Why did you go with the breed that you did and have you been satisfied?

Leftyhunter said:
What breed is your dog? I am new to the dog game and the wire haired dogs at least to a novice such has the Griffon , Puddle pointer and German Wirehaired Pointer look rather similar.
Leftyhunter
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She is a two year old Pudelpointer. I am more than pleased. She had a very good second year
 
carptom1 said:
She is a two year old Pudelpointer. I am more than pleased. She had a very good second year
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There are so many hunting dog breeds that its to difficult to say which one is best. If I get a chance I would just have to observe different breeds and try to figure out which one works best for me. American hunters are basically spoiled by choices.
Leftyhunter
 
Running in pointing dog hunt tests allows me the opportunity to see a lot of breeds working in the field on birds. You get a great sense of the different breeds range, style etc., My male Vizsla is perfect for me and I am really lucky to have him.
 
Mosby said:
Running in pointing dog hunt tests allows me the opportunity to see a lot of breeds working in the field on birds. You get a great sense of the different breeds range, style etc., My male Vizsla is perfect for me and I am really lucky to have him.
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I would imagine that the grooming needs of a Vizsla are much less then that of say the long haired or wire haired breeds such as the Griffon, GSWP and similar breeds. Not sure but can the Vizsla tolerate the cold of the Dakotas and the sharp pointed grasses and plants? I don't know much about hunting dogs but trying to learn and if I move to Sioux Falls I definitely want to observe various hunting breeds to see what if best for me.
Leftyhunter
 
Leftyhunter said:
I would imagine that the grooming needs of a Vizsla are much less then that of say the long haired or wire haired breeds such as the Griffon, GSWP and similar breeds. Not sure but can the Vizsla tolerate the cold of the Dakotas and the sharp pointed grasses and plants? I don't know much about hunting dogs but trying to learn and if I move to Sioux Falls I definitely want to observe various hunting breeds to see what if best for me.
Leftyhunter
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They seldom need a bath, don't smell and compared to my old labs and setter, I don't spend any time dealing with removing burrs etc., They are a softer dog and need an appropriate approach in training but I like their personality and he hunts hard. He is attached to me and they call them velcro dogs for a reason though. Some people don't like that. He is my third Vizsla and likely the best hunting dog I have owned. I am hoping he will finish his SH title this fall.

I hunt in Iowa and South Dakota mostly and have hunted them in both warm weather and sub zero temps. They never ask to get back in the truck but there are other breeds that do better in freezing temps and cat tails. But the heavier coated dogs can suffer in early season warm weather, so it's a trade off depending on where and when you hunt. My Vizsla did hunt tests in multiple states this year and I didn't find any type of field he struggled in but we haven't hunted western Oklahoma or AZ either. I also have a GSP who is a meat and potatoes dog but she does a nice job finding birds and retrieving. She is small, will run all day and is a tough nut. She likes to range out though more than my Vizsla.

I think it is easier to find a good GSP than a good Vizsla. A lot more long term GSP breeders and lines. The top Vizsla breeders all know each other it seems and it can be difficult to get a good pup from them, if they don't know you or you can't name drop. The better breeders have long waiting lists for pups and they can be selective. I spent 2 years looking for the litter I wanted, so not a good breed if you're in a hurry. I had a Vizsla die from cancer at a young age and that's how I ended up buying a GSP. I wanted to get a dog for the fall hunting season and there are always GSP's on the ground.

If you end up moving to Sioux Falls, I would recommend going to area hunt tests and watch the different breeds work in the field and talk to the owners of the dogs you like. There are normally a lot of breeders at those events too and you can see what kind of dogs they produce first hand.
 
Mosby said:
They seldom need a bath, don't smell and compared to my old labs and setter, I don't spend any time dealing with removing burrs etc., They are a softer dog and need an appropriate approach in training but I like their personality and he hunts hard. He is attached to me and they call them velcro dogs for a reason though. Some people don't like that. He is my third Vizsla and likely the best hunting dog I have owned. I am hoping he will finish his SH title this fall.

