Here's my story . Currently run 2 shorthairs and a pointer. The pointer is my biggest bird finder. The younger shorthair is close second. My oldest shorthair is a long ways behind. Always has been. He finds a bird compared to the other two will find 20 to 30 each. The main difference is his range is much shorter and he is a very meticulous hunter compared to the other 2 but that's another story.

Here is the issue. I am on the road hunting away from home 5 to 6 weeks a season and my wife misses having a dog around with the house being so quiet. She wants the oldest to stay with her. He is 11 and still enjoys hunting though. He has some arthritis but other than that he is physically ok

Should I take my wife's offer and leave him behind or keep hunting him until it's a problem

If he's happy at home and your wife tolerates you being gone for several weeks at a time, I'd leave him with her. I have a litter of high powered Vizslas due next month...just sayin'

Play it by ear.

Retire the old dog and get a new one. BTW, I know 2 different guys with trained, experienced EPs, that will give them to you if you will hunt them. Or at least they say they will.

BTW, check your PMs.

I have a situation similar to yours, I have a almost 14 year old 1/2 GSP 1/2 Brittany and has always been a little slower on finding birds compared to the others, he hasn't gone with us if my wife wasn't going in a few years, but this year she hasn't gone any at all, so he hasn't either, I know he loves to go & hunt and I feel bad leaving him but momma wants a dog there like yours does. And you know what they say, if momma aint happy, aint nobody gonna be happy. My problem is gonna be when he dies, which one is gonna stay with her then? I had to leave Jake home when we went two weeks ago, he busted a nail completely off & was in some serious pain, he's much better this week but I'm still leaving him one more weekend, with him it's completely different, he throws a fit when he knows we are leaving to go hunting without him & is pizzed when I get back.

Get a new dog/puppy that will hunt with the younger dogs. Give your wife the older dog. There is no difference keeping one more bird dog. Once you have one.........

Get rid of the wife and get another dog and still take the old dog hunting

If it were me, I'd buy another dog without hesitation and leave the old man behind.

Count your blessing, my wife wants to keep my best dog home.

Get her a Boykin. Then you will have a flusher/ retriever when the older dog is retired.

Buy a new English pointer, leave the old man at home.

GET A VIZSLA!

I'll give you a #@%^&*%$# Chihuahua

Probably the King Charles Cavalier Spaniel puppy that you're going to drop $1700 on...

Sammy Davidson up at Hereford raises some great GSP's

I second the boykin. Excellent companion dog and a heck of hunter. Small enough to fit just about anywhere but still have a pretty good bark on them.