Dog's
- Thread starter Win/64
- Start date
Win/64
Springers are great but be careful who you get your dog from there are alot of back yard springer breeders that are selling some poor quality dogs these days. My fovorite is a black lab, I feel they are the most versitile hunting breed and well suited to canadian climate. I'm not sure where you live but the one negative to a springer is they collect burrs and hitch hikers really bad due to thier soft curly coat. My buddy spends a lot of time with scissors and a comb on burr detail after our hunting trips. I'd rather go hunting without my gun than without my lab, he's the best hunting partner I have ever had.
Springers are great but be careful who you get your dog from there are alot of back yard springer breeders that are selling some poor quality dogs these days. My fovorite is a black lab, I feel they are the most versitile hunting breed and well suited to canadian climate. I'm not sure where you live but the one negative to a springer is they collect burrs and hitch hikers really bad due to thier soft curly coat. My buddy spends a lot of time with scissors and a comb on burr detail after our hunting trips. I'd rather go hunting without my gun than without my lab, he's the best hunting partner I have ever had.
rustysdream
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Saskatchewan
I've had German Shorthaired Pointers for 14 years. Both my dogs are Show Champions as well as Field Champions. Excellent, very versatile gun dogs and great pets. They require minimal grooming.
BTW, just in case if anyone is interested, my female is pregnant. Puppies are expected in mid November.
Please contact the kennel if you're interested. I don't sell puppies, I'm the owner of the female GSP being bred.
Link to Robinhood Kennels: http://www.woofwoof.ca/
BTW, just in case if anyone is interested, my female is pregnant. Puppies are expected in mid November.
Please contact the kennel if you're interested. I don't sell puppies, I'm the owner of the female GSP being bred.
Link to Robinhood Kennels: http://www.woofwoof.ca/
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Good upland dog?
I say springer spaniel. You want family pet? A springer can't be beat. They're smart, easy trained, delicate disposition with their feelings easily hurt. I trained mine to retrieve ducks in water and could guide him just by hand signals.
Yes, be prepared to remove a lot of burrs.
I have seen some labs that just had too much ambition and hard to control.
In short, great at puting up pheasants at 75 yards!
Maybe a cocker spaniel is what you want. Don't laugh. They will poke around the scrub and a #### pheasant will take off thirty feet from you. Maybe a better burr catcher, though, than even a springer!
I say springer spaniel. You want family pet? A springer can't be beat. They're smart, easy trained, delicate disposition with their feelings easily hurt. I trained mine to retrieve ducks in water and could guide him just by hand signals.
Yes, be prepared to remove a lot of burrs.
I have seen some labs that just had too much ambition and hard to control.
In short, great at puting up pheasants at 75 yards!
Maybe a cocker spaniel is what you want. Don't laugh. They will poke around the scrub and a #### pheasant will take off thirty feet from you. Maybe a better burr catcher, though, than even a springer!
Find a guy who has his lab trained for upland and go with him, they are upland dogs. Just remember, they are flushers, not pointers, so keep them close and they will put birds up for you. Hunted pheasant over a couple of labs last fall, great dogs, hard working, and they make for a great pet as well.
john-brennan
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Vancouver Island B.C.
dogs
I own an englsh pointer and she is a very good bird dog, the breed are naturally good pointers and it did not take to much training to get her to do it all. As for a great pet here are a couple of pics.
I own an englsh pointer and she is a very good bird dog, the breed are naturally good pointers and it did not take to much training to get her to do it all. As for a great pet here are a couple of pics.
Labs are at their best as waterfowl dogs, however, they make for excellent upland game dogs also. They are a flushing breed, rather than a pointer, so they must be trained not to range beyond safe shooting distances. In England and Scotland, almost every hunter you see tramping the moors and barrens for partridge and grouse has a Lab, oftentimes a pair rather than the classic setter or pointer you would think would dominate there. The Lab is an extremely intelligent and versatile hunter and makes for just about the best family pet you could ever want. I would recommend that you look toward an established breeder specializing in gun dogs rather than a showdog breeder. Stay away from backyard breeders and potential puppy mill spawn unless you know the person and the quality of the dogs they're producing. Get a health guarantee as well. If the breeder won't provide that guarantee, find another breeder. Good breeders work to improve the breed and get rid of genetic defects, backyard breeders & puppy mill breeders don't know or don't care.
Asking a hunter what is the best dog is like asking one what is the best gun. My suggestion would be to visit a few kennels if there are any in your area. make sure that the animals are from hunting bloodlines. I've always had Springers running around my house and they not only make good family dogs but also devoted hunting companions. A word of advice if you have a pampered inside gundog, don't expect it to perform like a field trial champion. Enjoy your dog for what it will be, a pet and a hunting companion. I spent a few bucks and had her trained professionally, but that can get expensive.
i'm bias.for all round hunting and as an indoor pet i've had 8 golden retrievers.great dog, excellent pet ,easy to train and a great dispostion. terrific scenting ability for upland game. good in the water for ducks and geese. now the little down side. lots and lots of hair. scissors and combing after hunting ,1 trip to a groomer a year(usually before christmas). generally not as good a water dog as a lab, because of all the hair. if you are going to train one youself,be very patient,with any dog. a golden has a soft tempermant.they also are very eager to please. i'm sure there are exceptions to everything i've said, but you will add 1000 time the fun in your hunting with a good dog of any hunting breed.try to find a dog that has hunting and/or field trial work in it's ancestors and see if there's any FTCH in the pedigree.
