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French brittany

Too bad. I could have hooked you up with my Fr Britt breeder a couple miles the other side of ND/SD border. He has a great reputation.
I have nothing against Fr Britt's. I like them just as well. I didn't know a breeder for them last time I looked. That was a while ago, maybe 10 years since I looked last. I have 2 right now from same breeder. The older one might be the best dog I have ever had. I love that dog but it sure hurts seeing him getting gray in the face.

I don't know when I am getting another. Maybe a few years. I wouldn't mind if you shared the name of the breeder if you still have it.
 
I have nothing against Fr Britt's. I like them just as well. I didn't know a breeder for them last time I looked. That was a while ago, maybe 10 years since I looked last. I have 2 right now from same breeder. The older one might be the best dog I have ever had. I love that dog but it sure hurts seeing him getting gray in the face.

I don't know when I am getting another. Maybe a few years. I wouldn't mind if you shared the name of the breeder if you still have it.
I stay in touch with him but did not hear back at Christmas. Dropped down to see him on my way back from Montana in July. He had some nice looking dogs in the kennel and a real cute little puppy in the house that he was training. What a doll! Then I heard from him via email shortly afterwards saying this would be his last year in business. But I've heard that before. Phil is getting up there in years, had health issues, and some crappy assistants and business partners. A horrible experience with a young guy this past year left him very bitter. But he loves dogs. I can't imagine him without them. I need to give him a call to make sure he's okay. I'll let you know.
 
I have only used one breeder and my dogs are in same general line. If I have an issue, my guarantee is money back at evidence of spay or neuter or first choice in next litter. Garbage?? Maybe, maybe not. I would keep the dog. I don't send em back or put em down. They are family pretty quick. Sounds quite a bit different than what you are describing.
What is guaranteed? Who pays for the fix? Him or you? Now what if you get a second dog with issues?
If he pays for the fix and offers another dog that’s be fine but you’d have a lifetime of issues and expense perhaps either way and you couldn’t pound them like maybe you wanted to. If you’re ok with just a pet that’s ok too.
I’m actually saying no one does send them back, that’s why it’s just words, hence my use of garbage. Didn’t mean anything offensive by that btw.
I also wasn’t saying anyone not try their best to stay away from issues by using good guys. The word breeder though scares me. If it’s a commercial type operation stay away. Best dogs in the word don’t come from mass producing breeders. Least not the ones they’d sell you. When someone’s object is to relieve another’s wallet of money that’s suspect.
Guys best way to buy a dog and the litter I’d say your chances are good of no health issues and good breeding which should produce is finding a bitch that’s real good. One that has generations of no probs behind her. Preferably one has competed somehow and can prove she’s better than others.
There’s are lots of formats like foot dogs or horseback style dogs so you gotta know this.
Now that owner always has good dogs, he’s breeding to a stud, preferably line breeding or the litter is likely to be mixed up, that’s also really good. Better yet if it’s a proven cross. They’ve had pups from that litter before. Had no health issues and excellent puppies. High percentage fantastic.
The bitch owner keeping the all or most bitch pups. The stud dog owner wants one as well. One or two pups left for sale. Get one of those. Your chances are good.
Take that advice or leave it but that’s about the highest percentage pup you’ll most likely get unless you honestly know someone.
Dog guys are like horse guys. Trust too many watch what happens
 
I stay in touch with him but did not hear back at Christmas. Dropped down to see him on my way back from Montana in July. He had some nice looking dogs in the kennel and a real cute little puppy in the house that he was training. What a doll! Then I heard from him via email shortly afterwards saying this would be his last year in business. But I've heard that before. Phil is getting up there in years, had health issues, and some crappy assistants and business partners. A horrible experience with a young guy this past year left him very bitter. But he loves dogs. I can't imagine him without them. I need to give him a call to make sure he's okay. I'll let you know.
sounds a lot like the guy I get mine from. He still calls me about once a year to check on my two that I have from him. He typically only has one litter a year and I think he spends most of his time hunting or at field shows. He is getting older too so I don't think he will be doing it when we get another. Thanks for response!
 
