An hpr is expented to hunt further away from the handler than a spaniel. Their quartering beat is much further so they are covering a lot more ground. The hpr will hunt, find the game and point, which gives the handler time to walk up to the dog, before sending them in the for the flush. A spaniel, is expected to only hunt within gunshot range of the handler. No point a spaniel putting up a pheasant out of range cos nothing will get shot. I have both and can't say that either of them are different in the way they take to training. I have only experience of 2 gwp's which are from the same lines and they are very biddable, have a good hunting instinct and very trainable. I'm not saying mine would win a field trial, but they would do the job that I need them to do - although one is retired but he has pointed hundreds of grouse for me. I don't believe that only hpr's should be in "special" homes because they can thrive in your normal, active household. I used to help out with gwp rescue and most of the dogs that came in, came at around 10-12 months old - when they hit adolescence and that hunting gene kicks in. My only concern about a hpr, or any hunting breed, being outside for most of the day is it learning to self hunt. That is where owners have the most problems. A gundog, should be working with the handler, not running off and hunting for itself. If a dog has access to outdoors, with not a great deal of control (can't think of another word) from the owner, they will just disappear and hunt for themselves. Oh, my friend has chickens and horses and she never has any problems with her gwp's doing anything with them. I'm not so lucky as didn't have chickens when I got the dogs and although, I would trust them if there was a gate or fence in between them, I wouldn't trust them running through a flock, but my friend can so it's all down to training. Helen
Exactly why some people cannot understand our groans when prospective buyers say "we have acres of land he can roam around in"............. yes and to ****** off, go self employed, worry sheep etc etc.
