Need help choosing a dog breed

[Lunchbox1981]

I didn't see one person mention the Vizsla (Hungarian hunting dog)

1)  Avg weight 50 lbs
2)  Point, Retrieve and damn good on a blood trail.  I have seen them retrieve a fox many times.
3)  One of the cleanest dog breeds there is, odor free as well.

Here is some info on the breed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vizsla

Great for the wife because they are very affectionate, loving and clean.

Even better for you because they are a very versatile hunting dog.

[pens fan]

 

[lokidog]

I didn't see one person mention the Vizsla (Hungarian hunting dog)

1)  Avg weight 50 lbs
2)  Point, Retrieve and damn good on a blood trail.  I have seen them retrieve a fox many times.
3)  One of the cleanest dog breeds there is, odor free as well.

Here is some info on the breed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vizsla

Great for the wife because they are very affectionate, loving and clean.

Even better for you because they are a very versatile hunting dog.

They are tall though, just skinny/trim.

[Curly]

Lessee
1. Good with kids......Boykin
2. Less than 50#.......Boykin
3. Does not shed....much...Boykin
4. Will duck hunt...Boykin
5. Will upland hunt...Boykin

The entire group agrees.....lab???

 As for cold weather....Alaska guides are demanding Boykins due to their size and cold weather handling.
As for availability, I have about 30 pups in the northwest, three in Alaska.
As for price...$600-$1000.
My youngest male is getting his OFAs this week. There is a bit h not 20 mules from me getting the same. She is expected to go into heat around Feb. Pups ready around late April. This is if everything goes good with OFA's, eyes and EIC. So, availability is here...

I agree that a Boykin really fits the bill for Atroxus.  It is just that it sounded like he wanted to find a rescue dog or at least a dog that was not much $. 

I'm a lab guy myself, but I've wanted a Boykin ever since seeing them at the Portland Sportsman show and then researching them. 

[Atroxus]

  Boykins sound great, but it seems they are a lot more expensive than a lab or springer. If I happen to find someone giving one away I would certainly not pass it up.

As I research more though I am starting to have concerns about the amount of space I have for an active dog. My side yard/back deck is pretty small and on weekdays I am gone pretty much all day. My side yard is fenced, but is only about 6-7 feet wide and 20-30 feet long. I don't have a back yard just a deck that overhangs a hill off the back of my house and is about the same size as the side yard. My front yard is pretty small too though. If I fenced it it would add probably another 200-250 square feet. There is a park literally half a block down the street from my place. Would that be enough space for a gun dog if I took it out after work every day for some fetch and/or a run, or should I hold off on a hunting dog until I can get my front yard fenced? Or should I wait even longer until my wife and I can afford to move to a house with more space? 

[Lunchbox1981]

I didn't see one person mention the Vizsla (Hungarian hunting dog)

1)  Avg weight 50 lbs
2)  Point, Retrieve and damn good on a blood trail.  I have seen them retrieve a fox many times.
3)  One of the cleanest dog breeds there is, odor free as well.

Here is some info on the breed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vizsla

Great for the wife because they are very affectionate, loving and clean.

Even better for you because they are a very versatile hunting dog.

They are tall though, just skinny/trim.

Fairly tall.  Very athletically built though.  They are just a little bit smaller then a Weimaraner.

[Blackjaw]

If you are talking about 'trainable for waterfowl' in terms of sitting in a blind, I would not really recommend a springer or cocker. I have both, and love them for upland birds and jump shooting ducks, but they can be a little over active in the duck blind. I know there are exceptions, but of the five I have had so far (3 field bred springers and 2 field bred cockers) only one would stay still in a duck blind for very long.

[lokidog]

Boykins sound great, but it seems they are a lot more expensive than a lab or springer. If I happen to find someone giving one away I would certainly not pass it up.

As I research more though I am starting to have concerns about the amount of space I have for an active dog. My side yard/back deck is pretty small and on weekdays I am gone pretty much all day. My side yard is fenced, but is only about 6-7 feet wide and 20-30 feet long. I don't have a back yard just a deck that overhangs a hill off the back of my house and is about the same size as the side yard. My front yard is pretty small too though. If I fenced it it would add probably another 200-250 square feet. There is a park literally half a block down the street from my place. Would that be enough space for a gun dog if I took it out after work every day for some fetch and/or a run, or should I hold off on a hunting dog until I can get my front yard fenced? Or should I wait even longer until my wife and I can afford to move to a house with more space? 

A friend had two Boykins, awesome little dogs BTW, and his yard was not much bigger, if at all, than yours.  He works full time so the dogs had access to the yard during the day.  He would take them for walks and play fetch after work.  They seemed to do fine.  It is too bad they are so spendy.

[Atroxus]

With the feedback on the springer though, if I can't talk my wife into a lab, I may have to bite the bullet and save up for a boykin though. Still a lot of research and discussion with the wife before I make a definite decision though.

[pens fan]

I don't think $600 for a purebred is expensive. I have seen labs exceed $1500. Depending on certs and lines, it can get spendy. My male is from a great dog. If all goes well, these pups will probably go for $800 or more. Not my bitch or litter. There are southern dogs that are less, and I have sold for less. But hos criteria point towards spaniels, not labs.

