The Check Cord

Training Versatile Dogs Made Simple

- Alec Sparks

Versatile breed dogs have seen a widespread increase over the past 20 years. And for good reason: They are, in fact, versatile!

Lots of breeds fall under the “versatile” banner, and a fair number seems generally predisposed to be stronger in one area or the other. Some breeds have more point in them but aren’t huge fans of water, and others are strong in the water but have less intensity on point. Of course, there are plenty of dogs that are strong in both and, unfortunately, other dogs that lack horsepower in both areas of performance. (This distinction is certainly not meant to disparage versatile dogs; these days, there are fair numbers of pointers out there that don’t have a ton of intensity on point and retrievers with modest retrieving desire.)

If you’re considering a versatile breed as your next dog, you definitely want to give some consideration to the hunting you do and what trait you would find most important. Whether “pointing” or “water retrieving” sits atop your punch list, I would certainly suggest looking at the different breeds that excel in those primary areas before considering any that are stronger in the second skill on the list.