Most Versatile Hunting Dog

[Shannon]

I've owned a few labs in the past and my current pudelpointers are just as good as my best labs in water retrieves. My pudelpointers are a little quicker getting there and back. They are one of the four breeds mixed to make the GWP originally. They look a lot like a solid liver GWP. The biggest differences are personality IMO. The pudelpointer has a labs personality and the GWP is more protective and aloof to people other than there owners. I like that protective quality  and wish my dogs had that sometimes but sometimes its a pain in the butt also. The pudelpointer is on average a bigger running dog and maybe a little more stylish on average. The GWP/drathaar has better coat consistancy for sure and they are a little sharper on fur although pudelpointers are pretty hard on fur also. I really like the testing involved in the drathaar breeding programs and the NAPPA pudelpointer breeders are pretty serious about testing to set levels before they are breed eligible also. If I was serious about getting a hunting machine I would get a drathaar before I got a GWP. I would feel like it would be harder to get a dud going that way than a GWP. You can find great dogs in both though. The GWP, drathaar, and pudelpointer all have the switch where they can be relaxed in the house. I have two dogs at my feet that haven't lifted there heads since they came in. There are exceptions to every breed but most dogs of these breeds have that switch. Thats my 

[Stickerbush]

and discussion on the pointing griffon? I have heard good things about them and cold water especially

[Sportfury]

I've owned a few labs in the past and my current pudelpointers are just as good as my best labs in water retrieves. My pudelpointers are a little quicker getting there and back. They are one of the four breeds mixed to make the GWP originally. They look a lot like a solid liver GWP. The biggest differences are personality IMO. The pudelpointer has a labs personality and the GWP is more protective and aloof to people other than there owners. I like that protective quality  and wish my dogs had that sometimes but sometimes its a pain in the butt also. The pudelpointer is on average a bigger running dog and maybe a little more stylish on average. The GWP/drathaar has better coat consistancy for sure and they are a little sharper on fur although pudelpointers are pretty hard on fur also. I really like the testing involved in the drathaar breeding programs and the NAPPA pudelpointer breeders are pretty serious about testing to set levels before they are breed eligible also. If I was serious about getting a hunting machine I would get a drathaar before I got a GWP. I would feel like it would be harder to get a dud going that way than a GWP. You can find great dogs in both though. The GWP, drathaar, and pudelpointer all have the switch where they can be relaxed in the house. I have two dogs at my feet that haven't lifted there heads since they came in. There are exceptions to every breed but most dogs of these breeds have that switch. Thats my 

  great post Shannon

[runamuk]

The GWP that lives in my house will zonk on his bed, or on my lap, or in his crate...we are a bunch of hard asses and don't allow playing in the house, he is smart he has learned  he will turn off but if he thinks for a minute there is a reason to be ON its instant....and he gets a bit dumb if he doesn't get a good ball chase in every day at minimum.

[Tyler_C]

and discussion on the pointing griffon? I have heard good things about them and cold water especially

what are some triats/skills of the wirehaired pointing griffon?  Do they compare to a GWP?

[wildweeds]

All this wirehair talk reminds me,An older gentleman I know has a wirehair he is looking to sell,the guy has health issues and can't use the dog for what it's for.Dog is 4 years old and is broke steady to wing and shot,and is royally bred.

[Sportfury]

Wow... Sounds like someone will get a good deal. There would be no way that I could talk the wife into another dog.

[whackemstackem]

I gotta throw it out there that after reading all the posts you guys just described a Wirehaired Griffon.  He can point and was out retrieving ducks yesterday in 8 degree weather. While we were walking back from the blind, he pointed some quail on the way out. After that, he caught his own rabbit.  He is with me every day I hunt and he can be a dumb like any dog, but he has the ability to track ANYTHING.  Even an old penny I dropped after eating my pepperoni stick in the field this weekend. 
 But seriously every dog has it's weaknesses, a lab is a great dog that excels in love, agility and ease of training.  If you hate training hassles then your safe bet is a lab.  Labs have been my favorite companion for the last 13 years. Now I own a hunt machine, but you gotta get him out to hunt or he waits by the tailgate when you let him out.

[Tyler_C]

How would a wirehair griffon compare to a GWP?

[whackemstackem]

They have a lot of similar qualities physically such as a wire coat the moustach and an undercoat, stature may be a little taller in most cases.  Griffons typically have a more mellow disposition when comparing with a GWP. Griffons tend to be natural pointers as well.  They can range if taught but they tend to stay working birds only within 30 yards and they thrive in the marsh/mud/cattail crap that most dogs tend to only go arm paw deep in. I have another Griffon/lab mix (my transition dog because I wasn't sold on Griffons) and he looks like a Griffon but is nucking futs about waterfowl and looks just like a black lab with Griffon hair. I believe the description from AKC is "Medium sized and bred to cover all terrain encountered by the walking hunter, the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon has been called the "4-wheel drive of hunting dogs" as he will enter briars or underbrush without hesitation. Griffs excel equally as pointers in the field and as retrievers in the water. Their coarse double coat protects them in rough cover and gives them an unkempt appearance. It can be a variety of colors, most often steel gray with brown markings." Ya, this is them pretty much.

[wildweeds]

Your right about it being a deal the price is less than the training cost it would take to get one broke steady to wing and shot.The dog was a 1000 dollar pup,add pro training for a year at 600 month.I heard the old guy just wants the dog to be used what it's meant to be used for and  as such has it value priced.

Wow... Sounds like someone will get a good deal. There would be no way that I could talk the wife into another dog.

[Tyler_C]

how would a brittany compare to the other dogs listed?

[KFhunter]

how would a brittany compare to the other dogs listed?

A breed that will point naturally, retrieve naturally, both land and water, track, etc.

Versatile breeds just means a pliable and trainable dog with some natural tendencies and if you want it to do all those things you need to train it to do those things.
Pretty tough to compare all versatile traits and come up with a "most versatile" dog as training comes so strongly into play.  You can lean towards one trait or the other and an somewhat narrow down a search though. 

Happy Gilmore had the correct answer 

[Tyler_C]

with that being said, does a brittany have natural retrieving instincts?  I have heard they do and they don't.

[KFhunter]

with that being said, does a brittany have natural retrieving instincts?  I have heard they do and they don't.

yes and no - some state their dogs never needed force fetched while others do, the trials guys pretty well force fetch either way because FF does more than just make the dog retrieve.


Mine retrieved naturally especially for birds - but playing in the yard she would get bored getting a bumper after half a dozen times where a lab would go until they wore out.
So ya - if they know there is a bird out there they'll get it if you train for it but your training would have to be fun

or force fetch which is what most bird dog guys will tell you to do anyways
I wouldn't though unless you want to run trials.