Best Pheasant/Grouse/Family Dog

[PAPAROD]

What's your go to upland game dog that is also a good family dog with little kids. Does not have oily/ shed like a lab.

 

[Rieckman]

Our family got a Drahthaar last summer as a pup. Did awesome pheasant hunting, and does well in the house with my wife and newborn. I know several breeders in MN.

A buddy of mine runs springers, and from all accounts being around them are just as good in the house around kids and family. He is studding his dog out. Near Fargo I believe. He has 2 younger kids.

Both of those shed, my dogs hair is harder to see in the carpet and stuff.

Vizsla was on my list for a while, I've hunted along a few, good dogs. Shed a little less I believe.

 

[hiker270]

It's been Brittney Spaniels for me for many years.

 

[spur60]

I grew up with shorthairs and labs. Never an issue around us as kids. Have friends and family with labs, vizslas, and shorthairs at our cabin all the time around 6 kids from 4-12; no issues. I'm shopping for a started dog right now, I'm 50/50 between a lab (for more waterfowling work) and a female shorthair (for less dog hair in the house and better upland work). My wife does daycare for 3 kids plus has our 5 year old so house manners are a consideration for us, and I've never come across a female shorthair that was a prick around kids.

 

[PAPAROD]

I always had labs growing up and we have a 13 year old lab now but my wife would prefer if the next dog I get doesn't shed as much as our yellow lab now. I dont waterfowl hunt anymore just strictly pheasant and grouse. I was leaning more toward something like a Brittany, Munster lander, that type of dog. I wanted to hear first hand from people with kids how they do because lets face it, realistically they are 50% family dog and 50% hunting dog and better be good at both.

 

[PAPAROD]

I agree with what your saying spur60. My wife mentioned the other day that we should spend a little extra and get a starter pup as well. I have also been thinking about a female Drathaar or shorthair as I dont need a 90lb lab anymore. I'm not a fan of Vislas, I know a couple people with them and there ornery.

 

[High Voltage]

Our family got a Drahthaar last summer as a pup. Did awesome pheasant hunting, and does well in the house with my wife and newborn. I know several breeders in MN.

A buddy of mine runs springers, and from all accounts being around them are just as good in the house around kids and family. He is studding his dog out. Near Fargo I believe. He has 2 younger kids.

Both of those shed, my dogs hair is harder to see in the carpet and stuff.

Vizsla was on my list for a while, I've hunted along a few, good dogs. Shed a little less I believe.

We have owned a verity of bird dog breeds, and are super happy with our GWP.
I just posted her litter in the classifieds here.

WTS - GWP with great blood lines.

We have breed our three year old Kimber to a well breed imported male. Puppies were born on March 24 and will be a perfect age for their first hunting season next fall. Our Kimber has been a great house pet, and awesome hunting companion. She achieved a perfect 112 prize 1 on her Natural Ability...

rokslide.com

 

[Jon S]

Can’t say enough about a good old Griff! Wirehaired pointing Griffon, don’t shed much at all, super family friendly,and have a good hunt instinct and super easy to work with! Love my Maple!

 

[Dos XX]

We have 2 brittanys. They are great in the house and with the grandkids. A lot of that has to do with how you raise them and teach them to act in the house.

One of them is 9 months old. He still has a lot of puppy in him, but he chills in the house just fine. The other one is 2 years old and he is a rockstar in the house and good in the field.

They do shed ,though,

 

[chizelhead]

Pudelpointer -- great versatile hunting dog with lots of prey drive in the field but mellow in the house, wonderful personality, great with kids, doesn't shed (wife's ask and I support), hypoallergenic for my son, and cute for my daughter.

 

[WRO]

Have you considered a setter? We love ours. They’re known for their grouse hunting prowess. We have a Gordon and English and love them both.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[HoneyDew]

Brittany

 

[BigNate]

German Short-haired pointer.

