Cakie174 Posted September 27, 2004 Report Share Posted September 27, 2004 Hi I am hoping to be in a position that i can own and keep my first working gun dog within the next six months and was hoping that you can offer me advice. I would prefer to get a Golden Retriever or a German Pointer for mainly rough walked up shooting. As this is my first dog i would hope that someone could advise if this are a suitable breed for a new owner. Were do you start looking for your dog? Is there a better time of the year to purchase and train? Can your dog be working and a pet? Is there any source information that you could recommend? Should i consider a part trained dog? Does anyone know of any breeders in Northern Ireland? Any advice would be welcomed Cakie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazza Posted September 27, 2004 Report Share Posted September 27, 2004 Im in the same position Cakie, Im looking for a black lab pup somewhere in Northern Ireland Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Country_est Posted September 27, 2004 Report Share Posted September 27, 2004 Cakie, These are just my personal opinions and others may think differntly. 1) I would prefer to get a Golden Retriever or a German Pointer for mainly rough walked up shooting. As this is my first dog i would hope that someone could advise if this are a suitable breed for a new owner. a) Goldies can look good and a bit differnt in the field but you need to get one that comes from a working strain, as a lot of these dogs havent worked for generations and are all pets or show. For a first dog it may be harder than the traditional lab or springer. GSP type dogs are great looking but it depends on time and enviroment to train whether you have the space to full train a GSP. If this is your first dog I would suggest a llok at any local gundog training clubs in the area for more advice. 2) Were do you start looking for your dog? Shooting mags, local keepers gunshop adverts are usually a place to start if not a local gundog training club. 3) Is there a better time of the year to purchase and train? Prefer if posible to get mine as July / Aug born (not therefor the xmas market). This gives you time to do the basics during the winter and then when you neeed longer training session you have the warm spring and summer months to train thru. Also means that by the time the next season comes about the dog is 12 - 14 months and should be steady enuf to start in the filed. 4) Can your dog be working and a pet? Yes. My current 2 labs 1 is 13yrs the other is 5 are both pets and wrking dogs. They live outside in a kennel and run during the day whislt we are at work and come in the house when we are in. They also sleep in the kennel. 5) Is there any source information that you could recommend? Library or a shooting mag should have a list of books and videos to get. 6) Should i consider a part trained dog? Money and time are some of the reasons for this. Aslong as the person whose is selling the dog is a "known" trainer, and not some one who is trying to flog off a dog he can't deal with. The more time you have the more I would say research the shooting and breed you have available and then train your self and then try to train the dog. 7)Does anyone know of any breeders in Northern Ireland? Not me, I am here in Hampshire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted September 27, 2004 Report Share Posted September 27, 2004 The best gundog I ever owned, was an English Springer Spaniel bitch. She came with a good working pedigree and recognising that I wouldn't have the time (or ability) to train her myself, I had her trained by a professional. You will own the dog for about 10-15 years, mess up the training and thats a long time to regret it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted September 27, 2004 Report Share Posted September 27, 2004 The best gundog I ever owned, was an English Spriger Spaniel bitch. Me Too FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browning Posted September 27, 2004 Report Share Posted September 27, 2004 Cakie, I've shot over Springers, Labs and GSP's, but only trained GSPs myself. All things considered, and after speaking to many other dog owner/trainers I would say GSPs are not the easiest dogs to train. They do require lots of patience, and lots of excercise. If you let them get bored they can be a real pain, and could destroy your house ! Mine have a kennel outsite, with a large caged run, which they live in during the day, but during the evenings they are in the house with us. They also sleep in the house. GSPs, in my opinion, are wonderful dogs, and I love mine to bits. Fantastic companions, intelligent, inquisitive and impossible to tire out. But they do need a lot of patience, and a lot of time to do the job right. Good luck with whichever breed you go for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crowstopper Posted September 27, 2004 Report Share Posted September 27, 2004 Please don’t get a Golden , I have seen some very bad ones and only a very small amount of good ones. Just what I think anyway . Crow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger_Rabbit Posted September 27, 2004 Report Share Posted September 27, 2004 Cackie, your first dog ?? Forget goldies and forget GSP's .... most DEFINATELY not dogs for a novice, and expect to pay 450 quid for a working pup. GSP will fill your game bag .... but MUST be from a working pedigree and that will require a trip over here .... certainly not popular in NI. ... Browning has summed up the breed perfectly, patience, patience and more patience, have you got a big house / garden ?? they are a fair sized animal. Not a particulary thick coat and a bit prone to suffer with joint problems in later years if used in wet & cold climate, do you get much rain where you are. For walked up rough shooting it's got to be an English Springer Spaniel .... jack of all trades, hunt like no tomorrow and retrieve by nature. Superb dogs for first timers and with correct breeding you will have no problems. Try these two sites www.magheranagundogs.20m.com (Armagh) www.tobyhillgundogs.com (North Dublin) Country_est has offered very sound advice which appears to be based on experience and I agree word for word. ESS trained = 1,000+ quid .... ESS pup = 250 quid .... your choice. What ever breed you decide on it will change your shooting and lifestyle no end. ENJOY .... but remember you have a duty of care to uphold .