The RIGHT Dog For Me

[Onk]

I have always hunted over English pointers. Now I am 46 and have had achilles tendon/heel surgery and have slowed down a bit, not sure if I can keep up with a ranging pointer any longer! I have had people tell me that a Brittany dog is closer ranging and the way I should go. I am sure they are good dogs but I love the look of a pointer and the GSP's. Never hunted over or with a GSP so I know very little about them,(range, energy level, training....). My dad, rest his soul, always hunted female pointers. Said they were easier to handle and not near as stubborn, maybe he was right, he always had a great dog for very little money and only home yard training. Anyway to my question, what dog would you all say would be the right dog for a person like me. I am in Missouri where it is mostly quail and some pheasant. We do the Kansas pheasant hunt from time to time. Any information would be helpful.

[Birddogz]

Are you looking for only a GSP? If you want a dog that hunts close and will hunt hard all day, a French Britt is the ticket. If you are looking for a close working GSP, ask Blitz on here. Also, Spinones are close working dogs.

[Onk]

No not looking only at a GSP, but they remind me most of the English Pointers i've always been around. I am looking at all breeds, I just don't know much about the other breeds and want the info so I make the right choice for mine and the dogs sake. I have seen the French Brit while searching the internet but have never been around one!

[Steve007]

I think you're making a mistake focusing on breed rather than the individual dog or breeding. If you like a GSP or even a Pointer, there are plenty of dogs of those breeds that work close. Just put up a "wanted" listing on the bird dog boards (such as this one) descibinmg your preferences and you'll get some good responses from which to select.

Therre are Brits that are big-running and Pointers that are not; pick the dog, not the breed, at least for upland work.

[Ryman Gun Dog]

Onk,
Steve gave you good advise, there are plenty of breeders who will supply you with the gun dog you really want to hunt behind.
Ask for some help, describle the dog you want, pretty sure there well be a Pointer you can still hunt with. Properly trained
with a B&T collar Pointers can work at any range you desire. If you really want to make a change however there are lots of companion
gun dogs that instinctively check in with the master, and work exclusively for the master. Real KS German Shorthairs, GVP tested Small Munsterlanders,
Frech Brits, GVP tested German Longhair Pointers and others all make great true companion hunting dogs.
RGD/Dave

[Kmack]

English Setter or Llewellin Setter would be my suggestion.

Here are some breeders I can recommend that might have something to suit your needs:

http://www.prairiedriftersetters.comxa.com/
http://dannywoodykennels.com/
http://www.morrisgundogs.com/Gun_Dogs_and_Training.html
http://highcottonllewellins.com/
http://www.on-pointllewellinsetters.com/

[Onk]

Thanks for the information. I am learning alot in just my first day on this site. I have alot of time and research to put into my choice, I have never heard of some of the breeds on her. The advice of the right dog not the breed is something I never really thought about.

[Hookadooka BirdDogs]

The RIGHT dog for you will become the right dog for you no matter what breed you purchase. It all depends on the love you give it, the time you spend with it, the birds you get it into. Kind of like a child. I have hunted over and with maybe a dozen different breeds. Many good, some bad. The bad ones usually had owners that didn't LISTEN to their dog.
If you go the Britt route (had many) get one from non-trialer stock for close in work. My Gordon was a close worker as was all her offspring. Just make sure it's out of non-show stock. Presently I have an awesome Llewellin Setter that will hunt big on Pheasants in open country, but put her in grouse country and she is a different dog, close working and very methodical.
Just my Opinion. Good Luck.

[mcbosco]

Are you looking for only a GSP? If you want a dog that hunts close and will hunt hard all day, a French Britt is the ticket. If you are looking for a close working GSP, ask Blitz on here. Also, Spinones are close working dogs.

If you don't mind a large dog, a Spinone will work nicely for you. They are fairly easy to train, docile, great nose, healthy breed but do things their way, which is careful and no rush, although their slowness is greatly exaggerated because body movement while tepid doesn't always equate to how much ground is covered. To give you an idea of size a male like mine is spot on 27 inches and low 90's in weight. The long leg helps in terms of how quickly they cover ground. They do well very well in cold and better than you would think in the heat.

That said, they are not everyone's cup of tea but no one would argue that they are easy to handle and live with, except for the beard.

