Episode 11: Duck Tolling and the Murray River Retriever
Release Date: 09/17/2020
The Rise of the Pointer in America
Hunting Dog Confidential
Craig Koshyk, author of , explores the unlikely story of how the Pointer rose to fame over the English Setter in America. At the time, this was something no one in the field trial circuit ever imagined possible, and before long, the Pointer dominated trialing. This is a story of culture, changing times, and America's continued efforts to advance everything they put their hands on.
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A Quick Update on HDC
Hunting Dog Confidential
Don't adjust your sets - we are back with a brief update on all things HDC! We've been getting lots of questions about the podcast, the magazine, and what other projects we have in the works. Craig and Jennifer are here to answer those questions and let you know what's in the pipeline for Hunting Dog Confidential!
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Episode 32: Drahthaars, Langhaars, Bretons, and Other International Breeds in America
Hunting Dog Confidential
We’ve been talking about the role of “place” in the history and culture of hunting dog breeds, but not every breed fits neatly within geographical boundaries. There are several breeds in North America who have a foot in two worlds: the parent country (often Germany) as well as North America. We explore breeds such as the Deutsch Drahthaar, Deutsch Langhaar, and Deutsch Kurzhaar which are known by their German language names in order to differentiate from the German Wirehaired Pointer, German Longhaired Pointer, and German Shorthaired Pointer. Even though the names directly...
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Episode 31: The Modern Era of Bird Dogs in North America
Hunting Dog Confidential
The end of World War II saw thousands of American servicemen and servicewomen returning home to the United States and Canada, many of whom brought home new dogs they’d met while in occupied Germany. These “new” dogs were unlike the setters and Pointers that dominated the bird dog scene in North America. Defying labels, these dogs could search, point, retrieve, and track. Some of these dogs fit in well with the American field trial culture and found success alongside setters and Pointers. Others, however, struggled to find success in the competitive environment that favored fast,...
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Episode 30: The Golden Age of Hunting Dogs in North America
Hunting Dog Confidential
Up until the late nineteenth century, the use and breeding of hunting dogs in North America was rather chaotic. Dogs were used in a variety of different ways, whether it was market hunters using Setters to retrieve waterfowl or big game hunters using Pointers to track and hold wounded elk at bay. There was no consistency in the breeding, either, as different types of dogs were often mixed and matched at will. Before long, though, some of the same concepts from the industrial revolution found their way into dog fancy. In order to achieve consistent results, fanciers knew they needed to...
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Episode 29: Early America, Part 2
Hunting Dog Confidential
We continue the history of hunting dogs as a function of place and time, resuming our discussion about dogs in North America in the colonial era. When Europeans arrived on North American shores—whether it was the Spanish, the French, or the English—we know that they had dogs with them. Early writings and paintings from this era depict a variety of dogs that accompanied the colonists for purposes of protection and hunting.
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Episode 28: Early America, Part 1
Hunting Dog Confidential
This season of Hunting Dog Confidential will explore the history of hunting dogs as a function of place and time. We begin in North America, starting with the earliest evidence of domesticated dogs from about 10,000 years ago. This episode brings us right up to the end of the pre-colonial era in the fifteenth century. We’ll continue our exploration of North American hunting dog history in the next episode.
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Episode 27: A Sense of Place
Hunting Dog Confidential
We are back with a sneak peek of season three of the Hunting Dog Confidential Podcast. Craig and Jennifer catch up on what they’ve been up to since the last episode (hint: they’ve been hunting with their dogs) and what’s new in the Hunting Dog Confidential world. This season will explore the "where" of our hunting dogs, not only the geography but the time in which they were created and developed. The story of dogs is intertwined in the fabric of human culture and we can't wait to dive in even deeper.
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Episode 26: Hawking and Bird Dogs with Anthony Williams
Hunting Dog Confidential
Anthony Williams is the epitome of versatility when it comes to the bird dog world. Growing up in Queens didn't dissuade him from his goals of hunting, running bird dogs, and flying a hawk. His initial exposure to birds was raising pigeons in New York, followed by his first experiences with falconry in an overgrown junkyard. This led him toward bird dogs, where he developed a love for the versatile breeds. Now, he has wirehaired Teckels, a Drahthaar, and a wirehaired Vizsla in addition to his hawks.
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Episode 25: Conservation and Forestry Management in Germany with Nadja Niesner
Hunting Dog Confidential
This episode is the continuation of the discussion we started last time with German hunter and hunting instructor, Nadja Niesner. We discuss how dogs are used to hunt various predators and invasive species such as raccoons and foxes. Before we get into the conversation, though, we address a listener question regarding the colors of hunting dogs.
info_outlineIn this episode, we respond to some listener feedback about a couple of more unusual retriever breeds and a strange way of attracting ducks to waiting hunters.
First up, we discuss the Murray River Curly-Coated Retriever. A listener from Australia alerted us to this rare landrace which has been used for centuries along the Murray River of South Australia. This dog’s short, strong build and curly, brown coat share many similarities with other breeds developed around the same time. While its exact origin story is unknown, several theories abound. Could it be the result of Flat-Coated Retrievers mixed with curly coated water dogs such as the Irish Water Spaniel? Could it be an offshoot of the Curly-Coated Retriever? Or, most curiously, could it be a surviving landrace from the now-extinct Norfolk Retriever? Descriptions of the Norfolk Retriever certainly seem to fit the look as well as the working style of the Murray River dog.
Whatever the origins of the Murray River Retriever, it maintains a small but passionate group of enthusiasts who are striving to gain breed recognition within the Australian Kennel Club.
The last of the retriever breeds to cover in this series is the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. The “Little River Duck Dog” is a symbol of Nova Scotia and a nod to the rich history of duck hunting in local waterways across the eastern seaboard of North America. But what exactly is “tolling” and how did it originate?
We discuss the various origins of canine tolling behavior, which is when a dog plays along the shore to lure curious ducks closer to within gun range. Foxes exhibit this behavior in the wild, but there are no confirmed records of foxes and dogs breeding to form hybrids. Instead, domestic dogs were selected for a fox-like appearance and trained to mimic the fox’s behavior in cleverly luring ducks toward a waiting hunter.
The English and Dutch used similar methods to lure ducks into a cage, pipe, or trap called a “decoy”, but there are no records of them using guns to kill the ducks trapped while using a tolling dog. This unique method of hunting appears to have originated from French practices, which may well explain the origins of the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever.
We wrap up the episode with a discussion of the forthcoming Hunting Dog Confidential Magazine. We are in the final stages of editing Issue One and can’t wait to take readers on a journey to learn about hunting dogs from all around the world. The articles and photography are firsthand accounts from many of the sources that we’ve used for episodes of this podcast. If you are enjoying the podcast and like learning about the history and modern-day use of all kinds of hunting dogs, you will love this coffee-table-quality magazine. Subscribe at projectupland.com to get ahold of the first issue in October!
As always, we thank you for listening and hope you’ll continue to reach out with your comments, questions, and ideas. Who knows what other unusual types of dogs are out there? We can’t wait to find out. We can be reached at [email protected].
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