Bird Dogs: Suggestions, Dealers, and Training Advice in Montana

Cittori Hunter

Cittori Hunter

New member
Hey there everyone. I'm a young hunter and relatively new to upland bird hunting and wanted some advice from the guys out in the field and not from a magazine or YouTube channel. I can't hunt with a dog yet since mine is a housebroken lab that we got before I had time to train her. She's eight and wants nothing to do with the birds. I've done some extensive research and, while I love my lab, it seems like the German Short Hair is an incredible hunting dog, as well as companion, though it sounds like they can be a lot to handle. Really, I just need a pointer (doesn't matter the breed) that's reliable and can be trained to retrieve. Any advice is welcome. Cheers
 
Welcome. I am a flusher guy so not a lot of help but welcome to the forum. I will say there are a lot of good options so continue to research and get around as many different breeds as you can while trying to make your decision.
 
If you are new to this look for a close working dog. You will be happier with a dog that stays pretty close. You can't go wrong with a shorthair but there are lots of good choices out there. Setters and Brits come to mind also.
 
I don't think you'll find a bigger fan of shorthairs than me. But you also need to remember that if you hunt 15 times a season, 350 days out of the year, they're a house pet - not a hunting dog. I got my first shorthair at 16. She did not do well in the least in the apartments/rentals we lived in after I moved out of mom and dads. This really is something to consider for all hunting breeds, but some more than others: Do you have enough room for them to be a bit wild in your home, and do you have an area you can let them off leash every day? Now that she is 12 and content to sleep all day, we finally have enough room for her and her 2 year old sister to play. Regarding field work, man you cannot get a better sight than a dog working scent at mach speed then spinning around and locking up. I've only had shorthairs in my teen to adult life, and for MY hunting requirements, they dang near train themselves. Sure I spent time on woah, here, etc. But as far as working wind and cover, honoring points, working moving birds, they're all self-taught. I hunt alone, and they hunt excellently for me.
 
I have had labs all my life and have hunted Montana for 50 years. My current lab does point, I probably will get flamed by the pointer guys, but she does. I am thinking of getting a pointer for my next dog and have been researching and if I do go a new direction, I am looking at a griffon. I do a lot of waterfowl hunting, so a griffon might be my answer. Plus my lab is only 2. So I hope we have many more years together. A friend of a friend lost his pointing lab and got a griffon from Idaho. I guess she is doing great and already on wild birds. I need to give him a call and get info. Good luck on your journey.
 
2point said:
I have had labs all my life and have hunted Montana for 50 years. My current lab does point, I probably will get flamed by the pointer guys, but she does. I am thinking of getting a pointer for my next dog and have been researching and if I do go a new direction, I am looking at a griffon. I do a lot of waterfowl hunting, so a griffon might be my answer. Plus my lab is only 2. So I hope we have many more years together. A friend of a friend lost his pointing lab and got a griffon from Idaho. I guess she is doing great and already on wild birds. I need to give him a call and get info. Good luck on your journey.
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There is a guy in Missoula with German wirehaires.
 
I have always been a lab guy. America's favorite dog breed for like forever. Great temperament and family dog, even if just a pet. Something to think about if it lives in the house. For hunting purposes, the only pointer I think I could handle would be a GSP. I had a buddy with EP's that we let out in the morning and picked them up late afternoon, after flushing birds way in the distance all day long. Those dogs spent the rest of that hunt in their kennel. Might be best for quail or penned birds, though. Another buddy had a Brittney. Good temperament and nose, just couldn't go in heavy cover or cattail sloughs.
 
