Drahthaars

[dennishoddy]

GWP pointers have been breed with no regulation, it's like the difference between an American rottweiler and a German rottweiler. I understand they share physical characteristics but breed wise they are a lot more stringent with the drahthaars

That may be the same deal of the Britts like I have, and the French Britt's. The French are more closely bred, and their price is at a premium. I looked on the net, as I wanted one of the French breed after reading how well they work. But the only thing I found on "reputable" breeders was they almost have to come to your house at your expense before they will let you adopt one of their dogs. That was about 5 years ago. My Britt that I have works out fine for me.

Sounds like a good way to get a free weekend.

 

[LBnM]

Anyone that know of me knows that I favor the German Shorthaired Pointer. Not the ones that have been bred to English Pointers to make them faster and more field trial ready. Ike is an old line German Shorthaired Pointer out of Jim Reiser's Shooting Starr kennels. His momma was featured in the Sep/Oct 1997 issue of Pointing Dog Journal.

I do however have a fondness for all European breeds. The GWP, from a reputable breeder is a fine dog. The Drahthaar breeder in Elgin is long established and has an excellent reputation. For info on Britts talk to Delmar Smith in Edmond. He wrote the book on them and his sons are national trainers. Anyone interested in any of the European breeds needs to spend time and meet these folks.

http://www.oknavhda.com/

They are all some fine people and a little time with them on their monthly training days and you will see most of the Versatile breeds in action.

Ike was a NAVHDA pup and on his first opening day (in Missouri) he pointed, retrieved and backed my long gone older dog, Murphy Brown, so that I had my limit of both Quail & Pheasant in about two hours. He's just gotten better as he got older. He is 11 now and a little slower, but only at the end of the day. BTW, on that opening day he was just under 5 1/2 months old.

I highly recommend NAVHDA to anyone interested in bird dogs. And ...$1,000 or so in a dog from a quality kennel is a much better investment than what most people on this forum blow on guns in a month. A lecture tho'...a dog is a lifetime (his or hers) investment. The purchase price will be only a small portion of the cost of this investment. If you are not interested in it being so, and only want to put one in a pen until the day you are ready to go hunting - find someone who has a good dog and go hunt with them. You will probably have a better hunting experience doing this.

 

[dennishoddy]

Anyone that know of me knows that I favor the German Shorthaired Pointer. Not the ones that have been bred to English Pointers to make them faster and more field trial ready. Ike is an old line German Shorthaired Pointer out of Jim Reiser's Shooting Starr kennels. His momma was featured in the Sep/Oct 1997 issue of Pointing Dog Journal.

I do however have a fondness for all European breeds. The GWP, from a reputable breeder is a fine dog. The Drahthaar breeder in Elgin is long established and has an excellent reputation. For info on Britts talk to Delmar Smith in Edmond. He wrote the book on them and his sons are national trainers. Anyone interested in any of the European breeds needs to spend time and meet these folks.

http://www.oknavhda.com/

They are all some fine people and a little time with them on their monthly training days and you will see most of the Versatile breeds in action.

Ike was a NAVHDA pup and on his first opening day (in Missouri) he pointed, retrieved and backed my long gone older dog, Brownie, so that I had my limit of both Quail & Pheasant in about two hours. He's just gotten better as he got older. He is 11 now and a little slower, but only at the end of the day. BTW, on that opening day he was just under 5 1/2 months old.

I highly recommend NAVHDA to anyone interested in bird dogs. And ...$1,000 or so in a dog from a quality kennel is a much better investment than what most people on this forum blow on guns in a month. A lecture tho'...a dog is a lifetime (his or hers) investment. The purchase price will be only a small portion of the cost of this investment. If you are not interested in it being so, and only want to put one in a pen until the day you are ready to go hunting - find someone who has a good dog and go hunt with them. You will probably have a better hunting experience doing this.

Lots of good advice here. I will say my hunting buddy bought a britt from Delmar Smiths son that lives in San Antonio. That dog has a blood line from forever. It turned out to be a dud. That dog just won't hunt.
My point is, even the best breeders can have a dog that is not the best. Stuff happens.

 

[ElkStalkR]

I have hunted with one. They can be good dogs, but they are not outstanding in anyway. If I was you I would save your money and go with a Brit.

 

[LBnM]

Lots of good advice here. I will say my hunting buddy bought a britt from Delmar Smiths son that lives in San Antonio. That dog has a blood line from forever. It turned out to be a dud. That dog just won't hunt.
My point is, even the best breeders can have a dog that is not the best. Stuff happens.

That's right. I didn't mean to get on a high horse and sound like only high pedigree dogs are good dogs. I just meant you have a better chance with a good breeder than with a backyard bred dog. Murphy Brown was such a dog and she had some faults but she was a good hunter and a great companion and I wept when she was so ill I had to put her down. Also, sometimes a dog won't hunt for someone for an unknown reason. I once was given a high dollar dog who wouldn't hunt for a friend of mine. That dog went to another friend who couldn't afford a dog, period. For the next 14 years Jazz was one of the best hunting dogs I have ever seen. Sometimes it's just chemistry. Most reputable breeders know this and will stand behind their dogs. Rick Smith is such a breeder so I would have been working with him to solve your hunting buddys problem. But, you are correct. Stuff happens!

 

[Relentless]

It's not that I need to save for the money, I've just only ever spent that much on a dog once, and I was just a boy. It was killed by coyotes the first time I took it to the woods when I moved back to Oklahoma. I probably will end up buying one, I just need to think about it long and hard and take my son down to see them. If he absolutely falls in love then it's easily justifiable in my head haha. The only Reason I haven't been swayed just yet is because I'm worried how a Brittany will handle retrieving geese

 

[reagorfu]

If you don't want to worry about your hunting dog gettign attacked, get an airedale man. you can use them to hunt hogs, cougar, deer, ducks, quail, rabbits, ect. They are an awesome dog. just check into them, you might really like them.

 

[pokefun]

We have had two VDD Drahtaars and got them from a man in Geronimo, Ok. Both were exceptional hunters and great guard dogs.