These are some of the qualities we are looking for:
We are looking for a fairly small dog. We would prefer one under 50 lbs. 30-40 lbs is ideal. Our last dog was 75 lbs and we'd prefer a smaller dog. A good family pet is very important and is more important then it be a good hunter. In other words a good pet is number 1 priority then followed by hunting ability. Bird dogs tend to have a lot of energy so we are looking for a breed that can turn off some of that energy when hanging out in the house. The hunting will be in northern California (at least for now) primarily for quail but possibly for some other bird species and maybe occasional duck hunting. Another consideration is that there are plenty of burrs where I hunt so a breed that has a coat that isn't too difficult to remove burrs from would be helpful.
As you are going to both hunt upland and waterfowl, then the breed that put versitle in the dictionary, a breed that has been around for 400-500 years and was one of the four foundation breeds for what is now known as the versitle breeds - would be just the ticket. I would recommend that you take a look at the Small Munsterlander Pointer, or KLM as it is known across the pond.
Many years ago when I started looking for my first sporting dog, I had the exact same requirements that you listed. #1 was a dog that could be a house pet as well – I didn't want a dog that lived in a kennel. After narrowing the list down to a couple breeds it was my wife that decided, she saw an SMP and decided on the spot that was going to be our dog.
The SMP is a small/med sized sporting dog. My little guy excells at anything that involves his nose. He points like a setter, is steady as an EP, retrieves like a BL, marks like a CBR, and tracks like a blue tic. When hunting farms with ponds, I can hunt phesants and jump shoot ducks at the same time. Yet he can turn his prey drive off and be lap dog. Matter of fact he's more affectionate pet than my wifes little furbal dog.
Just this year the Small Munsterlander Club of North America became a chapter of the German KLM-D. This means that all of the new puppies born in the U.S. will have an FCI pedigree and follow the testing under the JGHV, same as the DD and DK. It means that there will only be "one version" of the Small Munsterlander in this country, the same Small Munsterlander as found in everyother country per the KLM - I (International) --- no AKC / show dogs to contaminate the hunting stock. Check out
http://www.smallmunsterlander.org/ and the litter my little guy sired last year (pups pointing at 9-13 weeks)
http://www.trupointkennel.com/tru-point-b-litter.html Some pics of my little guy.......
Here he is at deer camp, keeping everthing secure with grandpa whilst I'm out in the bush
After the hunt
My absolute fav pic - pointing a spring woodcock
Training for the NAVHDA duck search - chasing the duck
And one more spring doodle - just can't get enough of a pointing dog at work!!!
Gary
