I'll chime in with my 2 cents. I've owned an American water spaniel, two Chesapeake Bay retrievers, and currently have a Labrador. If the Labrador had been my first dog, I probably wouldn't have had anything else. She has been easy to train, is gentle as a lamb with my wife's little Malti-poo, and has just been a great dog. As far as I'm concerned, for a person with little to no dog training experience, first time dog owner, wants a pet/hunting dog, dog that is good with kids, strangers, etc, there is no other breed to consider. But whatever breed you choose to go with, my advice is this: if you are getting a pure breed, make sure you do some research on that breed and check out what health issues are prevalent; one of the more common ones is hip dysplasia. I was going to go with another Chessie prior to getting my Lab, but the breeder (who was asking $1200/pup) was not too forthcoming with the pedigrees of the parents or grandparents; when I pushed further, I got a bit of a scolding, told I didn't know what the hell I was talking about, etc. That threw up a BIG red flag for me, so I passed on a pup......later found the litter of labs (hobby breeder I found on a local sportsman's website) and asked him for the same information. Not only did he give me the parents and grandparents pedigree, but also the great grandparents as well. Turned out that all had excellent or very good hips and eyes. There is nothing worse that having a working dog go lame, esp. early on in their life. My female chessie had bad knees (nothing that could be predicted via X-rays, like hips) after two seasons, so for the next 8 years I had basically a house pet; she was a good dog, but I didn't buy her for a house pet......and when the kids & wife (and yourself) become emotionally attached, well....you end up trying to walk up birds and fetching your own ducks and doves.
I would also caution you to make sure you get a pup from field stock; avoid "pet" stock, "bench" stock, and "show" stock.....the difference is field stock are dogs that come from hunting back grounds; their breeders usually hunt, mom & dad had some good hunting abilities and the genetics was passed on (or that's the theory, anyway). Pet stock is usually just that....dogs are great as pets, but couldnt find their food bowls if they couldn't see 'em. Show stock are bred to look pretty...nothing more; don't let someone con you by saying "sure, they hunt".....haven't seen a show dog yet, of any breed, that was useful as a hunter. I've found this to be particularly true of Springers and English setters. At any rate, I just thought I would pass this along....checking the pedigree of your prospective pup doesn't guarantee that you will get a dog with no health issues, but it will certainly hedge your bets! Here is my current hunting dog, Ziva:
I would also suggest, if you truly want a hunting dog, to avoid "rescue" dogs.....I know some folks who have done very well going this route, but they were experienced dog folks who knew what to look for in a prospective dog. A lot of these dogs are "damaged" psycologically, and it takes a bit of "getting in their head" to figure out what their issues are and correct them. Plus, sometimes you have to deal with "shelter nazis" that demand access to your home at any time, well tell you what methods you must use, etc, etc, .....IMHO, it's not worth it. Sorry to be so long winded; Good luck......keep us posted!
"If you dog thinks you're the greatest, don't go seeking a second opinion!"
I'm very biased toward labs, having owned them most of my life, but I've also had Springers and a Chessie. Every person here is going to advise you with regard to the breeds that they are partial to, just the way it is.
When it comes to selecting a breed, it's important to realize that there is no such thing as a perfect breed. You want a small dog that will be easy to train and that will be good with your daughter. To get these attributes you may need to make concessions in other areas that you haven't listed.
The only truly small breeds will be spaniels, at least as far as dogs that are readily available. In my experience, spaniels are VERY affectionate, but can be more difficult to train than some other common breeds. Even those that are very biddable are wound a lot tighter than, for instance, a good lab. They will also shed nearly as bad as any lab.
As with any breed, you will need to carefully select from a breeder that has very good hunting lines. Preferably both parents and the bulk of the dogs in the background will hold hunt test or field trial titles. Check out both parents, if at all possible, and decide if their temperament is what you're looking for. You will have this dog for many years, don't rush into it, don't let price determine your choice, and don't make a poorly informed choice. Getting the right dog will provide many great memories for you and your family, getting the wrong one will mean that you have a worthless dog food recycler that you get to live with for the next decade plus.
That's one of the best "Gun Dog" pictures I've ever seen....gotta love it!!!
Biden's most truthful quote ever came during his first press conference, 03/25/21. Drum roll please...... "I don't know, to be clear." and THAT is one promise he's kept!!!
I've got a female Brittany. She is an outside dog, but would absolutely love to be indoors and laying in your lap. Honestly, quite low shedding given what I've seen other dogs do.
Easy to train (as in smart), but easy to be too hard on and make them shy about things. They also have a bit of a goofy I'll do my own thing streak when out hunting. If you can handle that without getting mad, then a Brittany will be all that your daughter wants.
Since people are recommending some versatile dogs and you live in Ga...check out the navhda website and google buckeyes plantation in Jersey Ga. The navhda website will give you a list of the different versatiles.
The mid south navhda chapter meets at buckeyes for training. I take my Small Munsterlanders there on occasion to train and test - nice people in an Orvis like environment for cheap.