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
I've had a number of German Shorthair Pointers and they are great on upland birds. They seem to work closer to you than an English Pointer and for some of the thicker areas around here, that's a plus. They also tend to have a softer mouth than a few Springers I've hunted over. I've also used mine on Ducks & Geese with good success as they are great swimmers but the downside with the coat they have is keeping them warm. As a family dog and pet they also excel as they seem to love kids. With children rough housing, at times they can be a 'little' too protective. I wouldn't hesitate getting another.
My bird hunting has tapered of the last few years and at present I have a Yellow Lab and she's a beauty! 90% pet and 10% hunting dog. Swims like a fish, she actually points although I haven't tried very hard to develop that trait, and doesn't have a mean bone in her body. A little slower on upland birds in the bush than the GS's, but then so am I.
My bird hunting has tapered of the last few years and at present I have a Yellow Lab and she's a beauty! 90% pet and 10% hunting dog. Swims like a fish, she actually points although I haven't tried very hard to develop that trait, and doesn't have a mean bone in her body. A little slower on upland birds in the bush than the GS's, but then so am I.
My vote
My vote after some research on the breeds would be the GSP and the chocolate lab.
It depends what you want the dog to do, point or flush.
For me, the look and appearance of the GSP is what I prefer, just my opinion.
They are both very good family pets, and good with kids, raising them amongst kids makes all the difference in the world as well.
The Viszla, again a beautiful dog. I understand though that they are VERY wired...and they are commonly called the "velcro" dog. One woman I know says she pretty much trips over the dog in the house because it won't leave her side.
I am looking at a pet/hunting companion as well, and so far my preference is the GSP. My concern too is the colder weather for the dog.
just my two cents...
Dave
My vote after some research on the breeds would be the GSP and the chocolate lab.
It depends what you want the dog to do, point or flush.
For me, the look and appearance of the GSP is what I prefer, just my opinion.
They are both very good family pets, and good with kids, raising them amongst kids makes all the difference in the world as well.
The Viszla, again a beautiful dog. I understand though that they are VERY wired...and they are commonly called the "velcro" dog. One woman I know says she pretty much trips over the dog in the house because it won't leave her side.
I am looking at a pet/hunting companion as well, and so far my preference is the GSP. My concern too is the colder weather for the dog.
just my two cents...
Dave
My Buddy Bruno!
7 year old lad, best Dog, I have ever had.
Over 1000 retrieves and thats honest!
he did 54 in one day at quinte hunting over 10 hunters?
Great hunting dog, and a wonderful pet
Not a bad upland dog either!!
7 year old lad, best Dog, I have ever had.
Over 1000 retrieves and thats honest!
he did 54 in one day at quinte hunting over 10 hunters?
Great hunting dog, and a wonderful pet
Not a bad upland dog either!!
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Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
Great pic's, thanks for sharing. Sounds like quite a dog.
Labs
Win/64
Labs are what ever you train them to be, about 4 hours before I posted that message my lab and I were collecting my limit of phesants for the 2nd time this week and also our limit of geese on monday night. My lab will give any ''upland dog" a serious run for thier money, I also had him licenced as a racoon dog last year and shot 67 coons for thier pelts. I'm not trying to tell you what breed to buy just don't rule out any of them with out some research. Try to get yourself on a few bird hunts with different breed dogs and see what works for your style of hunting. Regarding the visla I have seen many more poor hunting dogs than good ones of that breed,line breeding has taken away their hunting skills in alot of cases. Wiemarainers are also great family/bird dogs and are not to bad for burrs , they just can't handle the extreme cold due to thier short coat,my wife is trying to convince me to get one instead of a second lab. Not to sure how well I will fare out in that debate? Regardless of what breed you choose make sure the dog comes from hunting blood lines and I cannot stress this enough. Don't be in a rush.
Regards
Win/64
Labs are what ever you train them to be, about 4 hours before I posted that message my lab and I were collecting my limit of phesants for the 2nd time this week and also our limit of geese on monday night. My lab will give any ''upland dog" a serious run for thier money, I also had him licenced as a racoon dog last year and shot 67 coons for thier pelts. I'm not trying to tell you what breed to buy just don't rule out any of them with out some research. Try to get yourself on a few bird hunts with different breed dogs and see what works for your style of hunting. Regarding the visla I have seen many more poor hunting dogs than good ones of that breed,line breeding has taken away their hunting skills in alot of cases. Wiemarainers are also great family/bird dogs and are not to bad for burrs , they just can't handle the extreme cold due to thier short coat,my wife is trying to convince me to get one instead of a second lab. Not to sure how well I will fare out in that debate? Regardless of what breed you choose make sure the dog comes from hunting blood lines and I cannot stress this enough. Don't be in a rush.
Regards
where abouts are you ? if around toronto area, i can show you my vizsla, shes only 5 month old now. shes great inside, i have someone at home all the time tho, u might not have that luxury, but she doesnt mind staying by herself if needed.
- Happy
Win/64
Welcome to the club, I don't think you will be disapointed with your choice. Now the training work begins, at 9 months you will have to start right away but on the plus side she is old enough to learn really fast. My only tip is get a shock collar and teach her to stay in your prefered range, the work that you put in now will directly effect how good the dog is later. I just got home from the hunt club and I was the first one back to parking lot with my limit ( 53min) and the second man back about 10min later had a sweet little 11 month old chocolate female walking along beside him. There were about 20 dogs out this morning and most of them were pointers and spaniels and the first two finished were the ''duck dogs''. I''lll have to watch out for that little female she could become some serious competition,anyway hope that you post some pics of your new hunting partner.
Regards
