Does anyone use a flat coat for deer?

Derry

Active Member
I am going to look at a litter of flat coat pups this weekend and wondered if anyone has used them in the past as there main deer dog. These dogs are from working stock and are from Scandanvia where they are used and trialled for blood senting. Any thoughts would be great hoping to take a bitch so any names would be great.:)
 
Yes, I have a couple of Scandinavian Pointers here as well as GWP's,they are not as hardy in the cold and wet but then I just stick a jacket on them.
 
Are you able to see either parent do any work. I'm afraid to say that I haven't seen any flat coats that would earn a space in my kennels although I know that there are a few decent ones out there. The majority are p*** poor with no go in them. I apologize to any flat coat owners out there who have a good one but I doubt that there are too many!
 
My cousin used them before moving to GWP. He had MS, was pretty wheelchair bound so I think wanted a dog that could hold the deer. I can't remember for sure, as was about 30 years ago long before I took up stalking. . My last one was a flattie, lovely, if scatty dogs
 
Are you able to see either parent do any work. I'm afraid to say that I haven't seen any flat coats that would earn a space in my kennels although I know that there are a few decent ones out there. The majority are p*** poor with no go in them. I apologize to any flat coat owners out there who have a good one but I doubt that there are too many!

How strange
Most of the flatties I see working in my area are pretty good
Would make great tracking dogs , definitely methodical in the way they work and good determination
Not the fastest of picking up dogs in the world
But they do get there in the end
Not sure what or if you actually understand how a flattie works
But not to give one kennel space
Means you are not a fan
Understandable
Maybe you could post me a few pedigrees of the breeding of the dogs you hav seen work
As a hot flattie is not always a the way forward in the breed
 
Maybe you could post me a few pedigrees of the breeding of the dogs you hav seen work

Sorry but I don't collect the pedigrees of dogs I see work unless I might want a puppy by them. I wouldn't want the pedigrees of useless dogs that's for sure! However, I have trained with a few flatties with the Hampshire FTS and shot over a few on trials. As you say, these were bird dogs and not tracking dogs so maybe you have hit on a good tracking line. As I said, try to see the parents work or at least the father. I always felt that the ones I have seen were so slow and undriven that I could collect the retrieve quicker myself. With so many good tracking dogs out there I personally would not get a Flat Coat. They take 36 odd months to mature as well so that's another down side. That's just me though. I wish you luck and look forward to hearing how you get on with it if you do get one. I also wish you the best of luck with it. Don't let me alone put you off. Your dog could turn out to be brilliant!
 
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I've had a few dogs over the years and would say the only thing that matters is the time you are willing to put into the training not to the breeds you can buy the best breed and spoil it and the guy next o you has a heinz 57 and it'll will run circles round your dog. But if you buy a known breed for deer you are half way there to start with but as I have said its up to the time you spend with it.
 
First of all I will admit to being totally biased as I have been a Flatcoat owner for many years.

At the turn of the 1900's flatties were the top picking up dog but were overtaken by labs who mature a lot faster and not being as smart (I said I was biased) were more easily trained. These days flatties are very popular in the dog show world (won Crufts in 2011) which means there is not a high percentage of working dogs within the breed anymore. There are still people out there doing there best to try and keep the working and show strains the same but I think that is a battle that is an uphill struggle.

They were bred as bird dogs but can be very good deer dogs with the right training. I currently have two with one being used both for birds and for deer although he is mainly a bird dog as I don't shoot a lot of deer therefore there is not a lot of opportunity for him to find lost ones.

There is nothing better than to see a flattie out working as they are very stylish and are intelligent in seeking out their quarry. I have never found them slow but there again they are not super fast.

Downside with Flatties these days is they are susceptible to cancer. I must admit to being lucky having only lost one to cancer at the age of 7 others have gone to over 12. Like other popular breeds I think this is due to the gene pool being reduced by a high percentage of breeding being done by dogs who win at the likes of Crufts etc.

At the end of the day you go for the dog you like ensuring you get one who has the best background for what you want then you put in the hours of training. Its a bit of lottery but you try and stack the odds in your favour.

Mulac
 
Diane heywood's Houndswood line is I understand one of the best working lines around my area. I've not seen them work but I do have a contact email is you wanted one? They win things which is more than the ones I have seen ever would. Please feel free to PM me if you wanted to contact her. I met her husband when he was fishing near here and he clearly knew a great deal (you can quickly tell), and he said that she was the expert so I'm sure she would be happy to help!
 
First of all I will admit to being totally biased as I have been a Flatcoat owner for many years.

At the turn of the 1900's flatties were the top picking up dog but were overtaken by labs who mature a lot faster and not being as smart (I said I was biased) were more easily trained. These days flatties are very popular in the dog show world (won Crufts in 2011) which means there is not a high percentage of working dogs within the breed anymore. There are still people out there doing there best to try and keep the working and show strains the same but I think that is a battle that is an uphill struggle.

They were bred as bird dogs but can be very good deer dogs with the right training. I currently have two with one being used both for birds and for deer although he is mainly a bird dog as I don't shoot a lot of deer therefore there is not a lot of opportunity for him to find lost ones.

There is nothing better than to see a flattie out working as they are very stylish and are intelligent in seeking out their quarry. I have never found them slow but there again they are not super fast.

Downside with Flatties these days is they are susceptible to cancer. I must admit to being lucky having only lost one to cancer at the age of 7 others have gone to over 12. Like other popular breeds I think this is due to the gene pool being reduced by a high percentage of breeding being done by dogs who win at the likes of Crufts etc.

At the end of the day you go for the dog you like ensuring you get one who has the best background for what you want then you put in the hours of training. Its a bit of lottery but you try and stack the odds in your favour.

Mulac
A very interesting post
And one I can relate to
Over the years I hav seen many a Flatcoat
Shirley Radburn a good friend of mine is a wealth of knowledge
As is Anne Vickory and Sally Antram
Wot these ladies don't know about Flatcoats is not worth worrying about
As Bagiuo has mentioned Diane Heywood has a cracking line
Not that I hav seen many of her line work like I hav others here in the midlands
But as already suggested
Do your home work
As you could be with a problem dog for a long time
Better to spend time looking into the history as well as it parents to see wot you may be getting
 
A friend of mine had two - they were great natured dogs. One used for picking up and one for roe deer in Yorkshire. Really good dogs if you've a family too.
 
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