Colin and Amber Gosselin

“Cecil,” a Deutsch Drahthaar (German Pointer)

Why did you choose this breed? While I love Labs and have had two of them, I’m now hunting more upland birds. I wanted to try a pointing dog, but I also wanted a versatile dog that I could still use for retrieving waterfowl. Deutsch Drahthaar’s in North America still follow the stringent breeding and testing requirements of the German system, so you should get a great hunting dog. Plus I love their beards!

What kinds of training has your dog had? At this point it’s all about socialization and exposure and becoming a good citizen. Letting him interact with lots of people and exposing him to all sorts of things and situations in a fun and positive way will help bring out his natural instincts. This includes walks in the field, water, other dogs, birds, his crate, rides in the truck, house training, basic obedience and fun retrieving.

What kinds of hunting do you like to do with your dog? I hunt ducks and geese, both on land and the water, and also huns and sharp-tails in the Special Areas. I also like to hunt pheasants, but don’t get the chance very often, as I have to travel a lot farther to do that.

Why do you prefer to hunt with a dog? A well-trained dog means fewer lost birds. And fewer lost birds ultimately means fewer shot birds in the real world. I know first-hand how my dogs have used their noses and hunting instincts to find downed birds that I would have never found on my own.

How important is it to have a dog as part of the family? All of my dogs have been great members of the family, which is what you want, as 90 per cent of the time they’re not hunting. They’re excellent companions that offer so much. They understand their different jobs: around the house they can be total couch potatoes, but in the field they know they have a hunting job to do.

Do you have any final words of wisdom about dogs, hunting and conservation? Dogs mean more time out hunting and outdoors period. You find the time to get your dog out hunting or they’ll never let you live it down. When it’s not hunting season, they’re always game for a walk or a training session.