Breed Advice - Pointers, Setters and Brittany Spaniels

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trentsideannabella

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Considering rescuing/buying another dog.

Have experience of Collies, Terriers and grew up with Cavaliers. Wouldn't have another Terrier; despite loving our Patterdale x Lakeland dearly, one 'small man syndrome' attitude is enough. :rolleyes:

Fairly active lifestyle, I live in the peak district so prime walking area, will be out around the horses daily and come to work with me at the office. However, when at work I don't want something going up the walls!

I had a collie who was FAB as long as he was out for a run 3 times a day (I now know why ball throwers are a god send), he'd then happily settle while you were in the office. I adored how naturally obedient and willing to please he was. Where as with our terrier it's always a slight struggle of wills.

Anyway, here's where I need your advice.
I have been looking at all the types written in title. They are in my opinion absolutely stunning (I am aware however that looks aren't the be all and end all ;)).

Everything that catches my eye seems to be a variation of Pointer, Setter or Brittany Spaniel.
So opinions of these breeds? Have done a lot of reading up, but first hand experiences are always good to hear.

One small reservation is that i'm not particularly keen on having a breed that is predisposed to ******ing off. And i can't help but notice that a lot of dogs that go missing round these parts seem to be of a pointer variety.
 
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trentsideannabella said:
Considering rescuing/buying another dog.

Have experience of Collies, Terriers and grew up with Cavaliers. Wouldn't have another Terrier; despite loving our Patterdale x Lakeland dearly, one 'small man syndrome' attitude is enough. :rolleyes:

Fairly active lifestyle, I live in the peak district so prime walking area, will be out around the horses daily and come to work with me at the office. However, when at work I don't want something going up the walls!

I had a collie who was FAB as long as he was out for a run 3 times a day (I now know why ball throwers are a god send), he'd then happily settle while you were in the office. I adored how naturally obedient and willing to please he was. Where as with our terrier it's always a slight struggle of wills.

Anyway, here's where I need your advice.
I have been looking at all the types written in title. They are in my opinion absolutely stunning (I am aware however that looks aren't the be all and end all ;)).

Everything that catches my eye seems to be a variation of Pointer, Setter or Brittany Spaniel.
So opinions of these breeds? Have done a lot of reading up, but first hand experiences are always good to hear.

One small reservation is that i'm not particularly keen on having a breed that is predisposed to ******ing off. And i can't help but notice that a lot of dogs that go missing round these parts seem to be of a pointer variety.
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...or setter or Brittany spaniel.

Why do people own dogs that have been bred for centuries to "get out there and hunt" when they want one to stay close?:rolleyes:
 
Dry Rot said:
...or setter or Brittany spaniel.

Why do people get dogs that have been bred for centuries to "get out there and hunt" buy these dogs when they want one to stay close?:rolleyes:
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Point taken. I suppose my question was just how strong/or trainable that instinct is. I was looking at the Husky post further down, are you saying the breeds above have just as strong a stray* instinct as that?

*For whatever reason. I realise it isn't as black and white as this. Just asking for opinions. :)
 
We have pointers and they will b****r off given the chance! They are better on their own than when they get pack mentality but as dry rot says, they were bred to hunt.
Very trainable, very loyal, wouldn't swap but hard work as they need to be on the go.
Edited to say we had a setter years ago too and we regularly watched as she disappeared over the horizon! (I know bad owners!)
 
I've got a Brittany Spaniel I took on after he had a mixed almost 3 years of history. He is neurotic! Screams and runs rings round himself at feed times, or waiting to be let out, and is a total wimp when it comes to stuff he isn't comfortable with. He doesn't come to the yard as often as I like because he doesn't like being on the lead or in the car, and if he does come, I have to leave the back of the car open in case he needs a bolt hole - otherwise he will run the several hundred yards up a busy road to the house. He is fine with the horses and the chickens thanks to training and a long line.
I don't know how typical he is though - he was kept in awful conditions for 18 months and then rescued by a family who pandered to him and tiptoed round all his hang ups. Someone I know says in Brittany they hunt them in packs, maybe it is the exercise and other dogs who give them confidence, but mine is neurotic, scared and hyperactive. Good combination eh?
 
trentsideannabella said:
I had a collie who was FAB........I adored how naturally obedient and willing to please he was.
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If you're looking for the same collie level of desire for obedience please forget all those breeds you have listed.

