Recommendations

[PSUQuailer]

I am thinking of getting a bird dog for this year and am split between a German Shorthair and a Gordon Setter.  Anyone with any experience with them please reply.  I am 16 and am looking for a good dog to start out with. My cousin owns a kennel and breeds both of the two breeds just deciding which one i want.  Also any recommendations on books or videos would also be great.  Thanks.

                                                                                                     Ryan S.

[Briar Hill Brittanys]

Gordon or GSP?  Gordons are a great breed, quite popular in the past.  A couple of years back I trained with a breeder that had the strong field lines Springset, Intraset, and Melrose.  Very personable, strong hunting drive, and beautiful at work on birds.  The attached picture is a 6 week old female pointing a pheasant tail just out of camera.  They can definately cover ground, with a smooth flowing gait.  The few I started, worked up fine.  They had good noses, and were strong on point with little effort on my part.  Intelligent and fairly quick learning.  One male was particularly stubborn, but I get that in Britts, occasionally.  You can find interesting history on the breed by searching the internet. 

[PSUQuailer]

Thank you for the info.  That is a really good pic of your dog. Thanks again. j41


                                                                                                              Ryan S.

[rymanman]

Gordon............100%........Nothing like a bird dog with a TAIL!!!

[PSUQuailer]

Thank you rymanman for the info.  I think i will be going with a Gordon Setter.  Thanks again for the response. j41


                                                                                      Ryan S.

[sugar run gamebirds]

now everybody is going to have their favorites.we here have 2 gsp's and we also train them. i love my gsp's and will never go with any other breed. my male is the all around navhda dog. he hunts ducks, geese, and all upland gamebirds. what are you going to be hunting with your new pup? i have ran against a few gordons in hunt tests they are not bad dogs. but they didn't compare to my gsp's. both my male and female out ran the gordons. by no means am i putting them down they are great dogs but the gsp's with the right breeding are awesome dogs.


      Lenny
 Sugar Run Gamebirds

[PSUQuailer]

Thank you Sugar Run Game birds.  I will be mostly hunting game birds and grouse.  If i had it my way i would get one of each but my mom doesn't think the same way i do.   Do you have ant recommendations on videos or books.  Thanks for the reply.


                                                                                                    Ryan S.

[rymanman]

I may have come across I only certain dogs.If they are suppose to do what they are bred for by all means they are great....I just like the setters myself,but once again you have good and bad in all breeds! Gordons and Setters I like for the grouse woods!

[labmancan]

Here there are only 2 other concerns, when it comes to picking what breed you want. Hot and Cold. If you live/hunt in a very warm climate, you generally want a short hair breed, here where there can be 6" of snow on opening day (oct. 15) The long hairs do better, of course then you have to deal with iceballs on their feet and Burrs 
Any pup you choose will be the right one for you. Just try to remember that when it chews something you really like, or you have to clean up a little accident off the kitchen floor. 

[PSUQuailer]

Thanks guys for the replies. I live in Central Pa so it can get pretty cold.  I going to a breeder this weekend that has both to see wat they have. Do you have  recommendations on good videos or books.


                                                                                                   Ryan S.

[birddog]

psu quailer  great gun dog training book. (Wing and Shot)  by Robert c wehle. very good easy to follow training techniques.  can be found at lion country supply  or probably gun dog supply. you can find both on the web. great sources for anything related to hunting dogs.good luck with the Gordon, beautiful dogs.

[PSUQuailer]

Thank you BirdDog. i just ordered that book.  Thanks for the reply.

                                                                                                 Ryan S.

[johngordon]

A good book for gordons is titled, The Field Gordon Setter, The Black and Tan Bombshell   by: Suzanne and Norman B. Sorby.
You can order it off of the Springset website. I have hunted behind e. pointers, brits, e. setters, gsp, and currently gordons(all good dogs to hunt with). The brits and setters have been better companions before and after the hunt.

[buster,ak]

A friend is wanting to get a Gordon also,he likes their looks,I have never hunted with one,they sound good,dont they all though?
 I would say really beware of anyone that advertises field trial champions and garbage like that,field trials can be as rigged as professional wrestling,the dog in the trial may not even be the dog on the papers,happens all the time.And alot of the things in some of the trials have nothing really to do with hunting wild birds.

 Not to say that all are rigged,of course not ,just a word of advice.You should ask to hunt with the sire at least,if not the dam also,if she is able.
 I hunt with Llewellin setters and cant say enough about how natural they are,very little training needed. and I am far from an expert trainer,but these dogs were bred to hunt by 6 mos. old,mine have been hunting on their own at 5 mos. even,once again not me ,its all the dogs own natural ability.

Here is a pic of my 10 mos. old on point at 20 below zero.no shorthair breeds here, thats for sure!

[Pheasant Hollow Farm]

buster,ak ,

Nice looking dog!!

Steve
Pheasant Hollow Farm