GWP Vs BMH

[cervusnippon2013]

Hi folks. My tracking dog which was out of German bloodline drahthaar's has passed away. I've seen a few litters of BMH for sale and wanted to know if anyone has experience of handling both breeds for tracking deer.
Are the temperaments different, energy levels etc, what if anything separates the breeds.
My GWP was full on when tracking and had zero problems either finding deer before or after shot and would engage a deer to pull down etc if it had ran etc. Unfortunately the breeder won't be breeding anytime soon.
So what are the characteristics of the BMH?

 

[Heym SR20]

My comments are based on what I have sern of both breeds working on driven hunts in Germany rather than actually have worked the myself.

The Drathaar is very much a hunting dog and used with the beaters and by hunters to find boar, bring them to bay and to bring them down if required/ commanded to do so. They are big strong and brave dogs, and the german are much more stoutly built than UK German Wire Haired pointers.

The BMH is much quieter dog, and it and its are specialists in blood tracking and they are used after the hunt is over to track and find wounded animals. They are generally worked on a long leash, whilst Drahtaars are free running with GPS collars.

Temprement wise the Drathaars are strong and full of go. BMHs and Bavarians are much quieter and almost shy - very much a one person and loyal to handler type dog.

In the UK we hunt very differently, and a hound works as a both a pointer of deer and then to find shot deer. I have a lab cross / bmh and she is good at indicating deer and then finding them. Friends have a GWP that does the same job. Both have a level of strong will, and I know best type nature which is both irritating and what we love about them. GWP weighs 40kg and is all leg and with a coat that smells more than a spaniel. Mine has a short black coat that sheds water and weighs under 20kg.

I am not sure a BMH would retrieve or be much use on birds, a GWP can be an all rounder. Mine is goid at flushing snd at retrieving when she chooses to. She has a tendency to do a wonderful retrieve, but then leave the bird an inaccessible place like under a gorse bush or the otherside of the creek.

 

[Dunwaters]

The biggest difference would probably be a lack of response to recall from the hound plus they have a far more specialised job description, which might be a problem. They were a bit of a fashion fad a few years ago, just like the Teckel was before that but seem to be losing popularity. You shouldn’t need a dedicated tracker very often, which makes the more versatile dog more attractive.
There are a few wire hairs out there for sale and I have 2 shorthair pups for sale myself ( shorthairs can do deer work too) , there were also some lovely looking rescue dogs available on the pointer rescue site which might be worth a phone call.
Before your discount rescue dogs as a source, one of the best working wirehairs of recent years was rescued.

 

[Keith Edmunds]

If you were happy with the Drathaar then I would have thought that would be the way to go, and go for the bloodlines that suit. If you fancy something different I would just add, beware of generalisations based on individual dogs...... old 'Prince' was a fantastic hound - best dog I ever owned........ I would guess that the bloodlines of BMH can throw up a lot of variety as will handler ability and opportunity.

 

[cervusnippon2013]

If you were happy with the Drathaar then I would have thought that would be the way to go, and go for the bloodlines that suit. If you fancy something different I would just add, beware of generalisations based on individual dogs...... old 'Prince' was a fantastic hound - best dog I ever owned........ I would guess that the bloodlines of BMH can throw up a lot of variety as will handler ability and opportunity.

Thanks for the info. I wanted to know if the bmh worked slower or were a relaxed dog.
The gwp was top class and out of well bred German dogs
I won’t need a versatile dog for the shot gun. It’s just a dog to follow up a deer that could run after the shot
I shot a fallow buck last week and although he didn’t run far, in sitka spruce forestry it’s can be a needle in a haystack looking for them without a dog
Could it be the case of training the gwp to be just a deer dog and train in the skills needed
The gwp that I had was used on the shot gun rough shooting for first few years and was used to push on etc
Or is it the case all the breeds or individuals can be full on pushing hard ?

 

[Keith Edmunds]

Thanks for the info. I wanted to know if the bmh worked slower or were a relaxed dog.
The gwp was top class and out of well bred German dogs
I won’t need a versatile dog for the shot gun. It’s just a dog to follow up a deer that could run after the shot
I shot a fallow buck last week and although he didn’t run far, in sitka spruce forestry it’s can be a needle in a haystack looking for them without a dog
Could it be the case of training the gwp to be just a deer dog and train in the skills needed
The gwp that I had was used on the shot gun rough shooting for first few years and was used to push on etc
Or is it the case all the breeds or individuals can be full on pushing hard ?

Not to specifically answer regarding deer dogs but more on hunting dogs in general. If you want a specialist, absolutely wedded to the game and hunting style that you do, you are likely to succeed. Some individuals might take longer than others to develop but if you are focussing on a speciality I think that you will succeed with almost any suitable breed. If you want boldness and high drive as individual traits (be careful what you wish for), it is something the breeder could look out for but pups change an awful lot in the first year.