I am trying to decide on a pup to train up to do a job.........ideally gundog.

I have read loads and the more i read the more confused I get.

I want a dog that is almost guaranteed to have a lovely temperament.

I am looking at......

spingers
cocker
GWP's
spinones
brittanys
munsterlanders.....my favourite!
lurchers

please help

Doesn't it depend on the type of work they need to do. Each I believe was bred for something specific—springers to spring game and cockers to flush out woodcock!

Do you have a job of work in mind? Do you want a dog to shoot over or a dog to compete at working tests/field trials with? If you want to shoot over your dog, do you want a picking up dog or an all purpose gundog to rough shoot with? Where does the lurcher come into this? Your interpretation of 'work' would help you choose :-)

shooting, rough and decoying........however could be persuaded by a lurcher if temprament was right as partner goes rabbiting.

If you favour the munster, have a munster. It is more than capable of doing all those jobs, including the rabbiting :-)

and the temprament??????

On the whole very good. Choose your breeder with care and you shouldn't go wrong.

Hi,

I've picked up this thread very late!!!!

Yes on a whole Munsters temperaments are good, the best way to see a whole bunch of them to see what type appeals to you, markings etc. is to go to a Championship show. Then you can see them mingle and checkout the few bad pennies!!!! ;) I've been staying at my friends house for a week and together we have 3 entire males and 3 unspayed bitches and we haven't had a grumble from anyone, this is what you should be aiming for.

If you buy one, be prepared for number 2 in a few years time as they are very addictive - I have 4! Be prepared for the hair everywhere, like little black & white piles of brushwood especially when they moult, they have a liking for wallowing in puddles, will have "conversations" with you, are still very much working gundogs etc.....

Lily!

Anymore questions? Then feel free to email me jagerreh@msn.com

How about a Golden Retriever?

i might be biased here, as a lurcher owner, as i think lurchers are excellent dogs, and can be used for loads of different jobs.

But, picking a lurcher is going to be a much harder task ( though financially less draining) than picking one of the other breeds. To buy a lurcher for a job, you will have to make sure that the parents are good workers, in the areas u are interested in, and that can sometimes be difficult.

Lots of people will say their dogs can do the job, to know about it honestly, u'd have to go out with them and SEE their dogs working.
Even then, that doesnt mean your pup will be a good worker.

My advice, get one of the other breeds (mmmmm Munsterlander, or Spinone, they are my favorites) and if your other half still wants a dog for rabbiting, then get a lurcher for that. You might find in teh long run that the lurcher can do both jobs, but its best not to bank on it.

Em

I've always had a hankering for a clumber spaniel, lovely dogs with equally lovely temperaments.

Stacey