Thread: Pheasant Dog

Thanks guys. Hunting mainly around Waikato, Auckland Northland - scrubby hill and cliff country.

EeeBees - reading through similar posts on this site, there seems to be a view that versatiles are 'harder' dogs that are at the more extreme end when it comes to training. As performers, a pointer is my ideal dog - not much beats watching them work. But there's not much pleasure in watching a poorly trained dog, and even less in working with one (let alone owning it!). Realising that any dog is only going to be as good as the training it's given, I'm committed to giving it everything I've got. If I was hunting every day I wouldn't hesitate to go for a GWP, but wonder whether I'm better to go for a different breed that would be more forgiving?

On a side note, just got back from the UK. Noticed that many of the versatiles over there seem a bit more sane than many of the same dogs you see in NZ. Is there an issue in NZ with concentration of lines, or is it more a reflection on the breeding?