Spaniel, flat coat or German short haired pointer

[ontow]

We are looking to get a family dog towards the end of the year or esrly next year and not sure which type.

We are very active family with three children 6, 8 and 9. Large house, pretty big garden and lots of fantastic walking areas with lakes, streams, woods and scrub to walk in.

I have had spaniels, setters and mongrels from childhood so am aware of the work involved snd fully ready for it. It seems much harder to find a mutt nowadays as everyone is selling designer crosses. Am on the withing list for a few rescues.

We want a playful, energetic, friendly dog that is easily trainable. Neve never had a pointer so advice welcome.

Thanks!

[1MitchellMum]

May be worth trying Black Retriever X - set up by a Flatcoat owner but has lots of gorgeous crossbreeds (not designer dogs!)

[ontow]

Black retriever x looks fantastic, thanks. Dream dogs!

[topbannana]

I would love a GSP but we work our dogs and locally the terrain is all wrong for HPRs :(
We have working cockers instead that I have mentioned before on here will be our only breed from now on (barring a Lottery won :o) Their advantage over your other choices is that they are smaller so you can have more and I would probably say easier to come by.
All the flat coats I have ever known have been useless working dogs but nice pets. Apart from that the Geronimo has always put me off!

[topbannana]

grooming obviously :o

[TotallyBursar]

All the Flatcoats we've had have been beautiful idiots.
Loving and generous of spirit but thicker than a peat bog .

Our current flatcoat x smooth collie is fab though.
So trainable for sure and solidly so but if you like a bit of initiative and spark maybe not the breed for that (and I've never met anyone that works a spaniel or lab that wanted to swap for one of the FC's ).
Although it's completely possible ours have been unusually dim. Couldn't fault them for charm and affection though, complete jokers.

[topbannana]

I know somebody who works FCs bursar :o
She has always had them and retains a couple out of what I can only suspect to be breed loyalty! She is older now and has a couple of working cockers as well who are so much easier as working dogs yet she cannot countenance not keeping a FC.
The shame is that they could easily go the way of the Clumber or Sussex spaniels if they do not remain popular pets. The "newer" breeds are so much more suited to the way we work now that their time as working dogs is almost over :(

[TotallyBursar]

It's sad because if you are looking for a pet retriever FC's barely get a look in vs goldie's or the ubiquitous lab.

I agree with you completely and I know so few people with Clumbers or Sussex, they just don't have the pretty and 'jaunty' factor cockers/springers have that makes a popular pet.
I'm lucky, we work for fun and spend more time at breed demonstrations than on a shoot so it doesn't matter that I'm chuckled at for my dafties (or that one Flatcoat is always closely followed by a Staffy ) but if I needed a serious dog then what choice?

[Floralnomad]

I can't understand why clumbers are not more popular they would be my first choice if I was in the market for a spaniel .

[topbannana]

See I would have killed for a Clumber, there is a very nice working strain around here :)
Sadly the size is an issue, they're not truly a dog you could "just add another too" like you can with a cocker. They are very expensive, have suffered badly with health problems over the years and (apparently) shed horrifically.
It's also a case that shoots have changed over the years. There are very few of the big keepered shoots about now, far more smaller scale syndicates. Cover is a lot thicker which is harder for some dogs. Pointers in particular are out for us as they are bred to be far ranging, better suited to grouse moors than small woods. We would be chucked off shoots for working a dog at the range that a pointer is meant to :o
There are campaigns to protect these "endangered breeds" but sadly the new wave of cockers, super fast labs and the odd well trained HPR will always be the more popular choice.

[topbannana]

My cocker pup is marked like a Clumber- I can pretend

[zizza]

I've got a four year old flattie (and had another years ago) and have also had golden retrievers and couldn't imagine having anything other than retrievers, but last year we got a Welsh Springer Spaniel and I'm converted! I love my flattie but the WSS is so much easier due to his size. He's got a lovely nature, is very lovable, very intelligent and enthusiastic without the madness of a working ESS or working cocker

[kitsmummy]

Have a look at Many Tears, they always have lots of gun dog types there

[LadyTurmoil]

Don't know where you are but Pro Dogs Direct have some lovely spaniel types at the moment - they are based in the South East. Website is www.prodogsdirect.org.uk/

[ontow]

Thanks for ino so far. We have decided on a GSP. Any advice greatly appreciated. There don't seem to many around so I think we will have quite a wait.

[topbannana]