Didn't all Brittany Spaniels originate in France? Never owned one but always liked them.
 
Didn't all Brittany Spaniels originate in France? Never owned one but always liked them.
Yes. It's said the breed was originally developed by French poachers to work close and be small enough to tuck in the bag in case the gamekeeper showed up. Made for a quicker escape. In America breeders have made the dogs bigger and rangier, especially since the development of e-collars. So some breeders went back to Europe to get the original size closer working dog. The Brittany was misnamed a spaniel until recently. They are a pointing setter, not a flushing spaniel. Spaniel has now officially been dropped from their name, in English anyway.
 
I know squat about French Britt's but you might go to Gun Dog Forum and ask. Seem's to me there's a couple guys there that have them. The regular Britt's are some nice dogs. Brittany Club Of America has ddone the breed well. I think it was one field trial every year, might check that, the club has to put on a bench show at the same time and field member actually enter trial dog's in them. Seem's I recall the French dog's don't run as much as the regular Britt's and some of the regular britt's can scare you with the run.
 
guarantees are typically garbage. They’ll tell you yep, it’s guaranteed so send em back. Well put it down and send you a good one. No one ever sends them back but they’ve guaranteed em.
Hmmm the rescue thing is nonsense. You have zero idea how the dog is bred, where it came from, or even if it’s what they say it is. Don’t fall into what someone is trying to sell you. Great dogs don’t consistently get a certain way without good breeding. Typically line breeding. If not a litter is all sorts of ways mixed up very often. Not talking at you brother so don’t take it that way
Not always true about rescue dog's. I knew a guy when I was trialing that got a GSP from the dog pound in Bend, Ore. He trained it and then started trialing and that was one absolutely great trial dog. His daughter even ran it a few times and she was only about ten, her and Nube would beat the tar out of you. But I wpould think about it a bit. I would not get a rescue if the price of a puppy was what I could afford.
 
Not always true about rescue dog's. I knew a guy when I was trialing that got a GSP from the dog pound in Bend, Ore. He trained it and then started trialing and that was one absolutely great trial dog. His daughter even ran it a few times and she was only about ten, her and Nube would beat the tar out of you. But I wpould think about it a bit. I would not get a rescue if the price of a puppy was what I could afford.
Rescues are really bad examples. You can’t know what you’re getting. Let’s be honest it’s straight up luck he got anything even remotely decent if he did. Not the measure of a great dog is also how it produces. How would you breed it without knowing bloodlines?
Gotta be honest I’ve never once even heard of a rescue trialing and even being competitive so if you’re telling me something I’ve never seen it’s obviously not very common. Low odds proposition
 
Rescues are really bad examples. You can’t know what you’re getting. Let’s be honest it’s straight up luck he got anything even remotely decent if he did. Not the measure of a great dog is also how it produces. How would you breed it without knowing bloodlines?
Gotta be honest I’ve never once even heard of a rescue trialing and even being competitive so if you’re telling me something I’ve never seen it’s obviously not very common. Low odds proposition
My present Lab would probably never be worth a crap at field trial stuff. Too many distractions with other dogs and she doesn't have the kind of drive needed for training. But for upland hunting she turned out to be a marvel. Best I've ever hunted over. Ellie has a papered pedigree and cost a fair chunk of change, but I think most trainers would have given up on her after a year. On the other hand, the best hunting dog I'll ever own was a $35 Lab-golden cross. Ethyl was a going concern at five months. All my dogs but Fr Britt Puppy were from garage litters. Never had a genetic issue.

It's always possible that a rescue dog is just someone else's problem. It's also possible the "someone else" was the problem. Or circumstances were the problem (previous owner died or had to relocate). Would I go the rescue route? No. Because it's too hard to say no when I know I should.
 
