Phil from Maine

This is a true statement, I enjoy hunting with the Irish Setter and they may not be for everyone. I love their style of hunting and pointing, and are great with the children. They are as tuff as any good bird dog, and are very loyal. All though hunting lines are hard to get. What ever you decide good luck to you.

sproulman

this is why the POINTING LAB is the hot dog now..they are selling for big bucks because they point..

Phil from Maine

That is why the lab is currently the number one bred dog in the U.S. and you will soon be needing to pay carefull attention to them. That has happened with the Irish and the GPS are heading in the same route. So with any dog you need to be carefull with your selection.


Did you see the prices for the field line of the Irish Setters? It will scare you.

Teach101

I hunt a Red Setter. A little soft for my money.

petrey10

I am having a hard time with this subject too...I will be getting either a Brittany or GSP next summer to hunt mainly pheasant

Wheatley

I was in the same situation and decided on the GSP because of the pointing breed as well as the size. I have a young daughter and she is excellent with her. My GSP stays inside as well. They have an excellent disposition but do have alot of energy. They need exercise and entertainment especially for the first three or four years of their life as most dogs do.

A lab was just to big to keep in the house and their tails are always thrashing around and smacking the kids and stuff.

ed3592

As far as a flusher goes, my Boykin Spaniel is working out for me better than the labs I had previously..........I used to keep Britts also.........this Boykin is by far the smartest dog I have had, maybe she is the exception, but she has learned faster thaneither of the other breeds. I use her for everything I hunt, 2 winged creatures.
Whatever you do get something, that's the only reason I hunt anymore--to enjoy the dog.

ajhunter23

i would sugust a beagle because thats what i have and the dont get very big and they are playful


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Flairball

I have an English Setter, and an English Springer Spaniel. My Springer is old and retired, and if my Setter wasn't still quite young I'd get another Springer. My style of hunting, I prefer a flushing dog over a pointing dog.I mostly hunt Ruffed Grouse, which are runners like Pheasant. Because they are runners I feel a flusher gets the birds in the air quicker, and with less running than a pointing dog, who must work the bird and relocate on point several times until the bird holds for the dog.Ussually when a bird does hold it's in some really thick covermaking it hard to kick the bird out, and shoot at the same time. Of course, knowing how to read your dog is the key to knowing when to find a clear area to stand and wait for the imminent flush. Those here who hunt grouse regularly, whether with pointers or flushers know how nice it is to be standing where you can actually swing the gun on a flush.

I'd have to agree with the poster who advocateded getting a lab. Labs are really a jack of all trades dog, damned tough, and good with kids. If you decide you prefer hunting one species of bird over another a lab can become quite the specialist too. Of course, any breed of dog which you find compatible with your family life can make a great hunting companion too, if properly bred and trained. Hunting with a dog is a partnership, therefore, any breed of bird dog will do what you want it to. You just have to understand how the dog hunts, its limitations, and your role in how things work.

NEBHNTR

I have a GSP and a Lab and both are good hunting dogs. Depends what kind of habitat you will be hunting? A GSP will be able to cover a lot of ground and be able to be hunted over for a couple of days in a row. In my expereience with labs they just don't have the stamina to hunt for that extended amount of time. I know there are exceptions out there about stamina of dogs. Also as long as you introduce any dog at a young age to kids they will grow up with them and get along great with kids. This will come down to how well your able to train and guide your dog as he grows.