Good German Shorthaired Pointer Gundog Breeders And Sometimes More Difficult to find

One question that is often asked by many potential dog owners is “Where do I find a breeder?”

This may seem like an easy question to answer since you can simply open up a newspaper or even a website page and find a dozen breeders for any type of breed. The problem with this method is that it is really difficult to find the breeder that fits your needs.

Obviously, if you are reading this, you are probably at the point where you have selected the breed that you want and are interested in finding the best breeder for it. Before you do that, make sure that the breed is really the right fit for you.

Research its history, breed characteristics and health concerns and also research whether the breed has distinct differences between their field dogs and their conformation dogs. As surprising as it may be, some breeders have changed the breeds significantly so that a “bench” or conformation dog may not do as well as a gundog as a puppy that is bred from field dogs.

If your chosen dog breed has differences between show and field, it is time to start researching your breeders. Before I get into where to find the breeders, I want you to be aware of several points before you start searching so you can eliminate some breeders without putting too much time into them.

Questions to ask:

What do they breed for?

If the breeder tends to focus on show quality dogs, then chances are they are not going to have a lot of field dogs to choose from. Yes, occasionally they will produce an excellent dog but for the most part they are breeding for conformation and looking for the traits of a perfect conformation dog.

What groups are they part of?

Another thing to check when you are searching for a good gundog breeder is the groups they belong to. Breeders are usually a part of the national kennel club, and a breed club but there may be hunting clubs, gundog association and field groups that will alert you to the fact of whether they are interested in producing quality gundogs.

How do they work their dogs?

If you are looking for a good gundog, then you are going to want to find a puppy that has gundogs in its pedigree. When you are researching a gundog breeder, make sure that they are using their dogs for hunting and other field work. If they are only using the dogs for showing or for nothing at all, then they may not be aware of the considerations needed to produce quality gundogs.

Do their dogs have health clearances?

Although this has nothing to do with gundog specifically, you should make sure that the breeder gets health clearances for their dogs before breeding. If they don’t have clearances, then don’t go with that breeder.

Are they picky?

This may seem like a strange point to check on but I have found that the pickier a breeder is about the homes his puppies go to, the better the puppies are. It shows a general love for gundogs and also that they want the best for the puppies they produce. Some breeders of gun dogs will not sell to anyone that won’t be using the dog for hunting purposes and this can also be a great sign of a good gundog breeder.

Now that you have asked those questions, let’s look at places to look for a reputable gundog breeder.

The first place that you should really check is the breed clubs. Many of the clubs offer a listing of breeders and it is a great way to narrow down your choice. Some have websites and others don’t so do not be deterred if the breeder doesn’t. Simply contact him by other means and ask to set up a meeting or to receive pictures of his dogs both in the field and at home.

If the breed club doesn’t seem to have a large list, I would recommend looking into a gundog association. There are several and many of them list breeders of various gundog breeders who are also members. Focus on the active members and on the ones that are working their dogs in the field.

Another great place to find a reputable breeder is by attending field trials and hunt tests. It is important to remember that this is not a family outing when you go to a field trial. Everyone who is there is working so don’t bring your children and make sure that you don’t bother the people who are working their dogs or getting them ready for working. Instead, focus on the people watching since many of them are breeders or know of reputable breeders. If you want a good recommendation for a breeder, talk to the people who own quality gundogs because they are going to know where to look.

When you are choosing a gundog breeder it is important to find one that works his dogs and only produces between one and three litters per year. Once you have found one, get references and contact people who have purchased dogs from him. Do a web search to determine if there are any disputes with him and check around in the gundog community.

If everything checks out, then you have found a reputable gundog breeder.

As you probably know there are quite a few gundog breeds. The most popular gundog is the Labrador Retriever.

All breeds have their fans, as do I but today I will try to give you a quick overview of a sometimes overlooked breed. Pointers.

There are loads of breeds of pointer gundog, they include the following:

Spinone Italiano

The Spinone Italiano breed goes by many names, including Italian Wire Haired Pointing Dog, Spinone, and Italian Griffon, The breed is big and strong and is also known for its intelligent looking eyes. Like the Labrador it is a excellent swimmer and a excellent hunting dog whatever the terrane or temperature.

Weimaraner

These dogs are athletic, sleek and usually have short, fine hair. There are long haired types though. They have intelligent amber, grey, or blue-grey eyes. Their limbs and bodies are muscular and long, with webbed feet. Weimaraners are very skilled hunters, trackers, retrievers and pointers, they are also used for police and search and rescue work.

American Brittany

The American Brittany dogs build makes them adaptable to woods, or hills, as well as cold or damp weather. They excel at hunting particularly hare and woodcock they are also tireless in the field. They are medium sized with a short coat, hazel or amber eyes, with short ears. The coat is orange and white, black and white or liver and white.