I've had Brittany spaniels, had friends with an English. Father had a wired-hair. I'd get another GSP before any of them.

 

[johnnycake]

I agree with what your saying spur60. My wife mentioned the other day that we should spend a little extra and get a starter pup as well. I have also been thinking about a female Drathaar or shorthair as I dont need a 90lb lab anymore. I'm not a fan of Vislas, I know a couple people with them and there ornery.

If you think viszlas are ornery, makes me wonder if you've spent much time around drahts?

I'm a pudelpointer guy. Goofy, sweet, friendly, lab-like personality but with far more mental and physical power. Generally better off switch than a draht, and on average far easier to keep from tangling with porcupines or chasing fur/big game when you are trying to bird hunt.

Not all pudelpointers are non shedding and coats are quite variable. Not all people with allergies will be nonreactive to all pudelpointers (technically this is true of any of the hypoallergenic breeds). My 6 year old Ava I strip her coat once a year and otherwise she sheds less than my wife or daughter. Ava also hasn't ever caused a reaction for any friends or family members that have allergies, including a guy that has a 3 year old pudelpointer from similar lineage that gets rashes from his own dog. It'll take the next year or two to figure out how the coat on my new pup will shake out, but fingers crossed.

 

[KurtR]

If you think viszlas are ornery, makes me wonder if you've spent much time around drahts?

I'm a pudelpointer guy. Goofy, sweet, friendly, lab-like personality but with far more mental and physical power. Generally better off switch than a draht, and on average far easier to keep from tangling with porcupines or chasing fur/big game when you are trying to bird hunt.

Not all pudelpointers are non shedding and coats are quite variable. Not all people with allergies will be nonreactive to all pudelpointers (technically this is true of any of the hypoallergenic breeds). My 6 year old Ava I strip her coat once a year and otherwise she sheds less than my wife or daughter. Ava also hasn't ever caused a reaction for any friends or family members that have allergies, including a guy that has a 3 year old pudelpointer from similar lineage that gets rashes from his own dog. It'll take the next year or two to figure out how the coat on my new pup will shake out, but fingers crossed.

How do they have more mental and physical power than a lab? I’m curious as I have seen a couple try and run simple concepts and they were over whelmed.

 

[chizelhead]

Pudelpointers have three coat types, medium course (most common), smooth coat (like a lab and can look like a lab), and wooly (like a goldendoodle). You can search for images. I targeted medium course, bc it doesn't shed and I thought it best for waterfowl and overall warmth. The smooth coat sheds like a GSP. That's probably the pointer genes showing through. The wooly soaks up water and collects burrs and anything it seems and is the least desirable for hunting in my opinion.

 

[huntineveryday]

I'll throw another vote for wirehairs. We have 2 and both have been great in the field and in the family.

Do your work when looking for a good breeder, I think that makes a big difference. Find one that uses thier dogs the way you plan to. If they are breeding for hard charging field trial dogs always kenneled, the personality and demeanor of the dogs could be completely different compared to someone that breeds for cooperation and has the dogs in around thier family.

 

[MJB]

Jagds terriers.......when the grouse are in the trees they sit looking up into the tree......if it's on a low limb they will climb to get to them.
Great hunt drive and they have that on/off switch for hunting and lounging

 

[Screamrider]

Another vote for a Brittany. Our 2 year old is a bird hunting machine, and an amazing family pet - he’s up for any adventure, but also knows how to relax and be calm in the house. Fully grown at 35 lbs is a great size as well.

 

[twall13]

I'm a Boykin Spaniel guy, but if I wasn't I'd either have a Pudelpointer, Springer Spaniel or a Brittany. Boykins are phenomenal family dogs and have a great bird drive as well. They do shed a bit but nothing like a lab. For my style of hunting I'm happy with a flushing bread that works close. That style doesn't work for everyone so keep that in mind as you consider breeds but my wife isn't much of a dog person and even she says we'll always have a Boykin, they are just so easy to train and so great with kids.

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk