Brittany versus German Shorthair
For the past 2 years I have been trying to make up my mind whether I prefer the Brittany or the German Shorthaired Pointer. When I was shopping I decided to buy both breeds and to train them and work with them side-by-side and see what differences I noticed along the way. First, I must say that I have enjoyed the experience immensely. In the end I knew I would have to make a hard decision because both dogs are highly qualified hunters and companions. I always intended to have a litter of pups down the road and felt like I only had the time, energy and resources to focus on one pointing breed at a time.
I have decided to stick with the Brittany dogs and currently have my german shorthair up for sale. Both are excellent pheasant hunting dogs and have been working at a pheasant preserve these past two seasons. One of the biggest things I have noticed is that the Brittanies seem to be more interested in people and human contact. As much as I tried to bond with my shorthair she just felt stand-offish and distant. Both dogs were raised in the kennel and the shorthair seems to suffer the most from this. If you can keep your dog in the house as a family companion, that is always the best situation for bonding and socializing.
I’m not proclaiming that Brittany dogs are better hunters, more friendly or even better looking. I just enjoy being around the Brittanies more. I hope to own a few other breeds througout my life and see if there are any real differences when you compare one breed to another. Largely, I think it is more about the individual dogs personality and traits that are inherited. Working as a hunting guide this year I have had the opportunity to hunt behind several nice breeds like Vizlas, Weimeraners, English Setters, Labs, English Pointers, French Brittanies, Chessies and in the end I am simply drawn to the American Brittany.
Hey,
We have grown up with Labs, Beagles and now have our first Brittany. The Brittany and Beagle breeds seem very similar to me. Our Brit lives with our family in the house and I couldn’t agree more that they are excellent companions. Beagles are great family dogs but they are not bird dogs. Friends of ours have a GSP and its a great companion but it doesn’t have the warmness of a Brit.
Sir,
I recently lost my German shorthair “Thor” to liver cancer. I am interested in your german shorthair for sale. How can I get in touch with you?
Sorry to hear about your loss. I sold Abby over the weekend to some good folks who run a kennel up in Idaho. You can check out their website called Idaho Hunting Dogs. You can find other german shorthaired pointer breeders at GunDogBreeders.com.
First of all……….. I didn’t get your name in your blog so I will just have to name you “LAME”. So Lame…. I find it interesting that you can put your brittany before the Shorthair that you gave up. (Sold). First of all… There are many holes in your reasoning. If your looking for a house dog then buy a freakin lap foo foo dog. The secong thing is… How was the GSP socialized before you owned it? What differences can you truly give for saying the britt was more people minded? What training methods did you use on each dog on what days and at what age? I could go on and on…………. Plus you nay have picked an inferior litter(breeding). So………I would be willing to go to any hunt club or wild bird hunt and put my GSP up against your Britt any time and I will show you they can make the best partnership and companion in the field as well as in the house. My GSP will find and stylishly point more birds, retrieve better to hand on land or water, Run circles around your Britt and show you what a GSP is all about. I pitty your decision and falling short of a fair and adequate assesment of these two breeds. Have fun pulling burrs out of your dog while I go clean my birds for dinner. – Dean Bennion
Joe Cool,
Seems like I offended you by choosing a Brittany over a GSP. I love shorthairs, I thought I made it pretty clear. It really comes down to personal preference. Like saying that Ford is better than Chevy, or GMC better than Dodge? They all can get the job done.
I am glad you have a great shorthair. I have hunted behind plenty of real good ones. Shorthairs are the reason I got into bird dogs in the first place. But, like you said my choice was between two dogs. A very small sampling of the two breeds at best, with many variables. At the end of two years, I liked Annie better and she just happened to be a Brittany.
I still feel good about my choice. It was right for me and my family/kids. If I was single and hunted 100+ days a year I would probably have a shorthair. In fact, I think I would lean towards the stricter standards and search out a true “Deutsch Kurzhaar”. The german standard and testing protocols are amazing.
I would love to do a blog post about your dog if you could send me some info on the pedigree and the training with a few pics. I always like to showcase excellent hunting dogs. I have had a lot of fun guiding at the pheasant farm because I have been able to see many nice pointing dogs work.
I realize my test or comparisons were not really fair. My shorthair “Abby” is in good hands and has a litter due in a few weeks. Check it out here. http://www.idahohuntingdogs.com/Fritz-Abby-Page.html
Look forward to hearing from you.
Jon Lee – Webmaster
http://www.PointingGunDogs.com
I’m a single vet in his late 20s with a shorthair. Thought you gave a an objective and plausible (at least from what I’ve observed) comparison between the two, and stated the limitations of your “study” pretty clearly. My shorthair and I bonded – she was left in the pound after jumping 7 foot fences for the umpteenth time, and got spayed by me. But there’s just the two of us. She is EXTREMELY high energy and very aloof from strangers (the first 2 months were pretty rough and really tested my patience). As far as personal affairs go, Shorthairs either want to be in your lap +/- on the couch, OR they must be kenneled in dig-proof, jump-proof runs as hunting dogs that get substantial doses of daily exercise(they seem content that way IF they get exercise & mental stimuli). Anything in between and they get confused. They think too much, and are generally more emotionally sensitive than people realize (it just doesn’t seem like it when they shred themselves on barbed wire and don’t give a damn until they see looking at it). Have also liked many Brittany’s. Purebred hunting dogs were developed for a reason – they all get the job done, but in slightly different ways – it’s pretty hard to say how one is better than the other. But like you alluded to: if someone was playing the odds amongst modern breeds, a hardcore, one-person, versatile hunting dog = shorthair. Family dog = many hunting breeds depending on the individual dog and owner preferences. You and the shorthair never quite bonded and simply liked the brittany better. Nothing wrong with that.