Knowing there is no best answer, I would nominate the German Shorthair Pointer for the best pointing dog, and the Chesapeake Bay Retriever for the best waterfowl dog.

What would you choose?

BH63

I will second that nomination. My GSP,was the best hunting dog I ever had or ever seen. She was also the very best pet and companion.

Llewellin Setter gets my vote. That coming from a man that used to breed and sell Brittanys.

God Bless, Louis

I'd agree with the English Setter and, in the right hands, a Chessy would be hard to beat.

For pointers, don't overlook some of the "ugly dog" breeds -- Deutsche Draathaar, wire-haired pointing Griffon, Pudelpointer.

I think hands down the best pointing breed is the German Shorthair Pointer.

I also believe the best retriever breed is the German Shorthair Pointer.

If you haven't yet figured it out, all I have is German Shorthair Pointers.

We hunt upland, waterfowl with them & have even used them to blood trail big game!

Now if I could just train them to stay off my leather chair in the den!

.

I cannot get enough of any good pointing dog whether GSP, vizsla, setters etc.

On the retriever side labs maybe.

Went on a pointed shoot in Scotland some years ago - setters (Gordons) for the pointing and ESS for the fetching. It was a memorable day!

.

As far as a pointer I’ll go w/a GSP.

As for retreivers, .Mr. Ford had it correct
“You can have it any color you want—-as long as it’s black “.

I have been hunting over Old Hemlock English Setters for at least 50 years in our New England bird coverts chasing Woodcock and Grouse,to say that I'm some what bias could be an understatement.
Over last 26 years I have been hunting 25 plus days a year with a gentleman who is a reformed waterfowl hunter and is a "Chessy" man. We have always hunted our dogs together the Setter points the Chessy flushes. We have the best of both worlds.
Here is a video I took late in the season that shows the Setter on point and the Chessy coming in and flushing

oops that did not work I'll try again

I have had several pointing breeds including English setters, German short hairs and German wired hairs. My experience the setters are at a disadvantage due to the long hair at least in my experience a lot of down time since de-burring the coat and the resulting skin irritation that occurs when you are not watching for the burrs has laid up my setters till the damage has healed. My german dogs where all equal in ability with low maintenance causing little down time. As far as hunting ability all where excellent hunting dogs.

As far as retrievers to say say any dog other than a lab is strictly personal choice, all you need to verify this is to check out what dogs get qualified for the National retriever competition which occurs once a year and has around 100 dogs that qualify out of the 100,000's dogs that compete. Probably 99% are Labs equally split between males and female with Black being the dominate color. Occasionally you may see a Golden and rarely and I mean rarely a Chessy makes the list. But if a mixed dog meets your your needs than all is good and more power to you.
Here are the qualifiers for the 2017 NRC, 116 qualified, 104 entered looks like 2 Goldens made the list. LM/LF are labs male or female, Gm/GF CM/CF chessies
https://www.theretrievernews.c...-nrc-qualifiers.html

GSPs rule. I have hunted alongside good English pointers, and retrieved alongside labs and golden retrievers.
Get a GSP from working stock and it will do everything, and it mights even surprise the the pointers and labby owners. Speaking from personal experience over 37 years.

quote:

Originally posted by Jungleboy:
I think hands down the best pointing breed is the German Shorthair Pointer.

I also believe the best retriever breed is the German Shorthair Pointer.

If you haven't yet figured it out, all I have is German Shorthair Pointers.

We hunt upland, waterfowl with them & have even used them to blood trail big game!

Now if I could just train them to stay off my leather chair in the den!

I wound up getting my Chessie, because my GSP would only retrieve the first duck if it was really, really, cold (below 20 degrees).

I was always hunting big water and after the first, long, cold wet retrieve, he would then just act like he was going to retrieve, wade out to about knee deep and then cast about trying to make me think the duck was somewhere around there. Kind of funny when I look back on it.

One day I had 3 ducks floating around out about 60 yards from shore. I never could get old Buck to go out further than 10 feet or so.

That's when I got the Chesapeake.