You ask 10 different people and you will get 10 different answers. A lot of different breeds can hunt, I know someone who does really well with a border collie.consider your living arrangement. Even us retired people only hunt so many days a year, the majority of time you’re working or dealing with family issues. Get a dog and specifically a breeding to fit your lifestyle. If you’re single, well off, and plan to hunt steady from September to the end of January get a high powered whatever. If you have a nine to fiver job annd only get some weekends if your significant other allows get a breeding that they like that can do an acceptable job hunting.
 
birddude said:
If you are new to this look for a close working dog. You will be happier with a dog that stays pretty close. You can't go wrong with a shorthair but there are lots of good choices out there. Setters and Brits come to mind also.
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I've actually been around a lot of Brittneys and even owned one when I was still a kid, but it was probably the worst mannered dog I have ever been around, would not take commands, and had the habit of running into the next county over. I've had an avoidance of them since. I'll look into the Setters though, thank you
 
MNMEAD said:
I don't think you'll find a bigger fan of shorthairs than me. But you also need to remember that if you hunt 15 times a season, 350 days out of the year, they're a house pet - not a hunting dog. I got my first shorthair at 16. She did not do well in the least in the apartments/rentals we lived in after I moved out of mom and dads. This really is something to consider for all hunting breeds, but some more than others: Do you have enough room for them to be a bit wild in your home, and do you have an area you can let them off leash every day? Now that she is 12 and content to sleep all day, we finally have enough room for her and her 2 year old sister to play. Regarding field work, man you cannot get a better sight than a dog working scent at mach speed then spinning around and locking up. I've only had shorthairs in my teen to adult life, and for MY hunting requirements, they dang near train themselves. Sure I spent time on woah, here, etc. But as far as working wind and cover, honoring points, working moving birds, they're all self-taught. I hunt alone, and they hunt excellently for me.
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Currently living in a nicer two story home with a decent little backyard, enough room for a dog to act wild in. Loads of parks near me as well, within walking distance. I've seen the younger GSPs and they take off like a bullet out of the front door, but the older ones seem very well tempered and good family dogs. Thanks!
 
Cittori Hunter said:
I've actually been around a lot of Brittneys and even owned one when I was still a kid, but it was probably the worst mannered dog I have ever been around, would not take commands, and had the habit of running into the next county over. I've had an avoidance of them since. I'll look into the Setters though, thank you
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A good Lewellen would be my pick for a close setter. Usually a calmer, easily trained dog. In my opinion, whatever breed you chose, you might be more pleased with a pup from someone you know that in breeding a good dog to a buddy's good dog because they need a pup rather than a big kennel with lineages full of grand champions. Just saying..
 
You don't need one of these high brow expensive dogs.You don't need a pure bred. I could take a German Shepherd mix breed dog and turn it into a bird dog. You just need to hunt a lot and get on birds. You can get a Labrador retriever for $300 or $400, maybe less.
 
First off, welcome. Second since you're new to the forum, take everything Goosemaster says with a grain of salt. He likes to hear himself talk. Now my 2 cents on a dog. I've been hunting MT for 20 yrs. If MT is going to be your base for hunting, my experience with GSP is when weather turns cold they have a hard time keeping warm which affects their hunting. GSP are great dogs and fun to hunt over. I run a British Lab. Great family breed and excellent hunters. Do your research and spend what you can afford. You get what you pay for.
 
My older GSP has always started shivering when the house hits 66°. My 2.5 year old does a great job regulating temp from about 20 to 75 depending on whether she is wet or how much wind there is. Below 20 she gets a vest, above 65 and it needs to be blowing pretty good to keep her cool.

Whatever breed you choose, do the right things with them and you'll be thrilled and hooked on them for life. I've never understood how folks breed jump with each dog, feels like cheating on your long lost best friend!
 
Goosemaster said:
You don't need one of these high brow expensive dogs.You don't need a pure bred. I could take a German Shepherd mix breed dog and turn it into a bird dog. You just need to hunt a lot and get on birds. You can get a Labrador retriever for $300 or $400, maybe less.
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Your ass is sucking air again
 
I would not judge a breed because of a bad experience you or someone else had with it. If a dog is wild in the house or runs away it is more of a training issue that a breed issue. With that said whatever breed you chose you need to fine a good responsible breeder. If you start with a well bred dog things will be a lot easier , Rescue dogs and dogs adopted from other owners are nice but you will be taking on whatever problems they come with and that can be a long process. Pick a breed , research the breeder there should be a health guarentee and a guarentee to take the dog back at any time in its life. Good luck
 
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