English Springer Spaniel vs Brittany

[soaro77]

I wanted to see if anyone has experience with either or both an English Springer Spaniel and a Brittany. I'm considering getting a dog to help me out with finding and flushing game for my bird. I think I've narrowed it down to one of these two breeds.

What I'm looking for is a dog that can find and flush rabbits right now while I'm an apprentice using a RT. But since dogs live 15 years or so, I am most likely going to be flying other types of birds within that time frame. I really don't know what kinds of birds I will be flying though. Most likely not the bigger falcons. I prefer smaller falcons (merlins, kestrels, etc.) and accipiters and buteos. So that is most likely what I'll end up flying. With that in mind, the most likely game will be upland game birds, other smaller birds such as startlings, possibly ducks or rabbits, jacks and squirrels (lol just realized I think I listed just about every kind of game but most likely upland game birds and things an accipiter will catch and possibly rabbits). So I would like to try to get a dog that can handle these types of game so I can still use my dog for me hunting when I change to another type of bird.

I've heard these two breeds are very versatile and both can pretty much find and flush any of these types of game. So I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas on this.

Note that I also have 2 smaller dogs at home and parrots so I'll need a dog that can fit in at home too.

I understand that Brittany's primarily point and retrieve and that the ESS primarily finds and flushes. Is this true? Can a Brittany flush as well as point? Will either of these go into briars to flush out the rabbits? These are the kinds of things I'm trying to determine.


Curtis

[Falcon Boy]

I'd go with the brittany, because if you one day decide you want to fly something off a point [gos at pheasant for instance] you'd already have a dog to do it. Not to mention brittany's, from what i have seen, are excellent in the house and in the field. I don't have any experience with springers, never seen one to be honest.

[diane]

Hi
I've hunted Harris Hawks over Vizslas for about 16 years. Iv'e also hunted with brittanies and springer spanials, but I have not owned either. Both breeds hunt, find and retrieve game but fur and feather.
A good springer (or cocker) will naturally stay in gun range and can be trained to stop to flush - generally spaniels sit when they stop to flush. Staying in gun range is good in that they don't run through the field and scare off rabbits before your ready. They may also be easier to keep of roads with traffic when hunting small fields. OTH you have to walk the field to get the dog to cover the whole field. A pointer (brittany or other breed) is great in the more open areas such as scrub desert. They will cover a 1/2 mile by 1/4 mile field and you just mosey along to see if they find something and point.

Coat - most spaniels have longer soft coats. They can be trimmed. The coat helps protect them so they can go into the brush/briars better. burs can take hours to groom out if they have a full coat. If you live in foxtail or cheat grass country be sure to check them carefully because a fox tail in the coat can kill a dog by moving through the skin into the dog. Foxtails are a weed seed that only move on one direction. Once they enter an animal the move along leaving a trail of infection and if they get into an organ can and do kill. I don't like dog grooming - hence I got a Vizsla with short coat, but a Brittany was my second choice breed.

Pointing breeds all vary within the breed. Some lines are breed to stay closer for foot hunting. Others are breed to range out of sight for horseback field trials. Talk to the breeder of any potential dog to find out what kind of dog he is breeding and likes.

Diane

[diane]

A few more thoughts. Think about where you will hunt. Try to go hunting with someone that has either breed. Try to spend time around the dogs. Both of these can be high energy needs that will need exercise years round. In the hunting season you have it covered, but they will want to run, etc year round.

All breeds have some health issues. Check on the breed specific issues and ask breeders about health checks, etc. Both National breed clubs recommend hip (OFA) and eye (CERF) screening. In both cases, be sure to get a dog breed for hunting/field trials rather than show. Some show dogs in any breed don't hunt very well. Brittanies do have the most duel champions (both show and field) than any other sporting dog.

Think about the areas you will hunt. Much of the past 16 years I've lived in the SW. The Vizsla was a great choice for the wide open spaces. The past two seasons, I've lived in MI. We added a mini-doxie to the pack. The Vizsla simply does not fit in the small spaces the rabbits bold to around here.. My current V tends to run a bit big for the local fields and rabbits do not hold point well.

Diane

[Deleted]

I'd go for an English Springer Spaniel every time. I had them up until my mid 20's and they are awesome dogs for hunting with. They have very good temperaments and are good with both children and living in the house. They are not frightened by brush in fact they spring over it, hence there name. Id get the Field type rather than the show type

In fact I'm trying to get the wife to let me get one now.

[soaro77]

Well I ended up going with a French Brittany. Supposedly they stay in a bit closer and check back more than the American Brittanies do.

He is still young so not really hunting yet but I think it was a great decision. He is wonderful to have around and I've seen him pointing song birds in the backyard. He also had no problem going into the water when I took him out to a field. He even took off chasing some ducks in the water. So it appears the instincts are all there just waiting for the training.

[Starburst]

Cute pup! Good luck

[soaro77]

LOL of course now that I got him I'm going to release my FRT and get a Kestrel for next season. Typical of the way I do things. Oh well I can work on getting him well trained so when I make general and can get a bird I can use him with :-)