Lookin for a bird dog

goldengun4

goldengun4

New member
I am looking to buy a bird dog sometime this year and have been doing a lot of research but I am having a hard time deciding what I want. I will be doing mostly dove hunting walking and sitting and the occasional quail and duck. I was looking at a French brittany as they tend to work closer to the hunter. What are y'all's thoughts? I want to stay away from a lab due to its size but would consider it.

Thanks

Zach
 
We used to have an English Springer. My dad still swears to this day that she was the best danged dog he had ever owned, he had one before her that he loved but he never worked with that one for hunting. She loved retrieving and she even loved water, Im willing to bet that she loved the water more than my cousins Lab.
 
I have 2 french Britt's and have been very happy with them. Here in Kansas we hunt Ducks, pheasant , quail dove and Prarie Chicken , these all have bben retrieved to hand by my French Britts,
 
I think I am leaning more towards the French Brittany due to its size and intelligence. I mainly dove hunt. My main concern is the training aspect of it. I've never done it before. Is there anything y'all could suggest about how to go about training a dog to be a bird dog?

Thanks

Zach
 
I'v never dove hunted behind a dog just pheasants. I'v used labs, GSHP, weimaraners, brittneys, and a cocker spaniel. The Weim and Cocker spaniel were my dogs the others were my buddys. I trained both mine from pups the cocker was actually better then the weim she was just to hyper and nutty. The short hair pointer was probably the best bird dog iv ever hunted with and she was picked up as a stray on the side of the road about to burst with puppies we think she came from the amish puppy mill down the road. She was a natural. The weim and cocker I trained I just bought a book on it read it and spent a lot of time out side with them basically following the book step by step the best I could with what I had which wasn't much. Once season rolled around I went out with them working with my buddies dogs to kinda show them the ropes. I don't have either dog now or bird hunt anymore Id like to get back into it thinking of a Vizsla this time if I do I'v always wanted one but there hyper like a weim just in a smaller package lol.
 
Another vote for the German Shorthair Pointer.

OUT OF THE BOX GUN DOG!

Check out versatiledogs.com
Lots of good info on versatile dogs (hunt upland and water)
 
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Ive never owned any bird dogs but hunted over German Shorthairs, Labs (today) and Springer spaniels. So far of the dogs I been with the springers seem to hold a point better. The labs have a really good nose, but get tired very easy. The Shorthairs tended to creep on point some but thats probably all with their training. The problem I see with the springers is cockle burrs, and any burr for that matter, you cant hardly pick them out. My vote is for the Shorthairs, they never got tired, don't catch burrs. The labs seem to be more of a flush type dog, and just got tired to easy. Good Luck!
 
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Originally Posted By: witdog2020Ive never owned any bird dogs but hunted over German Shorthairs, Labs (today) and Springer spaniels. So far of the dogs I been with the springers seem to hold a point better. The labs have a really good nose, but get tired very easy. The Shorthairs tended to creep on point some but thats probably all with their training. The problem I see with the springers is cockle burrs, and any burr for that matter, you cant hardly pick them out. My vote is for the Shorthairs, they never got tired, don't catch burrs. The labs seem to be more of a flush type dog, and just got tired to easy. Good Luck!

Pointing springers? Always thought they were flushing dogs. Sure you are not thinking of Brittany spaniels?
Any breed of dog can creep, or bump birds. This is not in their genetics, it is poor training, just as gun shyness, this is not genetic, it is learned behavior.
 
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Originally Posted By: tincanOriginally Posted By: witdog2020Ive never owned any bird dogs but hunted over German Shorthairs, Labs (today) and Springer spaniels. So far of the dogs I been with the springers seem to hold a point better. The labs have a really good nose, but get tired very easy. The Shorthairs tended to creep on point some but thats probably all with their training. The problem I see with the springers is cockle burrs, and any burr for that matter, you cant hardly pick them out. My vote is for the Shorthairs, they never got tired, don't catch burrs. The labs seem to be more of a flush type dog, and just got tired to easy. Good Luck!

Pointing springers? Always thought they were flushing dogs. Sure you are not thinking of Brittany spaniels?
Any breed of dog can creep, or bump birds. This is not in their genetics, it is poor training, just as gun shyness, this is not genetic, it is learned behavior.

You are correct! I meant Brittanys, Thanks
 
Originally Posted By: tincanOriginally Posted By: witdog2020Ive never owned any bird dogs but hunted over German Shorthairs, Labs (today) and Springer spaniels. So far of the dogs I been with the springers seem to hold a point better. The labs have a really good nose, but get tired very easy. The Shorthairs tended to creep on point some but thats probably all with their training. The problem I see with the springers is cockle burrs, and any burr for that matter, you cant hardly pick them out. My vote is for the Shorthairs, they never got tired, don't catch burrs. The labs seem to be more of a flush type dog, and just got tired to easy. Good Luck!

Pointing springers? Always thought they were flushing dogs. Sure you are not thinking of Brittany spaniels?
Any breed of dog can creep, or bump birds. This is not in their genetics, it is poor training, just as gun shyness, this is not genetic, it is learned behavior.

Well said!
I'd just add that a Lab that get tired before you is simply out of shape or old.
 
Personally a big fan of yellow labs, but hunted over a friends German Short Hair for pheasant, duck, goose, coyote and even coon. Smartest dog I've ever seen, go with the Short Hair.
 
I Have had Labs, German shorthairs, and Now a Brittany, Have to say Shorthairs are hard to beat But LOVE!! my Brittany and the size is nice as she rides in the seat with me and in the house all the time, I trial her and she runs big, and really eager to learn. French Brits can be a tad smaller I think and maybe not run as big in general But my American Britt only weighs 29lbs so she is not very big as well. But you will have to deal with stickers and such in the coat VS a lab or Shorthair
 
A pointer requires a great deal more skill and time to produce a finished gun dog. I have seen more guys hunting with absolutely useless pointers than I care to remember. If you have the skill and know-how to train a pointer, then, provided the dog has the right stuff, you can have a great hunting companion for many years. Screw up the process, don't spend the time it takes, and you'll have a high strung, miserable, dung eater that does nothing but eat dog food and mess up the yard. The same can be said of flusher/retrievers, they are just much easier to train/finish for the beginner. For those advocating the purchase of one of the less than mainstream hunting breeds, I would hope that you purchase from a breeder that produces titled dogs over many generations. Buying a hunting dog is a long term investment, why buy one that has a lower chance of being a good dog. This is why I shy from these breeds, it is extremely difficult to find litters that come from not just proven parents, but proven lines going back several generations.
 
Originally Posted By: goldengun4I think I am leaning more towards the French Brittany due to its size and intelligence. I mainly dove hunt. My main concern is the training aspect of it. I've never done it before. Is there anything y'all could suggest about how to go about training a dog to be a bird dog?

Thanks

Zach

Brittany, Brittany, Brittany, do I need to say it again? My 12 year old Brittany Jack is on the chair next to me right now. He has retrieved every thing I've shot with the exception of crows. He even retrieves feral cats.
I went to a book store and got a book on how to train him and it was pretty easy.
A Brittany will do anything if they think it will make you happy.

Shayne
 
I am in the same boat. Can't decide on french brittany or GSP. I really prefer a smaller dog as I have a small house, small truck, small yard.

Main downside to the french brittany seems to be the long hair. I don't care if it picks up burrs. I care about all the dog hair all over my house!

A GSP is just a little too big for my situation.
 
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