E Setter, Brittany, or GSP

[Mattyd]

Friends: First of I have been a "lurker" for sometime here on forum. Thanks go to all of you that are far more knowledgeable than I for all the good information you post for the rest of to learn from. The Friday after Thanksgiving I unexpectedly had to put our 12 yr old E Setter down. Oh my. My wife and I are discussing what we are going to do next. We really think we would like to wait until spring until we get another dog or pup.

Here is where I need your help. Our dog will spend the daytime while we work in the kennel in the back yard. When we are home our dog is in the house with us as a companion. I hunt pheasants and quail. One of my wife's concerns if we switch breeds is how easy they are to clean up afer in the house. Our setter shed quite a bit but it really swept up well with the sweeper and was white hair so it was not very obvious. I suspect a Brittany would be the same.

How are the Shorthairs to clean up after? Does their hair sweep up well with a sweeper from the carpet? Anyone have a setter and a GSP that can comment on the ease or lack there of for hair clean up?

Thanks so much.

[Sharon]

I've had both. There's no way you aren't going to have hair in the house with either breed. The short hair's hair is shorter. ( Gee I'm smart.) It sticks in fiber more then setter hair but both are a pain to clean up.

[Mattyd]

Sharon- Thanks for the reply. I know dog in house...dog hair in house We never had a real problem with it because the setter hair swept up good. It just seemed to lay on top of the carpet and up it would come. What I am trying to figure out is due to short stiff nature of the GSP coat make it much harder for the sweepr to sweep up?

[47sgs]

Just get which dog is going to make you happiest, which will fit in the family best, which will be best around kids, and don't worry about the hair. Both will shed, and both can be cleaned up after.

[Shotgun Kennel]

First, sorry about you losing your long time buddy.

I have had both in the house. GSPs hand down are easier to take care of (coat wise) and easier to keep the house "looking" better. Having said that, whatever breed you decide the breeding for a house/gundog is the most important decision you can make. You keep your dogs like we do. Mostly out during the day and in at night. So, temperment for a great gundog as well as family/house dog is very important to us.

I simply decided to go with all GSPs from now on because of the great versatility (upland and water work) and low up-keep. Fifteen minutes afer a bath they are pretty much dry and ready to run out and find something nasty to roll in.

[prairiefirepointers]

Fifteen minutes afer a bath they are pretty much dry and ready to run out and find something nasty to roll in.

Ain't that the truth!

[Llewellin01]

Get a Llewellin....lol. really all three breeds are very good. Just get whatever suits your lifestyle the best.

[Mattyd]

Anyone else that wants to weigh in jump on in. I was really thinking of a GSP but somewhat apprehensive as the wifee has to "buy in" as well. I loved my setters but feeling somewhat time for a change. Always liked the Brittanys just never owned one. GSPs are what my huntng buds have and have been so impressed with them. As luck would have it we were at a party tonight and ran into some folks that have GSP inside the house. The wife couldn't speak high enough of the GSP being low maintenance in the house (understanding a dog in the house is never low maintenance). 90% sure it will be a GSP pup come spring. Thanks!

[Ditch__Parrot]

ok i'll weigh in, I have GSP's. They have hair so there is dog hair in the house right. I've never had a problem with it being hard to clean up in the house. I like that it doesn't ball up.

It's very nice that they are easy to clean up. The cleaner they are, the cleaner everything else is.

The only problem I've had with hair was in my old truck (cheap thin cloth seats). After vacuumng it there still would be hair sticking out of the cloth like needles. Most would vacuume out but some would stick in the seats. I thought about actually making Sadie Marie ride in the box in back, but decided to trade in the truck on one with leather seats instead. Problem Solved.

[Mattyd]

Good idea on trading the truck!
Sadie Marie is one fine looking dog. That is the color combo I am hoping to find packaged in a small female that would be bred for foot hunting.
Thanks!!!

[Ditch__Parrot]

Thanks for the compliment on Sadie Marie. I had no idea she would tick up like she did. She was all white with liver spots when she was little. A little hint though. Find everything else you are looking for in a litter then pick color from the litter. Pretty doesn't hunt. White and Liver is pretty common though. So it shouln't be hard to find a good litter that will likely throw them.

Also when looking for a dog bred for foot hunting remember that you can alway reel in they're range a bit, but can never push them out. Sadie Marie always/usually hunts within gun range. Perfect for some situations (pheasants in row crops for one) but I started wishing that she would push out further when hunting by myself or wishing I could send her down a fence row or tree row. Hence Daisy May. I'm hoping for alot more range out of her.

[Born2Hunt]

I have 2 shorthairs and 1 Vizsla all in the house.. They are all great family dogs, the Vizsla sheds far less the the shorthairs, but all are great inside the house....