then.....my proud parent bit:

These are my two, I've had them a little while now and am very pleased with both.
My last Shepherd died back in July and we picked up his replacement puppy at 10 weeks old in september. As you can see he's a sable GSD. He's nearly 5 months old now and has just lost his puppy teeth (thank goodness as they are sharp! lol) He's from european working lines and his grandfather was a schutzhund working trails champion so he has some good blood in him and I'm planning to compete with him myself when he's older. Very loyal, very strong willed, amazingly inteligent (I taught him to bark on command in under 10 minutes yesterday and he was house broken in a day when we first got him home!) and as you'd expect from his pedigree and breed very fearless when it comes to protecting his master and family (even if he can't back it up yet at only 5 months old lol). He came from a litter of 7 and his 6 brothers and sisters are now trainee police dogs.
I take him up the woods quite a bit and he's definately going to be my bushcraft dog.

The other is a 3 year old Rottie that came free with the pup! He'd just been returned to the breeder from the British Transport Police for (you'll like this with a Rottie! lol) not being aggresive enough!
He's a lovely dog, very affectionate and with very strong guarding instincts. He will do the protection work and certainly look after you but you can see he doesn't really enjoy it and doesn't want to hurt the person he's biting.
He is however, a fantastic tracking and search dog and at the last club event I took him too he wiped the floor in the tracking trails against Sch-II qualified dogs.
He's not great to have out in the woods though as he was brought up with a beagle and has picked up the hunting bug from them and so as soon as he gets a wiff of something he's off for a half hour or more, he always comes back but as there as roads about I'm not happy with him doing it so he stays on lead in the woods...in the park he's the perfect dog. I also use him as a teaching dog at the training club to help break up fights between puppies and also between older dogs and to help calm dogs that have dog on dog aggression problems...he won't react to them no matter how antagonistic they are and even if they try to bite him all he does is knock them over and pin them to the floor until they have calmed down, then he lets them go and ignors them again....after a while of this the other dog usually gives up and plays nice, sometimes for the first time in it's life with another dog.

Anyway, I've rambled on loads....I am truely a proud parent! lol

I'd sort of advise to get a GSD as they have most of the advantages of the collie as well as a few extras but without needing "quite" so much exercise.
Having said all that and with a few special breeds aside any dog you get will make a fantastic bushcraft dog so long as you train and treat it right

Cheers,

Bam.

 

[Spikey DaPikey]

Great looking doggies !!

 

[PatrickM]

Dogs are great companions when out and about, here is my dog Finn, a black Labrador a true pal and a proper Bushcrofting canine.
He adapts well to most environments and does not cost a fortune to kit out

Jungle Dog

Mountain Dog

Bush Dog

Silly Dog - thinks he is a Scottie Dog

 

[Spikey DaPikey]

That dog must ahve the patience of a saint !!

 

[Biddlesby]

Love the pictures!

I'm with red: a Jack Russel would be a great little dog. But I've always loved spaniels too and I reckon they're the ones i will get in the future.

 

[Dougster]

Mine is on my avatar.

He's more of a mountain mutt than a bushcrafter - he's not good at sitting still. As he gets older (10 next week) he does like a fire at the end of the day, and ask Brocktor, he's a bugger for nicking your thermarest!

He adopted me, I was having lunch in a pub in Hackney - my home at the time, when he sat on my knee. His tearful owner apologised, at which I said he was more than welcome to stay as long as he took his tongue out of my ear.

The tears were because as a result of her marriage breakdown, her husband was taking his anger out on the dog - she didn't have the time to look after him and he ripped up severeal hundred pounds worth of carpet. He came to live with me the following week.

That day in the pub I like to think he chose me. He's climbed many hills with me, slept out on more occasions than I can remember and the poor old lad, just as he's looking forward to retirement has my two toddlers to dote over and take grief from.

I am of the opinion that the right dog will be there at the right moment, sometimes it's the moment that need finding.

 

[Dougster]

Labs are great but go for a working type not a show type. They are much slimmer and brighter and eassy to train. Essentially their brain is connected directly to their stomach

I heard someone once call theirs a self propelling stomach

 

[Gill]

just got a bedlington terrier pup myself i have wanted one for years ,these are great little dogs very clever and loyal.they can be worked for rabbit etc and have the added bonus that they do not cast hair ,this is a very big bonus for a house dog as i,m sure anyone will agree as dog hair gets everywhere.have a look at this knee high breed of dog and i do not think you will be dissapointed ,as i have never heard of anybody disliking these wee dogs

 

[ledamni]

bedlington terrier pup

Eee Gads is a cross between a sloth and a poddle!

 

[pothunter]

Hi Bam

Watched a demo by the German Police about 20 yrs ago they were using Rottie’s and strange cross sheepdog, big b****r almost white with grey eyes hell of a man dog but would not sit at heel always a good arms length away it’s the closest thing I’ve seen to a wolf, anyway gone off on one.

Back to Rottie’s in the arena there was a gantry with ladders at both ends the idea was that the dog went up the ladder across the gantry and down the ladder. The dog was slipped off the lead run up to the ladder paused and then went around, frustrated the handler had another run up the dog did the same again. After some discussion the ladder was placed against a wall, the handler did the same again this time the dog paused saw there was no way around and went straight over, always thought that dog might be a bit to clever for its own good. But was an excellent demo and the hospitality was very good.

And Gill, Beddlington, very good choice.

Anyhow my four legged fiend is hobbling about somewhere and will no doubt find me at 17:00, feeding time.