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger_Rabbit Posted September 27, 2004 Report Share Posted September 27, 2004 Just found this one .... www.spaniels4sport.com Looks like a NI based site ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cakie174 Posted September 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2004 Thanks guys for all your advice. The jury is still out. What about black labs for my situation. Its a criminal situation but i have to take the other halfs (Mrs) consideration into account as she will have to see it and smell it and i want the dog in the house on an evening. I think my way forward will be to visit a few breeders or trials and introduce the two to various breeds. Cakie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browning Posted September 28, 2004 Report Share Posted September 28, 2004 Cakie, If your missus wants to smell the pup before you buy it I'd wait until she has a severe bout of flu before you go. I think most pups tend to be a bit whiffy while they're in the breeders kennels...running around in all their siblings mess etc. On the other hand, make her watch the pups from a short distance before you let her get into smelling range....if she's anything like Mrs Browning she'll fall in love with 'em all before she gets chance to smell them.......job done ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crowstopper Posted September 28, 2004 Report Share Posted September 28, 2004 Labs are what I would say as a first dog. But I would say that as I am a lab man, sure there are other people on here that will tell u different crow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plexer Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 I have a 16 month old yellow lab dog he is a pet and I also want to use him for beating and picking up when pigeon shooting etc... He lives outside all the time in a big kennel and a 8' x 16' run and comes in the house when we are home allthough not as much these days due to us having a 4 month old baby as well but as the baby gets older he will come in more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berthaboo Posted October 26, 2004 Report Share Posted October 26, 2004 i love to see pointers working on my old shoot there was two i spent more time looking at them working than beating one thing to thing about too is a pointer can take up too 3 years to train where springers and labs should only take a year i have a springer trained be myself she is not a bad worker to she lives inside as well theres a few pics under berthaboo under my pup on the second page Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted October 26, 2004 Report Share Posted October 26, 2004 Cakie, I have only ever had Lurchers, never needed any other type of cur, so I wasn't bothered or interested in others. A few months ago I borrowed two Labradors from a friend and it was an eye opener. Two days of decoying and they were a pleasure to have in the hide. They took it in turns to collect quarry and I was suitably impressed by them. Since then I have been asking around and after much deliberation decided on a black Lab as a first time gundog. I picked up Ben on Sunday morning after spending a while watching him being put through his paces on Saturday. I have him on two weeks approval and if happy he is going to cost £1250. My Lurchers have stopped chasing him out of every room (they just growl at him now) and the rotweiler (wife) loves him. He eats like an industrial hoover, but noiseier, and is clean in the house. He does all the commands and I will be shooting over him at the weekend. Don't burden yourself with a high maintenance gundog unless you have both the time and inclination. Good luck LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonnyni Posted October 27, 2004 Report Share Posted October 27, 2004 Does anyone know of any breeders in Northern Ireland? Hi Cakie, If you a serious about a Lab or a Springer pup I can get ya some contacts. They will all be from good breeding lines. I picked up Ben on Sunday morning after spending a while watching him being put through his paces on Saturday. I have him on two weeks approval and if happy he is going to cost £1250. LB, good luck with the dog I hope you like him. It was a wise idea to have him on two weeks approval brfore parting with your cash. What age is he and what sort of level is he at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted October 27, 2004 Report Share Posted October 27, 2004 He is 2 1/2 y/o and does what he is told. I cannot fault him, except for one thing, he is like a lapdog. He follows me everywhere. I go to work and the kids tell me he waits by the front door until I get back at lunchtime. I have two full days on pigeon and one night flighting this weekend so I will let you know how it goes Jonny. LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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