What Breed Did You Start With

Willie Hunter · Post by **Willie Hunter** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 6:17 pm

I started hunting upland birds with a flushing lab, then went to a pointing lab ("bleep" I love that dog) for the past 5 years I have hunted over the PL and English Setters. My days of being a lab owner are coming to a close. I love hunting over these English Setters. How was your journey?

3Britts · Post by **3Britts** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 7:23 pm

I started with my neighbor's britts and my friends EP. Later, I had a Springer and moved to Britts when the Springer died, I just couldn't replace that Springer. Now I have four and won't be going anywhere else.

jwnissen · Post by **jwnissen** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 7:49 pm

My step dad got me hunting about 10 years ago when I was 24. He had a black lab that would flush them but you had about 30 seconds to get to the bird before she started eating them. Fell in love with upland hunting ever since. A friend of mine got a GSP as a pet and just seeing the intensity in that dog made me fall in love with the breed. I currently am 34 with my first bird dog, a GSP. I cant wait till season opens!!!!

I tried to train her, but realized I did not have the time, knwledge or resources to train her, actually she was a last minute addition. She was an "oops" litter and the price was right. Next time I will be more prepared and will do it myself.

Stoneface · Post by **Stoneface** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 8:02 pm

I started with a Shorthair. He was a great, great dog. I never did find another dog to measure up to him. From Harley and after several Shorthairs I've experienced Setters and, now, finally Pointers. I'm sure I've found my place with Pointers.

Post by **Sharon** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 8:35 pm

My Dad bred beagles while I was 6-12 so...............

madmurph · Post by **madmurph** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 10:21 pm

I started with my uncle's springer. My first dog was a vizsla and I currently own two. My next one will be a pointer. There is something about the white dog with a tail, although I will always have a vizsla in the pack. If I ever switched to a flushing breed it would be a springer.

S&J gsp · Post by **S&J gsp** » Sun Aug 19, 2012 5:44 am

Started with pointers and went to shorthairs and back to pointers and back to shorthairs now it will only be shorthairs where I like my pointers most are too quick to take my wife and kids with me so I will stick with my shorthairs

rkappes · Post by **rkappes** » Sun Aug 19, 2012 5:58 am

Britt, Britt, Britt and now I have this little mutt (GSP/Springer) from the shelter. She's turned out to be a heck of a little bird dog. Our next pup will be a EB. Although, I would like to experience all the breeds before my time is up.

JKP · Post by **JKP** » Sun Aug 19, 2012 8:03 am

Hunted over Beagles as a kid. My Dad had a Gordon. He recommended looking at DD in 1970 when I wanted to get a dog. Stayed with GWP and now DD since then.

deseeker · Post by **deseeker** » Sun Aug 19, 2012 9:45 am

I started with springers & in 1988 I switched to Britts. I helped train a good field Irish for a friend---I wouldn't mind trying one of those sometime(like the high tail) although I'll have britts forever.

willt · Post by **willt** » Sun Aug 19, 2012 9:48 am

Started out with shorthairs as a kid, have owned on ep. Still have shorthairs today and love em.

stolhma · Post by **stolhma** » Sun Aug 19, 2012 10:01 am

Started with EP, then went to ES, Brit, now I have Gordon's. Love the breed, all the breeds have made me smile, Gordons make me laugh!!

D Bros. · Post by **D Bros.** » Sun Aug 19, 2012 4:27 pm

Pointing Labs for me. Years ago I was thinking of getting a hunting dog. When I told my cousin of my plans, he asked what breed I was going to get. I told him I was thinking of getting a Beagle, since I could bunny hunt with him and I figured a smaller short haired dog would be easier to keep clean and have in the house. His response was: "Man, you live in the middle of prime pheasant hunting country. You should get a bird dog. Specifically, you should get a Lab. A pointing Lab, if you can find one."

Not too much later I heard about a litter of black Lab pups, and ended up getting my first one, Deacon. I found I really liked the breed, and was hooked. I'm now on my second one, Diesel. And plan on having Labs for the rest of my life. Tho, I will admit I'm tempted to get a Llewellin Setter as well.

hustonmc · Post by **hustonmc** » Sun Aug 19, 2012 6:03 pm

Had it all growing up, nothing makes a pair like a farm kid and his dog. Dad was a pointer/setter man from Missiouri but we usually only had what was free growing up in Oregon. The first none stock dog I could call mine was a Bluetick bitch, shortly after they outlawed use of hounds in the state. Before I got her to a good home, my brothers Weim tied up with her. Gorgeous pups, couldn't get rid of 2 of the pups, they were my shadow. Killed alot of critters with those dogs. Won a few coon dog water trials with them, then my Dad found someone in California looking for water trial dogs, paid good. Next was a broke Springer that had 1 testicle so he was given to me as long as I didn't breed. Good dog but he died after that first season, crying shame because I would had my driver license that fall. During this time we had a family Britt and my brother had a shorthair. Killed alot of pheasant and quail over those two. I was dogless since we had the other dogs running around until I turned 18 my dad bought me a pointing lab. My dad and I trained that dog together and he was coming along great, then 3 weeks before hunting season he was stolen. I joined the military shortly after and for some reason decided when I got out I was going to get a hunting bred Weim since I had such fond memories of my brothers. That dog was the one that lit my fire, got into training seriously and started hunting about 40 days a year. My mentor is a old time Britt man that has won his fair share, and got me started on the right foot. After getting into trials and bird hunting as hard as I was, it became apparent that my old man was on to something back in the day with Pointers. I needed the Mazaratti of the dog world, I needed a trial bred Pointer. Re-homed the Weim and the rest is history. Can't see myself with anything but a Pointer. Maybe a Britt or a Red Setter some day, but it's hard to go backwards when you have Pointers eating up the country in front of you.