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I had two GSP that were rescue dogs. You couldn't ask for better bird dogs, better family dogs or just plain better dogs. Then I pressed my luck and got a third GSP from the humane society shelter. She turned out to be gun shy and dumb as a post. She ran off one day, for who knows why, and a sheriff deputy found her and took her to the pound. When I picked her up the guy at the shelter asked me in all seriousness " Is that dog mentally retarded?" All I could say is "I believe she is." So, it is a crap shoot, getting a rescue dog.
 
So, it is a crap shoot, getting a rescue dog.
Rescues are really bad examples. You can’t know what you’re getting. Let’s be honest it’s straight up luck he got anything even remotely decent if he did.
From my experience and those of my friends, so are $2,000 registered pure breeds, from apparently respectable kennels. I tried to hunt with a buddy's very spendy lab that also had a couple grand in training. It had zero interest in birds and based on the few times I've been to his house is also a terrible pet. I can think of another buddy that just paid a crap-ton for a now trendy old breed puppy, had it "professionally" trained for 6 weeks, and basically won't hunt, it may walk in front of him a bit, or point quail out the window but that's it. I could go on... and on.

My wife ran our local shelter for a decade. They had good dogs and shitty dogs come through. Bird dogs were very rare, and typically only came through when someone died, had to move, or the dog ran away. One friend currently has a sweet Brittany he got there, that's a helluva chukar dog, I mean HELLUVA chukar dog. I fostered a 3-legged GSP puppy that came to the shelter because the owner let it get hit by a car then didn't want to pay to have the leg amputated. Great pup, part of me wishes we would have adopted it.

To your point foggy about rescues not trialing well, how much of that has to do with people who trial don't adopt bird dogs?
 
Rescues are really bad examples. You can’t know what you’re getting. Let’s be honest it’s straight up luck he got anything even remotely decent if he did. Not the measure of a great dog is also how it produces. How would you breed it without knowing bloodlines?
Gotta be honest I’ve never once even heard of a rescue trialing and even being competitive so if you’re telling me something I’ve never seen it’s obviously not very common. Low odds proposition
ididn't say it was common and I don't know a serious trialer that would gonlooking for a dog in a rescue. But the truth is you go to a rescue and get a pure berd bird dog there's a good chance it will have some good breeding in it for a hunting dog. The guy that had the pound dog that was a good trial dog certainly did get lucky and was not a trialer at the time. Most people that get rescue dog's or pound dogs are not trialer' just guys looking for a hunting dog that's not gonna codst an arm and a leg. In the process they do get some dogs that way that do make good hunting dogs. Most bird dog breeds have rescues that seem to have mostly that breed and mostly pure bred.
 
My present Lab would probably never be worth a crap at field trial stuff. Too many distractions with other dogs and she doesn't have the kind of drive needed for training. But for upland hunting she turned out to be a marvel. Best I've ever hunted over. Ellie has a papered pedigree and cost a fair chunk of change, but I think most trainers would have given up on her after a year. On the other hand, the best hunting dog I'll ever own was a $35 Lab-golden cross. Ethyl was a going concern at five months. All my dogs but Fr Britt Puppy were from garage litters. Never had a genetic issue.

It's always possible that a rescue dog is just someone else's problem. It's also possible the "someone else" was the problem. Or circumstances were the problem (previous owner died or had to relocate). Would I go the rescue route? No. Because it's too hard to say no when I know I should.
That’s pretty much exactly what I’m saying. Just too many variables.
A good route though Is field trial rejects. For instance one doesn’t run big enough, for sale. One doesn’t hold its tail high enough for sale. You can find perfect dogs for you in that regard especially as just a hunter and often at a reduced price. Trained as well. Think about that
 
From my experience and those of my friends, so are $2,000 registered pure breeds, from apparently respectable kennels. I tried to hunt with a buddy's very spendy lab that also had a couple grand in training. It had zero interest in birds and based on the few times I've been to his house is also a terrible pet. I can think of another buddy that just paid a crap-ton for a now trendy old breed puppy, had it "professionally" trained for 6 weeks, and basically won't hunt, it may walk in front of him a bit, or point quail out the window but that's it. I could go on... and on.

