# Setter or Brittany?



## Aythya

Within the next couple years I am going to purchase two new dogs. One of them will be a pointing dog and I am debating between a setter (English or Irish) and a Brittany. This will be a house dog so I want a relatively small dog, e.g. my current lab is about 60 lbs and that is the maximum size. I plan to purchase a dog from a reputable kennel with good bloodlines. I have never owned a pointing dog and will be a novice at training. I have a friend who raises very good Brittanys but don't know where to look for setters.

I welcome opinions on these breeds especially from those who own one or have owned one or both of them.


----------



## taddy1340

The one thing I suggest is to keep an open mind to other pointer breeds. I'm a lab man, but am convinced my first pointing breed will be a GSP. I really like they're disposition and versalitity. I've spent some time with great dogs and I'm impressed by them.

I've heard that good hunting lines are hard to find in the Irish setter breed...my understanding is their popularity several decades ago led to diminished hunting skills and ultimately genetics. We are seeing some of this in the lab now...popularity can hurt the hunting lines. This is not to say you can't find a good kennel, you'll just have to look hard.

I know Dr. Joe Spoo (vet) out of SD (www.gundogdoc.com) runs nice English Setters...he could help point you in the right direction. love their style!

As far as Brittanys, there desire impresses me. Most I've been around have run on high octane! Don't know enough to offer an opinion either way.

With all this said, you're best bet (as with any breed) is do what you're doing now...your homework...interview multiple breeders, attempt to see the parents work, ask all questions that come across your mind, ask people with different backgrounds (Bobm is excellent for this), etc.

If you solely talk to a setter guy, he may say they're the best...a Brittany guy may say the same about those. I've found it best to consult trainers who have a minimum of a decade or so of training multiple breeds. Also, it's great when you can ask guys like Bobm and Gonehuntin' because they're not trying to sell you a puppy. Instead, they're trying to help find a breed that best fits you.

Finally, beware of what I refer to as the "Dog car salesman." These guys will just about do anything to talk you into one of their dogs...not much differnent than many car salesmen!

Good luck!

Mike


----------



## Aythya

Thanks Mike. I found one place in PA that has good, hunting Irish setters but you are right, it is hard to find good Irish setters any more.

I have always had a soft spot for setters because I always envisioned myself owning one when I lived in northern MN grouse woods. Never quite worked out. I had a good friend with a Brittany and that dog was a wizard on ruffed grouse and I have a couple friends here with Brittanys.

So many choices in good hunting dogs. As I am a die-hard duck hunter I will always own labs but I really want to have at least one pointing dog before my hunting years are up.


----------



## hunt4P&amp;Y

ALright, you say you are from Northern MINN> I own a English setter from a breader/ trainer/ field trial guy in the Park Rapids area. He is a great dog, awsome nose, great drive etc. I can get you his info if you are interested. He has awsome dogs. I know he lost the father to my dog about a week after I got him. Car Vs. dog. He was kind of mad that he gave me him after that happened. I think he lost that line, because he didn't have any males left.

I say give a setter a try. They are awsome dogs.

Mike


----------



## Bob Kellam

I have hunted behind some great dogs in my life a couple of them I trained myself and both were Brits. This fall hunting in SD I had the opportunity to hunt behind a German Shorthair (Charlie), it was one of the most pleasurable experiences afield I have had in a long time that dog worked with a group of us, he was near flawless, I only saw him on 3 false points in two solid days of hunting. My sons Viszla is close but he is still young and full of P&V, Jack needs as much exercise as a person can give him and he is still ready to go afterwards. The shorthair was active but a year or two older, just enough to be business only and the more praise we gave him the harder he worked. Never missed a retreive and never lost a bird and stayed on hard point with his whole body quivering until the hunter was next to him, he pointed many birds the other dogs had walked by.

Brits are good house dogs and I would go as far as to say most every breed of pointer is with the proper training and exercise. I love labs as good solid field and water dogs but when it comes to pure hunting energy the pointer breeds IMO seem to have the upper hand for upland hunting.

Good luck with your choice no matter what pointer you pick it will be a good choice. As you can see my favorites are Brits, G Shorthair and Viszla.

Good luck and Enjoy!!

Bob


----------



## Bobm

all pointing breeds are good dogs, because you stated your friends own what you consider to be excellent Brits I would go with the same line they have, you already know whats to expect. IF you like those dogs.

I will mention this Brits and to a lesser extent setters are softer dogs lots softer than labs so do a little self examination of your personality, if you have even a hint of temper while training get a shorthair they are more resilient to a stricter traing regimen.

Wirehairs and Pudelpointers would be another good choice, wirehairs are popular up there, Mike aka Griffman on here could give you solid advice on where to get one.

The German versatiles are easier to train in the sense that they mostly have a natural retrieve and bounce back from training mistakes better.

About 50% of setters dont have a natural retrieve, Brits do have agood natural retrieve. Setters and Brits take alot more grooming and pick up burrs ect but they are beautiful.


----------



## redlabel

Not much compares to the beauty of a good looking English Setter on point.


----------



## wirehairman

a wirehair :wink:

Seriously, try to hunt with various breeds and different lines from the breeds your interested in. As Bobm pointed out, it sounds like you already like some of the traits of your buddys' Brits and would know what to expect. Reputable breeders will be more than happy to show you their dogs working.

As a final note, I always sugges picking a pup well before the litter is born based solely on the parents, with 60% being the dam and 40% the sire. If you just start looking a litters of puppies, you will likely end up with the first warm, cuddly bundle that crawls in your lap.


----------



## Remmi_&amp;_I

redlabel said:


> Not much compares to the beauty of a good looking English Setter on point.


EXCEPT......A BLUE WEIM!! :wink:


----------



## freemanbernie

Before you buy and English Setter, you might want to explore if a Gordon Setter might better suit your needs. If you want a never miss NOSE, a Gordon is the way to go. I've heard people say they are not as fast as the English in the field but even a Gordon will move much faster than you will. AND, it will rarely miss a point. I have both and 80% of the time I take my Gordon with me. They are also great house pets, great with kids. You have 3 or 4 really good kennels in the U.S. but I've hunted with the Springset Kennel Gordons (field bred) and they are fantastic and very easy to train.



Aythya said:


> Within the next couple years I am going to purchase two new dogs. One of them will be a pointing dog and I am debating between a setter (English or Irish) and a Brittany. This will be a house dog so I want a relatively small dog, e.g. my current lab is about 60 lbs and that is the maximum size. I plan to purchase a dog from a reputable kennel with good bloodlines. I have never owned a pointing dog and will be a novice at training. I have a friend who raises very good Brittanys but don't know where to look for setters.
> 
> I welcome opinions on these breeds especially from those who own one or have owned one or both of them.


----------



## Aythya

I have considered a Gordon setter. They are hard to find, at least the hunting variety. I am somewhat familiar with Springset kennels and I think there is a good breeder in Helena, MT. Used to be a guy in Minot, ND that breed Gordons and I think his stock was out of Springset.


----------



## mburgess

I'll give you my opinion and take it what you want out of it. I've hunted be hind quite a few different INDIVIDUALS from different breeds. I'll make some generalizations that I've noticed but may not be accurate. I own a Brit, he is a great little bird finder, solid as a rock on point and will rival your average everyday lab retriever at finding and retrieving downed birds. Thick CRP is tough on these guys though. High octane is all I can say, and I've hunted behind quite a few others from different bloodlines and all were high energy. A couple English Setters I've hunted behind have been great bird finders one was a fair retriever the other two weren't retrievers at all. There is probably more variation in this breed than any other and you probably can find exactly what you want for a field companion and house companion with this breed, it will cost you though. I've hunted behind a gordon that had a fair nose, was a bootlicker and didn't retrieve. I've hunted behind a couple french brits that had great noses, retrieved well, but were bootlickers. Thick CRP is tough on these guys as well. All of the German dogs i've followed were solid as a rock on point, retrieved well, but some of the short hairs were way too high octane. Wirehairs seem to be more of a pleasure to be around than their shorthair cousins, but tend to be more aloof/protective of the family. I hunted behind a weimeraner last season that was probably the worst excuse for a bird dog that I had ever witnessed. It was a bootlicker, it didn't even stumble across a bird in a field that was loaded with them. I don't think it could have found its food in the dark. At one time I contemplated getting a Red Setter out of a kennel near St. Cloud. I spoke with the breeder and he sounded like he really has put a lot of effort into his dogs. I talked with a guy around here who had seen some of his dogs work is some field events that said his dogs ususally did well in field events. I've never hunted behind a new red setter. We owned an Irish for a year and a half when I was a kid and it was the dumbest dog I've ever known. Which in the end led me astray from the red dog.

That being said, the best pheasant dog I have ever gone afield with was a springer spaniel which is tough for me to admit, cause I'm a pointer guy. The best sharptail dog I've hunted behind was an english pointer that was an absolute cadillac in the little missouri grasslands.


----------



## Coach529

Aythya said:


> I have considered a Gordon setter. They are hard to find, at least the hunting variety. I am somewhat familiar with Springset kennels and I think there is a good breeder in Helena, MT. Used to be a guy in Minot, ND that breed Gordons and I think his stock was out of Springset.


They are quite a few breeders around if you do some diggin. When I was looking for my first Gordon, I had a heck of a time. I got her from Tom Loy, a Gordon breeder in Northwood, ND. My second Gordon came from a breeder in Mitchell SD.

Below are some Gordon links from breeders in the area and a link to a Gordon Forum:

http://www.clearcutkennel.com/index.html

http://www.ricecreekkennels.com/

http://www.freewebs.com/featherman/

http://forums.delphiforums.com/gordonsetter/start/

I am not 100% sure, but if my Gordon keeps progressing like she is now, I may have a litter out of her in the next coupld years.

Good luck, and let us know what you end up with!!


----------

