Dog or Bitch - What Makes The Best Gundog?

In essence there are not, but there are a range of other important considerations that must be looked at before deciding on a male or female shooting companion. 

Of course seasoned guns will often have a distinct choice. How often have we heard someone say ”I’m a dog man” or likewise “Bitches are easier to train.”

As in all things it’s a case of “each to their own” but for those starting from scratch and with no pre-conceived notions about preferences between dogs and bitches, there are surprisingly several things that do need to be factored into your deliberations over gender choice.

To start with it is a total fallacy that dogs are harder to train than bitches. In terms of ability it is impossible to make any such sweeping statement. The ability, attitude and temperament of individuals is all about the genetic and breeding behind them and the way they are trained. It has nothing to do with their sex.

So with that cleared up what are the other gender issues that warrant some thought?

Looking at Dogs

Let’s start with dogs. Clearly the primary advantage for most people is the fact that there are no twice-yearly seasons or “heats” to contend with which may interfere with the bitch’s availability for work.

While there are those who prefer the male “attitude” of a dog and believe it brings with it more work focus (not something I agree with) with it comes testosterone and sex drive.  So a male gundog will inevitably have other things on his mind which can weaken concentration at times when either training or when working as a fully functional gundog. 

Of course a well-trained dog is aware that he has to contain his amorous intentions in just the same way that he has had to master other parts of his training as a civilised male. For some owners that degree of control is not always achieved in their dogs and it can be a lifelong nuisance.

Castration is an option and while vets are now very keen to dismantle male dog parts with great enthusiasm from a young age, the only real advantage I see is that it removes the ability to deliver the goods rather than diffuses the sexual urge. So while it’s never wise to make generalisations, I would say that castration does not always take away the sex-drive and is no quick-fix to re-educating a dog that loves to go “bitching”.

There are also now hormonal treatments being offered by vets which can be administered to dogs to quell their sexual urge. But anything that tinkers in this way with the natural behaviour of a male is bound to have an impact on it in other ways and I would not want any outside influences to potentially undermine my training expectations of a dog. I want a dog to be a dog and to train it in a way that will get the very best from it as an individual – totally in-tacto.

Looking at Bitches

Despite their twice-yearly seasons, there are many guns who prefer to shoot over a bitch rather than a dog. Some will say they are “sweeter” in their attitude and less inclined to be as single-minded as a dog both during their training and in their work on the shooting field. And of course there is always the opportunity to breed from a bitch, even if for no other reason than to be able to perpetuate the line and “keep it the family” for the future.

So in practical terms it can be very frustrating if a bitch comes on heat at exactly the time you need her to be by your side in the shooting season and likewise there is always the need to be vigilant to avoid an unintended alignment!

To be safe I work on the basis of three weeks and three days before I dare risk a bitch coming into contact with a dog – although in actual terms I will keep dogs away from bitches that have just had a season for at least a month. A friend recently had a bitch mated accidentally on the 22nd day of her heat when she should not have been able to conceive – and she produced 10 pups!

And last year, while enjoying lunch with the pickers-up, one unlucky chap discovered his Labrador bitch “tied” to a Hungarian Viszla dog behind his Land Rover. He was convinced she had long finished her season – clearly her and her paramour new otherwise! So if you are about to take on a bitch pup as a future shooting dog there has to be an acute awareness of the risks.

Spaying is an obvious option if you are convinced you never want to have a litter from a bitch. But once it’s done it’s done and vets do seem very keen to do this to bitches these days. If that is something you decide to opt for I would advise allowing the bitch to have one season before spaying – in my mind it just gives everything the chance to function, but I may be old-fashioned!

There are hormonal drugs now available from vets that can deter a bitch’s season if that is required for whatever reason. Likewise should the worst happen and a bitch be mated by accident, there is a drug treatment available to terminate the pregnancy in the very early stages. In both cases, as any vet will confirm, there can be side-effects and I know of bitches that have had unwanted pregnancies terminated but have gone on to show problematic oestrus cycles for the rest of their lives and some that have never produced pups to planned matings. So opting for a bitch as a shooting dog does come with a deal of responsibility.

Personal Preference

The question I am often asked is what is my preference – dog or bitch? For those of us who have spent a lifetime with gundogs we can all remember our best dogs of both sexes that have proved themselves to be outstanding in their work. So while anyone poised to become the owner of a new gundog – be that puppy or otherwise – should carefully consider the pros and cons of both dogs and bitches, I think it is just as important to do make a personal assessment of yourself as an individual and of the background of the pup you are considering.

Achieving a memorable and reliable partnership with a gundog is as much about your own attitude and ability as well as the dog’s breeding and genetics, as it is about which sex you finally settle for.