Also, they don't stray.......they bog off HUNTING! :D When one goes AWOL it will be because it has picked up a scent which can be up to a couple of miles away.

As Dry Rot said, look at what the dog has been bred to do.....
 
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I've got a German Pointer and he has never bogged off and is electric about returning as fast as possible when I whistle him.

If anything he is almost clingy to his immediate family; he will range off when off lead and covers miles but comes back of his own accord to check where you are and you can whistle him straight back, even when he is 100's of yards ahead, out of sight or even when he is trailing something!

I can't take the credit for this as some amazing training feat- I am more lax about training than I should be and he can't even sit when asked! But recall he has nailed pretty much by himself :)

He is very willing to please, loves to have any interaction and will play fetch all day in the garden- not sure about naturally obedient, as I say, I haven't really worked much on that but he can he a strong character to deal with if you aren't in the immediate family.
 
trentsideannabella said:
Point taken. I suppose my question was just how strong/or trainable that instinct is. I was looking at the Husky post further down, are you saying the breeds above have just as strong a stray* instinct as that?

*For whatever reason. I realise it isn't as black and white as this. Just asking for opinions. :)
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It is not a straying instinct but a hunting instinct and some strains have a stronger hunting instinct than others. That applies to all working breeds but particularly to breeds that are bred to range out several hundred yards and to hunt all day.
 
I know zilch about any specific breed traits as, as a family we have always had mongrels of various types, some more inclinedto have 'selective hearing' than others!

as all the dogs listed are natural hunting dogs then it sounds like they may not be suitable really although youcould get lucky and get one that has less natural instinct to hunt than others (you're not going to find that out til it 'goes' though!).

Have you considered looking at a staffie /staffie x? I ask because, although I have no personal experience of the breed, I get the impression they are some of the more loyal dogs, not inclined to go off hunting, are very 'people' dogs, are happy to laze about but equally can go for long walks. I think there are some stunning looking ones about - I am thinking the leggier type - and we all know rescues are overflowing with them.

If you are not staffie keen, how about rottweiler/GSD? They are both also very loyal dogs (from my experience).
 
My German Pointer like Militigers is also not one to bog off on walks. He does not go far from me at all. Not saying he walks next to me, but he's never far away and has a decent recall.

GSPs love to learn and training. I have just come back from our 2nd UKagility show and we had a great time!! The more training I do with him and use his brain the happier and more content he is.
 
Have you thought about an Italian Spinone? The boys are more likely to bog off, but the girls are generally pretty good. Very trainable. Very human-like personality. Loves cuddles and very willing to please. Happy to walk all day or spend the day snoozing.

My old German Shepherd would have loved your lifestyle too, he was a fabulous dog, would just go with the flow, again very intelligent and trainable.
 
Out of my four spaniels, three are pretty reliable with recall. However, if both my youngsters (littermates) are out together, I need to really focus them and sometimes, nothing works, disappearing act. They're very bonded :o. My error was to not let them off the lead til quite late and to take them out together, thinking they'd be easy like the first two. All depends on temperament.

Saying that, my first two were not a bother. One of my youngsters is fab, although with deer, I've got no hope. I just don't go far and whistle so he knows where to find me. :rolleyes:
 
This thread's just made me have a nose on my local (Leeds) Dogs Trust website. There really are some beautiful dogs looking for homes, all sorts of mixes and pure bred animals. Maybe you should just have a browse of some of your local rescue places andsee if you see anythingthat could be suitable.
 
