WYOWIRES

Get what you want! My brother raises Setters and yes they hunt ducks. If they don't, my German Wirehaired Pointers ( I raise) will get them. They are an excellent upland dog. GSPs and Setters shed to much for my liking but I will hunt with either one.
Most problems with aggressive dogs is due to lack of socialization.
GOOD LUCK
WYOWIRES

mustad

Cara,

You make some good points in your post, however I disagree with this. A good hunting dog will be good, regardless of its handler. In fact, with bad handlers, a good hunting dog will be good despite his handler. I've seen it more than a few times when a guy shows up with a 12 month old pup and he has absolutely no idea what he's doing. Despite that, the pup goes out and does his job flawlessly.

kdvollmer - I agree with the sentiment that you should just get the dog you want. As long as you socialize it well, you won't have any major problems.

sproulman

i wish SOCIALIZATION was cure to biting problem, it isnt..
i and my close friend vet are seeing biting dogs more than we ever have and LABS too which is not norm..

here is what is happening,you have breeder that has litter of 10 pups,for various reasons there are at times 1 dog that no one wants as pup because it acts strange...
guess what they do with that pup, they raise him or her and breed it..

there is our SOCIALIZATION problem..then dog they breed it with my be same TYPE of dog from another litter..

some call these people BACKYARD breeders,i call it a dangerous way to make money....

sorry i got off topic....
get dog you like, i also like a setter and think they are better dog for grouse than my lab BUT FOR ALL AROUND HUNTING DOG, I LIKE lab..

Mite

That's a loaded question. No one has ever gotten a Field Champion from a shelter but there's been alot of good hunting dogs from the pound. How many times have you heard, "they surrendered her/him because the dog had just too much energy." or "his/her parents are hunting dogs but the original owner didn't hunt and theyjust didn't have room." Too many times a breeder will sell a dog to someone who is a non-hunter who doesn't realize what he just purchased.I've seen too many of those instances.

My suggestion: Don't go to the shelter. There are too many unknown variables in their makeup especially with a grown dog. You won't know how well it likes children unless you actually spend alot of time with it. Even if you get it from a rescue, they maysay, 'I have children...she's greatwith them" but they are not your children as your one year-old might decide pulling on the dogs ear or riding the dog like a horse just mightbe fun one day. Get apuppy then aleast youknowthe dog. Evenifthe dog doesn't like children when older, atleast he'll still see your children aspart of the pack and will usually defend them from strange dogs or strangers.

karabiner

Chevy vs Ford. We all can give opinions. Get whichever breed from the best breeder and train it as best as possible. Have you hunted over both breeds? If not, try to do so, or watch some trials etc. For example, I personally, enjoy hunting over an average pointer rather than a pro flusher. Hunting dogs are like cars, they both do the job, but the ride can be different.

kdvollmer

I've hunted over both, English Setters and GSP's. They are both great Bird dogs. i will have the chance in October to shoot bird over both dogs, side by side when I am home on leave to help make a decsion. My biggest concern though is still how does each do in the house. How are they with kids. I know the setter will shed more, and be more work in that respect. I have a 5 year old and my daughter will be just over 1 when I get the puppy.

Thanks again for the input.

kurt

karabiner

I don't think it would be fair to say one breed is better in the house vs another. You have to judge each dog individually. I've seen Great Danes as gentle a butterflys and Yorkies that were terrors. You can expect both of your choices to have a lots of energy/ exercise needs. Obviously the hair maintenance is a minor difference. The GSP doesn't have the tail to sweep off the table either. Have you decided on sex? On a different aspect though, just keep in mind that a good hunting dog is expected to run through brush, thorns etc.(need to be "thick skinned") My own dogs (GSP's and Vizslas) weren't the gentlest walking around the kids, furnishings. I'm referring to physical handling, not disposition. In other words, your 1 year old could get bumped around. One side note; speaking from experience, there could be dominance challenges as well (between pup and child). But that's a different topic all together. Either breed can do fine indoors under proper supervision and training.

sproulman

if it were me on those 2 choices without knowing personelly on gsp but READING a lot on gsp,i would get a LEWELLIN SETTER..

e mail this guy at LYNNHILLSETTERS,he will tell you his opinion on setters....

outdoorslover

I would have to wholeheartedly disagree with the comment that no good bird dog has come from a shelter. Mine was a shelter dog originally. He came from a breeder and was sold to an older man who had to give him up because he was "too hyper". I got him and had some problems for the first few months. He was completely timid and wouldn't train well nor show any signs of bird interest. I had a problem on my hands, as he was also gunshy, to an extreme. I had a problem house training him and hated the dog for the first 4 months to tell you the truth.

After the first 6 months, he overcame his problems. Through time and effort, he is now an aggressive, born hunter, who points well, stays close(for the most part), and is not gunshy in the least. He is housetrained extremely well and can stay indoors for up to 12 hours by himself without a problem. Most importantly, however, he knows me as his best friend and lives and breathes for me. This is true because he knows that I saved him and that I'm his one true friend.

Iknow that dogs hold those who treat them well in highest esteem. If you take a dog from a shelter and give him a home, a new life, and put the effort into his delicate training, I believe any dog can come out of their shell and be a hunter.

I was told by a dog trainer that my dog couldn't be trained. He was petrified of every noise, wouldn't eat, and you could see all his ribs. I am happy to have proved her wrong and accomplished a real challenge. Furthermore, I feel my dog is a better dog because of his past. He is still timid around certain people but is not fearful, so to speak. I would call it cautious. He will allow anyone to touch him with absolutely no problem(even 2 year olds). I think that his nature is more perfect that way than if he simply showed eagerness towards everything.

Shelter dogs simply take time. They are not lost causes!!!

Mite

I still wouldn't recommend going to a shelter for a hunting dog only because he has a one-year old around. If the kids are alittle older then I'd say no problem. With a shelter dog, you just don't how the dog will react under stress until you spend time with them.

We hada goldie we adopted that really didn't care for small children. He was fine around them but really could care less. Our neighbor had a german shepard in which he kept asa guard dog, vicious, constantly abused.Dog got loose one day attacked our goldie. We had justgrab them and pulled them apart, when the neighbors 5 year old inadvertantly came behind our goldie to pet it. Our dog thought it was being attacked again and turned quickly, teeth out. She ended up with 3 stiches on her chin. Well, in short, we paid for the medical bills, etc. the neighbor realized she shouldn't have approachedthedog fighting, etc. and wefinallysaid there were too many children and it could very well happen again. Wegave the dog to someone who didn't have any children and away from the shepard.

It could have ended up much nastier involvingthe courts but they were understanding as she approached the dogs while they were still fighting.

As to setter vs. gsp, bothcan be calmor hyper. I have owned a couple of setters and around the house they were alwayssomewhat mellow. Thequote "never met a stranger"seem to apply. The only other setters and GSPs i'vemet have always been in the 'field' and weremore interested in finding out what's out there.