Trained Cold Weather Pointer

[Rick Roemer]

I love English Setters, will always have at least one in my home. I think Griffs or Drahts are more cold weather suited. I’ve never owned a lab, But friends swear by them. Setters can definitely take cold weather. I take mine in all cold temps etc ducks. Ducks and swimming in cold water is very different than cold on land.

[jeffery c]

Originally Posted by Ed Norman

Jeffrey,
The breeder that lives just down the road has had setters, g.s.p.'s english pointers, and brittanies. He is in his early 70's and has been around many different breeds and knows a lot about training dogs. We were talking one day and I told him I could not imagine a lab (which I love that breed) being a pointing dog in any way. He told me the best hunt he ever had in south dakota was when a pointing lab was hunting that day. That really opened my eyes, that was early on when I first met him and I was just trying to soak up all the info he would provide. My buddy has 2 draathars? (spelling) and my brittany and his oldest dog hunted together on a pheasant farm. He said the same thing as everyone else, they are pretty hardy dogs. I am wondering if it would be hard to find someone around your area that has any of the breeds listed above and spend time with them and their dogs hunting. That is what I did with my friend with 2 brittanies, it seemed to help me make up my mind. Our dogs have a bit of trouble in the 2nd season, when its over about a foot of snow on the ground, but I just keep the hunts shorter, its hard on both of us.

I'm planning on flying out to a breeder to get my dog, so I can meet them and see what they are like first. Thanks for your input! My thing with labs is I have interacted with them a lot. They for sure can take the cold, and if they'll point that would be perfect. I'm getting a lot of positive feedback on the German dogs. I've had a couple friends with GSH, Brittanies, and Weimeraners and they were nice dogs but could not withstand cold and wet at all. There are a lot of pet dogs up here that don't do well in the cold, like the previous three I mentioned.

[Wilmurt]

IMO. Pointing labs are a bastardization of the breed (same with Silver labs). Today's hunting dogs are purpose bred with 100+ years of development to refine each of their breeds hunting traits. It is not natural for a Lab to point. You want a pointing dog (including versatile dogs) for cold weather there are many to choose from. You want a flushing/retrieving breed there are many to pick from too. In the end your dog will be more of a companion than a hunter. So stay true to the breed you pick.