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#204762 02/18/10 10:37 PM
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I have been looking at many dogs and am thinking about getting a pointer in probably 6 months or so.

Anyone have experience with Pointers. I am learning toward an English pointer, but hearing about GSP's would be cool too.


MikeyBoy #204764 02/18/10 10:58 PM
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Here ya go Mikey

Now we'll wait for the experts.

Last edited by adirondack pond; 02/18/10 10:59 PM.


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MIkey:

I can't give you any concrete advice on which pointer, but do a thouough health check of the parents. Make sure there is no hip displaysia in the breeding line, and the eyes are CERF'd clear. The least expensive thing about getting a dog is the price you pay for the pup. Any medical expenses will run into a lot of $$.

Show dogs are bred more for conformation than for tempermant, field dogs are bred for finding birds, bidability, etc. The better breeders will ask you a bunch of questions to determine if your house and you are a fit for the dog. The breeders that don't are usually more concerned about the $$.

I know some people might disagree, but I strongly recommend crate training the pup. It's not cruel, and it will save you a lot of headaches if you have to leave the pup unsupervised. It's amazing how much trouble they can get into all by themselves.

The biggest thing about training is consistency, and getting the pup to listen to you the first time you tell it to do something. You should get to a point pretty quickly that you only have to say the command once for the pup to listen to you.

Good luck on the search!


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esshup #204770 02/19/10 12:16 AM
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Any particular reason why a pointer breed? Is the dog for just for family or do you plan to hunt over it? While I have never owned a pointer myself, as a child I had an Irish setter and have a number of friends who own pointers and setters. English pointers and GSP's are both great dogs. The biggest thing I will say about both is they need LOTS and LOTS of EXERCISE. Otherwise they will bounce of the walls. A good half hour of them burning off calories a day is usually enough to keep them calmed down. Both breeds are great family dogs, affectionate and will want to be by your side. I have more experience with GSP's and I guess maybe that makes me impartial as I like the way they look better. Plus, if you are looking to use this dog as a hunter, GSP are a more versatile breed. Esshup gave you great advice about the health... Genetics, genetics, genetics! I got my lab about 1 and a half years ago and can't imagine not having her now... I was patient and found the right breeder with a good line. Good thing is, Anna who comes on here and every now and then knows piles about dog health and care and has been a great resource helping me along the way. So when it comes to diet and health issues, I'd check with her. Best of luck, having a dog is very special... A lot of work when they are puppies, but they aren't called man's best friend for no reason!

CJBS2003 #204773 02/19/10 04:51 AM
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I have done alot of reading, and the reason that Pointers have come up high on our lists is due to a few factors.

1) How they enacted with horses, small animals, other dogs. The pointer has high marks with all of these, particularly the English Pointer as it was not bred to kill, but rather just to flush.

2) Easy of coat care. While I like setters and such, i like a short hair dog so i dont have to be washing it all the time. The pointer says once every six months is sufficient.

3) We intend to have a half acre or more, so lots of running room, as well as my gf wanting a dog that she can take along horseback riding. The Pointer is supposed to have a good off leash range and should be safe near horses.

I have always liked labs and other dogs of the sort, but we were just looking for a dog that was optimum with other animals. My old lab/shepherd mix was a wonderful dog with people, but not with other dogs, and multiple run ins with neighbors just makes me wary.

And of course we find the Pointer to be an endearing and attractive breed, big enough to make her feel safe, and friendly enough to feel comfortable around people. We will probably not be hunting with them, but will probably train them in such trades just to stimulate them.


MikeyBoy #204782 02/19/10 09:01 AM
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Sounds like it might just be a match... Sounds like you need to find yourself a good breeder!

MikeyBoy #204788 02/19/10 10:10 AM
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 Originally Posted By: MikeyBoy
The pointer has high marks with all of these, particularly the English Pointer as it was not bred to kill, but rather just to flush.


I take exception to that statement. Pointers are just that, the instinct to flush has been weeded out of them so they point. A flushing dog does just the opposite, it drives the bird into the air. A flushing dog from good hunting lineage will not kill the birds - that's called hardmouth and it's considered a fault. The Springers that I have had have such good mouth control that they can jump and grab a bird out of the air (such as a flushing pheasant) and not break the skin with their teeth, bringing the bird back alive. They've been bred to drive the bird into the air (i.e. flush) and if it doesn't fly, grab it and bring it back alive. Pointers will range (run) further than flushing dogs, because they will point the bird, staying there until the hunter walks up and flushes it. Flushing breeds won't wait for the hunter unless they are trained. They are supposed to work within 30 or so yards of the hunter, while some big ranging field trial pointers will range hundreds of yards from their handler. Some pointer field trials are held with the handlers on horseback so they can keep up with the dogs.


