Purebred Gun Dogs vs. Mixed/Mutt Gun Dogs?

Hunters looking for a new gun dog are willing to pay outrageous amounts for a purebred gun dogs simply because they’re informed that the pup has been raised in a cherishing environment which enables it to develop to possess a friendly temper with minimal medical problems.

We all know here that there is no way to genuinely tell because in many cases, it’s determined by the unique dog. While there may be breeders that adopt precaution to stay away from inbreeding (which often leads to significant medical concerns), and are selective with the gun dogs they do breed, ensuring to raise all of them in caring conditions, there is no conclusive “rule” that assures these gun dogs won’t suffer from health or behavioral troubles early or later on. And this, whether or not the gun dog breeder is knowledgeable about dog breeding or not.

You can never forget that dog breeders are nevertheless trying to run a business at the end of the day, so it is simply in their best interest to advertise the benefits to owning a purebred, as well as perpetuating the fantasy that certain positive qualities cannot be found in shelter puppies. Strangely enough, the Humane Society estimates that 25 percent of dogs in shelters are purebred.

What is your take on this?

My take is that you are here to get people to go to your website that runs lots of ads so you can make money.

Welcome to the forum.

My take on this is that most of us that have had any experience with training dogs/animals of any kind know this. We are all taking a chance every time we pick up a pup on them being a washout. We can only control what we can control like providing a rich environment for the health. well being, and proper training methods of the pup throughout the training process to give us the best chance for success in having a successful gundog. With this being said, there are variables and “risks” with each and every animal like you have said. The most effective way to minimize those variables and risks is to acquire a pup with a known health history and bloodline with a reasonable percentage of success through selective breeding. The $$ we spend on a pup is far secondary to the time and costs of training, feeding, vetting, traveling, hunting, etc that are involved with owning, trialing and/or hunting a gundog.

My chances of success are going to be around 95% with a known bloodline versus probably 40% or less with an unknown mix/mutt. You can do the math from here.

Personally, I'm a dog guy. I own a high-end bloodline gundog and I own a pound pup (I've always owned two like this). The pound pups don't hunt but they are all very special in their own way and offer a lot of traits and special "tricks" that tend to come out through their "multiple" bloodlines. I have pedigreed gundogs because I'm a hunter and I train my own dogs and I want the best chance to get what I want.

What he said.

Also sounds like you do not know much about how some hunting dogs breed their dogs or about breeding in general.

Yes there is no guarantee no matter what the breeder says but I would much rather spend my money, sweat and tears on a dog that has been cleared from health issues, has proven it's hunting abilities, etc than take my chance on a dog from an unknown background.

Why risk it? There are so many established bloodlines that have so much history of performance that can be verified that you can better your chances by buying into it. I have picked up some great mutts for the yard from the pound and I am in no way being critical about owning a dog from one. But the unknown reason for why they are there lends itself to a lot of speculation for me. I like my chances better buying a bona fide, established bloodline. I have washed out on one dog out of many owned in the last 25 years by buying bloodlines of dogs. Let the record speak for itself.

2X Firstchance

Lazhar
Only two post in almost a year, and both read like a advertisement.

Hunters looking for a new gun dog are willing to pay outrageous amounts for a purebred gun dogs simply because they’re informed that the pup has been raised in a cherishing environment which enables it to develop to possess a friendly temper with minimal medical problems.


The above paragraph is on the demeaning side. We pay high dollar for pups out of proven stock, with health clearances, and contracts on genetic health problems known to the breed.

Anyone that is truly breeding to better the breed is not making money doing it.

I've trained some really good backyard/hobby bred dogs. Have yet to see a good one from a puppy mill.

Strangely enough, the Humane Society estimates that 25 percent of dogs in shelters are purebred.

And while I'm thinking about it this may be the most asenine statement that I have ever heard. How many people do you think drop off their dog at the shelter with their pedigree and money for a DNA test. Because we sure as hell know that the HSUS is not going to spend a dime unless it's on propaganda or euthanasia. So, how would they know what is a purebred dog or not?

I don't believe any of the Humane Society propaganda.
Even if you did use their so called facts, that 25% are possible purebred.
The other 75% are the mixed breeds. In my eyes, that still means a purebred hunting dog is the way to go.

I'm not going to spend the time going through his website.
For all I know it maybe on how to research a reputable breeder, and we give that information out on the forum for free.

He is a Brit and doubt he has any understanding of the attention and care American breeders put into our working gun dogs. The humane society international over there is even more so like peta than the american version is. Pretty obvious the intents of his post.