Help me pick a bird dog breed!

cayotehunter

New member
Hey guys,
My lab is getting up there in years and he isnt hunting anymore so Im starting to look into getting another dog. I love my lab but Im thinking about trying a new breed just because Ive only ever had labs. So Ive got a few breeds in mind but I cant decide. This dog will have to be able to hunt both waterfowl and upland birds and will most likely ride around in the truck with me everyday. The breeds Im considering are Golden Retreivers, Boykin Spaniels,Vizsla's, Wirehaired Griffons, and Brittany's. What would you guys pick? Whats your experience with these breeds? Any help or info is greatly appreciated. Thanks guys!
 
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How about a German Wirehair?

I know a gentelman up here in ND that'll treat you right, raises some really good dogs, very versatile hunters. He lives right on the river, so they get to play in the water a lot from the time he starts them.
 
Originally Posted By: fw707Do you want a pointing dog, or a flushing dog?

I would like it to able to do both.

Frozenbutt - I might still go with another lab but I would like to try out a different breed. Also thanks for the link that was very useful.

Any other thoughts and opinions?
 
Originally Posted By: cayotehunter


. Also thanks for the link that was very useful.



I was looking at a chessie until I seen they were up on the list. Suprised goldens are that high up there.
 
yeah I didnt realize that goldens where that bad. But griffins are pretty low on the list, they seem to be a pretty good waterfowl/upland dog. Hard to beat a lab [beeep], just figured id give a new breed a try...
 
Labs are great, but I'm partial to my Brittany. One of the best all around dogs I've ever owned. Jack was retrieving ducks and geese before he was a year old. That may not impress any one but me, as I never trained a retriever before.
On the down side, even with a neopreme vest on, I've never seen a dog get so cold his teeth chattered before.
But every time I pick up a gun, Jack is first to the door.

Shayne
 
ALL sporting breeds have issues with hips. Labs are pretty bad with hips as well, those statistics only reflect the dogs that are tested. Griffons and some of the less popular breeds will have less health issues due to the fact that they are not being bred for sheer volume and $, and there just aren't a ton of them out there..

If you are looking for a dog that will both point in the upland and be a decent cold water retriever I would look towards the wirehaired breeds or possibly look into one of the kennels specializing in pointing labs.

Any of the breeds you are looking at are deffinately viable options, as long as you do your homework and find responsible breeders that are breeding field bred dogs. I wouldnt concern my self with something like hips when considering a breed, any breeder worth buying from will have the parents tested and provide heath guarantees since most of these issues are genetic.

Jim
 
German Short Haired Pointers are great dogs. So are the German Wire Haired Pointers. My 9 year old German Short Hair pointed more than 40 Pheasant in the last 2 days. What a wonderful dog she is.
 
With waterfowl in the picture... I would stick with Labs myself.

If I was more on upland birds, I would love to try out a Viszla.
 
I have seen the Griffons and they are a closer working dog. Great retrievers I own German Wirehair pointers and hunt alot of ducks with them. Probably not the best choice if you spend lots of time in a blind. My dogs would rather be out covering ground but they hunt in the blind quite a bit. Small Munsterlanders would be a good choice also. If its cold where you are the shorthair breeds might not like the colder temps and water. But they will do it.
 
I've hunted over quite a few different breeds of dogs. I had a lab for a long time and enjoyed him and shot a lot of birds of him, but I'm very partial to my English Cockers now. They're top notch in the uplands, and can get the job done in the water too. The only downfall is that they can't handle sitting in the blind while wet in cold weather. My main dog (others in the wings) is capable of very long blinds, handles well, and is a retrieving maniac. The size is also a plus...a 30 lb dog is a lot more convenient than an 80 lb dog.

That said, any of the German bred dogs would probably suite your purposes as well. Labs are nice, but there are other breeds out there...some that have been more carefully bred than the labs, making it more likely to get a quality dog. Of course there are many exceptions on both sides.
 
I'd go with a brittany if it was me. I have two labs and two brittanies and if I had to chose and I'm glad I don't I would have to pic my britts. They are versitale to say the least. Natural retrievers and love the water too. I love their temperment and around kids they are great too.
 
I own and love my German short hair and he hunts upland as well as waterfowl until it gets super cold. I'm sure he still would if I'd let him. I have buddies that all hunt with dogs you mentioned and IMHO just from hunting with them I would go griffon or lab, then the rest.
 
This will probably make a few people mad but you know what they say about the truth!!! There are exceptions to every rule and no doubt every dog owner has the exception but here's what I've experienced, FWIW...

Labs.........some are really nice, others not so and seem to be one man dogs that will eventually bite. This breed seems to get really fat too easily and always suffer bad health before their time. Alot of which is probably attributable to the owner. Hip problems galore.

Chessies.........forget it, never seen one that was'nt mean and a biter. Problem is they get this way after you have had them for a while and invested alot of time and money. Definately a one man dog and that's OK as long as you hunt by yourself. Hip problems not so much reported as owners dont tend to keep one long enough to find out.

Goldens..........Nicest temperment but most I've seen were worthless. All three above are too big and stink entirely too much.

Vislas..................Bark too much at nothing...you can put on a shock collar and absolutely fry their brain until only a few cells remain and the moron will still be trying to bark at the butterfly that flew by two hours ago! The ones I have seen are just not intelligent enough to amount to anything. They do have alot of energy and stamina so if you do decide to go this route consider saving your sanity and getting that throat operation to silence the vocal chord. Not a bad choice if you are deaf and hunt alot of ground.

English Pointer.............hard headed to the point of causing most owners to give up but eventually get it if you can tolerate the lunacy long enough. Generally not gunshy, too wild and crazy when they are young to ever let it bother them. Temperment changes for the better if you keep one long enough.

English Setter....Very nice dogs but extremely soft. Yell too loud or do the wrong thing just once and they are ruined. Make a nice "pet and ride around in the truck" dog if you are not harsh with them. One wrong move with the best finished hunter and it's all over but the petting. Kinda like that really pretty girlfriend that requires constant butt kissing.

German Shorthairs....Pretty decent all around nice dog. Never seen a mean one. Can be a ratchet mouth but never as ridiculous as a Visla. Generally fairly well mannered if you demand it. No where near as hardheaded as an english pointer.

Wirehair...Neat dogs, about like the shorthair but the ones I have experience with were more durable over longer periods of hunting. Take cold water better than the shorthair. Never seen a mean one or one with a ratchet mouth. Did see one that was a cat killer once but hey...where's the downside to that???

Brittany's...........pretty, make nice pets.

One good plus with the bob tailed dogs...you dont have to rearrange your house so thay can walk around in it and not break or destroy everything their tail will hit. Personally I would not have any of the above big, obnoxious, stinking, sweaty, hairy, hair shedding, slobbering, vomiting, seat tearing, brand new truck destroying, roll in a dead animal for no reason, noise making animalia in the cab of my truck. Do yourself, your dog and your vehicle a favor and buy the dog a nice dog box to ride safely in. Good luck, you'll need it cause one out of twenty makes it...regardless of the breed.
 
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