Choosing a Dog

[cacklercrazy]

Hey all,
I am starting to do some research on bird dog breeds and training. hoping to get a dog in the next couple years.

I am wondering if anyone has recommendations on dog breeds that would work for me. I'd also like some advice on training and bird dog ownership in general.

I owned an English Setter for several years. I inherited him from a family member, who could no longer care for him. He was 8 when we got him and was never trained, so he wasn't much of a hunting companion, but he was a sweet and gentle guy that did very well with the two newborns we brought home to him as they grew into toddlers. We sadly had to put him down last year.



I'd like a dog that

1. Will do well hunting primarily quail and grouse in both open and thick terrain. I live in northern California where things tend to be thick, but will travel some to more open terrain. I guess versatility is important
2. Will do well with children.
3. Hypoallergenic if possible (My wife was pretty allergic to the English Setter, and that hair got everywhere)
4. Needs to be okay at home while wife and I are at work.

Considering wire-haired griffon, brittany, and some others, but still in the research stage for sure.

Any advice or resources to point me to?

My favorite are labs or chessie, but the hair would be a problem. Being your upland hunting I would go for a short hair.

 

[loganwayne]

Not planning for this year, just thinking more about dogs again because the season is close. I probably wouldn’t get one until early
next year at the soonest.

I’m considering a started dog because I’m worried I don’t have the time, experience, or local support to train a puppy from scratch. I’ve leash trained an 8 year old English setter, but that’s my experience with training.

5k is way more than I expected.

How much are you expecting a puppy to be? puppies from good lines nowadays are 1500+ pretty easily.

That said you could also talk to some breeders about buying a dog out of their breeding program when they retire the dog. Dog will probably be around 8 years old but would be a finished dog. you would probably get 2-3 good hunting seasons out of it, that would give you time to get a puppy and it would learn a ton from the older dog if worked correctly

 

[Tleek]

How much are you expecting a puppy to be? puppies from good lines nowadays are 1500+ pretty easily.

That said you could also talk to some breeders about buying a dog out of their breeding program when they retire the dog. Dog will probably be around 8 years old but would be a finished dog. you would probably get 2-3 good hunting seasons out of it, that would give you time to get a puppy and it would learn a ton from the older dog if worked correctly

1k—1500 is what I was expecting for a puppy. I didn’t think a started dog would be so much more.
That’s another idea, I’ll look into it, but I’m hesitant to get an older adult dog because I want it to be socialized with my family. Going back to the needs list, it has to be good with my kids.

 

[KurtR]

1k—1500 is what I was expecting for a puppy. I didn’t think a started dog would be so much more.
That’s another idea, I’ll look into it, but I’m hesitant to get an older adult dog because I want it to be socialized with my family. Going back to the needs list, it has to be good with my kids.

1k isnt going to get you much 1500 is right at the bottom side of anything with good genetics. Being a breeder is expensive and labor intensive when done right

 

[TxLite]

GSP. Barely know that they shed.

This has not been my experience with our 2. Ours blow their coat a couple times a year.

Other than that they are awesome dogs. Great drive and extremely sweet with friends and family.

 

[Jason Snyder]

1k—1500 is what I was expecting for a puppy.

I can’t speak to other breeds, but $1k won’t even get you bottom of the barrel Drahthaar puppies.

I paid $1500 six years ago and most breeders are charging $2000-3000.

 

[Tleek]

1k isnt going to get you much 1500 is right at the bottom side of anything with good genetics. Being a breeder is expensive and labor intensive when done right

Maybe I need to adjust my expectations.
I’m going to be honest the whole genetics component is very confusing to me. I still don’t know what to look for or what to ask. Every breeder I’ve looked at expounds great genetics. I saw a started English Setter online for $800 yesterday and they posted the whole family tree. I have no idea how to interpret it.