AzDoggin · Post by **AzDoggin** » Sun Aug 19, 2012 6:08 pm

Started with labs. Loved them then, love them now. We had a lease on the North Platte River in Nebraska and several blinds on our stretch of land, so the lab was the PERFECT dog for our needs hunting, and the perfect family dog too.

Fireside · Post by **Fireside** » Sun Aug 19, 2012 6:15 pm

Hubby had a Weim when we met. I got into Labradors and he got a Flat-Coat. I had a couple of Brittanys, but they didn;t work out.. I stayed in Labradors until about 4 years ago when I went down the Brittany road again. Now I have 4 of them and don;t plan to have any other breed... I sure do like the Irish Red and White Setters tho...

SetterNut · Post by **SetterNut** » Sun Aug 19, 2012 6:45 pm

When I was a kid in KY I got an Irish Setter out of the backwoods. She was a fine bird dog.
Then when I got out of college and got married I wanted another Irish setter to hunt with, but could not find a litter with good hunting breeding in the area, so I got a Red setter. That dog was OK at best.

I always like the look of the Gordons, and bought a pup from a Springset dog crosses with a Gordon out of PA. Lady was an outstanding bird dog, and was perfect with my young kids. When Lady passed away we wanted another Gordon, but Cookie had a fair amount of show breeding, and was so so in the field.

Then a friend of my wife was having thier last litter of Llewellin here in town. I had seen the parents hunt, and was very interested in getting a pup. My wife really didn't want any more dogs, but the kids did the job on her and we got Ace. He has been a very nice hunting dog.

We ( the kids and I ) worked on my wife some more and we added a 2nd Llewellin Indy last summer. Indy has won my wifes heart, so I should be set in a few years for my next dog, as long as it is a Llewellin form Indy's breeder.

Started and staying with Setters.

BigTub · Post by **BigTub** » Sun Aug 19, 2012 6:58 pm

Britt, Britt, Britt, and nothing but a Britt.

mik · Post by **mik** » Sun Aug 19, 2012 7:30 pm

Two Weims now a GSP

Wildweeds · Post by **Wildweeds** » Sun Aug 19, 2012 8:51 pm

First was a field irish setter,the interims were golden retriever,flat coat retriever,springer spaniels,pointer and now E setters.Just counted all the ones gone by and the current pack...............25 dogs in 36 years

SCT · Post by **SCT** » Sun Aug 19, 2012 9:41 pm

Started with pointers, will live my life and die only having pointers. I will never forget my first experience with them. Too long to tell here, just know it was a beautiful, finished specimen and I was amazed at it glory.

Steve

Britts522 · Post by **Britts522** » Mon Aug 20, 2012 8:25 am

Britts, helped train a couple of setters. Don't think I'll switch from Britts.

codym · Post by **codym** » Mon Aug 20, 2012 2:21 pm

My first dog was a lab, I was fifteen and had to save all my summer work money to buy her. I trained her using an old copy of water dog a few bumpers and a rope. Sammy will always be my favorite dog. She has been all over the southwest and probably retrieved more scaled quail than any dog that ever lived!jk She is the one that ignited my passion for training dogs and it will be a very sad day when we say good bye. I wanted a pointing dog in college since there aren't many ducks in Cruces so I got a shorthair. That wasn't the best experience so I moved on to pointers. The EP is now my dog of choice. The natural ability, beauty, style, and sheer athleticism is in my opinion unmatched. I love my EP's but there will always be at least one lab, preferably yellow in my house.

trasmuson3 · Post by **trasmuson3** » Mon Aug 20, 2012 2:51 pm

Always had DD's growing up, but now that I'm married and have our own house, wife and I decided to get a GSP for my first hunting dog. I'll probably always have one of both however, when I get a house with a bigger yard. Great things about both dogs! I'm loving my new GSP pup right now though.

Munster · Post by **Munster** » Mon Aug 20, 2012 3:34 pm

SMall Munsterlander and I am on y 3rd now. I am pretty sure I will not change breeds.

pointshootretrieve · Post by **pointshootretrieve** » Mon Aug 20, 2012 5:18 pm

Springer then Labrador, GSP, GWP, DD, Pointer, now Pudelpointer.

