There are lots of Versatile breeds to choose from, And a
good dog is a good dog regardless of breed.
Speaking from the POV of someone hunting in the same basic geographic area and hunting the same types of game you are talking about, I can tell you there are guys in the local NAVHDA club with a variety of breeds but in our area the GWPs definitely dominate.
I like my dog's medium coat because she doesn't attract every burr in the field(although she occasionally brings one home in her beard). The long coarse outter coat sheds the burrs/mud and the thick soft under coat that she grows in the fall keeps her warm. It's kinda cool the way she seems to change colors through the seasons due to the white in the outter coat. She gets lighter in the spring as the dark under coat sheds off then darker again in the fall as it thickens back up.
As far as the cold weather thing goes, I'll tell you the same thing I have told dozens of others when they question my dog's low temp abilities.
She will never give up and want to quit before you do
, regardless of how cold it gets. Besides there is equipment we use to deal with cold to make our 4-legged friends more comfortable.
I would also encourage you to do your homework. Your next hunting partner will probably be with you about 10 Years- a lifetime commitment for him/her.
Sam came from a kennel near you- Von Krieger in Weston Id. You may want to consider contacting them.
Looks like their website hasn't been updated in a while but the contact info should be good.
http://www.yourgundog.com/
Also, Three Devils Kennel is located nearby and has litters regularly.
http://www.huntingdogs.cc/
Good Luck!
