Mixed bred dog question

Breecarlson

New member
Is it common for people to breed English pointers and setters together? I have one that I picked up from a rescue but supposedly came from people who were purpose breeding. Personally I think this dogs a nut case. I had a dna test run and she is mainly EP with about 1/3 Llewellin/Irish. Whatever they were trying to breed they really overdid it with this litter. I don't bird hunt so she's not being trained on birds so I can't say for sure what potential she would have but I've watched her jump into the air to catch and kill (and eat) birds. Don't think that's how it works hahahaha. Anyways is this mix typically a recipe for disaster?
 
That’s what’s known as a drop or dropper here in the south and they usually make fantastic bird dogs and typically are healthy.

Start exposing her to birds and you will probably find out you have a diamond in the rough.
 
Years ago I helped some neighbors during their lambing season,usually early Spring. They were breeding for large numbers of lambs--three and even four lambs per ewe was not unusual. I knew nothing about the genetics, but in the course of lugging hay and water and mid-wifeing the ewes, I heard about "hybrid vigor," which could result in a more healthy and superior off-spring when two strains of sheep were bred.

Might be the case with the EP/setter cross. Don't know how predictable it is with dogs, but the sheep farmers were very successful, although their ewes had to be helped to lamb with such larger lambs per birth. Most sheep farmers, especially out West, just open range graze their single-lamb ewes.

And...I've seen, and I'd imagine most of the older hunters on the forum have seen mongrel pups of indeterminate backgrounds work birds like they were born for it. Most of those I've seen/met were dogs that went out from the time they were pups, just walking the woods with the owner and picked up on the game bird search.

Best of luck. Be patient, the dog WANTS to help, just needs encouragement in the right areas.
 
Sound to me like you have the fixings for a excellent bird dog. I've been around some odd mixed breeds that turned out to be great in the field and excellent dogs in general. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.
 
Lots of unknowns and all depends how much time/effort/money you want to put into it. Could it potentially turn out great? Yeah. Could it potentially turn out horrible? Yeah. Who knows what the genetics or bloodlines of the dog is. Who knows the temperament. Who knows why it was put into the shelter, what it's been improperly exposed to or is scared of (loud noises, water, guns, brush).

If you've got the time and tools to do a bit of training and see if it looks like there's more potential, then go for it! The worst that will happen is the dog will learn a bit of obedience and form a little more of a bond with you; and you may be out some of your time that you could have spent training a bird dog with more potential. The best that will happen is you'll have a new bird dog.
 
Back
Top