German Shorthaired

The German Shorthaired Pointer breed is known for its lean build. It has a clean cut appearance and intelligent, brown eyes. They are smart and eager-to-please with loads of energy. They love children and are loyal to their families

Vizsla

Another sleek breed with light red coat and excellent muscular build. Its face is lean with long pendant ears and light eyes. The coat is short and tight, displaying its defined body. They are loving dogs that display affection easily and often.

English Pointer

The English Pointer dog breed does better in a warm environments and is more comfortable on land rather than in water. It is a beautiful dog known for its powerful grace. The dog carries itself proudly being constantly alert. English pointers are athletic, with a high nose, chestnut or hazel eyes, medium-sized ears, and have a long neck.

Other types of Pointers include: Pudelpointer, Wiredhaired Pointer, Griffon and Munsterlander.

A great blog with loads of information on all breeds of gun dog visit http://www.the-hunting-dog.com/breeds-of-dogs.html and let me know what you think

Cocker Spaniels are very sweet-natured. They are as popular both on the hunt and as household pets; and this is with good reason.

The Pro’s

There are loads of good points about the cocker spaniel and even though they were breed as a hunting dog (Woodcocks to be precise):

• They are intelligent but not stubborn.

• They are easy to train and willing to respond to commands.

• They are playful and well-rounded toward other animals.

• They are great if you have young kids as they love to play.

• They are great at flushing out birds as they will go through anything (even brambles and thorn)

• They are good retrieving dogs especially for bird hunting, as they have soft mouths.

The Con’s

There are few cons with the cocker spaniel. The main concern people have is with their health. Since this is such a popular dog, people tend to breed without discretion. This brings a problem of mixing in bloodlines that are filled with past problems.

Some health concerns this can create are:

• hip dysphasia

• cataracts

• entropian

• elbow dysphasia

• Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia.

Do not let this put you off getting a Cocker spaniel though as the pro’s far outweigh the cons. But it is best if you buy this breed for a reputable dog breeder. Do not visit puppy farms and the alike. You need to have a dog that has been thoroughly screened and whose bloodline is clean. Ask to see the puppies parents if possible, this should be enough to assure you that you are getting a great dog.

Due to the problems which may come with spaniel ownership I would recommend taking out HEALTH INSURANCE.

Height & Weight:

The Male is usually 28-34 pounds and between 15-17 inches high.

The Female is usually 26-32 pounds and 14-16 inches high.

Grooming:

The coat does require regular combing. Some Cocker Spaniels have coats that are prone to matting, while others tend to lay flat, so some trimming is necessary, particularly around the pads of the feet.

Shampoo and bath regularly also check ears carefully for wax and foreign material, particularly after outdoor play.

Life Expectancy:

Well cared for dogs can be expected to live up to 15 years old.

History:

As I mentioned earlier they were bread for hunting woodcocks in the 1800’s. In the 1800’s there were lots of types of spaniels including the Clumber, the Welsh Springer, the Field, the Sussex, the Irish Water Spaniel, the Field, and the Cocker. In 1892 the Cocker and Springer Spaniels were divided into separate breeds, and in the 1940s, the English and American Cocker Spaniels were divided again.

Grouping:

Gun Dog, AKC Sporting

Recognition:

CKC, ACR, NKC, APRI, FCI, KCGB, AKC, UKC, ANKC, NZKC, CCR

Training:

The great thing about the cocker spaniel is you can either train your Cocker Spaniel as a pet or as a hunter or combine both training methods. We find the best way to train is to train your cocker as a hunting dog. This seems to give you a more obedient pet whether you use him on the field or not. Our training DVD is avaliable from Amazon Click the link to take a look

2. Spend some time visiting gundog breeders in your area, ask them to tell you what the breed are good at and what their faults are. Most good breeders would rather you choose the correct hunting dog for yourself, even if it means not buying off them.

3. If possible ask to see the parents train, while good blood lines is not necessary, it will make training your gun dog 100% easier if your puppy had well trained parents. An experienced breeder won’t hesitate to prove their gun dogs’ bloodline, they may even let you see the parents on a hunt.

4. If you took notes when researching breeds you should know what traits each breed has. I always find its not best just to choose the biggest, Ron told me he always looks for the runt of the litter. This is because he/she will be a fighter, rather than the biggest pup who can be lazy due to its size.

5. If you follow these steps and make sure you pick the correct breed for your needs from the right breeder, and choose a puppy who looks full of character , you will be well on your way. Remember that choosing a puppy is itself a first step; proper training once you get your new addition home is crucial.

If you want the easiest training available for your Gun dog why not check my our weekly video classes

Click Gundog Training Here

This is a great way to learn to train your gundog. Each week I send you a video of Ron training his new gun dog, all you have to do is copy him and you to could have the best dog on the shoot, within a few months. Remember gundogs are also known as hunting dogs and Bird dogs.