GSDs are loyal, natural guardians and some can be like velcro but they can also have a high prey drive and will track a scent for quite some time. You also need to research lines carefully to help minimise the risk of health issues and I wouldn't do any high impact exercise with them until over 12 months to minimise impact on young joints.
Having said that they look like none of the breeds you favour aesthetically :p
 
Thanks for the replies, food for thought. Great to hear some first hand experiences! :)

If you're looking for the same collie level of desire for obedience please forget all those breeds you have listed.
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Not necessarily, no.

That applies to all working breeds but particularly to breeds that are bred to range out several hundred yards and to hunt all day.
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Good point.

This thread's just made me have a nose on my local (Leeds) Dogs Trust website. There really are some beautiful dogs looking for homes, all sorts of mixes and pure bred animals. Maybe you should just have a browse of some of your local rescue places andsee if you see anything that could be suitable.
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Have been having a wee browse, there's certainly plenty looking for a home. I'd spotted a PointerX that sounded great from the advert; which was what prompted this post really.
 
CaveCanem said:
GSDs are loyal, natural guardians and some can be like velcro but they can also have a high prey drive and will track a scent for quite some time. You also need to research lines carefully to help minimise the risk of health issues and I wouldn't do any high impact exercise with them until over 12 months to minimise impact on young joints.
Having said that they look like none of the breeds you favour aesthetically :p
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The first dog I can remember was my parents GSD actually, a HUGE softie, unfortunately he passed away when I was a young child with a whole host of health problems due to old age and dodgy hips.

But yes, they just don't seem to catch my eye as much. Horses for courses, eh. :)
 
I actually expected to see more staffie types at my local rescue but was surprised to see a fair few lurchers and greyhounds. There is one stunning looking one I have seen. I know they are also hunting dogs and can have some tendencies to leg it although i don't think this is always the case and they do like to laze around a fair bit too don't they? :)
Oh, i just want ALL dogs! hehe. Maybe if i win the euro millions tonight I shall relieve Dogs Trust of all of theirs! :D
You'll have tokeep us updated on what you do decide on!
 
My Gsp is worse when he is in company but when he is on his own he is always in sight but even in company has a good recall.
His biggest problem is he is clingy and loves his family. I do low key agility and he gets better every time.

My oh has a pointer x springer and he's a lovely cross.
 
If you like the look of setters then Why not look at the flatcoated retriever. They are racier in build than labs or goldens, easy to train to recall and mine have all been fab to train. I have competed on agility, working trials and obedience with flatcoats. Another bonus of a flatcoat is far less drool than a setter
 
Have you considered the Irish red and white setter?

They are in my opinion stunning and very intelligent. In my experience their recall is the best of all the setters probably because they are the still working gundogs so haven't had the brains bred out of them.

We have 3 and an Irish. The Irish is 12 and still has selective deafness. My red and whites will turn a circle and return even when chasing a rabbit, duck or birds. They have all had recalls from birth(you need to work with them cont. on it though). They are not just gorgeous but have great personalities and can be used for working too.

Mine do need to be walked each day but they don't need 3 hours. 1/2 hour off lead will keep them sane but I like to give them 1 hour plus a bit of 1:1 training/ games to keep their minds active.



If you were interested in meeting some PM what part of the country you're in and I'm sure I'll know someone that would be happy to introduce you to theirs.

http://www.champdogs.co.uk/breeds/irish-red-and-white-setter
 
I have 2 GSP's that have in the past bogged off into the woods for a good root around. They have always come back, or have been whooping so much with excitement at their find, that we have located them.
I have had more paw/leg injuries with these dogs than any other breed we've had. We've had a few cut arteries, pads sliced and stitches required further up ..... all because that red hunting mist descends and they recklessly go after whatever it is they have scented.
 
I have had several different breeds, mostly gundogs. Had 3 red setters and now down to 2. All of them are field lines and all of them had selective hearing. The old one we lost did recall, but was not as obedient as the retriever or other dogs i have now. They do need more consistent training, because they are bred to hunt!
 
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