Also, PP's shed very little, or not at all, and are hypoalergetic(?) I currently own a standard poodle that has been a very smart, great dog, with a great personality, another reason I went with a PP.
D.
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Also, PP's shed very little, or not at all, and are hypoalergetic(?) I currently own a standard poodle that has been a very smart, great dog, with a great personality, another reason I went with a PP.
D.
Sharon,Quote:
Originally Posted by Sharon
I never once asked anyone to make the decision for me, nor would I intend of that by posting on here. I was simply looking for opinions and guidance. I believe I have achieved that by the amount of responses and pm's I have received. Thank you though and thank you to those of you who have provided great feedback on the different breeds I have in mind as well as the ones I had not considered.
W
Well said Wesman and good luck.
I never once asked anyone to make the decision for me, nor would I intend of that by posting on here. I was simply looking for opinions and guidance. I believe I have achieved that by the amount of responses and pm's I have received. Thank you though and thank you to those of you who have provided great feedback on the different breeds I have in mind as well as the ones I had not considered.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wesman41
Sorry if I offended you. I didn't mean to sound so curt. :(
W[/QUOTE]
Excellent article in OOD mag on this subject:
http://www.oodmag.com/hunting/dogs/range-rover/
That's no problem Sharon, I was only clearing it up! I would hate to steer people away from responding to the OP as I will more than likely be getting a dog next fall or spring, I encourage members to keep this thread alive as it is all great information, your input included.
I will be sure to let everyone know what breed and breeder I decide on as it is an exciting experience!
W
I have had labs, and would reccomend a lab.
I would equally recomend you research the bloodline and pay for the right dog, you could get lucky buying from a back yard breeder but it is a long term investment and in my experience will worth the extra cost to buy the bloodline you want from a reputable breeder.
In my research (I am no expert here) labs come in two types: American and English, and also come with three main groups of bloodlines: 1. Field/work dogs with lots of energy and drive, 2. obedience dogs with high trainability and low exercise requirements, and 3. house pets as a default. Look at the specific testing the parents have passed, ie Obedience test (OB), Field trials (FC), Tracking tests (TD or VST). If you want to do some more research look at the AKC website where you can also see what types of dogs are most passing the test you choose appropriate, on this note that the tracking dogs high on the list are german sheppards due to their use as police dogs which does not fairly reflect the ability of other breeds such as labs, there are simply more of them doing the TD testing which skews the results.
Here is the AKC website, no disprespect to the CKC folks, its just there are more dogs being tested to base the decision on:
http://classic.akc.org/events/field_..._champions.cfm
Two types Canadian(St. John's) and English , later American pointing lab.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marker
My wife was skeptical about having a dog. After having my 6mths old Pudelpointer she is totally in love with him. Me on the other hand, can't wait to start the training at PineRidge in April. As for genetics, Maxi was pointing at 3mths, we have long two hour walks every evening, even at -29, and he was really having a good time, loves water, doesn't shed. We just love him. I have in my family a vizsla and gsp, and pp is just as good as any of the two. This is Canada, so you will hear a lot about Labs, and for a good reason. It's really up to you and your loved one.
Wesman41, I think you should get an English setter, because that's what I own and therefore it's better than the other dogs suggested. :)
If I was to align myself with the your opening question, as much as you did say you were open to any "other" recommendations, I believe there is one dog that would best suit your needs, and only one, but only in my opinion. That dog is the Lab....period. There are a lot of wonderful dogs out there but that aside, from what you opened this thread with, I think it's a no-brainer. There are many advantages and one very salient one and that is, there are some VERY knowledgeable folk on this forum that would love nothing more than to help you select from the best available working Lab breeding. Therefore, it follows that they would also have a vested interest in seeing your goals for this dog come to fruition.
Back to the question:
- with proper training, the PP would address 80% of your aspirations and I'm not getting into a proper coated PP versus a marginal coated PP, etc. etc. It is meant to point upland birds so, there is an additional cost of time and money there-in.
- anyone recommending late season waterfowling with a GSP is not being fair to this breed or to the OP. You could use a GSP for late season waterfowling with a number of stipulations such as a heated blind, a high quality neoprene vest, short retrieves, lots of dry towels, not too late season, etc. etc. In-other-words.....it's out.
- I love the NSDTs but in my limited experience getting one from good working stock will need to be your focus. Furthermore, it might compromise what I stated above about there being expert people close by to help you that have specific field experience with this breed.
Most any of the wire-haired breeds can suffer late season waterfowling but not all love it unless they have support systems in place. They are intended to be pointers rather than flushers. As I mentioned, the investment in training a pointer brings with it yet an additional cost of time and money.
That is why I believe that with the right research, support, training, and subsequent field opportunities to hone those skills, the Lab will offer you the best chances to get everything you requested. And yes, they make awesome upland hunters as well!
It is your responsibility to train whatever dog/breed you acquire to be a well-behaved companion in the home. More-often-than-not, unruly dogs in the home are a reflection of their training or lack there-of. Lest we forget, ALL field dogs are meant to make wonderful companions in the home.