What do you think is the all around best sporting dog?

[shiloh4746]

Hi i am new to the sight but I would have to say mountain cure squirrel by day and coons at night and will flush birds when she finds them but around here not many birds left and she loves the kids

[sproulman]

Originally Posted by shiloh4746

Hi i am new to the sight but I would have to say mountain cure squirrel by day and coons at night and will flush birds when she finds them but around here not many birds left and she loves the kids

that is same here in pa. our upland bird hunting is not good do to hunting pressure/habitat.

this is why i feel get a dog that can do things other than hunting.

like a LAB,it will retrieve at home and play in river.not many dogs that can hunt and do things around home off the leash.
cost of food/vet bills/licenes etc,its just to expensive anymore too own 2 dogs.
like my buddy, he got 16 grouse last year with GSP. i got 6 with toby my lab.
his dog hunted 6 hrs, toby was tired in 3 hrs.his dog points, toby flushes.

which type of hunting is more exciting, well FLUSHING is.

but not as productive as a pointing dog on grouse.

these are things to look at. with a 1 dog at home, you want one in my opinion that can do things around home other than wioggle his tail and get excited and a SMALL LAB is a good choice.

[myangel0969]

I am all in for the labrador. I had two black ones and now a brown.

[TheRedYote]

I'd say goldens, but you either get a really driven dog or a really lazy one, so you would need to make sure you get yers from a good field line.

[2browndogs]

I'm new to site, but had to chime in on this one, course we'll all like what we use/know. I have a Deutsch Drathaar that is amazing for a versatile dog...I use her for pointing grouse/woodcock and a lot of waterfowl retrieving. Awesome companion and family dog (great with my 2 year old). Lots of drive and very bidable. She was easy to train. Could have blood track trained her...did a little as a pup but did not keep with it as thought I'd never use it.

Got her from Altmoor kennels in NJ, I Have nothing but good things to say of those folks.

Shawn

[sproulman]

Originally Posted by Big Bullets

I will be looking for a dog down the road and want a real do it all.

I do not get to hunt birds much simply because they seem to have dissappeared from the area and I do not have the time to travel. However, I would like a dog that can be trained to hunt birds.

In addition, the dog has to be able to find a downed deer if called upon.

It must also be capable of being a reasonable watch dog and trustworthy if left alone in the house and with guests.

I have been thinking of a German Short-Hair. Your opinions are solicited to solve this conundrum.

hello,our hunting is going to be gone soon in pa.many reasons.
if you cant book a hunt in other states,i see very few things to hunt here.

anyhow,i would rec to you a SMALL FIELD LAB from hunting stock only.females are smaller, better for heat in fall.
nice thing about lab is they good in water. great around kids and will retrieve to anyone.

great all around hunters/family dogs IF they are from HUNTING STOCK.

born2 retrieve has good hunting/family labs here in pa. there are others.

www.born2retrieve.com.

[Mite]

Originally Posted by sproulman

...usually lab is not guard dog,irish setter also.but toby BITES and you will get tore up if you get near home.he is TERRITORIAL AGGRESSIVE which is strange for lab...

Last part of 2011, we had construction where I lived and strangers coming in and out. They would knock and my setter would bark up a storm. I would then open the door and she would do the classic setter howl, "Wooo, wooo!" with her tail going full speed. The moment they walked in, she would lean up against them and whine hoping for a pet. Step in her territory and you become her best friend.

Goldies are very friendly but also protective. Our goldie past away a couple years ago but loved children. We were hunting on a road and at an intersection met up with a father with two daughters. Juliet, our goldie, ran up to the youngest, about 11-13yrs old, planted her paws on her and started licking her face. Father and oldest started laughing while the youngest screamed. I pulled Juliet off and hid around the corner so she couldn't see where they went. After about five minutes and hoping they had left the area I let Juliet loose and turned the corner...the young girl was standing there picking flowers. She turned, saw Juliet and high tailed it out of there with Juliet right behind. I eventually called her back but I think she enjoyed that more than she did hunting.

Just a fun story I wanted to share.

[sproulman]

very nice story.that is why i mentioned HUNTING STOCK from good breeder.my breeder is OUT OF BUSINESS.goodbye to him.
he was what you call BACKYARD breeder IN MY OPINION.
i trusted him and he left me and DOGS DOWN.

too many dogs are showing up at vets with AGGRESSION problems.sadly LABS are ones now showing up with aggression and HIP problems.

this is why i rec a breeder here in pa that is TRUST WORTHY.

[Yellowsnow]

All around sporting dog, you can't beat a field bred lab. There are many very good versatile dogs, but labs have the personality and drive to get it done. Specialized upland dogs, waterfowl dogs, fur dogs will narrow the list down quickly.