Hunting Dog Confidential

Project Upland Media Group•projectupland.com

Explore the history, myths, and incredible stories of hunting dog breeds around the world. Co-hosted by Jennifer Wapenski and Craig Koshyk. A Project Upland Podcast.

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Episodes

Episode 7: From Spaniels to Retrievers

We are in the midst of talking about the origins of hunting dogs; specifically, we are covering the history of flushing spaniels, retrievers, and hounds. In this episode, we pick up where we left off with some further discussion about spaniels. A running theme for Hunting Dog Confidential has been the idea that hunting dog breeds are a reflection of the culture from which they originated. Two spaniel breeds are particularly good examples of this idea: the Welsh springer spaniel and the Russian s...

Jul 23, 2020•57 min•Season 1Ep. 7

Episode 6: Hunting Spaniels

This episode kicks off a new mini-series on other types of gun dogs: flushing spaniels, retrievers, terriers, scent hounds, and sight hounds. This broader look at hunting dogs will explore the history of each type of dog and how it fits into the overall timeline of hunting dogs as they developed alongside their human partners. We’ll also look at where these dogs are today and how they are being used in the field. Like always, we dive into some linguistics to better understand the cultural origin...

Jul 09, 2020•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 6

Episode 5: Breed Origins Part 3 - United Kingdom and Ireland

In the final chapter of this mini-series on the origins of pointing dogs, we cross the English Channel to talk about Pointers and setters. Some might argue that by crossing the channel we are leaving behind the versatile breeds and are now looking at more specialized bird dogs. However, like everything else in the bird dog world, it’s a lot more complicated than that. Pointers and setters likely came to England in the 1600s and 1700s, most likely originating from the area now serving as the bord...

Jun 25, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 5

Episode 4: Breed Origins Part 2 - East of the Rhine

We are deep into talking about the origins of pointing dogs; we’ve been looking back through history and discussing how dogs were developing alongside the hunting culture. In this episode, we focus on the development of hunting dogs east of the Rhine river: primarily in Germany, but also Hungary, Czech Republic, and Slovakia. Unlike what was going on across the river in France, these breeds owe their development to a qualification system of hunt tests, rather than competition through field trial...

Jun 11, 2020•1 hr 18 min•Season 1Ep. 4

Episode 3: Breed Origins Part 1 - West of the Rhine

In this week’s episode, we explore the development of pointing dog breeds in the regions of Europe that fall west of the Rhine River, including Italy, Spain, and France. Aside from being a convenient geographic divide, the Rhine also roughly divided the hunting dog culture in how people used and promoted their dogs. Countries to the south and west generally followed the British method of “proofing” their dogs by competing in field trials that crowned a champion. In comparison, countries to the e...

May 28, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 3

Episode 2: Culture

In this episode, co-hosts Craig Koshyk and Jennifer Wapenski explore the idea that hunting dogs are a reflection of the culture from which they originate. This broad survey of hunting cultures across time and place will set the stage for future discussions at the regional and breed level. Craig’s experiences while researching pointing dog breeds across Europe were not only educational, but also deeply enriching for his own hunting practices and traditions. Cultural exchanges with hunters from ot...

May 14, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 2

Episode 1: Origins

Co-hosts Craig Koshyk and Jennifer Wapenski launch Hunting Dog Confidential by diving into the origins of pointing dogs. This first episode will kick off a mini-series exploring the origins of pointing dog breeds across continental Europe, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. So what’s actually happening when a bird dog goes on point? Did you know that you are likely an experienced pointer? If you’ve ever paused just before swatting at a fly, then you have exhibited this same behavior that makes poi...

May 04, 2020•53 min•Season 1Ep. 1

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