If you have kids around they have similar temperament to a lab or golden but much better behaved indoors. They eat relatively little.

A friend at work has a French Brit and that dog is wonderful.

[Onk]

I keep coming back to the French Brittany every time I am doing any research on bird dogs. We lost our house dog a little over a year ago,if the FB's are as good of hunters as I have read they are and as good of a indoor family member as i've read, a FB could fill two voids, one with my family and the other in the field!

[ymepointer]

I think you're making a mistake focusing on breed rather than the individual dog or breeding. If you like a GSP or even a Pointer, there are plenty of dogs of those breeds that work close. Just put up a "wanted" listing on the bird dog boards (such as this one) descibinmg your preferences and you'll get some good responses from which to select.

Therre are Brits that are big-running and Pointers that are not; pick the dog, not the breed, at least for upland work.

I agree with steve you can find a nice foot hunting dog in any breed, though some breeds are more likely to fit the bill as far as range is concerned. I too am going to be looking for something with a little less horsepower some day, but you can find what you are looking for in any breed, you may have to look a little longer but you can find it.

[mcbosco]

I keep coming back to the French Brittany every time I am doing any research on bird dogs. We lost our house dog a little over a year ago,if the FB's are as good of hunters as I have read they are and as good of a indoor family member as i've read, a FB could fill two voids, one with my family and the other in the field!

Yes 100% agree. My buddy's FB is like mine happy doing pretty much anything.

[wems2371]

I think you're making a mistake focusing on breed rather than the individual dog or breeding. If you like a GSP or even a Pointer, there are plenty of dogs of those breeds that work close. Just put up a "wanted" listing on the bird dog boards (such as this one) descibinmg your preferences and you'll get some good responses from which to select.

Therre are Brits that are big-running and Pointers that are not; pick the dog, not the breed, at least for upland work.

Couldn't agree more with this.

[Meller]

Where are you located at in missouri?

[Onk]

Meller I am in Trenton that is the North Central part of MO.

[Meller]

I sometime's hunt at Pooseyand at Paho CA. area's so I come thru Trenton every now and then wheather depending, if I get up that way I'll pm: you and you would be welcome to walk along with my Shorthair's and me on a hunt, if you would be interested.

[Onk]

That would be great, I carry rural mail so I also have plenty of places of my customers to hunt most times.

[Birddogz]

Are you from Trenton originally? I went to college with a woman who grew up in Trenton, and would be around your age.

[hunterw/newhobby]

Hey,
I have a GSP that's in inside dog, she's great with my two kids (5 and 1.5). The youngest spends a good part of the evening pulling on her ears, his version of petting, and she loves it. He also sits on her fairly regularly. Her range is at most 100 yards in thin cover and 30-40 in thick cover. She is my first gun dog that I trained and she makes me look smart most days. If you'd ever want to hunt behind her I'm in st. Joe so that's not to bad of a drive for me to trenton, especially if there's birds. Replied to this becuase I definitely agree that its the environment a lot more than the genetics in most cases. MY GSP has figured out what I want from her both inside and hunting and she tries her best to please me most of the time.
Ross

[birddog1968]

you shouldn't have a problem finding a close working EP, just look for a started dog and the range he works should be a known factor.....that and he should stand point as long as he needs to until you get there......

[Troy08er]

I think you're making a mistake focusing on breed rather than the individual dog or breeding. If you like a GSP or even a Pointer, there are plenty of dogs of those breeds that work close. Just put up a "wanted" listing on the bird dog boards (such as this one) descibinmg your preferences and you'll get some good responses from which to select.

Therre are Brits that are big-running and Pointers that are not; pick the dog, not the breed, at least for upland work.

+1 on what he said.My 2 cents, If like the GSP I would look for a Grief or Radbach line breeding. Looks like these would be some good gun dogs http://www.kmkshorthairs.com/ . or check the west coast breeders. Good luck,Troy

[birddogger]

I think you're making a mistake focusing on breed rather than the individual dog or breeding. If you like a GSP or even a Pointer, there are plenty of dogs of those breeds that work close. Just put up a "wanted" listing on the bird dog boards (such as this one) descibinmg your preferences and you'll get some good responses from which to select.

Therre are Brits that are big-running and Pointers that are not; pick the dog, not the breed, at least for upland work.

Yep, Steve nailed it. Good post!

Charlie