 

[bloodline]

Jack Russell fox terriers for me loyal, affectionate, heart of a lion, good camp follower my two love hanging out when im having a cook up and general doss round the fire and they walk for hours without tiring. Mine are 2yrs old (dog) and 1yr old (bitch) and for entertainment value they are priceless. The bitch has even been known to provide her own "lunch" on a day out. My old dog was a Collie cross and she was fantestical so they are probably what you make them. Good luck with your choice and keep us posted with what you decide on.

 

[Nyayo]

We've a mentalist Springer Spaniel - loves water, running, springing, running etc. Sleeps in the tent. Lurks around the cook fire. Lives to eat and spring generally. Clever, obedient, very outdoorsy, develops very camp sunbleached floppy hair in the Summer (think Jason Donovan circa 1985). I'd send a photo of him looking all 'rugged' on top of Cairngorm, but I need to sort out an online photos cache thingy...

N

 

[anthonyyy]

My present dog is an English springer spaniel. Lovely dogs great with kids and hardy enough to sleep outdoors in bad weather plus they don’t bark. Mine is very excitable though.

My pervious, sadly missed, dog was a boxer. Fantastic temperament, good with children but very excitable. Although they are not aggressive dogs they do LOOK dangerous for people not used to dogs and their boisterous nature can be a bit of a pain sometimes. They don’t like cold weather and swim like stones. Not the easiest dogs to train. However, I will probably get another boxer sometime 

My ideal bushcraft dog would be something the size of a spaniel but with the temperament of a golden retriever. (I take my dog canoeing so size is an issue).

You do tend to see a lot less wildlife when you have a dog with you but I always feel guilty going for a walk without a dog

 

[Dingo]

we have a cattle dog, they are top bush dogs, but as mentioned before on this post, they are not afraid of anything, especially the dogs, and their guarding instinct is a little stronger than a collie, so if you are quite a strong personality and have the patience to train the animal you will have no trouble.
unfortunately if not trained these particular dogs become the ALPHA and will be a real menace to all and sundrie because they are real characters and love to play 23hrs 59mins per day stopping for a quick drink and ablutions! and bad habits come quick to intelligent dogs.

if they get grumpy, like all australians they will take on the world and believe they can win, and more often than not they do!

scary bit over, they are loyal, loving, intelligent, easy to train, fun, hardy, love the outdoors whatever the weather, tough beyond belief, their fluffy soft coat acts as an insulater from the sun,wind rain basically anything the outdoors has to offer, top companions.

i love em.

will try and put some photos up.

[/URL][/IMG]

sorry about the photo, will play a little and try and get one the right way up!

[/URL][/IMG]

 

[Shambling Shaman]

I have a chocolate lab/beagle cross he's solid and walks for miles.

 

[moocher]

from a bushcraft/potfiller point a lurcher seems ideal but most i have owned and seen have a problem resisting the urge to chase any moving object,which can cause probs and they seem to not withstand the cold due to no fat or a good enough coat most of the gypsy dogs used to suffer from stiff limbs from sleeping in tea chests or under caravans.i seen a bedlington x springer spaniel which not the prettist of dogs looked ok for a meal provider/trail companion.i would myself like a husky or husky x as least it would be able to travel distances and withstand the british weather ,sometimes sharing a bed with a smelly /wet dog is just too much.a lot of old time poachers used to have a small retriever mix,and the farm worker with the long- legged/tall racey collie always used to occupy the game keepers time.

 

[BorderReiver]

Hi Bam


Back to Rottie’s in the arena there was a gantry with ladders at both ends the idea was that the dog went up the ladder across the gantry and down the ladder. The dog was slipped off the lead run up to the ladder paused and then went around, frustrated the handler had another run up the dog did the same again. After some discussion the ladder was placed against a wall, the handler did the same again this time the dog paused saw there was no way around and went straight over, always thought that dog might be a bit to clever for its own good. But was an excellent demo and the hospitality was very good.

Reminds me of a friend who had his Clumber in a field trial.When he was sent off to retrieve,the dog wandered over to the chap who was throwing the dummies and brought one of his back.Why run all that way when there's one a lot closer.

 

[Long Stride]

Just to back up Bambodoggys point about rotties.

A family friends rottie won the PAT Dog of the Year competition.

http://www.rottweilersdirect.co.uk/docs/patdog.html

 

[fred gordon]

This was quite a hard thread for me to read as I had to put down my labrador cross Springer of 16 years yesterday. However, I think that any dog will love you as long as you treat it well and show it respect. Having had both small and large dogs I would recommend a small dog. They are easier to transport, take up less room in the house, cost less to feed, take up less room in a tent, are easier to manage when wet and you can take them on holiday more easily. Anyway that's my experience. I would go for a Cairn Terrier bitch as I have always found bitches more loving and cairn Terriers are great outdoor dogs. Have it spayed at an early age and you won't have half the neighbourhood dogs calling twice a year.

 

[BorderReiver]

This was quite a hard thread for me to read as I had to put down my labrador cross Springer of 16 years yesterday. However, I think that any dog will love you as long as you treat it well and show it respect. Having had both small and large dogs I would recommend a small dog. They are easier to transport, take up less room in the house, cost less to feed, take up less room in a tent, are easier to manage when wet and you can take them on holiday more easily. Anyway that's my experience. I would go for a Cairn Terrier bitch as I have always found bitches more loving and cairn Terriers are great outdoor dogs. Have it spayed at an early age and you won't have half the neighbourhood dogs calling twice a year.

Firstly,sorry about the dog.

I've found that dogs are more loving than bitches.Maybe it depends on the individual animal.

Agree about the neutering,for both sexes.Saves a lot of problems as they get older.