# Bird dogs



## WVhillbilly (Mar 11, 2016)

Me and my wife are hoping to get a dog soon after we move into the new place. I'm looking for a good dog that is good for waterfowl and upland birds (mostly small cover birds like grouse), but each will only be hunted a few times a year and only a few hours at a time. Water may be cold but nothing too severe or for a long period of time (Lord knows I don't do well in cold either). I've been looking at English Springer Spaniels for their smaller size, but I also like Labs, especially if a spaniel couldn't hold up. Anyone have an opinion either way?


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

My brother had a Springer, best hunting dog I've had the pleasure of hunting over. But she simply was not a water dog, just a pet dog when it came to water.

I had a chocolate lab great water dog always wanting to be in the creek or some thing, Not a great grouse dog but she wasn't trained for that.

I would get a pointing lab for your wants in a dog.

 Al


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## rockpile1 (Aug 24, 2016)

I'm thinking a Weimaraner.

rockpile


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## DisasterCupcake (Jan 3, 2015)

We've always had German Shorthairs for grouse, woodcock and pheasant dogs. Ours have been laid back enough to be strictly family dogs, but remember what their job is the moment they are put in the field. Ours have always been strictly pointers but they do fetch. He does get cold in the winter lol. 
In cold bitter MT, they used the wirehair sort. Both kind are good in the field and in water, ime.


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

If you are only hunting a few times per year, your chances of making a good bird hunting dog are slim. Good bird dogs require intensive training and need to be "worked" a few times every week to keep them sharp.

I'd probably recommend a lab. You might be able to get it to retrieve the occasional downed duck, and if it isn't gun shy and will stay close, it might help you out a bit hunting upland birds. Labs are friendly and make a pretty good pet too, if the hunting part doesn't work out.

I've not seen any "good" hunting dogs that were very good pets. Good hunting dogs are typically all business, and hunting is all they live for. When they get out of the kennel, it hunting time.


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## ihuntgsps (Mar 10, 2008)

I have raised and hunted German Shorthaired Pointers and found them to be very easy to train, excellent hunters, and wonderful family pets.

My best dog competed in the NBDC and won many events. He was also my little boys best friend and a great house dog.

They do of course require training and plenty of exercise especially when young. We hunted pheasant, quail, chukar, grouse, woodcock. 

With a little training they can be decent retrievers of ducks/geese as well but would lean towards a lab if you plan to do a bunch of cold weather water foul hunting.

If upland game is more the priority a good pointer is so much more pleasant to hunt over than a flushing dog in my opinion and easier to train.

IF buying a GSP please help yourself and buy a pup from NAVHDA certified parents. The high stung field trial bloodlines don't always want to be calm family pets.


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

I'm a big fan of, and have lots of experience with Brittany Spaniels. They make great house dogs and are perfect for what you want to do. I don't have any idea what they are like now days. In my younger days they were golden. We raised and trained them. They basically trained themselves.
Brittanys hunt closer than the pointers and are much better in woods and swamps. MHO


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

The water fowl part takes A lot of the pups mentioned out of the equastion. If it were not for the water fowl part I would have recommended same as my new pup a Ryman Style English setter. Very soft mouthed (not on pin tooth mark on me yet) wants to please and so friendly.










Hard to find a water dog and a pointing upland dog combo and the best of the ones around are the pointing labs.


 Al


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I have springers and all of the springers I've owned have been excellent pets and fanatical hunters. They cover at least 30 miles on an afternoon hunt. I adopted them from ESRA.

Mine have all been very willing to swim after waterfowl. Once while hiking in mid winter my 12 yr old found an open spot in a stream and went for a swim. It was only 10-20 degrees F but she didn't mind.


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

Boykin spaniels I've heard are good. I've never been around one. They are historically boat and quail dogs. A lot like a Brit. I've never hunted one. I do like their looks.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Boykin spaniels, a very likely combo dog, water and upland hunters.
http://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/boykin-spaniel#/slide/1





















 Al


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

alleyyooper said:


> The water fowl part takes A lot of the pups mentioned out of the equastion. If it were not for the water fowl part I would have recommended same as my new pup a Ryman Style English setter. Very soft mouthed (not on pin tooth mark on me yet) wants to please and so friendly.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Your dog is the spitting image of my little Llewellyn Setter. Had a Ryman as a young man. I can not think of a gentler breed of dog.

Choosing between a Lab and a Springer is a tough one. I have had and loved them both. My next dog will probably be a Lab, but more as a pet than a hunter. The springer I had was an outstanding water dog and an incredible upland bird dog so I would have to go with them.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

You know Ryman's have a bit of Llewellyn DNA in them.

Yes a very gentle breed. Mine even with the needle teeth of a pup never broke my skin. Softest mouth dog I have ever been around.

 Al


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

My neighbor has a boykin. What a sweet little dog. Don't know about her hunting abilities, but she is a great housedog.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

for a few times a few hours a time hire someone with a good dog to go with you , seriously you could buy them a pallet of dog food and come out ahead.

dog with good breading and parents that hunt 2K
first few vet trips 1K
2 weeks professional training 2k
dog food for a high energy hunting breed about 1K a year 

so your about 6K for the first year and 1 1/2 for each additional year the dog will probably take a year to get hunting and hunt for 9-10 years 

and you still need to be spending a couple hours a week working with them minimum 5- 6 months year 

and some of this is still a gamble that you will get a good dog that hunts well

and if you ever wanted to go out of town , kennel costs at 25 a night with a 2 night minimum on weekends 

unless dog training and bird hunting is your major hobby and primary interest in life find some one with a dog that hunts really well and pay them 150 dollars a day to let you hunt over their dog and you will be money ahead


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

We trained ours as pups with a quail wing on a line on a cane pole. Just play with them. They'll learn to point, hold and retrieve by nature. Getting them behind a well trained dog is the icing. They're gold after that.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Rent a dog take some clown to your hunting area to do the commands to the dog and they may not be what you really want the dog to do for you.

Much better to buy a dog from a breeder with a good reputation, dog will be loaded with natural bred in instincts to hunt. Most quickly learn. My Ryman has been pointing birds since she was 2 months old. Will soon start teaching her Robins no grouse and pheasants yes. 

Will be your best friend for life always happy to see you. Hurts really bad when they die. If you go on a vacation and can't take your best friend ask a friend to come and feed & water the dog, leave the vets phone number with them for just in case. My friends would not take a dime for doing that and would get mad if you even offered to pay them. Of course they would expect the same of you if needed.

You can feed a dog way cheaper than a kid, then the kids needs clothing and a bunch of other expensive stuff to keep them happy. Just take the dog in the back yard and toss a ball and they are happy. A good dog also does not talk back to you like a kid will.
*Have never met a dog I didn't like.*

 Al


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

If you go with a springer I recommend contacting ESRA. The best grouse dog I will ever own was adopted from them. I watched her swim after ducks and geese for 1/2 mile as if was nothing.


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