katie 2222

Hello i raise springers and i have one that is very wired and i have a very relaxed male who is excellent i think it depends on if they are field bred or show. i have both the male is show bred and the females are field bred with lots of energy. I have friends who have labs also but it is all in the training of the dog.

Ty06

I have 2 female springers one black and white, one liver and white, also had a liver and white growing up and a couple of friends who had B&W's. Mine are sisters but they have completely different personalities.
But I have noticed that the B&W's are more high strung than the livers, does anyone else notice this?

In my opinion they are the best bird/house dog if you like a close working, flushing dog. I prefer to have the birds jump close, it's more exiting that way.
Mine are very friendly and want to be around the family all the time I don't think they would do well as an outside dog.

HikeNHunter

I lost my last dog to cancer almost 2 years ago. Before I rescued the lab/golden cross that I am very pleased to own, I did alot of reserch and asked alot of questions. I needed a dog that would hunt casually, but be more of a family dog than strictly a hunting dog. He had to be able to tolerate small children, and while I don't have a problem with him burning up tons of energy outside he needed to be well behaved inside the house. I wanted to have a dog that would go backpacking with me on the weekends and remain by my side on those trips yet would be able to get out in front and do a fair job of tracking upland birds, mostly pheasants, flushing them and rtrieving them for me. LABS are definately my first choice, but that is because I have owned several over the last 30 years and I have always been able to count on them for versatility. One dog popped up in my research, that might be just what you are looking for. That dog is called a Pudelpointer. While I never heard of a Pudelpointer before, I learned that this dog has the capability to be a fine working dog and a dedicated family dog. The breed is quite an old breed in Germany and has been bred to be an all around dog with emphasis being placed on their hunting ability. I love Labs and my last 2 dogs have been lab/golden crosses that I rescued and I could not have been any happier with them than I was, however I think, based on the research that I have done, that Pudelpointers deserve a look as an all around dog. I certainly will be considering one the next time I am in the market for a new pal. For more info on this breed go to http://www.pudelpointer.org. This site has a bunch of info on the breed and its history. No matter what dog you choose remember that he needs to be a part of your family every day and he will bring you as much joy as he possibly can if you make him a part of your family. Good luck with whatever breed you choose.

shadowrocke

I tend to disagree with the statements about the wirehairs "not warming up to people". I raise wirehairs....therefore I would recommend one. I have several of them and sold several puppies. Many to people with children and that have them in their homes. Mine are very laid back, not high strung or hyper. They perform very well in the field for birds and rabbits. They are die-hard hunters.

utahhntr

I would have to say buy a deutch drathaar. I got my first 10 months ago and was so impressed my second will be here on thursday. Talk about a dog that is jeckyl and hyde. When he is in the house with the kids he just lays around like an old lazy hound. When hunting he makes me tired just watching him. He is a very good rabbit and bird dog. I use to raise and train labs but there is no comparison when your looking for a versitle family dog.

HikeNHunter

check out these two web sites, they may help you find the right dog. Try http:www.versatiledogs.com/ and http:wwwnavhda.org Maybe you can find some info that can help you decide on one of these sites. Good Luck

mrfritz44

Looks like you and I had the same criteria for a dog. Check out this site and read up on them. Never had one, but after the research for my pup I think it fits your bill perfectly.

http://www.pointinglabs.com/site/index.cfm

sturm1022

A DD as suggested by utahhntr will require lots of attention as will a GSP. I Have a DD and GSP and would recomend either one to anyone who is willing to TRAIN AND WORK their pup

Clockwork

i would recommend that you not get another dog frankly. if you cant have it in the house, it doesnt seem right. nor does it sound smart to keep one dog inside and the other outside, i think this might create a problem between the dogs as the one dog will not recognize the other as part of the family and it might be dangerous. nearly all true bird dogs are hyper, thats what makes them what they are. sound slike you want a mellow dog first and foremost. a lab MIGHT be suitable but ive seen some pretty hyper labs, and if you leave him by himself all day in the back, when he does see you he's going to be bouncing off the walls, thats how all dogs are, especially lonely dogs. the cycle only gets worse. beagles might make a good rabbit dog and they could probably trail and flush birds but they seem very hard to train and difficult to control off the leash as most hounds are. my freind had a beagle, and we got him to trail bird wings, he can really follow a scent but has a very obnoxious bark and drools. about as good with kids as you can get though and very gentle. not very trainable though IMO.