We are pretty set on something hypoallergenic but I miss my old setter and am starting to want to look into them some more. Again, we got him as an untrained adult and I never hunted him but he was the sweetest dog I’ve had. Lots of anxiety issues when we got him and they never totally mellowed out but they did improve.

 

[KurtR]

Maybe I need to adjust my expectations.
I’m going to be honest the whole genetics component is very confusing to me. I still don’t know what to look for or what to ask. Every breeder I’ve looked at expounds great genetics. I saw a started English Setter online for $800 yesterday and they posted the whole family tree. I have no idea how to interpret it.

We are pretty set on something hypoallergenic but I miss my old setter and am starting to want to look into them some more. Again, we got him as an untrained adult and I never hunted him but he was the sweetest dog I’ve had. Lots of anxiety issues when we got him and they never totally mellowed out but they did improve.

Find a litter you like then post it on here regardless of breed im sure someone will be able to help or talk to a trainer who has run dogs with those lines. You will get alot of answers. Make sure the trainer does not own either the stud or bitch so you get honest answers.

 

[loganwayne]

Maybe I need to adjust my expectations.
I’m going to be honest the whole genetics component is very confusing to me. I still don’t know what to look for or what to ask. Every breeder I’ve looked at expounds great genetics. I saw a started English Setter online for $800 yesterday and they posted the whole family tree. I have no idea how to interpret it.

We are pretty set on something hypoallergenic but I miss my old setter and am starting to want to look into them some more. Again, we got him as an untrained adult and I never hunted him but he was the sweetest dog I’ve had. Lots of anxiety issues when we got him and they never totally mellowed out but they did improve.

Genetics are just giving you a leg up. i have a dog with "bad genetics" that is an ok dog, i have two that have "some of the best genetics" although they are from different lines they are 10x the dog with bad genetics.

Id also make sure the breeder is doing hip and knee test, they can also do genetic testing for other diseases now as well.

Its easier to understand if you look at dogs that a field trialed. I don't want to start the debate if field trial dogs make good hunting dogs, it is a way to show that the dogs or line of dogs can be successful in a simulated hunting environment.

One of mine is from a male dog that is one of the most winning dogs of my breed that is alive in the US today. the female hasnt been trialed much in the US but if i remember had a title in france.

The other the parents aren't trialed at all, BUT the same breeding has produced alot of dogs that have done well in trials all across the US. So the genetics are there the breeder just hunts more than he trials.


Once you single out a breed it would be worth your time to find a club and go to a few trials. The people are nice and if you let the people running them, they will most likely let you walk with a judge so that you can see several different lines of the same breed and see what you like and what you don't. This is what i have seen personally several times at UKC trials not sure on others but i would assume the same.

 

[loganwayne]

1k—1500 is what I was expecting for a puppy. I didn’t think a started dog would be so much more.
That’s another idea, I’ll look into it, but I’m hesitant to get an older adult dog because I want it to be socialized with my family. Going back to the needs list, it has to be good with my kids.

its costing me 3500 to send my puppy to a trainer for 6 weeks and i thought that was pretty cheap. when i get her back she should be considered a started dog. 1800 for puppy + 3500 for training ill be into her for 5300 before vet visits and food before she is a year old.

Some would say she is already started as she points, and ive shot over her but thats not started to me.

 

[TSAMP]

Maybe I need to adjust my expectations.
I’m going to be honest the whole genetics component is very confusing to me. I still don’t know what to look for or what to ask. Every breeder I’ve looked at expounds great genetics. I saw a started English Setter online for $800 yesterday and they posted the whole family tree. I have no idea how to interpret it.

We are pretty set on something hypoallergenic but I miss my old setter and am starting to want to look into them some more. Again, we got him as an untrained adult and I never hunted him but he was the sweetest dog I’ve had. Lots of anxiety issues when we got him and they never totally mellowed out but they did improve.

Just a PSA pudelpointers aren't hypoallergenic. At least I can say I've seen 2 returned because sombody thought that, and found out otherwise.

Obviously everybody's different, just be aware.

