So need some bird dog info

[Markcanby]

A pup is best unless you wanted to save a dog but I didn't see an on the rescue sit anyway. As for a breeder look for one that does actual hunting. Also I recommend the stocky line of GSP. In the Southwest they have slimmed them down to cope better with the heat. Not a good build for rough Eastern Oregon hunting. As for training you are welcome to swing by anytime I can show you some trick to gain a pups focus that really help. Dont send your pup to someone else to get trained. Sometimes it works but there are always issues. I had a friend send his Weimaraner off to get trained when he got him back it took him 6 months to get the dog to come to its name Hunter. The dog a picked up the trainers accent an would not come unless he called him HUNT-ER. I would be glad to look through some breeders for you an point you to a good one. As for a pointer there isn't that much you need to teach them. Its almost all instinct. The basic household commands well cover 90% of hunting commands.

 

[youngbuck307]

Cool thanks for the info man. I'm going to make sure I get to the dog area at the sportsmans show this year!!! And I'll for sure come out and see u once I get a pup learn some things....and been reading about breeders that train also and some say + bird cost is this because there training the dogs on birds they raised?

 

[Markcanby]

I think Chippewa Kennels does Owner/Dog training. They take you out on birds an teach you an you teach the dog. But its not really that hard man buy a good dog an teh rest is easy.

 

[dude young]

Everything that has been said here is pretty much spot on. My dos pesos;

1. If someone has a dog of the breeds you are considering and invites you to go hunting with them, go. Hunt over the dog and see how it works. Anyone can tell you how great a dog is, but only the dog can show you.

2. Start researching breeders AS SOON AS YOU DECIDE ON A BREED. Do not wait until you are ready to buy a dog to start searching for a breeder. Most reputable breeders will not have dogs "laying around" waiting for buyers. You will most likely be getting on a list for a planned litter. Get on early, get the pick of the litter (pun intended). Talk to hunters, trainers, vets, and the (insert your breed here) club in your area. Contact the breeders, visit some of them to check the facility (if they are breeding in a box in the garage, not so good; clean, well kept, roomy kennels is what you want to see). Ask them for references. Ask for their vet's name. Then contact them. Ask questions. Buying a working dog is nothing like buying a lap dog. Anyone can breed "lay around and bark when you're hungry" into a dog. Pros breed dogs that they can be proud of.

3. Don't overlook the possibility of getting an older dog from a breeder. Many times breeders will retire a dog or have a dog they intended to breed but it just did not develop a certain trait they like, and will sell them to pet homes. They are typically top quality dogs that are beyond the puppy phase and will give you many years of great joy and hard work. (That is how I wound up with Rhetta, our choco-lab and I am going to do the same for the next dog).

4. YOU CANNOT GET A QUALITY DOG FROM THE MALL OR THE LOCAL PET STORE OR FROM CRAIGSLIST OR THE WANT-ADS. Do it right. If all goes well, your gonna pay $600-$900 for the pup/dog and just maintenance visits to the vet for about 12-15 years. Or, you can pay $250 and risk dumping a pant-load of cash into chasing health defects and putting the dog down at age 6. I am not guaranteeing this, but odds are in my favor here.

Good luck. Keep us in the loop!

 

[Swamp Puppy]

Griffons are ugly. I think it is a general trait of the wirehair to be hideous. lol. As for the training, a good bird dog will have a lot of instinct when it comes to the hunting aspect of things. You will be surprised just how little training they actually NEED aside from the basic obedience stuff like sit, stay, come, etc. The rest is more like experience than training. It is always a great/proud day for the owner when you get to see that light come on in your dog's head and suddenly he just "get's it".

 

[Markcanby]

Yep I say around 18 months it just clicks for them. Its a great day thats for sure.

 

[skunk]

And a special note, I didn't see all the replies to see if anyone covered it, but....There is a MASSIVE diff. between GSP and EP (german short hair, english pointer) and labs. If the lab is what you are used to youngbuck, then nothing can prepare you for these other two breeds. The pace of a lab full speed, is the resting pace of the GSP and EP. Especially the english, they just don't do slow. If you want a dog to take fishing or hiking besides hunting then my vote is the GSP and EP are not going to be the best choices. My english, is the best dog I have ever owned, but when the paws hit the dirt, she's hunting. And she's hunting till I say stop. She's great to hike with, and hunt with, but if I had to take her fishing, i'd never watch the water. She ranges only as far as she can see me in dense brush, out to full field lengths on open ground. She listens and comes on commad wonderfully, but she just moves so much its like there she is, no there, no there. I got my english from a wonderful breeder out near eagle creek, and when I saw her hit the ground I was in love. She runs like poetry, I almost enjoy watching her hunt more than finding any birds she's that cool. So, make sure the dogs energy level is one you feel like keeping up with, and burning off. Sure this is a generalization, but if I hadn't experienced the energy she has beforehand, I would have thought I made a huge mistake.

 

[Markcanby]

I didn't mention EP cause all the EP's I know are not really a personable as GSP. An it seems Youngbuck wants more that a hunting dog. Not to say a EP is a great hunter but I feel they hunt more for themselves than for you.

 

[skunk]

I haven't tried GSP yet. My Betty is a joy to be around, and she has personality galore. I much prefer her energy level to even the GSP though. The breeder I got her from has GSP as primary and said she runs circles around his dogs. He always threatens to take her back when I board her with him. I absolutely love the english, but I'd probably love the shorthairs also.

 

[Markcanby]

Thi sis waht you have to look forward.

 

[Noahk]

We've always owned Springer Spaniels. Fantastic dogs. They're intelligent, good tempered, loyal and in my experience not as hyper as labs or GSP. They've got a good coat but they don't shed as much as a lab. I also like that they're a bit smaller than labs, usually 40-50 lbs. I know they're very popular for upland birds back home in the Sacramento valley. We've never hunted them but they're natural bird and water dogs. I've thought about starting to hunt just because my dog likes chasing birds so much! We recently rescued a puppy from the English Springer rescue. I highly recommend their organization. There aren't many in Oregon but check out Washington. They'll also transport the dogs too. Our dog was in Wyoming and they transported her to Boise for us to pick her up. Check out there site if you're interested. Good luck either way. It's great to have a dog in your life.

 

[Markcanby]

Cute pup. Really the only two that can Upland hunt eastern are EP an GSP an other breed will have bloody feet in 2 hours. The ground is juts to rough.

 

[youngbuck307]

Thi sis waht you have to look forward.

Man I love ur dogs colors.... Just about perfect, I'll take her lol jk

 

[Markcanby]

Does this look like an overactive dog? More like a throw pillow if you ask me.

 

[capblack]

Thi sis waht you have to look forward.

nice looking dog mark, looks like you have trained her well. are they good around children? ok the last post answered my last question.

 

[meluvtrout]

Tom, buy a small dog. If he doesn't fetch, you can throw him at the birds! Just my $.02...