Deutsch Drahthaar vom Moorehaus - Drahthaar Breeder, Cataula, GA

Verein Deutsch Drahthaar / Group North America

  
DD IN THE INTERNATIONAL PRESS

(excerpts from the Nov 2002 Blätter, a publication of the VDD)

THE SNIFF TEST
by Larry Mueller
Outdoor Life, October 1999

Scent discussions seem to inspire estimates of how many million times better a dog's nose is than man's. Dr. Larry Myers, professor of veterinary medicine at Auburn University and inventor of a technique to test nose faculty, declines such comparisons. Breeds differ widely in olfactory ability, as do individual dogs within a breed. Also, much depends on how well we develop each dog's interest in using its nose. Of the hunting breeds tested, the English pointer has the most consistently superior nose. The German-registered Drahthaar is often a close second. Most Labs test average. The important thing to remember is that your dog is the odor expert. When in doubt, trust his nose.
Q: Which hunting dog breeds have the right temperament to serve also as a guard/protection-type dog?

A: The most useful hunting dog that is also trainable for protection is the German Drahthaar. German wirehairs (drahthaar is "wirehair" in German), as registered by the American Kennel Club, have not been bred for much except bird hunting, but Drahthaars bred by members of the Verein Deutsch Drahthaar/Group North America (German registered) still are tested for widely versatile talents.... -Larry Mueller, Hunting Dogs Editor, Outdoor Life, May 2002
Q: Is there a breed of dog I can use for multiple hunting tasks - bird hunting, hog hunting, blood trailing etc. If not, which is the best dog for each quarry? E.G., Spring, TX
A: Recommending a specific breed for each quarry can't be dealt with in a short letter - it's a book. but one breed that can handle a multitude of quarry and hunting demands is the Drahthaar (German for "wirehair"). The Drahthaar has been taught to point and retrieve upland birds, retrieve waterfowl, trail rabbits and trail a and bay hogs. It can tree raccoons and cougars. A Drahthaar can also blood-trail wounded deer and either bark you in or come to get you after finding the dead animal.
   This degree of training, however, quickly diminishes without constant testing of breeding stock, so forget the AKC-registered wirehairs. You must have or be able to acquire the expertise to do the extensive training to keep a Drahthaar in top shape. A breeder that produces some remarkable Drahthaars - the only ones in America that might possess all the versatility you call for - is the Verein Deutsch Drahthaar Group North American (Neal and Rhonda Feazel, National Inquiries Representative, 815-734-7078). -Larry Mueller, Hunting Dogs Editor, Outdoor Life, October 1999

This page last updated: 07/06/07