Know anyone who has (english) Pointers? General Chat

Thanks Helen, I had told Kirsty I would be very interested in seeing your dogs as I have show strain English & Irish Setters & Pointers. Yours are absolutely beautiful and I know they are a lot brainier than my type, lol. My youngest Pointer, Tawny has show type parents and I do show her but her background is all the old working types and she is not that different in looks to yours. The older girl, Lacey is all show type and she is a lot stockier than Tawny. Thanks so much for sharing them.

What breeding is Tawny?

Helen

Hiya Helen :smt039 :smt039 :smt039

Dotty and Milly are soooo gorgeous - great pics.

Hi Helen, Tawny has an Anacapa mother and a Gromas father, these lines go back to Wyndsmoor, Crankross, Crookrise, Pipeaway and Hazelbarrow. Wyndsmoor and Crankross start with the grandparents. I've already attached a photo of her on this thread so you can see her body properties are finer than those of Lacey. This doesn't stop her in the show ring though, she has a lovely shape and her movement is excellent. She charges around the paddock continuously, the Setters go round a couple of times and then start wandering at a leisurely pace whereas she continues to run around doing at least 6 laps. The she stops and watches the pheasants and may set a few birds up before setting off again.

More gorgeous pics!

xx

I recognise the crookrise name. Do you show a lot? Ever fancied trialing her?

Helen

Are Crookrise the kennels at Sedbergh? They breed dual purpose if I remember rightly.

Hi Helen, I don't show as much as I did as I've just had a litter of English Setter pups, (well, they're 14 weeks old now), so I don't dare go anywhere that I might pick up any infections to bring back to the pups. I had also mated Leonie so, again, had her health in mind so haven't been out. I'm hoping to get back out in the New Year especially as I have a young setter that quaified for Crufts 2007 at Crufts 2006 and hasn't been shown since so I need to practice with him and I would like to get Tawny out again as she had only been to a couple of shows, did really well, then had her season so couldn't go anywhere, then the pups arrived. I haven't thought of trialling her, I really wouldn't know where to begin and wonder if I have the time to make the commitment to train her. She obviously has this inbuilt talent for working so I think she would probably find it really stimulating. I'll have to read up about it and see if I fancy it, the show scene is very political so it would be nice to try something different.

The two people who run our ringcraft show english setters. Not sure of the kennel name of one but the other is Canonsett. She's helped me a lot with my young gwp who I started showing this year. I don't show a great deal, just every now and then but my ultimate aim is to trial her.

I've never trialed a pointer or setter but now a few people who do and they say it's great fun. I'm sure there must be politics in there somewhere but on the whole, I think it's ok. You should maybe get to a trial. I know they hold them down south on the partridge but the best sight is them on the grouse moors. Derry Argue is the best place to start on working pointers and setters. He doesn't like trialling but he knows how to train and work a "bird dog".

Helen

Hi Helen and Scorpio - I too really want to trial one of my gordons - I too show but also want to have some fun and do what comes naturally to them (hopefully!)

Most of the training are gundog trials for HPR not pointer and setter!

Having real trouble finding somewhere to train - got my eyes peeled for training days at the moment - our breed clubs sometimes run them - also I think The Southern Pointer Club might have something running this month in Wiltshire!

Be great to do it wouldn't it!

There is a setter club that runs training on Salisbury Plain, I think. I think the english setter club have field training days as well, as just a taster to get into it. There is a fantastic trainer in the Scottish Borders who runs training weekends for various clubs. He also runs week long courses which are well worth going to.

Good luck with it all and let us know how you get on.

Helen

Hi Helen & Rachel, I know Sheila (Canonsett) very well, we often email each other. I think I am in the wrong neck of the woods for trialling, I'm in Lincolnshire but moving to Cambridgeshire in the New Year. I know Val Isherwood (Laverstoke English Setters), works hers but she is in Durham, The Goutourbes (Upperwood) have English Setters and Pointers that they work, they also have show stock too, and they may have Gordon Setters. They are in Derbyshire which is not a million miles away from me but I don't know whether they hold any training sessions in that area. I also know Val Isherwood very well so will email her to find out if there are any training clubs near to where we each live and will let you know. I don't think I would try working the English Setters, they are more likely to trip over a pheasant or run off with it if they saw one. The Pointers are a different kettle of fish though, probably not Lacey as she is a bit lazy but I'm sure Tawny would excel in anything like that. Watch this space!!

Thanks Scorpio - I did contact a lady in Gordons and she might be doing training sessions she is in Hampshire (I think!) Carefully watching space

Upperwood is where I got my pointers and setter from. They don't offer any training themselves. They had a show irish setter last year when I went down to collect Dotty, so I don't think they have gordons. Well, they didn't until last year. I haven't spoken to Dominic for a while.

Good luck to both of you. There's nothing like watching a bird dog do what it's been bred to do.

Helen

This thread is so useful! Thank you all - I am reading with great interest!

xx

Hi Rachel, I've not forgotten you, just haven't heard back from Val yet. She may well be away working the dogs.

Hiya - Thanks - sadly I can't make the southern pointer training day this weekend!

can you tell me if derry argue has a web site or how i can contact him. Llewe

we had pointers on the ranch in kansas,we used them for hunting,they have really lovley personalities,as in they are sweet,but they just wanted to hunt and that was all, if they got out they would be gone for days,(we have 5000 acres.)so when the last old pointer died I bought a brittany for Jim, and they work better,they hunt just as well as a pointer,actually they stay in better,and they keep your feet warm at night,I never managed to house train any of the pointers,they always left me presents,so they had to stay in the kennels,but maybe that was just the particular line that we had and we always bought them as adults and already trained,so Ive no experience of them as pets
xxx

We have a dark brown, German s/h pointer. He is six years old and loves cuddles and at this moment is nudging my arm for a stroke!

We go for walks in the country, where he runs non-stop with his nose to the ground - he has an inborn instinct to hunt. But also likes running on the beach and swimming in the sea after seagulls on the water!