looking for first, need some recomendations

E

EEK

New member
Heres the situation, after hunting wthout my own dog i figured its time to get one, i live in S.E idaho and hunt mostly phesant, huns and some early waterfowl, My wife really doesnt want a puppy so i am looking at a couple of older dogs, the first one i looked at was a 1.5 year old femail English Setter that has a good amount of exsperiance and i have seen her work and it looks like she has good drive and alot of energy. Second dog is a 3 year old GSP, well started and is wound so tight over birds i think it might be too much dog for me but i am still learning about hunting dogs so i might be reading too much into it, also the asking price is a bit more that i want to pay. Third dog is a 5 year old male GSP, good breading and alot of exsperiance, i havent seen him work but the owner is bringing him to where i live to run him for me next week, he also has some nice GSP puppies. I really want a dog that will be good with my kids and a general familly pet, am i asking too much out of a hunting dog? I dont know aqnything about the Setters but she has a really great disposition. Anyway, and advice would help
 
If you are looking at dogs of that age I would check into the the hunting breeds Adoption Rescue Shelters. I know the Brittany and GSP have a very fine Network of these Adoption Shelters. I do know JMC on this forum is very strong in the GSP program. Maybe he can give you some close-up insight into the ones in your area...........Bob
 
I love the GSP!! i have nothing negative to say about them. unforunately, i have never experienced a brittany... but they do look like excellent dogs. i think whatever you do choose, you have made the right choice on what you pick. had you pick a boxer.. id say good luck on training that dog to hunt.
 
EEK have you thought of an ESS, they are perfect for what you describe you want. I know a guy in our club that just bought back a nice Black and white male, he was sold a year ago for 2500$ he is 4- 5 years old.The guy lost his job and had to relocate. So Our training partner bought him back for a small amnt. He has been a great house dog with a nice personality from what I am told. I have trained with this dog several times and he defiantly gets it done in the field. I know he just wants the dog to go to a hunter and the price is way under 1/2 what he just sold for a year ago, as to place him with a good guy sooner then later. He just got him home a few days ago. Feel free to PM if something like that may interest you. There are many dogs that would work. But I have used our dogs for ducks and they are great at it, as well as the upland capability's.
 
I'd say any and all of the hunting breeds can make good house dogs, with the more timid type breeds being my lesser preference. None of the breeds you are looking at fit that bill, and all of them are well known as being good family dogs, so I'd say the decision should be based more on the individual than the breed. You didn't say if you have kids or not, and I would caution you if you have younger kids to not get a dog that wasn't raised with young kids. Some of the dogs not used to young children can be an accident waiting to happen. If it were me, I'd go with the setter. In fact, I have a setter pup coming in a few weeks. Good luck
 
If you can train your dog to listen to commands WELL.. then I say your dog will listen to you in and out of the house.

for example. I taught my dog to stay and lay down. I taught him lots of things and those things benefit indoors as well. my dog is not allowed upstairs... he knows this. when i say no in a stern voice... he learns. same as outdoors, when i say no.. he knows.


any dog can do this. train your dog right and proper way of doing it. you will have an excellent dog.

I personally like GSP and now my wife decides she wants to get just a female GSP instead of getting a Brittany.
 
I apreciate all the help guys, i am thinking even a rescue dog would work for me, i dont need a perfect dog as i will be hunting with my kids for the forseeable future and they are 4 and 9 so its more about getting them out and maybey seeing the dog work and getting a few shots, i take my kids everywere i go, kids are like dogs needing to be trained and well socialised. I would hate to see a good dog go without a home so i will be patient and see what comes up, if anyone here runs into something that would work i would be interested.
 
This is great. I love hearing about the guys that are willing to take shelter dogs home. Many, many of these dogs, there is nothing wrong with them. People disown, or just abandon them for some reason, and it makes me very sad to hear about it. This makes me very happy to hear. Good job and good luck, no matter what type of hunting breed, treat it like your kids and you will do just fine. Let them know who's boss, but also be willing to show them the finer things in life. For a dog...take them hunting.
 
EEK said:
Heres the situation, after hunting wthout my own dog i figured its time to get one, i live in S.E idaho and hunt mostly phesant, huns and some early waterfowl, My wife really doesnt want a puppy so i am looking at a couple of older dogs, the first one i looked at was a 1.5 year old femail English Setter that has a good amount of exsperiance and i have seen her work and it looks like she has good drive and alot of energy. Second dog is a 3 year old GSP, well started and is wound so tight over birds i think it might be too much dog for me but i am still learning about hunting dogs so i might be reading too much into it, also the asking price is a bit more that i want to pay. Third dog is a 5 year old male GSP, good breading and alot of exsperiance, i havent seen him work but the owner is bringing him to where i live to run him for me next week, he also has some nice GSP puppies. I really want a dog that will be good with my kids and a general familly pet, am i asking too much out of a hunting dog? I dont know aqnything about the Setters but she has a really great disposition. Anyway, and advice would help
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bobeyerite said:
If you are looking at dogs of that age I would check into the the hunting breeds Adoption Rescue Shelters. I know the Brittany and GSP have a very fine Network of these Adoption Shelters. I do know JMC on this forum is very strong in the GSP program. Maybe he can give you some close-up insight into the ones in your area...........Bob
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:10sign:
 
A friend of mine that works for me had a brother that is a animal controll officer and he is scanning all the shelters that have online lists for a sutible dog, he got a really nice GSP pup last year thats turned out to be a really good familly dog, he doesnt hunt but the dog fits him great. It will be interesting to see what pops up as he tells me lots of people here abandon their dogs right after hunting season and they pick up lots of labs , goldens and some others, even a mixed breed is fine as long as it fits the loose criteria i have, a friend of mine who is fanatical about dogs and hunting has a chessie mix that he had been offered tons of money for because it is an amazing dog, on and off the hunting ground, i think its a Drather and Chesapeak mix and it looks like any stray you would see, but he claims the retieves to be in the thousands and i believe him as he has the means to hunt as much as he wants, whereever he wants. I have been set on the real deal ready to go hunter but realized that at 42 with a small business to run and 2 kids i am not a real deal hunter, LOL, i can get out 2 times a week durring the season as everything is close to here so an older somewhat laidback dog will work and we can hunt after work a few days a week, then sit by the fire when its -15 outside.
 
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