Opinions on Spaniels

[Red Hawk]

ORIGINAL: it flies it dies

I would go with an English Springer... they are a little bit bigger but they are awesome family dogs and great hunters. They typically have a lot of energy when they are pups but grow to be very calm and quiet family dogs and are also great hunters. Here is a pic of my newest already looking for birds and only 10 weeks old...

I definetly agree with you there. I grew up with an ES. I was only few months old when my parents got him and we grew up together. Sadly, his hips gave out when I was 14 and had to be put down. But hewas an great dog, hunting and family petwise. I think the only reason why I could never get another one is because I miss Radar too much and I just wouldn't feel right getting another ES because its not the same

[Flairball]

I feel the need to clarify something in this post again. I know many of you don't/won't believe it, but the Brittany has been removed fromthe Spaniel family. The reasoning is because Spaniels are not supposed to point game, and the Brittany is a pointing dog. This is not to say that Brittanys aren't good dogs. This isn't to say that Spaniels can't be taught to point game either, just that they are not supposed to.

Now, before anyone out there starts blasting away at my comment, I'd like to point out that the breeds respective parent clubs are who sets the breeds standard, and decides such things. These standards exist to protect the integrity of the breed. If you have an English Springer Spaniel that points, and you love your dog as I hope you do, please be aware that this dog is the exeption, and unique. The parent club, however, would probably frown on this dog being bred, and a characteristic which is contrary to what they have worked so hard,for so long to preserve being passed along in the breed.Should one desire to have a Spaniel like dog that points, then perhaps the Brittany is the dog for them.

Unfortunately, people see no problem breeding dogs to what ever standard (or lack there of) they see fit. This has in the past resulted in hunting breeds such as the Irish Setter having all the hunt bred out of them (gladly they are making a come back), and Labs that point. Pointing Labs, though growing in popularity, make my skin crawl. What was the need to make a Lab point? Were there not enough pointing breeds available? I don't know the history, but I'd be interested to know the parent clubs position on the change of the standard, or even if they've accepted it.

Anyway, I just wanted to clarify this, and ended up in a half-rant.

[Flairball]

To follow up; I just looked at the Labrador Retriever Club of America's Web site, and they have a statement basically saying that Labs are not pointing dogs, and the club does not recognize Pointing Labs as a breed. They are clearly trying to distance themselves from this phenominon.