My husband and I tried our hand at the Deer Gun season, trying to fill a whitetail buck tag unsuccessfully this past weekend. Bird hunting season, of course, overlaps the deer season here, and while we were out trying to find some deer we saw a couple of guys out bird hunting with a couple of gorgeous GSD's. It was pretty cool to see that, because it's not something you hear of regularly or see on a normal basis.

The dogs, as I said, were pretty good looking dogs. I know that our GSD girl could easily be trained for hunting, then she'd have a job and would bond more with my husband. I told him he needs to, now that we've actually seen a couple of GSD's doing it.

What part were the dogs playing the hunt?
I can think of a couple of areas where a GSD 'could provide' some aide, but I can think of quite a few other areas where that kind of training would go completely against what should be the nature for a GSD.
If your SO wants a gun dog, I'd think he'd be further ahead if he got one of any number of nice bird dog breeds.
Why fight nature?

We didn't see the dogs "in action", but I'm going to assume that they were flushing and retrieving the birds.

GSD's are such a versatile breed, why not train them to hunt? And our GSD doesn't currently have a "job". I think it would work. For our girl it'll be a matter of training her not to bite too hard, or only training her to flush out the birds. Either way it would be pretty interesting.

I'm not saying that I'm planning on breeding GSD's for hunting birds, we're planning on breeding Labs for that purpose. I think it would be interesting to see people's reactions when they hear that my GSD goes bird hunting with our Lab.

Emmm,
Okay go for it. No reason not to try if that's what you want to do.
I didn't mean you can't try, only that there's better breeds to spend your time on for that purpose.
Like maybe that Lab you're thinking about breeding.

I have taken a GSD on game shoots - the hardest thing was to teach a soft mouthed retrieve, that and the odd looks you get from others.
If the dog has the ability to do it, why not

I have had two GSDs at different times that did bird hunting. The point and flush are not that disimilar to what were bred in for herding. I took one of my GSDs hunting once with other hunters. When I showed up with a GSD, these guys with their Llewellan, Pointer and Springer; laughed. My girl quartered and froze with her nose pointing the birds. Not the classic front leg lifted pose, but that is often not done by "real" gun dogs either. When signaled, she'd flush them. Then she was very solid in waiting to be sent to retrieve them, and watch and mark the spot they'd fall. By the end of the hunt, two of the gun dog owners were trying to buy my GSD.

Could she have won at a field trial? I don't think so. But she could have made a decent showing.

My other GSD would actually circle a covey of quail like she was working sheep. She had to learn not to press to hard or they'd fly before I was ready. She'd take direction, so I could halt her at the far side of her circle, and have her move in a step at a time until I told her to stop. Then, when I was ready, I'd signal her and she'd jump on them. They'd burst in the air and I'd bag one or two. She'd mark and wait until I send her. Then retrieve.

GSDs can do almost anything that is physically capable for a large dog to do. For each specialty, there are usually breeds that are better than a GSD. But none are as good at so many things.

If you want a field trial champion, don't get a GSD. But if you want a versitle dog that can bird hunt as well as other things, And you favor GSDs; by all means use the GSD.

I hunted quail with a Kerry Blue Terrier yrs ago. Did a passible (shaky) point but was a bit to quick on the flush.
Funny part was he HATED getting feathers in his mouth. Deadly on anything with fur but if he'd pick up bird it was by the beak or feet when he retrieved. I guess that was his "soft mouth' aproach.

Alot of dogs can learn a soft mouthed retrieve with the right education. It does make life easier though to start with a dog that is already selected to be soft mouthed with a high retrieve instinct and brought up to remain soft mouthed.

If you want a suggestion for a how to, try Training the Hunting Retriever by Jerome B Robinson. It's a pretty no nonsense book written by hunters for new hunters. I would suggest a club but they may not want to work with a GSD over say a lab.

 Quote: Tanith Wheeler

I have taken a GSD on game shoots - the hardest thing was to teach a soft mouthed retrieve, that and the odd looks you get from others.
If the dog has the ability to do it, why not

Ditto. Once had a springer who'd bring live baby birds to me unharmed. Can't see my GSD doing that, or at least not without tons of effort.

I asked a gundog trainer for help - after rolling on the floor laughing - he offered to help.

What we did with the soft retrieve (had problems due to training with dumbells and lots of bitework) was to get two hard bristled brushes and screw them together so that the bristles pointed outwards. He got the idea but I just use a different command for a soft mouth...

I love the fact that GSDs can do pretty much anything to a useable standard - the only thing my male won't do is herd sheep collie style (the only kind I can find over here).

He once brought me one of my pet rats which had gotten out of its cage, unharmed albeit a bit damp. So they are capable of that behaviour.