Bird Dogs & Training  |  04/10/2023

Ice Cream, Bird Dogs, and Marital Compromise


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Considering some other flavors in the bird dog display case

By Bob St.Pierre

Most folks know me as a hardcore German shorthaired pointer fan and founding member of #TeamGSP. While my affinity for shorthairs is evidenced by my four consecutive bird dogs of the breed, the reality is I like bird dogs the same way I like my ice cream . . . in a variety of flavors.

The dirty secret of my devotion to GSPs is marital compromise. I grew up in a family who always has, and still does, own American Brittanys. My bride, Meredith, grew up on the other side of the tracks … with Labradors.

There was no way Meredith and I were going to start our newlywed life together in a home with a Britt shedding white fur on her clothes. There was also no way I was going to own a dog that didn’t point.

The truth of my reality is this: Shorthairs are the marital compromise between a Brittany and a Labrador.

But what if I’d never met Meredith? Enter my bird dog / ice cream fantasy world. A world in which I get to taste the rainbow of bird dog flavors (yes, they make Skittles ice cream). Here are the four breeds I’d have in Bob’s Bird Dog Bachelor Pad:

Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

This versatile breed points, retrieves, and looks goofily adorable. I also flat-out love saying the dog’s name like a baseball stadium public address announcer. Try it with me: Wire. Haired. Pointing. Grifffffooooooon!

Braque Francais

While different than a shorthair, this dog is essentially the GSP’s cool French cousin. It points, it retrieves, and my last name is St.Pierre … which isn’t German.

Small Munsterlander

I just gravitate to pups that point and retrieve. Add adorable with a lot of color and marking variations, and this pup is a natural addition to my pack.

Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever

A gorgeous looking pup with the crazy unique skill of “tolling,” or luring waterfowl into shooting range. While I’m not much of a duck hunter, tollers are the only non-pointing breed I’d ever consider personally owning.

So there you have it, my favorite flavors of bird dog if my marriage hadn’t tied me down to GSPs.


Bob St.Pierre is the Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever.

 

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