My wife ran our local shelter for a decade. They had good dogs and shitty dogs come through. Bird dogs were very rare, and typically only came through when someone died, had to move, or the dog ran away. One friend currently has a sweet Brittany he got there, that's a helluva chukar dog, I mean HELLUVA chukar dog. I fostered a 3-legged GSP puppy that came to the shelter because the owner let it get hit by a car then didn't want to pay to have the leg amputated. Great pup, part of me wishes we would have adopted it.

To your point foggy about rescues not trialing well, how much of that has to do with people who trial don't adopt bird dogs?
Can’t say anything about one experience. What do you think odds are either way???
I understand the bleeding hearts always want to help but playing the odds says leave them for pet stock and good luck to the owners.
Now far as your friends they obviously got taken. That’s why I said I don’t like breeders. You’ll never the good ones.
Not cursing anyone mind you. Used animals must be thought of as business decisions if you want honestly good. Most guys can’t get the best one because they’re kennel blind, two they have done preconceived notion in their head. Wanting a type dog, certain coloration, etc or they’re dog lovers. Nothing wrong with that btw. Chances of getting a good one are tremendously reduced and that old adage every man prob gets one really good dog in his life might be true when you have only 3-4.
Think about that.
 
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Can’t say anything about one experience. What do you think odds are either way???
I don't know, but I don't think it's it's as wide a gap as many would lead a person to believe. I actually talked my wife out of getting a rescue this last time around and got a well bred GWP. It worked out great for us.

If I had to be a little less broad brush, I would say that a good breeder (of which I don't know how to define because I've seen too many that people erroneously claimed were great) is worth it. But most breeders are putting out dogs on par with the shelter, they may have better hunting instincts but come with all kinds of other issues. I can think of three off the top of my head that all have food allergies, one has an issue with it's coat, another has a thyroid problem, and several I would classify as simply neurotic (my GSP included).
 
I don't know, but I don't think it's it's as wide a gap as many would lead a person to believe. I actually talked my wife out of getting a rescue this last time around and got a well bred GWP. It worked out great for us.

If I had to be a little less broad brush, I would say that a good breeder (of which I don't know how to define because I've seen too many that people erroneously claimed were great) is worth it. But most breeders are putting out dogs on par with the shelter, they may have better hunting instincts but come with all kinds of other issues. I can think of three off the top of my head that all have food allergies, one has an issue with it's coat, another has a thyroid problem, and several I would classify as simply neurotic (my GSP included).
Bud you can believe what you want but respectfully you’re mistaken
 
I don't know, but I don't think it's it's as wide a gap as many would lead a person to believe. I actually talked my wife out of getting a rescue this last time around and got a well bred GWP. It worked out great for us.

If I had to be a little less broad brush, I would say that a good breeder (of which I don't know how to define because I've seen too many that people erroneously claimed were great) is worth it. But most breeders are putting out dogs on par with the shelter, they may have better hunting instincts but come with all kinds of other issues. I can think of three off the top of my head that all have food allergies, one has an issue with it's coat, another has a thyroid problem, and several I would classify as simply neurotic (my GSP included).
A good breeder has good dogs. They’re healthy, produce as good or better, show no aggression and can whip most dogs performance wise. And he’s got a long history of getting exactly that. Most “breeders” aren’t really breeders now are they?
 
Fellas let’s not keep buffering up the mans thread. If we want to discuss breeding start a new thread
 
I have a French Brittany pup from Sun Country Bretons. She is still very young (almost 10 weeks) so who knows how she will turn out but Don and Linda Rice were extremely professional, provided dozens of photos from 0-8 weeks old, they have clean kennels, keep great records, basically the entire process was the best puppy buying experience I’ve ever had.
 

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