# english pointer as duck dog



## Eroc33 (Nov 15, 2007)

I am intrested in the english pointers in the gun dog section. i have been looking for a puppies for mainly  a pet but i want one i can duck, dove and quail hunt with also. I know there fur isnt thick but it dosent get real cold around here anyway. i dont really want a lab because they are to hyper. I know gsp's can make good duck dogs, but what about english pointers. from what ive read english pointers make better pets is this true. thanks


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## ronmac13 (Nov 15, 2007)

gsps are HYPER.

The one we had would never settle down unless s was asleep, we had to sell her to someone else with a farm so she could run.

Everyone else I know has had the same thing happen, dont get me wrong she made a great hunting dog.


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## jhoughton (Nov 15, 2007)

Any bird dog has the chance of being hyper.  I wouldn't say any breed makes a better pet as the dogs are all individuals.  I have never seen an English Pointer used as a duck dog but anything is possible if the dog is trainable.  It takes substantially more training to have a good quail and duck dog and it usually hurts one or the other training for both in my experience.  If you truely want a dog that does both, I would look at dogs that have a breed history in NAVDA and look for proven lines that do both.


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## bobman (Nov 15, 2007)

I have 6 shorthairs and 2 eps at this time,and have owned and trained both for over thirty years. 

Eps are not likely to make a decent water retriever without extensive training by a pro, shorthairs on the other hand are excellent natural water retrievers and have a coat that would be ok for most days in Georgia duck hunting.

EPs and Shorthairs are supposed to be high energy bird dogs the so called hyperness is bred into them on purpose. The people that have problems with it should not of purchased a pointer or shorthair for a pet, when mine come in the house they go lay down and are as calm as can be yet on fire in the field. They do require alot of exercise because of the high enery bred into them.

You would be far better of with a good GSP than a EP, however I would also recommend you look carefully at German wirehairs, they point are widely used for water retrieveing and there are some excellent breeders in the south east. Tell the breeder exactly what you want to do with the dog and take their advice they will know if their line is suitable.

One last thing I have never ever seen a ep without a lot of white which makes duck hunting harder.

Look at lines with a lot of Navda involvement those will be good retrievers.

Unless you have family land or very deep pockets, quail hunting is a thing of the past in Georgia. I have a kennel full of pointing dogs but all my bird hunting is done out of state mostly Kansas and North Dakota.


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## Nitro (Nov 15, 2007)

The truest "All purpose Dog" among the Pointing breeds is the Draathar- AKA the German Wirehaired Pointer. 

They have a wiry coat that protects them from the cold temps. 

Excellent animals.


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## GSP man (Nov 15, 2007)

As others have said you can train just about any dog to do what you want it to, if you are willing to put in the time and money.  I have a GSP and she is a great bird hunter that hunts hard every time I take her out, she is asleep on her bed under my desk right now.  She is a very driven dog in the field but at home she is laid back and a joy to have in the house.  Every dog in any breed is different and you would be fooling yourself to think if you got a particular breed of dog that it would not be hyper.  You have to look at the parents to get an idea of what temperament the puppy might have.  My GSP is a great retriever and would do very well as a duck dog but I also have a Lab that I use for duck hunting.  I am going to take my GSP duck hunting one day this year just to see how she will do.  She loves to swim and is just as stronger swimmer as my Lab.  My opinion is you would be disappointed in trying to make an EP into a duck dog, stick with a breed that is more versatile like a GSP or the wirehair breeds


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## MustangMAtt30 (Nov 15, 2007)

agarr said:


> The truest "All purpose Dog" among the Pointing breeds is the Draathar- AKA the German Wirehaired Pointer.
> 
> They have a wiry coat that protects them from the cold temps.
> 
> Excellent animals.



The Brittany Spaniel fills the "all purpose" role pretty good as well.  The few times that I have been quail hunting have been with Brittany Spaniels.  I have read some articles where waterfowl hunters use them for retrieving as well.

As far as hyper goes, all "sporting" breeds have tremendous energy.  They were bred to be hunters and have the drive to do it all day long in tough conditions if needed.  My 6 month old Lab is hyper but I understand that alot of that is just her being a puppy and that some of that she will outgrow eventually.


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## Eroc33 (Nov 15, 2007)

I know all sporting dogs are going to be hyper. I just want one that can act right in the house. I really want a short hair dog also so that is why i am not as intrested in a spaniel or a wirehair. I am also looking at a gsp/ lab mix, i know i said i didnt want a lab but i think that would be a neat combination


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## bobman (Nov 15, 2007)

The reason I didn't mention a britt is they have alot of white on them unless you get a french brit


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## bobman (Nov 15, 2007)

one more thing shorthaired dogs shed like crazy so if thats why you want a shorthaired dog its not going to help


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## MustangMAtt30 (Nov 15, 2007)

bobman said:


> The reason I didn't mention a britt is they have alot of white on them unless you get a french brit


Camo Neophrene vest could help in the situation when the dog might be exposed in the blind.


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## Eroc33 (Nov 15, 2007)

i was planning on a camo vest anyway.


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## flusher (Nov 20, 2007)

Boykin Spaniel is the best all around hunting dog.  They are not a pointing dog but they will do whatever you ask them to if you spend the time with them.  Small in size, Great at home with the family and a tremendous drive on the dove, duck, & quail outings.  I would not expect the Boykin to be a goose retreiver though.  He will fetch a goose is asked to.  Good Luck!!!


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## Morunner (Nov 20, 2007)

I have a GSP. Great dog and stays in the house a good bit. Very friendly and a very good dog as long as you train them good. Mine is hyper...but anything else would just be boring


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## Lane Morrell (Nov 20, 2007)

get a gsp and be done with it. they are sometimes hyper dogs, but thats what makes a good dog if you have time to work with them.  i dove hunt and quail hunt with my shorthair.  whats funny is if the dove is still alive, she will point it and i sometimes have to retrieve it myself.  i find probably 95% of the dove i kill.  not too  bad considering some of the fields and woods in south ga.  godd luck on what ever choice you make.


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## Eroc33 (Nov 20, 2007)

I ended up getting a weimaranar if he isnt to lazy i think he will be good.


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## Lane Morrell (Nov 21, 2007)

not a bad choice of dogs.  i had one about 10 years ago.  at five months old, he would retrieve dove.  then i almost quit hunting and started chasing women. i should have just kept hunting if you know what i mean.  the dog would just be walking around and fall down and never move anymore because he was so lazy.  but he was a great dog.  kinda miss him.  good luck  with you new friend


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## maker4life (Nov 21, 2007)

Lane Morrell said:


> not a bad choice of dogs.  i had one about 10 years ago.  at five months old, he would retrieve dove.  then i almost quit hunting and started chasing women. i should have just kept hunting if you know what i mean.  the dog would just be walking around and fall down and never move anymore because he was so lazy.  but he was a great dog.  kinda miss him.  good luck  with you new friend



Ol' Drake . If he was anything he was lazy . Just also happened to be one of the prettiest dogs I've ever seen .


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## duckblaster (Nov 21, 2007)

*Dog*

I hope that new dog of yours isn't allergic to corn, he'll break out in hives duck hunting with you.


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## Eroc33 (Nov 25, 2007)

that must be why when i took him for a walk the other day and we walked across the land where you and your buddies deer hunt  he broke out in hives, how could I have overlooked that


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