RLoving1

This is my best friend!

daleh

Before we Judge a Breed as a whole we should have alot of experience with multiple dogs of different breeding within that breed
All Breeds have their best and worst abilities that set them aside from others.
I am A Setter Fan Although I own Briitanys, German Shorthairs, and Boykins.
I wish i had a Setter that would rereive as well as my Short Hairs and Boykins. Likewise I wish i had a short hair that could find birds like my Setters.
Wild Bird Hunting is different than Preserve Hunting.
I do see the same Habits in all good dogs
Drive and Bird Sense
Clean in the Kennel.
Wants to please you.

RustyD02359

And thats what this post seems to be intended on doing. Everybodys opinion on each breed they have owned. I am quite surprised in the popularity of the Boykins. I saw one on that Westminster show and thought it was a sad excuse for a hunting dog, it was a short, fat white mutt of a dog and I thought why did it win and who the hell would want or try to hunt one.But that was AKC and we ALL KNOW how they ruin a dog. The Boykins in Dales site are sweet looking little charmers, just what I need, another breed that I wan to try.

I think Labs are like 4x4 trucks, not matter what you drive, car, family van, etc you will always need and have one in your garage when work needs to be done, the do it all vehicle.

daleh

Never saw a White Boykin can't be any good.
As Far as Bird Dogs Boykins are a flushing Dog and I too would not consider them a bird dog just to hunt with.
I use theSetters to find the birds and the boykins to flush and retrieve.
Alot of Trouble i Know but, what a spectacular hunt.
I would not own a Lab, i know that arefriendly and great retrievers.
But, i can feed 8 Boykinsto 1 Lab

AlaskaMagnum

WHAT? Why don't you just get a versatile that can do both reasonably well? Why get a pointing breed and a flushing/retrieving breed when what you really want is a pointing/retrieving breed!!!!!


Sorry, that was uncalled for, but ya know that karma is a female dog, right daleh?

RustyD02359

I myself like to watch differant dogs doing what they do best and as a team. It brings it to a whole new level I feel. I let my Italian Greyhound flush because she insists and wants to be part of the team. She is a sight houn and generally only puts on chase when sees a critter. But she watched us train and figured it out. WHen she hears whoa or the beepers going off she snaps to attention and waits for me to let her move in and she goes bustin around in front of the pointers, who woulda thunk! You can NEVER have too many dogs.

Don Fischer

Breed's I have owned:

Labrador Retriever's
Springer spaniel's
German Shorthairs
English Pointers
various mixed breeds of suspect parentage
Doberman's
German shepard's

Dog's I have trained:

Visla's
English Setter's
1 Gordon Setter
Brittany's
maybe a couple less than memorable breeds.

Comment's:

How do you put picture's in here? I like to brag!

petrey10

where are you located Don and what is your opinions on the breeds?

Don Fischer

I'm in central Oregon.

Labs, what could I say that hasn't already been said. But I wonder if the lab might not be going the same way as the DD/GWP. It's seem's that they are being used more and more for upland bird shooting and being promoted as pointing,,,,something. The lab origionally sat quietly in the blind and retrieved like no one's business. Now it's developing some legs, not a lot yet but I wonder where it will go. I wonder if down the road there will be a split between thetraditional lab people and this newer type, just as the DD/GWP? Same dog!

Springer Spaniels. If I was to have one dog for all my hunting in a milder climate, that was a flusher, this would be it. They are really wonderful water dog's and great in tight cover. More agressive than the lab's, they run harder and put birds in the air. A springer doesn't give a bird like a phesant a lot of time to run out as a slower flushing dog might. But a springer out of control would be a night mare, it will still put up birds.

GSP's. People that know me believe that this is my dog of choice, this or the E. Pointer. The GSP is a fairly easy dog to train, they are stylish, have great noses, work ok in the water but the one's I've had were not big on heavy brush. That's fine with me as I like a dog that runs. They have a wonderful temperment and mine made great house dogs. Secret, most dogs make good house dogs if you teach them the rules.

English Pointer's. If God put a dog on this earth to take your breath away, this is it. I tell people that ask me about them that if their not real serious about dog work, don't get one of these guy's. Nothing, absolutely nothing get's bird's like a good Pointer. The draw back is they are very single minded and quite often aloof. They need you only to turn them loose, then it's hunting time and you can go or stay, they don't care. I said a good pointer and heres a catch. there's more good setter's and shorthairs than there are good pointers. They are so highly bred that I think the breeders went to far. I hunted my pointer's off horseback as I don't like to many restrictions on a dog. Thoes that want a dog that will stay within a couple hundred yds or so are better off to look elsewhere. Going to try and put"Pete" in here. This dog would make you watch him just standing still because you knew something was going to happen.

Hope that works.

I should skip the non-sporting breeds. The English Setter is one of the finest of dog's in my opinion, I just don't like messing with that hair. With long hair comes problems with knots in it between their toes. Get them and the dog spends to much time trying to chew them out. They should be kept clipped. They also have that hair in under the ear leathers and if not kept trimmed, can make it quite warm in there and in some cases cause ear infections. They also attract and hold weed seed's very well, keep them trimmed. They are soft in temperment and bidable, very easy to work with but, beware the tuff setter. Nothing worse that a hard dog with a soft temperment. They don't take any ruff training or handling well.
two distinct strains, Laverick and Lewellyn. Avoid the Lavericks like the plague, show strain.I especially like the "Burnt Creek" and "Grouse Ridge" dogs'

Gordon's are pretty underutilized. Most are from show strains but there are a few good field strains and they do not generally range to far. I am familue a bit with the springset dog's and were I looking for one, that's where I would go. Have worked with one and had a friend that had two more. Pretty much the same temperment as the E. Setter but a bit softer and a bit closer ranging.

Britt's have never been atop my list and I've done quite a few, I just don't like how they look. All that is except "Dusty", her I would have owned.

When I set my own prejudices aside this is what I would call one of the top two or three breeds for the average hunter. They are easy to work with and biddable. Gentle dog's but not near as soft as the Setter's. Boy do I think all but "Dusty" are ugly tho.

Visla's. here is probally the best kept secret in bird dogs. They are gentle, good looking, medimun fast, stanch on birds, easy to take care of (wash and dry), and very biddable. They don't range like many other breeds, the one's I've watched and the one's I worked with had a range of around 100 to 150yds naturally. They just don't run off.

Were I to pick the best of each type for the average guy and concidering only the breeds I've worked with:
Retriever's Labrador, hands down.

Flushers Springer Spaniel hands down again

Pointersin no partucular order: English Setter, Brittany, Visla

RustyD02359

I agree with your thought/idea on the "Versatile" Lab, a great thought! Heck my lab was just that, seeing it was half Springer or Setter, a great Lab and pointer/flusher. I would love to try a Pointer and a Lab cross. Knew a girl that had one for a pet but she don't hunt and lives in GA.

I used to be intimidated by range by a good pointer will hold your birds til you get there. mine are generally within 150 yards radius but they do run out and circle back and do the finish work.