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My old bird dog is getting……well, old. lol. She’s a WPG and been a hell of a good dog.

Having moved south, I think I’ll be looking for a short coat dog next. Thinking maybe a GSP?
Mostly woodcock, retrieve doves, some duck, and an occasional trip for grouse or maybe back west for quail etc… in about that order.

Ideal dog would be a male 50-55# that loves water and natural retrieve.

I’m looking a year or so out.

Any good rec’s for someone in the SE? Don’t mind travel for right dog.
Will be hitting a local test day in Nov and visit the local NAVHDA chapter. Figured I’d inquire here as well.


Thanks.

We have gotten 3 GSP pups from M and V in North Wilkesboro NC. Couldn't be happier.


I had my latest pup tested using Ancestry K9 and he came back 94 percent GSP and 6 percent pointer. No predisposed health issues reported.

Thanks! Not too far up the road.

Do your pups readily take to the water? Eager retrieves?

Most of the GSP's Ive been around have had no issues with drive or having a solid nose. I did hunt with one that wasn't too interested in retrieving though. After you shot a bird, he'd scramble to pick it up, give it a crunch, then drop it and kept hunting.

My own dog often needs some coaxing to bring a bird right back. Especially the first birds of the year.

First dog I got from them ( put down four years ) was that one in a lifetime dog. Would retrieve but would always stop about 10 feet out and hike his leg and pee. Just to tell me it was his bird he was bringing back. Tearing up just thinking of him.

Current dog Max has a great nose and drive. Loves water ( especially body surfing in the ocean ) . Will retrieve a ball till he drops. Will not retrieve doves. He will tell me where they are but will not pick one up. I think the oil in their feathers is nasty. With quail he loves to roll them in his mouth. They will be wet but not bruised. Has no quit in him. Ticked up beautifully and about 60 pounds. Thinks he is a lap dog.



My daughter's pup Willie is two and doing well. Never been around a GSP that is so focused on birds. He watches their bird feeder from sun up to down and just sits and shivers. Totally focused. He is solid liver and about 60 pounds.

Lifelong GSP guy and I have seen very few natural retrievers. We always force fetch trained and felt it made them a better dog all around.

Any Dog you have to force fetch is not a Retriever, just your wanta be bird dog. Rio7

Down in your neck of the woods, I have had a pup from Brenda Roe at Walnut Hill Kennels in Lafayette, GA.

Talk to her about what you want and she will shoot straight about whether any of her upcoming litters are suited for you. Her dogs excel in lots of games like NAVHDA, AKC hunt tests, and NSTRA.

https://www.walnuthillgsps.com/

I will second Walnut Hill Kennels. I actually have one of there recommended dogs off there pedigree and another GSP that Rick is training. Brenda or Rick will shoot straight with you.

I fully agree! I have been hunting Midwest pheasant for 50 years with GSP dogs and have never had to force fetch train any of them!

My last GSP was a phenomenal dog. His trainer was the quietest but strongest woman I e ever known.
She wanted him to work water so she tied him by the collar with a rope to her row boat. Couple times a day she started pulling him around. A week later he could swim with the best.
He took to water as well as land all his life and in Dakota and Minnesota late fall he would break ice,climb downed timber in the water, you name it. When he was on a retrieve he was unstoppable. Great breed tho full time energy.

Osky

My latest dog came from John Prince (Princes Quality Gundogs) out of Pittsburgh KS. John has been raising and training GSP's the majority of his life. Google search him and you should be able to pull up his website or you can look him up on facebook.

Had WPG for almost 30 years. Before that, GSP. If you didn't already know, pointer blood has been sneaked into the breed. As a previous commenter mentioned, there are ancestry tests available. If I were to get another GSP, I'd want to know what percentage of pointer blood the sire and dam have. Failing that, look at the sire and dam and see if they have pointer characteristics; white coat with various color plates and no ticking, pronounced brow stop and short, boxy muzzle. These are dead giveaways an unscrupulous breeder used a pointer or two somewhere down the line.

All my GSPs loved to retrieve. I had an issue when my first dog went dove hunting. He'd pick them up, carry them a short distance, spit them out and then try to get rid of all the feathers stuck to his mouth. An old quail hunter suggested that I feed him the heads. Initially thought it was a crazy idea. First dove head I gave him he looked at me like I was giving him a watermelon. I figured the only edible part of the head was the brain and offered that to him. He gobbled it down. After that, he never hesitated to retrieve what I shot.

A GSP is a pointing dog first and foremost which seems to be lower in priority on your list. Also, most males are in the 65 lb range. The breed standard is 55-70 lb.

You might be considering the wrong breed.

You are probably right, JOG. After having a pointer, not sure how I’d do with a flushing dog. Hunted with quite a few, but always had a pointing dog along.

Seems dogs are like boats, always a compromise somewhere unless you want a very specific tool for a very specific job.

I’ve been on the phone with a couple breeders but am still likely a year out.

Thanks all for the feedback!

I'm a GSP guy all the way, but a shorthaired dog that suits your list could be a Brit and a clippers.