German Shorthairs and Cold Water

owensat · Post by **owensat** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 12:41 pm

Hey everybody,
Pretty new to the forum, and I'd just like to say hello.

I wanted to get an opinion on how German shorthaired pointers do in cold water, like for duck hunting. I really like what I've seen from doing a little internet research on the breed, plus I have a good friend who has one and has nothing but good things to say about them. I just haven't heard much about how they do in cold water, is it hard on them, or are they pretty adaptable, do they seem to like it?

What is the general experience?

Thanks for the input,
Taylor

Post by **Greg Jennings** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 1:26 pm

There are some things here you can find by doing a Search.

I think it all comes down to what "cold" means in your specific case and to some degree to the GSP in question...how much coat and mass they have.

Best,

phantomfire · Post by **phantomfire** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 2:48 pm

I just got my new GSP pup last week. Hes already pointing neighbors cats and all kinds of good stuff. I mainly duck hunt but wanted to start quail hunting so I got a GSP. An old commander of mine turned me onto GSPs. He told me that is all he ever duck hunted with in Montana. That being said, I have hunted with LAbs plenty of time and have had to break alot of ice to get to birds. After I get to know my pup better after he ages a bit I will start to see how far he can go. But I dont think I will ever take him out into some of the same conditions we take my brothers lab to. I am sure the dog would perform but I think at the end of the day my buddy would probably be wiped out, neoprene vest or not. Dont take my opinion as gospel I am totally new to the breed and sure others have some better experience and advice with thier dogs

owensat · Post by **owensat** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 3:54 pm

yeah i saw a few posts on the search its just hard to say. i duck hunt in north alabama and for the most part it isn't too bad, but we do have our icy days. i'm torn between a shorthair and a lab.

mtlee · Post by **mtlee** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 4:08 pm

I duck hunted my shorthair a lot this year. She never had any problems, BUT I live in South Carolina. The coldest days I can remember taking her were in the 30s...maybe high 20s overnight. Most days this year were in the 40s to start with and ended up in the high 50s to 60s. I intend to use her a lot for ducks and everyone I've talked to around the state has acted like I was crazy for asking if it gets too cold for them around her. I am going to get a retriever stand for her so she can stay out of the water and she wears a vest. But, I have no idea how cold it gets in AL...if you like versatile dogs, but are worried about the cold why don't you like at a Drahthaar, from my understanding they can take the cold very well.

Post by **Greg Jennings** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 4:22 pm

Hi Taylor,

I grew up in Nashville, quail and duck (and everything else) hunted heavily there. I moved here two years ago after 14 years in Montgomery with a 1 year TDY to Huntsville in the middle.

I think a GSP or a GWP could work for you. On the colder days, you might have to make some compromises.

It comes down to this....if you want to bird hunt (not many wild birds left in the mid-South), NSTRA trial, do NAVHDA testing, etc., then a GSP, GWP, etc. should be on your short list.

If you just only want to duck hunt, why not get a specialist like a lab or a chessie?

Regards,

owensat · Post by **owensat** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 4:53 pm

yeah, i live in south alabama right now, and have been out of bird and waterfowl hunting for several years, but am going to try to pick it back up. i grew up in guntersville, but am about to take a job back in huntsville. if i was only going to hunt waterfowl, i'd just get a lab. i've hunted over them before and they're just good in cold weather. but i've heard so many good things about gsp's and also may do a little bird hunting.

Post by **Greg Jennings** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 5:22 pm

owensat wrote:yeah, i live in south alabama right now, and have been out of bird and waterfowl hunting for several years, but am going to try to pick it back up. i grew up in guntersville, but am about to take a job back in huntsville. if i was only going to hunt waterfowl, i'd just get a lab. i've hunted over them before and they're just good in cold weather. but i've heard so many good things about gsp's and also may do a little bird hunting.

Have you looked into the opportunities for bird hunting around H-ville?

Best regards,

owensat · Post by **owensat** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 5:27 pm

Not specifically in Huntsville. I've just done a little dove and quail hunting on farms and such around where I grew up. I've mainly been into duck hunting though.

Post by **Greg Jennings** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 5:47 pm

The reason that I bring it up is that I grew up bird hunting every week of the season. I could let the dogs out of the pen and hunt 15 coveys in a half-day trip without getting in a truck.

I got back into pointing dogs after many years. College, career, kids, etc. and had no idea that the bird population in the South had gone down so dramatically. Houses, fescue, bush hogs, pesticide and road-to-road farming has about done it for poor Mr. Bob.

I just wouldn't want someone to get back into bird hunting without knowing what their opportunities are.

On the flip side, there is a lot of NSTRA trailing in that area. There are AKC field trails and hunt tests over in GA and in TN.