[Holg3107]

To each their own but it kind of sounds like this may not be a great time to get a dog. Dogs are expensive and I'm not just talking about up fron cost of purchase. It also sounds like your time is pretty limited. The more I read this thread the more it seams like it may not be a great time to purchase. Why not start saving up the money so that when you go ahead and buy a dog (whether it be a rescue or otherwise) you are able to afford the dog that you want?

[Atroxus]

I don't think $600 for a purebred is expensive. I have seen labs exceed $1500. Depending on certs and lines, it can get spendy. My male is from a great dog. If all goes well, these pups will probably go for $800 or more. Not my bitch or litter. There are southern dogs that are less, and I have sold for less. But hos criteria point towards spaniels, not labs.

$600 is expensive for me, I have seen several people offering Lab puppies for around half that.

To each their own but it kind of sounds like this may not be a great time to get a dog. Dogs are expensive and I'm not just talking about up fron cost of purchase. It also sounds like your time is pretty limited. The more I read this thread the more it seams like it may not be a great time to purchase. Why not start saving up the money so that when you go ahead and buy a dog (whether it be a rescue or otherwise) you are able to afford the dog that you want?

If I get a dog for hunting I will find/make time to train it. My main concern was room in the yard, but it sounds like what I have would be workable as long as I get them down to the park daily for exercise.

As to what dog I would want, from the ones discussed so far my preference would still be a lab, I just prefer larger dogs. Probably a bias from when I was a kid. My first and favorite dog was a german shepard. If I can't talk my wife into a lab though the Boykin is the front-runner at the moment. Either way though I have decided unless I happen across another person giving away a puppy I am just going to save up to buy a puppy instead of trying to find one at a shelter or rescue.

[lokidog]

I don't think $600 for a purebred is expensive. I have seen labs exceed $1500. Depending on certs and lines, it can get spendy. My male is from a great dog. If all goes well, these pups will probably go for $800 or more. Not my bitch or litter. There are southern dogs that are less, and I have sold for less. But hos criteria point towards spaniels, not labs.

My wife watched and watched trying to find a golden for less than $1200, finally did, so yeah $600 for a pup with good lines would be a decent price.

[Holg3107]

If I get a dog for hunting I will find/make time to train it. My main concern was room in the yard, but it sounds like what I have would be workable as long as I get them down to the park daily for exercise.

As to what dog I would want, from the ones discussed so far my preference would still be a lab, I just prefer larger dogs. Probably a bias from when I was a kid. My first and favorite dog was a german shepard. If I can't talk my wife into a lab though the Boykin is the front-runner at the moment. Either way though I have decided unless I happen across another person giving away a puppy I am just going to save up to buy a puppy instead of trying to find one at a shelter or rescue.

   Atroxus: Good on you, that sounds like a logical plan. Don't worry about a large lot. We have a small 3000 s.f. lot in Seattle and our pup does great. We went through similar issues over getting a shelter dog or a bred dog and my wife finally understood that the goals that I had for our dog could only be met by getting a pup from a reputable source and doing the work from the ground up. She wanted the dog for a companion only (shelter dogs are awesome) I wanted a companion and a hunter (hard to find in a shelter). We were fortunate to get our dog for cheap but that wasn't part of our goal. $600-$800 up front is not a big commitment when you are looking at a dog that will live 12+ years. Well worth saving up for and getting exactly what you want instead of settling. I still think if you take your wife to someone who has a litter of labs she will cave. 

[Atroxus]

If I get a dog for hunting I will find/make time to train it. My main concern was room in the yard, but it sounds like what I have would be workable as long as I get them down to the park daily for exercise.

As to what dog I would want, from the ones discussed so far my preference would still be a lab, I just prefer larger dogs. Probably a bias from when I was a kid. My first and favorite dog was a german shepard. If I can't talk my wife into a lab though the Boykin is the front-runner at the moment. Either way though I have decided unless I happen across another person giving away a puppy I am just going to save up to buy a puppy instead of trying to find one at a shelter or rescue.

   Atroxus: Good on you, that sounds like a logical plan. Don't worry about a large lot. We have a small 3000 s.f. lot in Seattle and our pup does great. We went through similar issues over getting a shelter dog or a bred dog and my wife finally understood that the goals that I had for our dog could only be met by getting a pup from a reputable source and doing the work from the ground up. She wanted the dog for a companion only (shelter dogs are awesome) I wanted a companion and a hunter (hard to find in a shelter). We were fortunate to get our dog for cheap but that wasn't part of our goal. $600-$800 up front is not a big commitment when you are looking at a dog that will live 12+ years. Well worth saving up for and getting exactly what you want instead of settling. I still think if you take your wife to someone who has a litter of labs she will cave. 

I also hope to get my son and maybe even my wife involved in the training process. Make it a family thing, so my time spent training the dog won't be time taken away from my family. My leanings on breed may change though, Stilly is gonna be taking me out hunting so I can see a comparison of a flusher and pointer in action and decide which style I like best. I really appreciate all the help everyone is offering here though. Never expected this thread to get this big.