For a companion dog that is also a good upland bird dog, I would look to a Vizsla or a Weimaraner. Both train easily, point and retrieve well and generally like to be around people. Another breed that might surprise you is the miniature or standard poodle. http://www.harmonyhuntingpudels.com/index.html http://www.thepoodleguy.com/about-us/
When picking a puppy for an upland game dog, I put a dead mouse in my pant cuff, and then walk around and through the litter. The first couple that chase after and scratch at the cuff I evaluate by Volhard�s scale.
I'll chime in with my 2 cents. I've owned an American water spaniel, two Chesapeake Bay retrievers, and currently have a Labrador. If the Labrador had been my first dog, I probably wouldn't have had anything else. She has been easy to train, is gentle as a lamb with my wife's little Malti-poo, and has just been a great dog. As far as I'm concerned, for a person with little to no dog training experience, first time dog owner, wants a pet/hunting dog, dog that is good with kids, strangers, etc, there is no other breed to consider. But whatever breed you choose to go with, my advice is this: if you are getting a pure breed, make sure you do some research on that breed and check out what health issues are prevalent; one of the more common ones is hip dysplasia. I was going to go with another Chessie prior to getting my Lab, but the breeder (who was asking $1200/pup) was not too forthcoming with the pedigrees of the parents or grandparents; when I pushed further, I got a bit of a scolding, told I didn't know what the hell I was talking about, etc. That threw up a BIG red flag for me, so I passed on a pup......later found the litter of labs (hobby breeder I found on a local sportsman's website) and asked him for the same information. Not only did he give me the parents and grandparents pedigree, but also the great grandparents as well. Turned out that all had excellent or very good hips and eyes. There is nothing worse that having a working dog go lame, esp. early on in their life. My female chessie had bad knees (nothing that could be predicted via X-rays, like hips) after two seasons, so for the next 8 years I had basically a house pet; she was a good dog, but I didn't buy her for a house pet......and when the kids & wife (and yourself) become emotionally attached, well....you end up trying to walk up birds and fetching your own ducks and doves.
I would also caution you to make sure you get a pup from field stock; avoid "pet" stock, "bench" stock, and "show" stock.....the difference is field stock are dogs that come from hunting back grounds; their breeders usually hunt, mom & dad had some good hunting abilities and the genetics was passed on (or that's the theory, anyway). Pet stock is usually just that....dogs are great as pets, but couldnt find their food bowls if they couldn't see 'em. Show stock are bred to look pretty...nothing more; don't let someone con you by saying "sure, they hunt".....haven't seen a show dog yet, of any breed, that was useful as a hunter. I've found this to be particularly true of Springers and English setters. At any rate, I just thought I would pass this along....checking the pedigree of your prospective pup doesn't guarantee that you will get a dog with no health issues, but it will certainly hedge your bets! Here is my current hunting dog, Ziva:
I would also suggest, if you truly want a hunting dog, to avoid "rescue" dogs.....I know some folks who have done very well going this route, but they were experienced dog folks who knew what to look for in a prospective dog. A lot of these dogs are "damaged" psycologically, and it takes a bit of "getting in their head" to figure out what their issues are and correct them. Plus, sometimes you have to deal with "shelter nazis" that demand access to your home at any time, well tell you what methods you must use, etc, etc, .....IMHO, it's not worth it. Sorry to be so long winded; Good luck......keep us posted!
Lots of good advice here. If you decide on a Labrador Retriever Training Forums classifies are a good place to start.
Don't overlook two spaniel breeds: the Boykin and the English cocker. Both are flushing dogs, but they are also excellent retrievers and companions (make sure you get an English cocker from field stock, not pet or show stock).
+1 on the Boykin. Great family dogs. Non aggressive. super retrievers and some are pointing now.
My advice would be a Golden Retriever, or a Springer Spaniel. The Visalia is a good one as well but needs a lot of exercise. Labs are great but watch the breeding. Get one from hunting lines.
Don't overlook two spaniel breeds: the Boykin and the English cocker. Both are flushing dogs, but they are also excellent retrievers and companions (make sure you get an English cocker from field stock, not pet or show stock).
+1 on the Boykin. Great family dogs. Non aggressive. super retrievers and some are pointing now.
I'd also recommend a Boykin spaniel if you want a smaller flusher/retrieving dog that's also a good pet. They are a very special breed. French Brittany or the English cocker would be my second and third choice given that you want to stay with a smaller dog. Check out the characteristics of all of them and visit a kennel that raises good hunting stock before you decide. These are energetic dogs that need exercise and play everyday so be prepared to put in the time to train your dog and keep him out of mischief.
That's an awesome looking dog. I can't myself not owning a GSP but if I were ever to experiment with a new breed, the Pudelpointer would be at the top of my list. I'd REALLY love to see some at work in person - that might just make the difference!!
This little buddy showed up last week. Smooth coat male called "Finn".
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