What breed?...

[Smith81]

The wife won't let me buy a GSP. This is going to be my first bird dog, however I have hunted over them and assisted with training for several years now.

I can buy any breed but a GSP. Her friends have a couple and they're pretty wild I guess, so she won't budge on it.

I am leaning towards an english setter or a lab...any thoughts or suggestions are welcome.

[Ruffshooter]

What are you hunting and where? You are headed in two compeltely different directions witht ES and Lab. Your wife needs to go to some ones house who has trained their GSPs' and maybe watch them in the field.

[remmy]

Your wife can't discourage a breed just based on her friends couple of GSPs. Every dog is different. Also, depends mostly on the breeding.

My female GSP in my avatar is as calm as they get...she is a house dog when she's not out trialing with my pro. Sleeps all day on the couch.

Where and what you plan on hunting has a lot to do with what type of dog to get.

[Benny]

Get a basset hound and grossly overfeed it. Should be calm as clay in about 8 months. If you want to hunt it, just place it in a bicycle basket and ride downwind of cover. Pause when it lifts its head.

[ezzy333]

You guys aren't offering much help. Whether you agree or not he said the GSP is off limits, so he is wanting some help.

Ezzy

[Benny]

You guys aren't offering much help. Whether you agree or not he said the GSP is off limits, so he is wanting some help.

Ezzy

Just staying on the lighter side of things until he gets back about where he's hunting and what he's hunting. Important variables. Besides, I think the Basset hound is still a good idea.

[Sharon]

If you're interested in hunting ducks, geese, upland birds you'd be wise to get a lab.

If you are only interested in upland birds, I have found an English Setter ( field) to be a fine hunter and inside dog.
A Brittany would also suit your purposes as it is also a fine upland hunter and in house dog.

Whatever you choose - enjoy!

[aylaschamp]

GSP or not you might have problems with any bird dog. Sure breeding plays a key role in the bidability of dogs but how they're raised says a bunch also. All bird dogs if, if not properly guided in the early years, can and will become a menace. Hunting dogs that don't get the release to burn the energy will turn to destructive and obnoxious behavior or develop ticks. This is just my opinion but GSPs and Brittney's seem to be less needy and better suited for house/hunting dogs. Setters are wonderful dogs but I've found them to be much like wine. Out of all of them I might suggest a wirehair for a first dog. They are a bit more aloof and can do anything a lab or a GSP can do.

[3Britts]

If your choices are ES and lab, I'd go with the Setter. Good temperment and easy around the house. Won't shed like a lab and you can't beat that point. Personally, I think you should take your wife with you to a number of breeder so that she can see what any dog you might get will be like. Or, you could just skip the preliminaries and get a Britt right now. Best of all hunting dogs.

[aylaschamp]

Are yo 100% sure you want a bird dog??? :roll: This floor was spotless this morning!



And she's pretty sure there's something up there she needs to eat!



Your wife is right!!! Don't get a GSP! LOL

[Benny]

Or a dogo

[wems2371]

Smith81, since you are most familiar with gsps, without your wife's thoughts--is that the breed you would have chosen?

I ask, because I think the rational behind no-gsp is misguided and has very little basis. I find it hard to give advice, because I could say go get a vizsla, because the one's I've seen are great housedogs...also with very little basis. I could really care less if you get a gsp, and I truly hope you get the dog right for you, but fact be know there are "wild" dogs in every breed. I'm not sure what definition we're giving "wild", but I'll guess it means lacks obedience. A dog with high drive in the field, might bring high drive to the house (or not)....but that's where obedience comes in. Heck I've known many folks with non hunting breeds that have torn up linoleum, couch cushions that no longer have stuffing, jump on everyone they meet, don't listen to a single command, etc. I agree with Ruffshooter, that if a gsp was your first choice, take her to see some dogs that are well mannered. Good luck and welcome to the forum. Denise

Beeny , that was a good one and I'm trying to picture that.

[Killer Instinct]

Good luck and welcome to the forum. Denise

Beeny , that was a good one and I'm trying to picture that.

OT - Acually, Denise, Benny is referring to Aylaschamp's other topic "I can handle bird dogs but the new girl is different!" thread.... you might have already figured it out though.... .... sounds like an interesting dog....

[Bigg_Redd]

The wife won't let me buy a GSP. This is going to be my first bird dog, however I have hunted over them and assisted with training for several years now.

I can buy any breed but a GSP. Her friends have a couple and they're pretty wild I guess, so she won't budge on it.

I am leaning towards an english setter or a lab...any thoughts or suggestions are welcome.

Get a non-typical colored GSP and tell her it's an English Pointer.

[Bigg_Redd]

Get a basset hound and grossly overfeed it. Should be calm as clay in about 8 months. If you want to hunt it, just place it in a bicycle basket and ride downwind of cover. Pause when it lifts its head.

BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!

ROTFLMMFAO!

[Benny]

Get a basset hound and grossly overfeed it. Should be calm as clay in about 8 months. If you want to hunt it, just place it in a bicycle basket and ride downwind of cover. Pause when it lifts its head.

BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!

ROTFLMMFAO!

See I knew I was being helpful. Smith, I would probably consider the German Wirehair (GWP) if I was in your shoes. In all honesty, though, I think you and your wife should sit down and talk about your objectives and goals here. What do the TWO of you want in a dag that you're willing to compromise with...BOTH WAYS. Don't let the dog be a problem between you guys or the dog will just turn out to be a bitter blip in time. Every puppy should coming home should be the best thing that ever happened and looked forward to.

[Grange]

I own a lab and am getting an english setter on Saturday. Labs are great family dogs and great with children. The don't need as much exercise as an english setter, and tend to be bigger than a field bred english setter. My lab is 57 lbs and is fast as any lab I've seen. She retrieves, well like a lab, and has great ground coverage. I had her out for a run this afternoon and she went 3 hours without slowing down, but it was only 24 degrees outside. She is good on ruffed grouse and great at pheasant. The down sides to my lab is she not good in warm temps. If it's over 70 degrees she either has to be by water or she tires out very quickly. 50-60 degrees she's OK, but still not 100%. Basically the colder the better for her. She sheds more than any dog I know and she is a licker.

I chose the english setter for my next dog because I wanted a pointing dog and I have yet to see a better looking dog on point. I also want a dog that will just fly through the grouse woods. My puppy's breeding contains some the most well known setters in the coverdog world on both sides. I already have a great pheasant dog and I hope I will also have a great grouse dog. Time will tell, but I think I gave myself the best odds possible.

You may want to consider the brittany. They can run on the smaller size or up to the medium (40+ lbs) size depending on the breeding. I lived with two and hunt with both of them a lot. As far as in the house both of the brittanies are well behaved especially with exercise. The are content to lay in the living room with their humans. The older brittany is by far the best grouse dog I have ever seen. I don't remember the last time he bumped a bird and if he's on point you'd better get ready. The biggest reason I didn't choose a brittany was their lack of a tail. I love a high tail on point.

[prairiefirepointers]

Get a basset hound and grossly overfeed it. Should be calm as clay in about 8 months. If you want to hunt it, just place it in a bicycle basket and ride downwind of cover. Pause when it lifts its head.

LMAO

[aylaschamp]

Get a non-typical colored GSP and tell her it's an English Pointer.

HEY! I just saw that one. I know where you can find one and the guy will sell her cheap! :roll: :roll: