Looking for a new bird dog

S

stigs

New member
I'm looking to pick everyone's brain on the best breed of dog for me.

I live in Western PA and I really only hunt pheasant or the rare grouse if I stumble upon one. I really don't see any duck/goose hunting in my future so a dog that goes in the water is not a priority.

I'm looking for a pointer dog that knows how to turn it down a bit when they are inside as this dog will live with the rest of the family. With that being said, I realize bird dogs are high strung and full of energy that need good exercise. I have an average size house with 3 acres of mowed lawn that I use to pay fetch, train etc. to burn out that energy. On top of that, my son is a runner so they can get some good exercise running the trails with him.

I currently have an English Cocker Spaniel that I pheasant hunt with and I lover her for the first couple days after the fields are stocked. She does great in any type of cover and is great a chasing cripples and does well on retrieves. Where she struggles (maybe it's just me) but since she is such a close working dog, it's not all that uncommon to go out and walk 6-8 miles and not find a bird so...

I'm looking for a dog that will range out (100-200 yds) and work to find that next bird and then hold that point until I get there. The dog doesn't have to be awesome at retrieving birds as I can always send in the Cocker to find the dead/crippled bird.

I initially thought about a GSP. I've hunted over GSPs and they seem like the perfect fit except I've been told that they are not so great in the house as the really don't have an off switch.

I then shifted my thoughts over to an English Pointer but I've read they aren't much for colder weather. Our first month or 2 are pretty warm but in Jan and Feb it gets pretty darn cold. I've also read stories of these Pointers running great distances. While I don't mind in fact I want a dog that ranges out a bit, I need to keep in mind that I'm on a game lands and there are often other hunters there. I don't want a dog running 2-3 fields down from me messing with someone else's hunt.

The other 2 breeds I thought about were Brittany and English Setter. I would prefer a dog with a shorter coat as grooming can be a pain on the Cocker but, if I can get everything else I'm looking for I'm willing to work with the grooming of the dog.

Any advice/tips anyone has on pro's and con's are greatly appreciated.
 
This question always generates lots of discussion. Listen to the members on this site closely. They will have strong cases for each breed you have mentioned. GSP and Brittany are the only ones on your list that I have hunted behind but only because my buddies owned them. Great dogs for sure. I am very biased towards Vizsla's though and love everything about them. You will find that they are considered to be a very highly intelligent dog and the very easy to train label is an understatement. They love to be close to their family owners making them an extremely great option for a house dog. They shed minimally. I own two. I feel like I don't deserve either one and feel like I hit the lottery with both. My 4 1/2 year old is simply tremendous in all areas and I feel blessed to have our paths crossed. Points, retrieves, loves the water, loves the cold ND weather, calm personality in the house but flips the switch when you start putting the gear on. Our 1 1/2 year old is a little more energetic so exercise does help with her. She has a hunt drive that will never quit. Ellie trained her far more than I did. Willow puts up a higher percentage of birds simply because she covers more ground. Willow isn't the same retriever that Ellie is....YET. She is starting to figure out that it is a lot of fun doing that too and is retrieving more and more birds. Sorry for the long version to your question especially since the Vizsla wasn't on your list.
 
The three breeds I would concentrate on are the GSP. English Setter and Brittany. As far as having an off switch in the house I think any of the breeds can do that. It really comes down to the breeding more than it does the breed. I'm on my fourth Brittany and they all have been very laid back around the house but flip the switch when they hit the field. However, I've also seen Brittanys that are bouncing off the walls in the house. I'm sure that's true for almost any breed. That's why I say it has more to do with the breeding. As far as coats, that also comes with the breeding. My last two Brittanys have had short, flat coats that never need trimming and they only pick up a couple burrs in their ears or the feathering behind the rear legs. Obviously I'm a little biased, but I think a Brittany out of the proper breeding would be a perfect fit for you. Whatever breed you decide on be sure to do your due diligence in selecting a breeder and if you can see the parents and grand parents it will give you a pretty good idea of what you will get in a pup. Also ask for references and if you can see some dogs that the sire and dam have produced in the past. Good luck with your search.
 
Dakotazeb said:
The three breeds I would concentrate on are the GSP. English Setter and Brittany. As far as having an off switch in the house I think any of the breeds can do that. It really comes down to the breeding more than it does the breed. I'm on my fourth Brittany and they all have been very laid back around the house but flip the switch when they hit the field. However, I've also seen Brittanys that are bouncing off the walls in the house. I'm sure that's true for almost any breed. That's why I say it has more to do with the breeding. As far as coats, that also comes with the breeding. My last two Brittanys have had short, flat coats that never need trimming and they only pick up a couple burrs in their ears or the feathering behind the rear legs. Obviously I'm a little biased, but I think a Brittany out of the proper breeding would be a perfect fit for you. Whatever breed you decide on be sure to do your due diligence in selecting a breeder and if you can see the parents and grand parents it will give you a pretty good idea of what you will get in a pup. Also ask for references and if you can see some dogs that the sire and dam have produced in the past. Good luck with your search.
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Yeah, Brittany's are good. German wire hair are good.
 
I hunt in central PA with a Brittany and it works great for me and the game lands I hunt. I can keep him around 100 yards or less if there are quite a few people around, but will let him range when we have more room to ourselves. He is also no worse in the house than the labs we have had in the past.
 
I have GSP and Elhew line English pointer. I don't see much difference between the two personality wise or in their hunting. Biggest difference is the GSP is a better retriever and likes water. The EP is easier to find in the field since it's white and has a little better nose. He also was easier to train to hold point on birds. They are both wild in the house haha.
 
Also research Epagneul Breton (French Brittany). I owned American Brittany's for 30 years and loved their personality in the home and their energy in the field. Unfortunately, the breeder I have adopted all my American Brittany's passed away and I had to look for a new breeder. About 3 years ago, I adopted and Epagnuel Breton due to their size (17"-18" to shoulder and 30lbs to 40lbs). His personality is very close to the American Brittany but I found him to be more sociable and always wanting to be by your side in the house. I was concerned on his size to bust through the heavy cattails and cover large fields. Fortunately, this was not the case. He attacks the cattails with stealth and is not afraid of busting through the cattails if needed. As for the large fields, he will sweep side to side always staying in contact with me. In 4 days of hunting cattails in SD, he ran 53 miles and was ready to go on the 5th day. Right now, he is sleeping next to my desk chair as I type.
 
Braque Francais type Pyrenees. Eddie.jpg

www.gundogmag.com

Braque Francais - Gun Dog

The French Pointer In North America
www.gundogmag.com www.gundogmag.com

Sounds exactly like what you are looking for and the same thing I bought and for the same reasons, although I do some waterfowl and this pointer loves water like no pointing dog I've had before. He will literally dive in and submerge in water if he's hot or retrieving.

And GREAT in the house.
 
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He is handsome. The breed tends to be shy and he is VERY shy. Doesn't like men much. Stays away. Women he will approach but he doesn't really want the attention of strangers.

If you read the article I posted the link to, talks about hunting and being loud or yelling. This dog will shut down like the one in the story. He doesn't like loud people. What he will do is follow hand signals better than my others dogs ever did. I always wonder if it is because they were supposedly bred to poach on estates in southern France & N. Spain at night. The peasants would go out and use nets to catch birds the dogs pointed, at least that's what I have been told the story is.

Anyways a meek little dog in the house and around people. Put him in some nice warm season grasses and he's a champ. dogs.jpg
This is a pic when he was about 1.5yrs old with my Vizsla backing. There was a covey of quail up ahead in the newly planted field that the Braque 9Eddie) locked on) Vince the Vizsla I don't think ever smelled them. The little pointer has a hell of a nose.
 
brittany
 
Cool dog. How much does he weigh? Must be similar in size to the Braque du Bourbonnais, maybe just a tab larger. Most of the Bourbonnais that I've seen have really short (bobbed) tails. Wish they would leave them a little longer similar to your dog or a GSP.
 
Dakotazeb said:
Cool dog. How much does he weigh? Must be similar in size to the Braque du Bourbonnais, maybe just a tab larger. Most of the Bourbonnais that I've seen have really short (bobbed) tails. Wish they would leave them a little longer similar to your dog or a GSP.
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49lbs. I think most are actually a little smaller around 40-45 for males.

If you read the article I linked to, it mentions Brad Boison who is the guy I bought my dog from. He had moved his hunting lodge from MN to SD and kept importing dogs and breeding. My dog's mother was a French import with an American bred father. Boison doesn't breed any longer and sent his dogs out to several other breeders. One is in the Grand rapids, MI area and a good friend of mine bought a pup from them early this year.

I cannot imagine a better bird dog for in the house. And they are really good in the field and need very little in the way of training. I literally have just taken him out and he ends up getting it, as long as I don't yell at him. the most i have to do is give him a a disappointed "Arrrgggh!" and he knows that wasn't what he was supposed to do.

And I love his tail. When he's hot on it, looks like a beagle's tail on a rabbit. my Vizsla and Weimaraner's tails were both too short. Their pointers and shout have a pointers tail.
 
Oreo.jpg
I second the Braque Francais. Mine is 3 yo. She has amazing instincts in the field. From day one she has had a high prey drive and nice point. She loves the water and is an average retriever. Big motor in the field but super lazy in the house. She can be kind of a knuckle head at times and stubborn but they are really soft hearted. Yelling at them harshly puts them into a shell. She is out of MI. around 43lbs. I am still amazed at how much natural hunting instincts she has. I only wish I had more time to work on training with her but luckily for me she was pretty much out of the box.oreo 2.jpgoreo 3.jpg
 
beautiful. that's a bird dog.
 
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