Practical dog experience.

[hilt134]

Hey folks. I have finally decided to get a hunting dog. This will be my first time purchasing a dog my self not with my family. And indeed a hunting dog. So far I have it down to a german wire haired pointer or a Labrador. They both have strengths and weaknesses and indeed things I like more about both of them. I am at the point of my searching where ill be doing more indepth research into the breeder I want. What I need to do is finalize my choice.

What I am hoping for is to actually see some of these dogs in person. It's all well and good to know what you want on paper but the reality could be very diffrent. So if anyone has either of these dogs and wouldn't mind me tagging a long on a hunt. Or if anyone has any ideas on how to see these dogs in person I would love to hear. Currently im based near canmore but can travel easily enough.

[sns2]

Only you can answer this question... are you more of an upland hunter or waterfowl hunter? If upland, then GWP. If waterfowl, then a Lab.

I am not going to say which is better as a pet, but there may be a few reasons that there are more Labradors registered each year, than any other breed. By a long shot too.

I have a buddy who has a lovely GWP. I have a lovely Lab. I could happily live with either one.

[Jimmyd]

Get one of each

[elkhunter11]

The lab and gwp are very different dogs. Choose based on the type of hunting you prefer. For primarily waterfowl, a lab is likely the better choice, but for primarily upland, I much prefer a gwp. And if you settle on a gwp shop for a Drahthaar , the same basic dog, but much tighter breeding standards, and for that reason, less chance of ending up with a dog with issues.

[Sashi]

1/4 Springer Spaniel
1/4 Labrador Retriever
1/2 Golden Retriever
births are about a month away.
Fresh Gene pool

[Newf]

As SNS and Elk have said. You’ll need to decide what you actually want the dog for. Strictly waterfowl? Or Upland? Or a bit of both? Ultimately you need to decide that for yourself. - personally I’m a lab guy. Used for waterfowl, upland, a few hunt tests or field trials if I can ever squeeze in the time, but foremost a family pet.

One thing to keep in mind is that training a good hunting dog requires a pile of time and effort. More than some folks realize. So keep that in mind too.

If you want to hook up and see some lab work drop me pm. Might be able to set something up next week around Calgary.

[Pixel Shooter]

Either will do the job. Great to have a hunting dog but that’s 2-3 months of the year so you need to consider the other 9-10 months of year. You need to consider how active a life style u have. Upland dogs are not a couch potato and require a big commitment on exercise and running them. Family first. The rest u can train. If i lived south of the border where they actually have great numbers of upland birds and natural birds my needs may have changed but labs versatility is tough to beat. Having said that any dog you buy will be as good as it’s owner.

[sns2]

Pixel has hit on THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT... if you do not give a GWP significant exercise on a daily basis, it is very likely you will have a 70lb energizer bunny that can be very destructive in the house. Significant exercise in the winter is not easy. That is not a knock. It is just reality. It is who they are and it is what makes them a tenacious bird dog. And, yes I have had a GWP and multiple GSPs. My GWP was wild high strung. My friend's gwp is a pleasant house dog for sure, but his owner runs him for miles on a daily basis religiously.

Currently, I have what many would consider to be a very high drive lab from a hot blooded breeding. Pixel has one too. Guess what? In the house they act like senior citizens in wheelchairs. They just want to curl up in a ball on the couch with their blankie.

[Sundog57]

I have posted previously on the subject.
Decide what you want to hunt - are you a specialist or a generalist
Spend a bunch of time
Look at lots of breeds
Talk to lots of hunters/trainers/hunt testers/field triallers
Talk to your friends and some breeders
Do your research
Get a Lab... the 30-06 of hunting dogs

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by sns2

Pixel has hit on THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT... if you do not give a GWP significant exercise on a daily basis, it is very likely you will have a 70lb energizer bunny that can be very destructive in the house. Significant exercise in the winter is not easy. That is not a knock. It is just reality. It is who they are and it is what makes them a tenacious bird dog. And, yes I have had a GWP and multiple GSPs. My GWP was wild high strung. My friend's gwp is a pleasant house dog for sure, but his owner runs him for miles on a daily basis religiously.

Currently, I have what many would consider to be a very high drive lab from a hot blooded breeding. Pixel has one too. Guess what? In the house they act like senior citizens in wheelchairs. They just want to curl up in a ball on the couch with their blankie.

And if you pick good bloodlines, the odds of a dog that is calm in the house, are much better. I run my Drahthaar in the field daily, when I am home, but even after a few days in the kennel while I am away, he is still calm in the house. I gave him run of the kitchen at first, as soon as he was housebroken, and he didn't do any damage at all, if I was out for several hours, so he he was given run of the house, at a few months. That being said, as soon as he is in the field, he goes into hunt mode and is 80+ lbs of energy. My dog is also great with small dogs and even cats, but many gwps are very aggressive to cats and other small animals.

Whichever breed you choose, do your research, get references on pups from the kennels you are considering, buy from proven hunting lines, and don't buy a supposed purebred dog with no papers to save a few dollars. The purchase price is only a small part of the cost of owning a hunting dog, and you are committing to a lot of time training, and over ten years with the dog, so chose wisely. The effort that you put into choosing the right dog for you, and the time you spend training, will have a huge impact on your hunting experiences with your dog.

