Ingwe, you're too right on that. Good gun dog stock tends to be high-wired, and too many folks have no clue what that is gonna mean, especially with puppies. Doesn't just happen with bird dogs, either... my youngest daughter got a standard poodle a couple years ago and he damn near destroyed her house!
Even a confirmed Spaniel man such as I am has come to the conclusion after nearly 30 years of training and hunting them that it's a lot easier on the furniture (and everything else) to get a started dog than a puppy. But you lose a lot of fun & memories, so it's a trade off.
I appreciate all the opinions written here. I'm looking forward to visiting some breeders and looking at some dogs & pups.
I've just started my research, dunno if I'll be able to find a good started dog, but that'd be my preference, I think.
