Vizslas, pointers and Brittanys, oh my!

This is good to know!

Yeah, Penn doesn't seem bothered at all by her medium sized crate& it's only my personal guilt that made me get a huge wire crate LOL

I expected this thread to be dockdiving pictures.


Disappointed.

LOL! My pics are on my camera and I would have to dust off my computer, remember we're the on switch is and upload them to show you...

But I DID post a video of a relatively handsome and somewhat brave boxer mix doing some dock diving.

IME field bred pointers, of any kind, tend to be smaller than show line dogs. Most of the English pointers I've been around were 35-50# fit (40-60 in the overweight condition most people keep their pets). My limited experience w/ GSP & GWP has been the same. Despite the hype from the german fans, I've found English to be excellent fur dogs with a strong kill drive, so good training in regards to small animals is a must.

Vizsla's are awesome. I've met a fairly wide variety of them through the daycare/boarding facility I work at.

I'm in love. So in love. The one thing I've found across the board is that they love to jump on you. I'm sure this is something that could be prevented with training early on, but it's definitely something to be aware of. All of the ones I've met love to cuddle and are pretty velcro.

I'm not going to lie.. I've considered giving up my future cattle dog puppy and going with a Vizsla instead. They've totally wiggled their way into my heart.

It's where I'm leaning too.

We are still likely two years out though, unless something were to happen where Obi couldn't compete anymore.

Everyone should get a Vizzy Okay, not everyone but they are pretty amazing dogs if you can give them the mental& physical stimulation they need!

My husband said "I thought that we would get a nice, friendly, quiet golden next!"

I'm not sure I can do it. They are just so boring to me! (No offense golden folks! I think they're great, they're just so...vanilla? to me).

At work the loudest dogs we have are goldens, also the hairiest, also they're often snarky with dogs and obscenely rude with people.

I have been cured of my golden love.

The problem is they're so over bred and so many buy them and assume they'll mature into nice dogs so they put in minimal work.

I know a few who dock dive, none are highly competitive though.

Most everyone I work with has a golden. They are all so easy and boring and i don't feel that tug on my heart when i look at them.

Darryl's best friend's parents have a golden. He loves everyone, he's active but also calm. He's super handsome and if I WAS going to get one, I would want it to be like him. But his name is Forrest Gump. For all the reasons you're thinking.

Eeuw golden vs the other breeds you listed... No comparison!!!

I knowwwww. They're so boring!

I have known some awesomely driven, energetic, and crazy goldens. That said I don't think I would own one and I used to think I would want one for my mellow old dog.

Maybe you need a flat coat for a compromise?

I would easily take a golden over any of the breeds listed. Different strokes. *shrug*

Same here. The good ones I know are phenomenal dogs. I'm okay with "vanilla" if it's a good fit. I've known a dozen or more goldens I'd be hard-pressed to turn down if I were offered; I've yet to meet a pointer or spaniel that didn't set my teeth on edge. It's all in what you like!

Exactly, so if you're considering Brittany, pointer or vizla, not sure a golden would hit the spot at all!!! They're all gundogs, sure, but..... No.

Most of the goldens I have encountered have either been dullards, bumbling along with no real drive, or insane stupid (or maybe just badly trained).

And the hair, OMG, the hair.

I really don't enjoy hairy dogs... I really don't enjoy being covered in fluff at all. Having little cotton balls all over the place. Tuft that just come off in your hand, cling to everything... Eeuw. Not that fred hair is nice, it's sharp and sticky. Bodhi doesn't shed like a lab or golden either, although does have a thicker double coat.

Just don't seem like comparable breeds to me, but I'm coming at it from my owns tastes of course!!! Each to their own! This is a thread for opinions after all

Interestingly, I disliked Goldens a lot when I was teaching classes; I think, as Adrienne pointed out, people just get them and assume they are going to grow into nice dogs even if they don't work with them. I saw so many I didn't like. But getting into agility and dog sports in general has introduced me to a whole new type of Golden that I do like a lot.

But yes, definitely different from the other gun dogs listed! I suppose it's like comparing Border Collies and Corgis and GSD because they are all herding dogs.

I know I said this the last thread but of all the gundog breeds the goldens were easily the most consistent, drivey agility dogs I see around here. Labs are probably number 2. There were some dang nice labs this weekend, including one show type tank. Kick butt agility dog. At AKC nationals goldens were one of the most populous agility Breeds of any group. I really don't get how they're boring sports dogs.

Vizsla are pretty nice though. Haven't seen much drive in GSPs honestly and weims especially seem really freaky. Only watched one English pointer run and it was decent. Still haven't seen any pointer breed hold up to the fast goldens.

I probably wouldn't own any of the breeds so no skin off my back either way. Just bringing up the other side a bit.

This. I know sooooooo many goldens. I work at a vet clinic. Nearly half the canine patients are goldens. (Kidding, but sometimes it feels that way).

They're great dogs. They're calm and sweet and affectionate and friendly and fun. But they have no sass! I like a little sass!