[birdman86]

I’ll always recommend a lab. End of the day we only hunt over our dogs what, a few weekends a year and the rest of the time we gotta live with them and you can’t beat a labs temperament.

They’re fantastic waterfowlers and you can train them to quarter a field and flush. There’s even legends of the elusive pointing lab. Obviously for upland he wouldn’t be the same as a proper pointer but good enough for the average hunter.

[birdman86]

Originally Posted by sns2

I have what many would consider to be a very high drive lab from a hot blooded breeding. Pixel has one too. Guess what? In the house they act like senior citizens in wheelchairs. They just want to curl up in a ball on the couch with their blankie.

Like I just posted, you can’t beat a labs temperament - my guy will literally run all day, but the moment I sit on the couch to watch a movie or anything he plops down at my feet and chews on his bone, even as a puppy. That off switch is key.

I got him from Luckyshoes in Kamloops, for what it’s worth I’ll be back there for #2 one day.

[M.C. Gusto]

I’ve owned both dogs mentioned (6 gap/dd) and a some other hunting breeds. Generally speaking, honestly they are all the same personality wise. Exercise obviously makes a massive difference with keeping a dog in the house with both breeds.
Ask your wife what breed she prefers and then buy from quality bloodlines.
Training wise, you’ll put more time into the GWP just because of the extra time you’ll need training to steady, shot to flush, blood tracking, honouring etc

[Faststeel]

Originally Posted by Pixel Shooter

Either will do the job. Great to have a hunting dog but that’s 2-3 months of the year so you need to consider the other 9-10 months of year. You need to consider how active a life style u have. Upland dogs are not a couch potato and require a big commitment on exercise and running them. Family first. The rest u can train. If i lived south of the border where they actually have great numbers of upland birds and natural birds my needs may have changed but labs versatility is tough to beat. Having said that any dog you buy will be as good as it’s owner.

I have been on many great pheasant hunts with labs, pointers seem to get cold far too easily.....FS

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by Faststeel

I have been on many great pheasant hunts with labs, pointers seem to get cold far too easily.....FS

Then you were hunting with the wrong pointers. While GSPs and English pointers are not great for colder weather, GWPs, PPs, and WPGs do quite well in colder weather.

[bessiedog]

With my lab I’ve hunted and harvested:

Rough grouse

Sharpies

Huns

Pheasants

Blue grouse

Ptarmigan

Squirrels

Trout

Wilson’s snipe

Geese

Ducks

Mice

Cats

Bunnies

Crows

1 raccoon

A few burglars

A cougar

Pretty sure one ghost







Get a lab.....

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by bessiedog

With my lab I’ve hunted and harvested:

Rough grouse

Sharpies

Huns

Pheasants

Blue grouse

Ptarmigan

Squirrels

Trout

Wilson’s snipe

Geese

Ducks

Mice

Cats

Bunnies

Crows

1 raccoon

A few burglars

A cougar

Pretty sure one ghost







Get a lab.....

Yours is probably ready for a new owner, after your misses on pheasant.

[rottik9]

I gunned over the toller while in NS, and found them a very good hunting dog.

[hilt134]

Originally Posted by M.C. Gusto

I’ve owned both dogs mentioned (6 gap/dd) and a some other hunting breeds. Generally speaking, honestly they are all the same personality wise. Exercise obviously makes a massive difference with keeping a dog in the house with both breeds.
Ask your wife what breed she prefers and then buy from quality bloodlines.
Training wise, you’ll put more time into the GWP just because of the extra time you’ll need training to steady, shot to flush, blood tracking, honouring etc

Oh man I gotta get a wife too??

So seems like I can't go wrong either way. More or less what I'm getting is. If I put in the effort and proper training I'll have a great dog.

Thanks for the input folks! I've looked at a couple of breeders and ill be sitting down and making a decision this week. Haha its my first time doing this so I'm definitely trying to do it right

[bessiedog]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

Yours is probably ready for a new owner, after your misses on pheasant.

She does give me dirty looks when I miss..... I swear.

[Lost Arrow]

Originally Posted by bessiedog

With my lab I’ve hunted and harvested:

Rough grouse

Sharpies

Huns

Pheasants

Blue grouse

Ptarmigan

Squirrels


Trout

Wilson’s snipe

Geese

Ducks

Mice

Cats

Bunnies

Crows

1 raccoon

A few burglars

A cougar

Pretty sure one ghost







Get a lab.....

Perfect!-We are getting a black lab in mid-December. He is just two weeks old now, he will be our third. They are great for the field, even better for the family!

[CroPhi]

First dog? Labrador. You cant beat their resilience and versatility. Working lines only. Ignore breeders who breed for anything but working ability.

[sjemac]

I was dumb enough to get another Lab to go with the old one and the Toller. Sure makes for a crapshow in the blind sometimes. The little white Lab, Aspen, put up and retrieved her first pheasant on that hunt -- albeit with a little blood involved. Flushed and retrieved a ruffie yesterday.


IMG-1083 by Scott MacDonald, on Flickr

IMG-1094 by Scott MacDonald, on Flickr

IMG-1117 by Scott MacDonald, on Flickr

[Big Grey Wolf]

Few years back lady at work asked how I trained my Springer hunting dog. I told her I just taught him english then I now tell him what I want him to do.
Just kidding alittle but you need to establish strong bond with your hunting dog.
He will read your words, your tone of voice, your facial expressions and hand signals.