What is the best bushcrafting dog?

[Chiseller]

Long dogs are a great tool for harvesting food and bushydogs, but you can only run them in the right weather conditions i.e. you can’t really run them on hard/frozenground as they go lame and they are not able to turn the prey item. In theright conditions and place they are the best tool for the job. But IMHO for an all-roundbushy general purpose dog I’d go will a terrier (the right sort though) …
I’ll explain myself….. I run a couple of Hancock long dogs andhave a border terrier. The reason I’d go with a terrier is they have the same benefitsof a long dog (apart from speed) but they can hunt in all weather conditions,go to ground, easy to maintain, very hardy, work for long periods of time and compacted.Just basing my views on a pure bushy/survival point of view, all fantastic andsome really stunning dogs you chaps have shared

Folks are mixing up their longdogs and lurchers, if they are sighthound only mix....eg, greyhound x whippet greyhound x saluki etc....that makes them longdogs. Good for coursing, but not as good at hunting as a lurcher eg greyhound x bull, greyhound collie etc....

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[treelore]

very true chiseller and a point well made

 

[hobbes]

Good for coursing, but not as good at hunting as a lurcher

Could you expand a little on the reasons for this?

 

[Chiseller]

Could you expand a little on the reasons for this?

Would love to, but time is short at present. Just to summarise. Longdog is sighthound x sighthound. So its good for spotting prey at distance and low light. Greyhound , whippets are short on stamina and have poor coats. Deerhound saluki types have bags of stamina and good coats. So the dogs and crosses mentioned are sight hounds . Good for open lands, and some woodland. (this is often debated /argued , there are always exceptions to the rules )

Lurchers.....scores of different breeds with different attributes/failings ...basically any sight hound crossed with any other dog except another pure sighthound.
Lurchers have the benifit of good sight and in some cases a strong nose....which in turn leads to 'hunting up' to hunt with nose and sight....depending on terrain /quarry , giving a lurcher more chance of....'one for the pot ' lurchers tend to be a lot hardier than longdogs, due to more hybridization, that gives them 'hybrid vigour'
My own dog is a 3/8ths x 5/8th blend of bull and greyhound. He is a result of specific breeding going back decades and keeping to certain 'lines'.
Sorry I've got to Nash, but that should help. ?

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[multi]

probably a goat, caus then you can eat it if nescessary.

 

[Mesquite]

Would love to, but time is short at present. Just to summarise. Longdog is sighthound x sighthound. So its good for spotting prey at distance and low light. Greyhound , whippets are short on stamina and have poor coats. Deerhound saluki types have bags of stamina and good coats. So the dogs and crosses mentioned are sight hounds . Good for open lands, and some woodland. (this is often debated /argued , there are always exceptions to the rules )

Lurchers.....scores of different breeds with different attributes/failings ...basically any sight hound crossed with any other dog except another pure sighthound.
Lurchers have the benifit of good sight and in some cases a strong nose....which in turn leads to 'hunting up' to hunt with nose and sight....depending on terrain /quarry , giving a lurcher more chance of....'one for the pot ' lurchers tend to be a lot hardier than longdogs, due to more hybridization, that gives them 'hybrid vigour'
My own dog is a 3/8ths x 5/8th blend of bull and greyhound. He is a result of specific breeding going back decades and keeping to certain 'lines'.
Sorry I've got to Nash, but that should help. ?

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Sounds like you're describing my bitch

She's 50-50 Saluki and Springer Spaniel... mad as they come but a real lovely dog

 

[Bushwhacker]

...you do have to watch when they head back your way at 40mph

I know only too well. Was setting up a simulated course a couple weeks back for a show and we thought we'd give it a test run.
The dog was someone elses and we did the run, however, unbeknown to me the owner was stood about 20 yards away BEHIND ME! Dog (bullx) headed straight for the owner and I couldn't get out of the way. My legs were taken from under me as I turned and I was flying horizontally, landing on my back. Even in all my years playing football I'd never been taken out like that. Had some lovely bruises.

 

[multi]

Your best would probably be a breed thats quite lazy, one that doesnt get irate when noticing a rabbit or other wildlife. One the doesnt musk up too much, such as malt in the area you camping at. An older labrador for example, but sitting at camp for 10 hours a day every day carving etc will make it gain a lot of weight.

But theyre very obediant, and very good with kids, theyre very sloppy, and they will sit or lie down for long periods not getting In your way, and they can have a powerfull bite for protection too.

Small dogs tend to be snappy when bored and noisy.

 

[hobbes]

but that should help. ?

Definitely - very interesting, thanks!

 

[treelore]

yes granted some small breeds can be snappy or noisy, but its all down to training and breeding...i would my male Border is a well balanced little chap...unless your a tree rat

 

[multi]

Well I wouldnt recommend going out and getting a jack russel.

 

[Skaukraft]

Maybe it is mentioned before, but the ultimate allround "bushcraft dog" have to be ESL (East Siberian Laika).

 

[Chiseller]

Our next family member will be an airedale terrier...from choice working lines....now he/she will be an 'all rounder'

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[Riven]

Mine is a great forager, hows that for a strawberry




Also very scary to intruders!
Border Collie who doesn,t give a hoot about sheep but will happily go after birds and rabbits.

 

[Andy T]

Brian Plummer always used to say the first thing a dog needs is a good nose. If it couldn't find it couldn't catch. So whatever breed type you go for this would at the top of my list of priorities.

 

[santaman2000]

The best dog would be one big enough to keep up, and big and bad enough to keep keep bears, coyotes, and wild hogs away, as well as being smart enough to stay away from gators. And a plus would be if it could take the heat. Sounds like a Catahoula Cur.

 

[Opal]

The best dog would be one big enough to keep up, and big and bad enough to keep keep bears, coyotes, and wild hogs away, as well as being smart enough to stay away from gators. And a plus would be if it could take the heat. Sounds like a Catahoula Cur.

Sounds like you need one of these...

 

[santaman2000]

Just in case this thread is resurrected...

I would consider some sidepacks for him...but as soon as we get near water....

He comes with us and sleeps in the tent/basha at night. Tethered if basha.

Cheers

Sack

There's an old tale about an Arab salt merchant. He had one particular camel that learned to lighten his load by laying down in the water every time they crossed a stream. The merchant saw what he was doing and on the return trip, he loaded that camel with a cargo of sponges.

 

[Robbi]

interesting bit about the Longdog / sight hound Chiseller, mines a standard poodle X whippet....what would she be ?

 

[Chiseller]

interesting bit about the Longdog / sight hound Chiseller, mines a standard poodle X whippet....what would she be ?

A lurcher.....and one with a good nose and hunting background, and should retrieve with little encouragement. Not heard of one xd with whippet , but they have become popular with gun men crossing them with labs . Tiptop wildflowers dogs . Good elth :thumbup:

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