New Waterfowl Dog??

[JConrad]

I love Springers but they are not a great waterfowl dog. They have a really hard time when it get's cold and the water is freezing. Also, they are not the greatest on a big crippled Canada Goose in the water.

Also water does not shed from their coat very well!

Better for upland bird hunting and ok for ducks and geese! I had a terrific Springer years ago so I am not bias.

[grousehunter]

For strictly waterfowl I would stick with a lab or a chesapeake bay retriever. A lot of the other suggestions are great because of their versatility, but since you said the dog will hunt only waterfowl a lab or chessie has a lot better chance of being a great waterfowl dog.

Some dogs from the other breeds may outperform some labs or chessies when hunting waterfowl, but more often than not a lab or chessie will outperform them.

Research and buy from a good breeding or a nice started dog and you should have a great dog for years to come.

[kittycatcher16]

Thanks guys for all your input! It has really helped.

[870Express]

Check out AWS or Boykin Spaniels. Seem to be making a movement in popularity. I think it is much their smaller size and spaniel temperment. I believe the AWS's coat is up to an MN winter.

[Tim_Anderson]

Though I would never consider myself to be a big "dog guy" or serious dog trainer, I have owned several different breeds. What I am is a serious bird hunter.

I've owned pointers (ie:the Brittany) and have hunted behind many other pointing breeds like the shorthair or the weimeraner. I do really enjoy that whole aspect of watching a pointing dog hunting down a bird. The rigid point, and the flush - pretty cool. But all of the pointers I have owned or hunted behind have looked at us and shivered when we asked them to fetch ducks in November, break ice, and so on.

My best all around dog was a Chocolate Lab. I traveled all over the country with him, from the mountains of British Columbia and Idaho to the plains of Montana and the Dakotas, to my home state of Minnesota. This dog hunted not only ducks and geese, but did unbelievably well on pheasants, huns, quail, and even chukars.

The most amazing thing was that he was a product of your typical "neighborhood garage breeding." OK bloodlines. Nothing earth-shattering. A friend with a nice Chocolate male (with papers) was asked by someone who owned a black lab female in "the neighborhood" if they could use his dog for stud. I knew nothing about the females bloodlines. But the deal was right.

He was free!

This dog was easy to train as they come.

Unfortunately, he was a horney bugger and got away from me one night - and en route to visit his girl friend, he got overly eager about crossing the highway.

I cried harder for him that I did over my ex-wife. We had quite a bond.

Since then, I have tried at least twice to replace him with expensive dogs that had supposed great bloodlines and papers. And neither one worked out. I guess my point is, be careful about that. I've learned that each and every dog (like people) have their own temperament. Some are more teachable. Some are more willing to please. Some just plain catch onto things naturally.

You have already said that you would be primarily hunting waterfowl. If you are anything like me, you want your dog to ATTACK when you send him out and the water is freezing. Nice to have something versatile too though, just in case you want to go upland.

I would get a lab were I in your shoes. They are tried and proven. I can't picture myself owning one and ever thinking that I might be missing out. Don't put too much weight on cost or bloodlines. That's just my opinion.

Good luck and above all, have fun.