I hunt in Iowa and South Dakota mostly and have hunted them in both warm weather and sub zero temps. They never ask to get back in the truck but there are other breeds that do better in freezing temps and cat tails. But the heavier coated dogs can suffer in early season warm weather, so it's a trade off depending on where and when you hunt. My Vizsla did hunt tests in multiple states this year and I didn't find any type of field he struggled in but we haven't hunted western Oklahoma or AZ either. I also have a GSP who is a meat and potatoes dog but she does a nice job finding birds and retrieving. She is small, will run all day and is a tough nut. She likes to range out though more than my Vizsla.

I think it is easier to find a good GSP than a good Vizsla. A lot more long term GSP breeders and lines. The top Vizsla breeders all know each other it seems and it can be difficult to get a good pup from them, if they don't know you or you can't name drop. The better breeders have long waiting lists for pups and they can be selective. I spent 2 years looking for the litter I wanted, so not a good breed if you're in a hurry. I had a Vizsla die from cancer at a young age and that's how I ended up buying a GSP. I wanted to get a dog for the fall hunting season and there are always GSP's on the ground.

If you end up moving to Sioux Falls, I would recommend going to area hunt tests and watch the different breeds work in the field and talk to the owners of the dogs you like. There are normally a lot of breeders at those events too and you can see what kind of dogs they produce first hand.
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I appreciate your detailed knowledge. The only disadvantage I can think of about the Vizsla is if a hunter also wants to hunt waterfowl in cold weather. I would think in say California that wouldn't be an issue but in the Plain States that's of course a different story. For upland hunting the Vizsla appears to be an optimal breed.
Leftyhunter
 
AKSkeeter said:
I started with a Visla, then English Setters, then for the past 30+ years labs.

I like labs because I can hunt a sea of cattails, forest grouse, alpine tundra or wide open western landscapes.
I can hunt the lab out at 200 yards or by my side depending on what I am hunting.
Plus labs are typically excellent on recovering cripples.

They are incredibly easy to train.
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I agree.For versatility, and you don't have to train labs.They hunt out of the box.You just have to hunt often.
 
my buddy always says, every dog wants to be a lab and every lab wants to be black. I laugh. I think he stole it from Stoney Dennis
 
BrownDogsCan2 said:
my buddy always says, every dog wants to be a lab and every lab wants to be black. I laugh. I think he stole it from Stoney Dennis
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That is what Stoney says,whether it is original to him I don't know. Dude seems to be a great guy. I have had some great private messages with him regarding e-collars and bird dog training. He is not a fan of e-collars only because they are so often misused. When asked about the small # of pointing breeds he shows his reply was basically I train mostly family companion dogs. He has pointed out that the bird dogs are always running around checking everything out.
 
I'm on my 6th generation of yellow labs. I've had both "American" and "British". As I've gotten older I tend to prefer the true British hunting lab lines as they are a bit easier to train and less of the American field trial mindset. That said, I've enjoyed every one and have what is likely going to be my last dog in training right now. I'm 74. She likely will outlive my ability to hunt, but hopefully I get a few good years out of her. I hunt primarily upland now, from ND to New Mexico, but I truly love waterfowl, so if I find a place, I'll do that in a heartbeat. Labs are what I know and what I'm comfortable with.
 
I have a English black lab male puppy.He is going to be an excellent bird dog.Great nose,hunts hard,hits the thick cover hard,great swimmer.
 
Started with Brittanys, but my sons' love to duck hunt so went to yellow labs. Current one is a once-in-a-lifetime dog. Super family dog and is fantastic for both pheasants and ducks. One of my Brittanys was great, the other just average.

I love the idiosyncrasies of dogs. Current one loves the water (as all labs do). She will break ice to be in the water. She will swim through any icky swamp to find a duck. But it could be 90 degrees outside and after playing in our beautiful lake, she will bug you until you dry her off with a towel.
 
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