doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Looking for some recommendations for a bird dog

Hi, I am interested in suggestions and recommendations for a hunting dog. We've had a wonderful mixed breed dog (Katy) for the last 12 years and while she thought she was a great hunter and loved to go with me she really wasn't much of a bird dog. I don't think she could have found a quail if it was 5 feet from her. But she was a great companion and house dog! Unfortunately she passed away about a month ago from cancer. So, my wife and I are considering getting another dog and this time we are considering getting one that will hunt as well as be a companion.

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.

Some breeds we are considering are:
Brittney Spaniel (maybe too energetic?)
English Springer Spaniel
Golden Retriever (maybe a little big)
Welsh Springer Spaniel (not very common so might be hard to find one)

So, I know there are lots of members with opinions and real life experience with bird dogs on this BBS and we'd be very interested in hearing some suggestions and comments.

Thanks,
Ron

Out of the four you mentioned the Brittney is the only dog that I'd consider a quail dog.

Have a look at an English Cocker Spaniel (working NOT show)
Brilliant dogs, very loving, can be a lapdog in the house, but dynamic in the field. A literal 'Pocket Rocket'.

Salopian...and also completely mad!! I'd go for a black lab...my son wants me to buy a gun dog this year...and I'm just too worry about a spaniel...
T

Tony, '.....and also completely mad!!'
Not actually true Sir.
None of them are completely mad,
energetic, mischievous,disobedient if not trained properly, but! The complete DOG.
I have had Labradors for 40 years and still have them, known around these parts as the 'Labrador Man' but I also have a cocker who is and has always been the perfect companion and gundog. When I creep up on a flight pond, Boo, the cocker is stealth like and to heel when I am in position and give her the nod, she explodes into action and flushes any thing that is holed up. She does struggle a little with a goose, but her main role is on Partridge & Pheasants.Purdey on the other hand my one year old lab is a complete hooligan, lovable but hard to keep in check (at the moment).
I don't think a Lab would suit the original enquiry as although I love them to bits, they are a biggish dog for around the house.
It's a Cocker for me every time.

English Springer Spaniel (working, not show) and imported from UK.
Strange our UK guys do not know it. I'd recomend them to go to ESS field trials in UK at least just once.
ESS is like tornado in field and restrained indoors and one of the most obedient dog.

I'd go with a small female German Shorthair, probably 45lbs would be an easy size to get. I think all the dogs on your list could be burr nightmares and can be bundles of energy. I think about any dog is ok in the house if you spend a little time with it and it gets to know the rules.

We only had one (Golden Retriever) a while back that just didn't get along with the kids when they were younger, so he was gone after just a bit. My highest powered, biggest running English Pointer would just lay around and nap in the house. She couldn't be bothered by much of anything unless I was dragging the gear out to chase after quail.

The French Britts are smaller and generally less energetic than the American dogs. That'd be another option.

The "spaniel" designation for Brittanys was dropped in the 1980s.
They can be very "busy" as pups, but they eventually calm down. (I hope.) They do need their daily exercise. As HoJo stated, they point while the rest of the list are flushers.

I have had French Brittany Spaniels for eight or ten years. Setters and Pointers before that. My French Brittanys are registered in both the United Kennel Club and in the American Kennel Club.

I currently have four. They put on a little weight in the off season but their fighting weigts are 27, 31, 33 and 35 pounds. Depending on the mood of the Alpha Mammal she lets between one and four live in the house with us.

I mainly hunt Bobwhite with them. Hit about 50 or 60 days a season. I also field trial them in NSTRA. They win sometimes. They were almost all natural pointers, backers, and retrievers. I have called them "Out of the box hunters" meaning the same way you go and get a new Browning Citori and take it out of the box and shoot it. Little more to it than that but those instincts are all there.

They do have two speeds. A hunting speed and a sleepy laid back house speed. "Demons in the field and angels in the house" is the propaganda the breeders put out. We have had a total of seven French Brittanys.

They stay in site in the field. The Setters and English Pointers I had before would only willingly look for dead or wounded birds for about 45 seconds. The French Brittanys are avid dead and wounded hunters. Not as good as a Lab but much better than any other pointing dogs I have had.

I guess you can tell I like mine.

Best,

Mike