If you're specifically interested in a GSP, take a trip over to LaFayette, GA and visit http://www.walnuthillgsps.us . If you're going to live near Huntsville, it would be handy to have your breeder who is also a professional trainer so close. Both of the litters that they have upcoming are a lot like the litter my pup is from. He's the dog in my signature line.

Best,

Texrab · Post by **Texrab** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 8:53 am

I took my gsp last weekend duck hunting without any problems. Granted it was not freezing cold but he did alot better than I expected. If you are interested in both duck hunting and bird hunting you can check out the mid-south navhda group to see some of the dogs work both water and field. Here is a link https://home.comcast.net/~midsouthnavhda/ . Feel free to pm or e-mail if you would like more info.
Kevin

ward myers · Post by **ward myers** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 9:46 pm

I cant say about cold weather as i live in fla
but my gsp work fine for duck hunting

Emptypair · Post by **Emptypair** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 8:40 am

You could always in"vest" in your dog and put a neoprene vest on in the coldest of weather. We encounter quite a bit of cold during the latter part of our duck season here and put vests on any dog we take to the water...even the Labs. As long as you can keep him warm and still in the blind you should be happy. There's no doubt that a GSP gives you versitility to handle different types of birds.

Lab Man · Post by **Lab Man** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 12:04 pm

Here in Iowa it would be way to cold for my Shorthair. That is why I have Shorthairs and Labradors.

gonehunting4days · Post by **gonehunting4days** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 10:50 pm

I think it depends on the dog. I have two GSP's, a two year old female who will retrieve ducks out of the water but not as wlling after the ice has been on the lakes edges, on the other hand the pup I bought last summer is a recreational swimmer, this past fall would brake the ice on the edge of the lake to retrieve ducks for me.

mtlee · Post by **mtlee** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 12:38 pm

I think is definitely on an indvidual basis...Just yesterday I was at the county park throwing a dummy in the water for my GSP and she was jumping in and having a great time not acting like the water bothered her. A guy I met out there was doing the same thing with his GSP and the dog was having a great time but was shaking like a leaf when it got out of the water and all the hair on its back was standing up. I thought this was a little odd and interesting to see the differences between 2 dogs of the same breed.

owensat · Post by **owensat** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 5:55 pm

thanks to everybody for the responses. this gives me a lot of insight.

Stump · Post by **Stump** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 9:31 pm

Im going to get my GSP on ducks as well. this thread was a good read

Wagonmaster · Post by **Wagonmaster** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 2:26 pm

It definitely does depend on your definition of "cold." Lots of the people who post from the southern part of the country, TX, OK, etc. talk about using their dogs in cold water. But up here, in Minnesota, cold water may be 36 F. I have been scuba diving in that stuff, dropped a glove, reached into to water about 8" deep, and literally burned my hand in a few seconds.

We had one many years ago, a fairly stoutly built dog, and had heard all about the breed's love for water. At the time, my brothers, father, and I spent pretty much every weekend of the hunting season up in northern Minnesota, and we would generally be in a duck blind with decoys out and before dawn, then at about 10 or 11, whenever the ducks quit moving, we would hunt ruffed grouse in the woods. Sometimes it was cold enough we broke rim ice to get the decoys out, and sometimes it snowed.

That shorthair would go in the water and make all the retrieves you wanted. And in those days if the ringbills and bluebills were flying, the limit was 6, there were plenty of birds to be retrieved. But after a retrieve the dog would crawl in your lap, and just shiver uncontrollably. Were I to use them again for this purpose, I would definitely want to use a neoprene vest.

Having hunted over friends' labs for many years, I observed that coat thickness or consistency is not the biggest issue. The labs would build up a layer of body fat when fall came, and also had generally greater body mass. This served thems well in our super cold water.

Don't know a shorthair alive that won't to in. I would not use them for big water cold water retrieving though. It is not that they wouldn't, it is that you should not ask them to. Jump shooting and pond decoying would be no big deal tho'.

Honkers41 · Post by **Honkers41** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 6:17 pm

Owen....i'm a breeder of GSP's for over 20 years, i am now retired ..the GSP is not made for harsh cold water condtions....you wanna hunt him or her on waterfowl stick to the early teal seasons or hunt him in the corn fields for geese.....he does'nt have the fat or the oil in his skin to repels and hold the heat......just my 2 cents...Honkers41!!!

gonehunting4days · Post by **gonehunting4days** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 10:16 pm

I was just swiming mine yesterday here in MN at my buddy's pond that filled up with run off from all the snow. He was loving it and having a great time.

gonehuntin' · Post by **gonehuntin'** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 5:03 am

If you're in the south, no problem. If you're up North here, big problem. Once the water starts rolling slush, or the air temp drops into the 10's, shorthairs don't like to go. Many still will but they go hypothermic very quickly. Use a vest.

