Setters/pointer with a retriver

[Iron Bear]

Any thoughts on working a Pointer or Setter with a good retriever? I’m thinking about getting an English Setter or GWP to hunt upland game with my Golden Retriever. He will retrieve anything but tires quickly and flushes without hesitation and likely missed a ton of birds. So I’m thinking we need to get a specialist to find the birds I’ll shoot em and the Retriever can do what he does best.

The Retriever is 8 so I thought it would be a good time to stagger my dogs so I always had one trained up.

[brendo]

I’ve seen it work well but the pointer needs to be broke. So it likely wouldn’t work well nor would i want to even try it in a hunting scenario for a year or two

[taxidermist]

So you intend to have the pointer find the bird, hold, and you flush and shoot, then, tell the pointer to stay while your GR picks up the bird?? No way in hell is that going to work! I've seen it not work first hand. Either your going to end up with a dog fight or the pointer is just going to be a pain. What's his reward for "doing the work" while the GR gets the spoils of the battle?


I smell trouble, and hell is coming with it.


I think you'd be better off to leave the GR home while chasing upland.

[Iron Bear]

Thanks for the feedback

I figured that many pointers setters don’t always like to fetch. Isn’t that what the whole force fetch deal is? To teach a dog he likes to put a bird in his mouth and bring it back.

I get that in the heat of the battle the pointer won’t stay and just let the Retriever work. The more I ponder this and read up on it. I believe it is a sh!t show waiting to happen. It may work in certain situations. But would be a crap shoot on getting a pup that would be a good match with my retriver given that he would be a good partner to the pup which I have no idea about.

Anyway it’s a nice thought to me. That Duece and I could get the birds like you others do. I guess I’ll wait until the old boy is ready to retire. Then I’ll try a proper upland dog out.

[taxidermist]

I had pointers in the past when there were wild Pheasants galore. They're fun to watch and great at what they do. (Point and hold until released) I lost a dog for 30 minutes in a cattail swamp area because he was on point and I couldn't get to him to release him. That was a long evening.


I loved the Wirehair for chukers! Gave me enough time to catch up to the birds and be ready for the flush.


Both breads have their place for sure.

[AF CYN]

I agree with Brendo. It could work once your pointer is totally steady, but that will take a couple of years.

[johnnycake]

Just my opinion, but if you get a GWP to pair up with the retriever and don't let it retrieve you're setting the pup up for frustration and a lack of fulfillment. GWPs are not just a pointer, but are a versatile pointer, retriever, and tracker.

[taxidermist]

Originally Posted by johnnycake

Just my opinion, but if you get a GWP to pair up with the retriever and don't let it retrieve you're setting the pup up for frustration and a lack of fulfillment. GWPs are not just a pointer, but are a versatile pointer, retriever, and tracker.

Well said johnnycake!

[Airborne]

I’ve been around a lot of English pointers over the years and most of them are good retrievers. If you develop the puppy while it’s young and play fetch a bunch it comes naturally. No need to bring along a retriever when the pointers do it all.

[7MM RELOADED]

All I can tell you is my male setter has always been very calm from a pup and didn't want to chase anything that moved like my female. In my experience males seem calmer