Written by: Chad Hoover, Hoover Outfitting
The Wachtelhund is both a hard hunter and a great family dog.
All photos by Chad Hoover
The “dog of the month” is the cliche we are always hearing in the hunting world. This month, take five minutes and look at the Wachtelhund.
The breed is best described by the Deutcher Wachtelhund of North America site:
The Wachtelhund is a medium sized gundog, thick boned, muscular, with long thick wavy hair. Wachtelhund history dates back to the 1700′s. It is a versatile breed only owned by hunters, gamekeepers and professional hunters in Germany. It has vibrant and friendly personality, but is an obsessive scentfollower with bloodhound like persistence. The Wachtelhund is easily trained to hunt all type of game (feathered and fur). It is a great retriever for dense undergrowth and makes an excellent water dog.I am as guilty as anyone for sticking with the dogs I know.
Small and strong, Wachtelhunds are strong in the field.
I learned about Wachtelhunds from my friend Kraig Glazier at Last Chance Wachtels ten years before I got my first dog. What I found has proven to be my favorite flushing dog. These dogs hunt hard! Nose-trailing across the landscape and a spinning tail will command your attention. Whether in pursuit of upland birds or waterfowl, these dogs hold their own. These are not large dogs, at 45 to 65 pounds, but their dense physique keeps them strong for all endeavors.
There is another phenomenal characteristic I love about these canines. As easy as it is to turn on the hunt, this dog can quickly relax to a Golden Retriever-like calmness that I desire when the hunt is finished. My family is happy to have them in the house at the end of the day.
They also make great waterfowl dogs.
I believe there are plenty of great dogs out there to experience but the Wachtelhund will long have a job with my hunting business as well as a home with my children.
Chad Hoover operates Hoover Outfitting, an Orvis-Endorsed Wingshooting Guide.
Thank you for making their existence known to more hunters. I love my Wachtelhund! Never had a better hunting dog.
I’ve had wachtels (here in Canada) for close to 30 years. I love my wachtels for exactly the reasons in the article. Everyone I hunt with winds up loving them too.