Devils Creek · Post by **Devils Creek** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 9:36 am

I'll tend to agree with the other posters. My experience with GSP's, Vizslas, and Wire Coat Vizslas are very similar. Pick your days and make allowances. If its severe, you need a specialist.

I remember many years ago I was invited to a VERY famous duck shooting lodge in the Delta Marsh of Manitoba. This was a lodge that Clark Gable, Jimmy Robinson, and many other celebrities gunned at.
A buddy and I were snuck in for one night and a day of duck hunting.

It was Mid November and bitter. We were lent one of the lodge dogs for the day. He was a 6 year old Lab/Newfoundland cross, solid black and maybe 125 lbs. Now he wasn't much for speed but....

With ice forming at the edges, where the wind wasn't whipping it up, he jumped in off the bank, and swam just outside the decoy spread, where he stayed. Just his eyes and nose showing out of the water.

A short swim to the fallen mallards, up on the bank to hand it over, then back in the water. He stayed like that for maybe 3 hours. Probably to him it was warmer there.

He was the ultimate specialist. I tried real hard to buy that dog, and thought about stealing him.

mtlee · Post by **mtlee** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 12:24 pm

gonehuntin' wrote:If you're in the south, no problem. If you're up North here, big problem. Once the water starts rolling slush, or the air temp drops into the 10's, shorthairs don't like to go. Many still will but they go hypothermic very quickly. Use a vest.

I definitely agree with this...if I were to go up north on a hunt I'd have to think real hard about taking my shorthair. The coldest day I hunted this past season was in about 30 degree air temps, it was a warm season even for SC. She wears a vest, when I take it off her body and the vest steams---I really think those things help keep the dog much warmer.

markerdown · Post by **markerdown** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 2:28 pm

I hunted ducks in new england with my first GSP. As a rule of thumb, if there was a layer of ice forming, I didn't take the dog. My dog also wore a neoprene vest. It wasn't that the dog wasn't willing to go in the water with ice, it's just that w/o an undercoat, shorthair, and the fact that they need to be moving to stay warm, a wet GSP in a duckblind on a cold day wasn't gonna happen with my pooch. Ya gotta use some common sense, it's a pointer. If you want to hunt cold weather ducks, get a chessie. Just my .02..........................markerdown

h20fwlkillr · Post by **h20fwlkillr** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 12:04 am

I use my male weim duck hunting and will be using my female this year as well. No matter what the temp, I take them with me. Your dog will let you know when it's too cold to water retrieve(most of the time) My weim hunts until it is about 25 degrees. Any colder than that, he stays in the blind, unless a bird hits dry land or thick ice. I agree that vests are a must. Go with at least 5mm neoprene for extra bouyancy and insulation.

Grange · Post by **Grange** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 9:05 am

I haven't duck hunted in a while, but when we hunted with dogs we always used labs or our chessies. The chessies were better in the real cold temps, but both handled it just fine.

Not sure how cold duck hunting in Alabama gets, but if you really want a pointing dog for upland game as well as waterfowl hunting maybe a versitile breed such as GWP or WPG or PP would be more your style.

td · Post by td » Fri Feb 15, 2008 2:06 pm

This is a really old thread but felt I needed to add my experiences.

My 53 pound has not an ounce of fat to keep it warm. That is not a problem when it's 20 and they are running the field. If she is wet and sitting in a blind, even 50 degrees can turn them into a shivering mass quickly. If the wind is blowing, forget it...

This year, my GSP made a particluarly lengthy retrieve in 50 degree water. By the time she got back, she was shivering uncontrollably.

Let's face it, neoprene vests are made for Labs which are the same size from stem to stern. A vest that fits a deep chested GSP around the chest will flop around uselessly on their tiny waist. Cold water will flow freely through the vest as they swim, futher loweing body heat.

My point, I guess, is that if your going to hunt your GSP for an extended time or over several days, find a way to keep it as warm as you are.

If it does not have the fat protection of a 100 pound lab, it's going to have a tough time hunting like one. Give your buddy a coat.

mikeyair · Post by **mikeyair** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 7:19 pm

ive duck hunted with a couple gsps a vest is a good investment but the didnt seem to mind the cold to much as long as the birds were flying.

TGCGSPS · Post by **TGCGSPS** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 4:57 pm

I live in utah. my gsp has about a 1 inch to 1 1/4 inch coat on him. He ways about 70 lbs. And i have never had trouble with him yet. I only will hunt him into about november thou just cuz i love him.And if it did become a problem chuck and old neoprene vest round him and he'll do great

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German Shorthairs and Cold Water

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