Every hunter who wants a new gun dog is looking for a healthy, happy companion that dazzles in the field and is easy to keep. A quick survey of bird dog owners will swiftly reveal that not everyone gets what they want.

Are puppy buyers at the whim of the Fates, compelled to roll the dice and see what they get? Is there a way to stack the deck in our favor? Five gun dog experts weigh in. Spoiler alert: we can't predict the future, but we can get close.

Consider the Pedigree

Good dogs come from good dogs. Buying a puppy without a solid pedigree is a roll of the dice. You might get lucky, but you might not. If you look at a few pedigrees, you will probably be confused by long family trees filled with jazzy names. Without a knowledge of the history of the breed, it is hard to know which names are good, and which are just fluff.

Sure, that ‘CH’ next to a dog’s name denotes a champion, but what has the line produced lately? It is common to see a few famous sires but try to look at the whole pedigree. Is the breeder consistently producing great dogs, or did they only bottle lightning once?

John McIltrot breeds English pointers and setters at Seranoa Kennels in Montana. He notes that while good pedigrees are important, it is easy for a layperson to get lost in them.

“Gaining a well-grounded understanding of a line requires spending a great deal of time, season after season, with that particular line of dogs. It's a privilege that only a handful of trainers and handlers enjoy.”

For the puppy buyer, it is most important to find a breeder that can justify their pedigrees. Why did they choose to breed these dogs? Do they use line-breeding, and if so, how much? What is their overall strategy for the line? Most importantly, is this strategy yielding the kind of dog you want?

“At the end of the day we live with and hunt behind a dog, not his papers,” McIltrot points out. “When choosing a litter, it is best to look at the parents live and in person. It is even better if you can spend some time with dogs from previous litters by those particular parents.”

The Importance of Health Testing

Above all else, a gun dog should be healthy. Unfortunately, many popular breeds are beset by hereditary disease like hip dysplasia, deafness, and thyroid issues. Jeffrey Hancock of Hickory Hollow Llewellins in Kansas says, “Health testing of breeding pairs is the most important thing dog owners can do. Concerns can be somewhat mitigated through both genetic testing, which identifies health risk markers, and physical examination, which identifies physical traits not desirable in offspring. A combination of the two gives quality breeders not only the best chance to produce pups that stay healthier longer for their new owners, but also perpetuate the breed in a responsible manner.”

The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, or OFA, maintains an online database searchable by breed, kennel, and individual dog. If your breeder participates in formal health testing, you can see the results for yourself. For those that don't list this information, you must specifically inquire whether they conduct any health testing and ask to see the results.

After you choose a dog, be sure to take it to a veterinarian as soon as possible. They can often spot serious issues, even in puppies. Hard as it may be, reputable breeders usually offer a health guarantee for their puppies if you encounter problems.

Disposition

The temperament of a bird dog should be very important to a puppy buyer. What good is it to have the best hunting dog on the planet if they can't be left at home without destroying everything? What if they can't be trusted around your family or other dogs?

Some breeds are more likely to exhibit issues like separation anxiety or aggression, but these characteristics are poorly studied, and they are possible with any breed. Good breeders will select for only the most affable and biddable dogs.

At Backwater Hunting Dogs in Nebraska, pro trainer Aleah Marcoe sees many dogs with different dispositions. She advises, “If you can, spend time with both sire and dam and ask yourself if they are what you are looking for. Are they kept loose in the house, or outside in the kennel? Notice if they’re shying away from you, or happy to greet you. Ask your breeder how they are around other dogs, being crated, and how well they travel. Even though these things can be affected by their environment and training, it will at least give you a starting point and set your expectations.”

While it pays to pick parents with good dispositions, choosing an individual puppy can be harder. Marcoe says, “I like to observe their behavior quietly for a while. After interacting with them, take a step back and just watch them play amongst each other. Try not to focus on color or gender unless that’s a dealbreaker. Typically, you’ll have a clear alpha pup and a timid pup. For most people, you’ll have the best luck picking one that is in between.”

Natural Hunting Ability

The unfortunate truth is that not all gun dogs are created equal. With proper training, most will be serviceable companions in the field. Only some dogs will excel. While many buyers try to divine a dog’s hunting drive with dangled wings or other magic tricks, there is a better way to assess natural ability.

Rhett Hall raises Drahthaars at Iron Point Kennels in North Dakota. He says that measurable natural ability is one of the things he likes most about the breed. “There are hunt tests that must be completed by a certain time in the dog's life. During those tests you can see…inherited hunting abilities of a certain breeding; things such as how far does a dog range, does the dog prefer fur or feather, or does it have strong pointing instincts.”

Field trials are another great proving ground, as only the best bird dogs will perform at a high enough level to place in these events. However, some breeds don’t participate in tests or trials.  For these lines, it is by far the best to hunt behind the sire, dam, or other close relatives.

Hall points out that even if you can’t do an evaluation hunt, you can still “ask to see videos [to] help you evaluate the natural ability. Ask the breeder to describe their training techniques and how much time and work he or she puts into a certain aspect.” It is not only important to know how a dog can perform, but also how much effort it will take to train them.

Puppy Conformation

Some hunters think that looks only matter in the show ring, but there are practical aspects to conformation as well. The size and build of a dog affect the mechanics of its movements and performance in the field. Many hunting dog organizations have breed standards. These protocols dictate what that breed should look like, and which dogs are the best breeding candidates.

Cole Jensen is a German wirehair breeder at Badlands Kennel in South Dakota. He says, “Breed standard is definitely something we factor in. It allows specific criteria for us to start with, then dial it in from there. The quality I find the most desirable in a dog is their gait. It should almost look like the dog is gliding across the field from a distance. The dogs [that are] able to do this are leggy and narrow. That is what I look for in a puppy.”

Jensen notes that ideal conformation could change depending on where and what the dog hunts. “I like my dogs in the 53 to 60-pound range. I believe that gives them a great versatility for both upland & waterfowl. I have dogs that can retrieve geese in the morning, then hunt prairie chickens the rest of the afternoon. They are able to do that because they are built correctly.”

Do Your Homework

These five markers are what make or break a bird dog. Smart puppy buyers will educate themselves on them, if only to assure a breeder knows what they are doing and has their best interests in mind. It won't guarantee a perfect dog, but it will stack the deck in the buyer’s favor. Find a breeder who selects for these five criteria, and you are well on your way to finding a good bird dog. Truly, these are the breeders that produce great puppies, litter after litter.