On the topic of burrs, once when hunting pheasants, a friend's lab and my GSP went into a big stand of cockle burrs after a wounded rooster.

When the dogs came out, the lab was a total mess and had so many cockle burrs on it, that it took my friend 30 minutes (and bloody finger tips) to pull and cut out the burrs.

Old Buck, my GSP, had only two...both stuck to his nylon collar.

BH63

It doesn't get too rough for a Chessy.

Old Hemlock Setter and a Chessy hunting Woodcock together..

https://imgur.com/v7PCdEa

That worked

Do you have to call the Chessy in or does she just come when she sees the setter on point?

When to setter goes on point the chessy is heeled, we walk to the point and each get into a shooting lane when ready the chessy is sent in sometimes in heavy cover the chessy takes awhile to find the setter when he does he starts working in front of the setter and that may take a bit for the chessy to unravel the sent. By the way this chessy will "point" a Woodcock for a handful of seconds before flushing.
I this video when the chessy passes a stick you will see the chessy recognize the setter go to the setter and turn into the wind

My Chesapeake was named Chessy as well.

I remember one morning when two jerks set up about 40 yards from where I had my dekes. While they were trying to build a blind, a flock of mallards came over. I dropped one, and their young lab, totally out-of-control took off in the water to get it.

My dog was getting on in years, but I was so pissed, that I sent her in as well. I figured she outweighed the youngster and would whip it's ass.

Well Chessy, to my surprise did not go into the water, but just waited at the edge of the lake, slowly wagging her tail.

When the lab came out of the water with the duck, she growled one time, and then took the duck from the surprised lab's mouth. She then delivered it to me just like this was just another routine retrieve. Too funny.

BH63

Buff, that's a great story!

Thats a Chessy !!!

quote:

Originally posted by BuffHunter63:
My Chesapeake was named Chessy as well.

I remember one morning when two jerks set up about 40 yards from where I had my dekes. While they were trying to build a blind, a flock of mallards came over. I dropped one, and their young lab, totally out-of-control took off in the water to get it.

My dog was getting on in years, but I was so pissed, that I sent her in as well. I figured she outweighed the youngster and would whip it's ass.

Well Chessy, to my surprise did not go into the water, but just waited at the edge of the lake, slowly wagging her tail.

When the lab came out of the water with the duck, she growled one time, and then took the duck from the surprised lab's mouth. She then delivered it to me just like this was just another routine retrieve. Too funny.

BH63

Buff,

Take a look at http://www.vdd-gna.org

I've had a number of these guys and they do well in both areas. Especially the larger males.

If you were looking for one dog it would be hard to beat the Drahthaar. Pointing labs are becoming fairly common.

For a pure rough weather retriever it is hard to beat a good chessie. I have owned and trained several great chessies. I have also had some that were great retrievers but much too defensive/protective for anyone but a hermit to own.

It is harder and harder to find a good chessie. And, the price for pups is just crazy. There are a lot more labs being bred and it is easier to find a good pup for a reasonable price, under $1000. A puppy is nothing more than potential.

Tom

quote:

Originally posted by WY:
Buff,

Take a look at http://www.vdd-gna.org

I've had a number of these guys and they do well in both areas. Especially the larger males.

They do look like they could do it all. Those pups are cute enough to make you want one, for sure.

Thanks.

BH63

quote:

Originally posted by TWall:
If you were looking for one dog it would be hard to beat the Drahthaar. Pointing labs are becoming fairly common.

For a pure rough weather retriever it is hard to beat a good chessie. I have owned and trained several great chessies. I have also had some that were great retrievers but much too defensive/protective for anyone but a hermit to own.

It is harder and harder to find a good chessie. And, the price for pups is just crazy. There are a lot more labs being bred and it is easier to find a good pup for a reasonable price, under $1000. A puppy is nothing more than potential.

Tom

One more story about my Chessie. One cold, windy, foggy, morning I had set up in a big bay. A flock of mallards came out of nowhere and I quickly snapped off a shot. The drake set it wings and went into a long glide downward before I lost him in the fog.

I sent Chessie in and she took off swimming into the thick fog. Eventually she swam out so far I couldn't hear her, so I whistled her back in. No duck.

