Thread: Good dog for a first timer?

Originally Posted by DXROLLA

The owners probably were fat and lazy as well haha. I think i have narrowed the search dowm to a gsp or lab, lab probably being the best choice for what we need but just worried about finding one thats well bred. I love the look of the english pointer as above and the gsps + viszla but maybe too much work for a beginner?

Sent from my GT-I9100T using Tapatalk 2

Couple of 'points'...

I think out of the breeds you have mentioned the lab and the pointer (talking working strains of both here) will be the most instinctive, and therefore in the right hands the easiest to work with. However, both are bred for very different jobs! What do you need your dog to do? I don't think the pointer is it.

First point, being your first dog, get a mentor. Someone with experience in that breed, on the task you plan to use it on.
That said I don't think you need a pointing breed personally; but if you do read on....

My second point is, While I can name individuals of both the Vizsla and the GSP I really like, there isn't anyone with a kennel producing consistent dogs that I'd recommend. @RCGSP has left NZ, which is a shame as I liked the GSPs he was producing. Have you given thought to a wirehair? There's really only one wirehair kennel worth talking to about in NZ, and for a pointing breed for deer and ducks I think they are pretty neat. PM @kawhia to speak about the breed, I really like the dogs I've seen from his kennel