 

[johnnycake]

Just a PSA pudelpointers aren't hypoallergenic. At least I can say I've seen 2 returned because sombody thought that, and found out otherwise.

Obviously everybody's different, just be aware.

This is an important thing to really dig into if hypoallergenic is the reason somebody is wanting a pudelpointer--and then, they need to accept that it isn't going to be any sort of guaranteed result. First, "hypoallergenic" does not mean "will not cause allergic reactions" but really means "will cause fewer reactions in most people" and the level of "fewer" can vary greatly from dog to dog (and individual human) even within a breed. Allergic reactions generally are due to certain proteins in saliva or dander. All dogs have dander, but dogs that shed less often generally have less dander (as long as they are fed and cared for well). There are definitely allergic folks I know with PPs that have no problems with their dog, and others that still react though. But I know the same to be true for owners with various other "hypoallergenic" breeds, and it all seems to come down to the actual, medical meaning of "hypoallergenic" being a reduced reaction or lower likelihood.

Hypoallergenic is not why I got pudelpointers, but I do have multiple family members with moderate to severe pet allergies. Add in friends and acquaintances I have had a good number of people with allergies spend a lot of time with my 7yr old Ava, and nobody has yet had any reaction to her (or at least if they have they've said nothing when I've asked). One of the guys up here that bought a closely related pup to my Ava reacts terribly to his own dog's saliva but not my Ava. I haven't had as much anecdotal testing for my 1.5 yr old Karma to see if people react to her. So far the 2 people with allergies who've spent time with her haven't reacted (or not told me when I've asked).

 

[AgentP]

We went with a pudelpointer. Fits your criteria, and I had the additional requirement of waterfowl. She is awesome in every way. She has a medium course coat that can collect burrs. That's the only thing to consider. She also doesn't shed, which was a wife ask, and I supported. A smooth coat PP will shed and a wooly is one to avoid for hunting.

I recently discovered the pudelpointer as well and this seems like the Swiss Army knife dog. Once I move out of an apartment and have a yard, the pudelpointer will definitely be my next purchase. Definitely a dog that needs a yard. But the breeder I spoke to already said this is the perfect family/hunting dog

 

[KurtR]

I know of some standard poodle puppies that were just born. Sire is a master hunter and bitch is in training.

 

[Tleek]

I’m

I know of some standard poodle puppies that were just born. Sire is a master hunter and bitch is in training.

are poodles usually considered good upland dogs?

 

[KurtR]

I’m

are poodles usually considered good upland dogs?

get the right one and train it they can be . The standard poodle was originally bred to be a hunting dog before the show ring got ahold of them

i will add this if you are a hardcore guy who will go out 60 days a year not the dog for you but if you are the casual person who goes every now and then it would do the job.

 

[molliesmaster]

its costing me 3500 to send my puppy to a trainer for 6 weeks and i thought that was pretty cheap. when i get her back she should be considered a started dog. 1800 for puppy + 3500 for training ill be into her for 5300 before vet visits and food before she is a year old.

Some would say she is already started as she points, and ive shot over her but thats not started to me.

What kind of dog is this and what kind of training?




OP, maybe you should just make a friend that has dogs and hunt with that guy.


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[loganwayne]

What kind of dog is this and what kind of training?




OP, maybe you should just make a friend that has dogs and hunt with that guy.


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French brittany
6 weeks of basic pointing dog train, as well as in home training. Dog will stay in the house with the trainer.

 

[molliesmaster]

French brittany
6 weeks of basic pointing dog train, as well as in home training. Dog will stay in the house with the trainer.

I would be very interested in hearing your thoughts when training is complete.


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[loganwayne]

I would be very interested in hearing your thoughts when training is complete.


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I'll follow up. Pup gets dropped off September 1. I'll pick her up and a week later heading up North to the grouse woods.

I'm very familiar with the trainer. I've been going to him with another dog for almost 2 years now. (Wife wouldn't let me send her)