The next morning I was back in the same spot, but the sky was much clearer. Again I shot a duck a little low and it dropped its wings and went into a long glide.

I sent Chessie in, but instead of jumping in the water and swimming, she took off around the edge of the water to where a point jutted out, about 200 yards away. She then went into the water after the duck.

I ran around to the point myself (she was smart enough to know that she could run faster than she could swim to get to the spot where the duck splashed down) and then I saw her swimming after the wounded duck.

Every time she would get close the duck would dive and then pop up about 10 feet behind her.

This went on for two or three times, and then when the duck dived, she dived too!

She popped up with the duck in her mouth!

Smart dog, much smarter then her owner.

BH63

A well trained English Pointer.

I've been extremely fortunate to have had several excellent hunting dogs in my lifetime.....a beagle, two chocolate labs and now I'm on my second German wirehair pointer.....She's an absolutely great pointer and retriever.....and a marvelous people dog.

This summer I intend to train her in the water for ducks and geese.....

Here she is now... https://www.24hourcampfire.com...art-dog#Post12724573

I couldn't ask for a better hunting dog.

For bobwhite quail in big country...english pointers win every time. For a pointing dog...that is what I like.

As far as a retriever goes...is there anything other than a black lab? I like them for hunting pheasants in thick grass as well. Many will point for a few seconds just before flushing.

I grew up in KY and big-running English Pointers were "the Bird Dog". Along with these speed demons, the hunters would follow on fast stepping horses. A lot of ground could be covered and on a good day, dozens of coveys of MR. Bob could be found.

Alas, those days only exist for wealthy landowners and their friends now.

Us common folk nowadays, usually hunt on foot, on fairly small acreages and for that type of hunting, I believe the GSP reigns supreme. JMO of course, and would love to have the opportunity to hunt behind a brace of good English Pointers! LOL

BH63

I like setters and hunt with my male gordon setter...setters are more sturdy than ie pointers in the (foul) weather conditions we get in the mountains here..

Setters are also very nice family dogs..

Lane, I am sure you are aware of the so-called "pointing Labs" out there. They start a lot of arguments on dog forums.

I'm an English Pointer guy.

We are watching a wing shooting show. He's a great buddy!

I have owned and hunted Gordon Setters since 1983; so that’s my choice for a pointing dog and THE best family dog.

For the purposes of my multiple hunting needs today, I would probably choose a proven field bred English Springer Spaniel for grouse, woodcock, pheasant, and duck.

I absolutely love GSP's. Only draw back is a lot come in something more than liver head and white body. Lot's of ticking is fine. But these days I've only time ehough left for one more pup I'm afraid. I have been tossing around two for a couple years now and probably should get one of each! GSP and another Red Setter! I've had a lot of pointing dog's but the Red I have now is my first, his parent's are the first I ever saw! What a dog!

My Squirt backing my Stormy!

Nothing compares to an english pointer ,but they are really crazy dogs ,they like to figth even with my dogos ,they run away and Limay destroyed my armchair ....

As pointing dogs, English pointers are the best but they are very difficult to train and unfortunately most of the owners will fail with this job. If you will hunt with a good train english pointer you will never forget. GSP are much more easy to train, more obedient good pets and it is a pleasure to hunt with. Not to mention that they are very versatile dog. The can do the work as retrievers and also like blood trail dogs.

At the present time we have 3 GSP,3 Brits,1 English Pointer and 3 English Cockers all great dogs that I love.All great hunting dogs fit the hunter and vice versa, sort of like a good single malt fits the taster all are great depending on the person. In short dog people just love their dogs.

quote:

Originally posted by mdstewart:
I have owned and hunted Gordon Setters since 1983; so that’s my choice for a pointing dog and THE best family dog.

For the purposes of my multiple hunting needs today, I would probably choose a proven field bred English Springer Spaniel for grouse, woodcock, pheasant, and duck.

You can see my Gordon Setters in the 2007 Fall Edition of Double Gun Journal. Unbelievable hunters and retrievers as pointing dogs.