Yeah, they are pretty much. Albert has turned out to be a pretty good bird dog, at least for our Ruffed Grouse which is sort of specialized hunting. Our Grouse aren't like yours, our's don't roost in trees and let you shoot them off one at a time. Here they hide in heavy brush, so you're moving all the time. However the birds won't flush until you just about step on them. That's what the dog is for, to give you a little forewarning. The birds (about the size of a small chicken) fly with a great deal of commotion and it always startles you, then you bang your shotgun into a tree or two as they mostly fly away safe - sometimes you get a shot off, mostly you don't. The Albert loves it - and so do I. The other dogs aren't worth a turd in a bucket except they are extremely protective of my wife, fearsomely so.
