Home Forums Birds & Dogs Hunting Dogs Most low key versatile gun dog?

What breed, other than a Lab, would make for a low-key vversatile gun dog? English Setter? French Brittany?

griffon.....bob

I have seen some Chesapeake Bay Retrievers that would qualify, as well as some English Cockers.

I like the looks of the English Cocker. Small enough for me to manage on the golf cart, ATV, and boat.

Spinoni, Bracco, or most other little heard of continental breeds. Griffons, wirehairs, shorthairs, vizslas, and the like could qualify but one would have to check pedigrees and see the parents to make a final determination. Wirehairs and especially shorthairs have had attempts to breed lines to compete against English Setters and Pointers which can make for a more hyper individual. My first two wire airs were bigger running dogs, especially my second one which would range like my trial setters. He was pretty tame in the house but he liked to reach out ther when possible.

Setters and Pointers I don't think of as being low key. The Ryman and Old Hemlock lines can be but one is more likely to find shooting dog and trial lines which can be higher strung. That is what I pick for my setters and all could be called psycho to varying degrees.

Labs from English lines seem to be the most biddable to me, friends with them seldom seem to mention barking, excitedness, or loneliness problems with their dogs. Those with American lines seem to have those issues more often. The British lines also seem to be a bit smaller if size is a consideration.

A neighbor raised, trained, and trailed hunting Cocker and Springer spaniels for decades. Of the two, the Springers seem d to have more calm individuals than the Cockers. It might be "small dog syndrome" or maybe breeding but I saw a couple hundred of each helping at trials held on his property.

In every breed there are calm dogs, psychos, and everything in between. The best one can do is research the pedigrees and trial/testing scores and observe the parents and pups several different times to see how they act. That is still no guarantee but it might help you make an informed guess. That is really what we do when we pick a pup.
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Yes, I currently own an English Lab and have owned another one prior to my current one, and they are indeed very biddable and low key. I was just looking for something different next time, particularly something smaller.

My brother is a Setter nut, and I would say all of his have been low key.

English Springers or English Cockers are versatile. They will flush most anything and do acceptable water retrieving as long as the conditions are not extreme.

However, examples from the best breeding will usually take a few years to calm down and be low key. My current English Cocker is now three and around the house has settled in. Get him outside and it becomes obvious why they call them "pocket rockets."

Don't make the mistake of confusing the English Cocker with the American Cocker.

Triggernosis,

A GOOD Weimaraner is HARD to beat for an all-around gun-dog.
(YES there are some worthless "Gray Ghosts" out there but also some VERY good ones too. = NO they are NOT "the best" at many "specialized tasks", but then they were NOT intended to be more than a "generalist" that can accomplish many tasks acceptably.)

I wouldn't have taken love or money for my "two girls".

yours, tex

My wife says my English Setters are couch potato’s. But they are very active outdoors. Hasbeen

A Golden retriever from field lines would be a good one.

If we throw out the retrievers, I’d probably pick a Deutsch Drathaar, they have all the bird dog qualities and can also handle fur/trailing. Specifically talking about birds, I think some sort of wirehair pointing breed would win, because they can stand up to cold late season duck hunting better than a spaniel or setter would. I’m not sure you could call that “low key” though.

My Boykin will retrieve well but will occasionally get half way out and then turn around and come back in exceptionally cold water, and on those days I have to keep hunts very short after he gets wet. A lot of natural drive that made up for training mistakes on my part. With no training on it, he also does an acceptable job quartering and flushing. Pretty rare breed outside of the southeast apparently, I hadn’t seen one or heard much of them until we moved to NC.

To All,

One might also consider a Hungarian Vizsla (or any number of the other less common "general use" breeds) or even a German Shorthaired Pointer, which has a lot of hound blood.
(Many GSP do a "pretty good job" off any number of tasks.)

yours, tex

They all can be good, pick what you like. Really do your homework on the breeder.

I knew nothing of this breed until my nephew bought one about 7 yrs ago. I’ve always been a big fan of Labs but I have to say the Vizsla has stolen my heart. Had I not adopted this Lab pup over Easter I was going to be shopping for a Vizsla.

I have had both Chessies and GWP and low key is the last thing I would call them. Great dogs but very intense.
Pavementends

While there are some breeds that have a reputation for being a bit more laid back, I believe you’ll find more difference from dog to dog than in breeds. Find a reputable breeder/trainer of a dog you like the looks of and buy a fully trained 2/3 year old dog that has the personality you’re looking for. My last two dogs have been GSP’s and while both have been great hunting dogs, they are as different as night and day. I can attest that you can find a GSP to fit your needs. You might even look around for an older dog. I would avoid puppies.

jimdgc,

EXACTLY SO.

I no longer have the patience/interest to raise a pup. = Make mine FULLY/professionally trained.

yours, tex

We like SM - small munsterlanders - they are mellow in the house and do well on the hunt.

We have 4:

Evie - 8 years old...she is a good retriever and pointer, ok at ducks but not the greatest when compared to...
Sheila - 6 years old (7 in June)...she is the alpha dog, the best hunter used for quail, doves, and duck...she is a southern duck fiend - retrieving in bays and swamps, a link of her retrieving is in one of the threads below.
Heidi - 3 years old - a very good quail hunter. She is also a certified therapy dog and visits nursing homes and hospitals via the wife. Heidi really makes a difference for ill people who like to see a bird dog...
Liberty - 9 weeks old on Monday - she is Sheila's sister's puppy...so we got one while we could. She knows how to use the dog door and is looking really alphaesque in her play habits, she is roan so hopefully she favors duck hunting.

As I type, Evie is napping on the love seat, Liberty is snuggled beside me on the couch, Sheila is napping on the rung and Heidi i barking at something in the back yard...the come see what I'm barking at and play with me bark...

I'm OK with a 1-2 yr old dog, for sure. My best dog ever was a British Labrador that I got at 2 yrs old. My worst dog is my current British Lab that we got as a 10 week old puppy. He's laid back, manageable, and smart like British Labs ate known to be, but I swear he has "doggie Aspbergers" as the fawker is weird as hell, and doesn't like to be with the family - he's in my daughter's bedroom right now holed up in his crate. He's friendly to every visitor and gets excited when I ask him to go for a walk or out to the farm, but when in the hell have you ever heard of a Labrador that doesn't want to cuddle up with the family?

I should also add that water retrieving is pretty much last on my list.
I'm looking for a well-mannered pet more than a gun dog; though, a dog that has at least some hunting instinct would be nice for the occasional opportunity afield.