Francois P vd Walt · Post by **Francois P vd Walt** » Tue Aug 21, 2012 11:51 am

Corgi's I trained to catch my bantam chickens I sold growing up on a small holding, Jack Russels I hunted anything that moved, Rottweiler x doberman just dogs. Started crossing pittbull terriers with gsp's for blood dogs great animals for tracking wounded buck, hog, cats ....
Dogo ...... wanted more than one dog.
Now I have 4 shorthairs ! Awesome stuff !

brad27 · Post by **brad27** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 8:20 pm

Lucy is my first dog. I will probably always own GSP's, but if I were to get a different breed, it would be a setter.

twofeathers · Post by **twofeathers** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 12:42 am

Dad had a redbone coon hound when I was born until I was about five. Then he had jack Russels he bred and a golden cocker retriever as a house pet/hunter. After the russels he got into blue ticked beagles that he bred and sold (and hunted). The golden died and was replaced by a mutt that showed up on the porch and mom started feeding it had some lab mix we think. I moved out and got into tri-colored beagles to hunt with and breed and an austrailian sheppard for house pet who turned out to be my favorite squirrel hunting buddy. Mom and dad got an apple head chihuahua to replace the mutt that passed. I moved on from beagles to GSP's now have two. When the Sheppard passes wife and I are looking to go smaller maybe setter or britt in the house.

DogNewbie · Post by **DogNewbie** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 8:40 am

Briar is my first dog. He's a GWP. I think it would be tough not to get another GWP after my experience with him, but I do love the look of an IRWS in the grouse woods.

HDAU · Post by **HDAU** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 9:46 am

I grew up with britts and always wanted a GSP. I got my first GSP from Snips last summer. It is from the Sam x Izzy tornado litter. Never is a strong word, but not only do I think that I will never own another breed, I probably will not look to another breeder.

cohanzick creek · Post by **cohanzick creek** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 11:19 am

I started with a hound pointer mix when i was 14. I hunted everything with that pup. She was a nice hunting dog. I moved on between short hairs, brits, labs, even a irish setter, before i got my first gwp. First was in the eighties and had them ever since
cc

PkerStr8Tail · Post by **PkerStr8Tail** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 5:56 pm

I started with several GSPs. Had a few nice ones. One out of Sundance lines. Nice dog. Switched to pointers several years ago and been a pointer guy ever since.

Post by **ezzy333** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 8:27 pm

Started with Brittanys, but have had a couple of practically every breed going but always had the Britts along with the others. Back to just 2 Britts now.

Ezzy

gus · Post by **gus** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 11:07 pm

My grandparents had ES as we were growing up. I have considered setters every since but a GSP came into our life 13 years ago that is still with us. The wife has a Brittany and I have a 2 year old GSP also. I am in the process of looking for a Pointer, my GSP's have led me to this as they are and were huge ranging dogs. A couple of horses at home now and a little trialing with the wife's Brittany has the hook set. I will always have a GSP though, it is my breed. Keith

Hunting cop · Post by **Hunting cop** » Wed Aug 29, 2012 11:20 am

I was wondering about a Gordon Setter. I have never hunted with one and dont know anyone else in Kentucky that does. But there are some people close to me who just had a litter and I was considering trying one.

stolhma wrote:Started with EP, then went to ES, Brit, now I have Gordon's. Love the breed, all the breeds have made me smile, Gordons make me laugh!!

deseeker · Post by **deseeker** » Wed Aug 29, 2012 12:32 pm

Hunting cop wrote:I was wondering about a Gordon Setter. I have never hunted with one and dont know anyone else in Kentucky that does. But there are some people close to me who just had a litter and I was considering trying one.
stolhma wrote:Started with EP, then went to ES, Brit, now I have Gordon's. Love the breed, all the breeds have made me smile, Gordons make me laugh!!

Make sure the sire and dam hunt or you might be sorry :roll:

JWP58 · Post by **JWP58** » Wed Aug 29, 2012 1:12 pm

My dad had GSP's, EP's, and a Brittany.

My first was a Brittany (about to undertake his first hunting season) and I believe im about to get my 2nd brittany pretty soon.

Qwernt · Post by **Qwernt** » Wed Aug 29, 2012 3:22 pm

As I recently said in another (long) post:
Grandpa had pointers that I group hunted with, but the Irish Setter was the daily "let's go get a bird" dog for us boys.
After she passed we went through GSP and lab.
After 20 year break, I hunt over some springers but get myself a French Brittany.
While I like all the bird dog breeds, I will probably stick with Frenchies, they hunt so much like the setter did. Though at some point I will probably switch to Tri-Color instead of orange roan.

JeffLex00 · Post by **JeffLex00** » Fri Aug 31, 2012 12:19 am

I started with a yellow lab. I always wanted my GSP (which I own a 2 year old now), but my lab was a special dog in and out of the woods, and on and off of the water! I love the magestic look of English Pointers, but hunting the swamp edges and popple thickets of northern Wisconsin for grouse and woodcock, I've never seen an EP used and I'm not sure they are the correct fit. I've always been told they are more of an open grassland runner than a close working, heavy cover dog (but my knowledge base is pretty limited on them, so I could be completely wrong?). But I love the pics of all your EP's on this website!!! Please keep them coming.

Northwoods · Post by **Northwoods** » Thu Sep 13, 2012 10:36 am

black lab, the dog i have now