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esshup #204790 02/19/10 10:22 AM
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Might look in to a Vizsla, I've had one for 10 years now, awesome dog, I also have a GSP but I've only had her for a year and she's older, adopted her from the shelter here. I've never put much stock in to general Breed Characteristics, some of them are correct but it mostly depends on the specific dogs personality, that's hard to tell with a pup, though you can get some clues while spending some time with it before you buy. There are plenty of rescues around with all ages of dogs, in this situation you will know the personality of the dog as he/she has already been in a home environment.

SK63 #204791 02/19/10 10:31 AM
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Just to offer a different perspective, get a mutt.

I grew up with Samoyeds, and they were great dogs.

But my first dog as an adult was a shepherd/lab type mix, and my current two dogs are great dane/lab/???/????/????.

Safe to say for me, I will only ever get mutts.


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esshup #204808 02/19/10 01:24 PM
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 Originally Posted By: esshup
 Originally Posted By: MikeyBoy
The pointer has high marks with all of these, particularly the English Pointer as it was not bred to kill, but rather just to flush.


I take exception to that statement. Pointers are just that, the instinct to flush has been weeded out of them so they point. A flushing dog does just the opposite, it drives the bird into the air. A flushing dog from good hunting lineage will not kill the birds - that's called hardmouth and it's considered a fault. The Springers that I have had have such good mouth control that they can jump and grab a bird out of the air (such as a flushing pheasant) and not break the skin with their teeth, bringing the bird back alive. They've been bred to drive the bird into the air (i.e. flush) and if it doesn't fly, grab it and bring it back alive. Pointers will range (run) further than flushing dogs, because they will point the bird, staying there until the hunter walks up and flushes it. Flushing breeds won't wait for the hunter unless they are trained. They are supposed to work within 30 or so yards of the hunter, while some big ranging field trial pointers will range hundreds of yards from their handler. Some pointer field trials are held with the handlers on horseback so they can keep up with the dogs.


Bad use of terminology on my part. Thank you for the clarification. \:\)


MikeyBoy #204809 02/19/10 01:35 PM
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I have never seen a Vizsla in person. I will have to check them out.

And Sunil I certainly have experience in mutts and have nothing against them. Nor do I have anything against the rescuing of a dog. My ol Hunter was both a mutt and a rescue.



I had her from 1st grade and she stayed with me through my last year in college before she passed.

Unfortunately, around here it seems that all of the rescue places are basically filled with Pits and Chihuahuas. And if they are not full Pit (although full pit is silly since the only Full Pit is the American Stafordshire) they are some kind of pitt mutt. While I don't have a problem with all Pitts, Homeowners insurance does, and it worries me thinking about a breed capable of so much destruction without knowing its full background.

So I am open to other breeds as well as rescues, And that is the fun part of a forum, getting everyone's opinion.


MikeyBoy #204812 02/19/10 02:12 PM
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I'm partial to Springer Spaniels. The field bred variety, not the show bred. Field bred's have less tempermanent problems, less physical problems (i.e. hip displaysia) and don't need their hair cut on a 6 week interval - they don't need hair cuts at all. They are pretty self cleaning, you can get them out of a mud puddle, and an hour later they are dry and the dirt is gone. The field breds can run for a long time, I'm sure that they can keep up with a horse. They are a smaller dog, running 40-50 lbs. Less food in, less poop out. They do well in heat and in cold, although they aren't meant for swimming in icy water all day long like Labs or Chessies. They are very people orientated, and they will follow you from room to room in the house (at least mine do). They are very biddable, wanting to please you.

There is a pretty good sized Field Trial group in So. Cal., and they are a good bunch of people. They do a lot of training near Tehachapi, Ca. Ca. ESSFT info.
ESSFT org webpage Tony & Diane Zabilit, Mike Knudson, Jerry & Cheryl Silgar are all great people.

Look at the 2nd link to see the difference between show and field. Springers can be liver (brown) and white, black and white and tri colored.


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esshup #204816 02/19/10 02:32 PM
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Those are good looking dogs. I know we want at least one dog bigger then that, but we have talked about having a smaller dog then a Pointer if we had one bigger one.

Thanks for the reading, ha ha. One more thing to keep me from working today. Ha ha.


MikeyBoy #204919 02/20/10 12:13 PM
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Just another consideration look at the Braque Francais. Here's where I bought mine: http://jerseysportingdogs.com:80/


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