Im about to surprise the family with a new puppy. Ive owned Labs and some other mutts but have really grown fond of GSP’s after being around a few. Seem like a good all around breed. Main purpose will be a family dog and companion especially for my 3 year old autistic son. Secondly i would like to utilize its nose for tracking but understand how much needs to go into that. May even send it to school for training on that. Would be for me and friends to help find deer. Thirdly if it behaves well enough to be in the duck blind and fetch a few ducks for me and even find a few sheds then thats just a bonus. My wife prefers female animals and i have always owned males in the past. Just wondering especially for my son which would be better suited for him male or female. Any feedback on this breed appreciated!
I have been around a few here and there, mostly for pheasant hunting. One particular friend of mine had several when he was really into pheasant hunting. He liked to use the "invisible fence" around the edges of his yard so the dog had quite a bit of room to run around during the work week, much more room than in a kennel/dog run. They are a pretty high strung dog. Very high energy and will need room and the opportunity to run off some if their energy. Being a high energy dog, they generally don't live much past 10-11 years old, at least the ones I was around. Training of course can make all the difference in them. From what I observed, I would not consider them much of a "family dog" until they mellow out a bit around 5-8 years old, varies between dogs of course. Fabulous instincts to hunt, and hands down would be my first choice for a bird (upland) hunting dog. A family pet with minimal hunting on the side, not so much IMO. I would be thinking a black or yellow Lab (I'm not a big fan of chocolates) for more of a family dog with some hunting on the side here and there, especially ducks. Golden Retrievers are said to be fabulous family pets, but I've never had one. I personally prefer females, mainly because it removes the need to train a male not to hike its leg on everything. We are all different and far be it from me to sway your opinion if you really like GSH's, to each their own of course. But GSH and family dog are not words I've ever heard in the same sentence.
I had a female GSP for 12 years before putting her down in 2021. GSPs are incredibly smart, friendly, and athletic which makes them very high energy. Ours was hurdling the couch with full clearance at four months old. They also make great family dogs. Make sure you have a big fenced yard she can run or be prepared to walk her twice per day the first few years until maturing out of the puppy and teenage stage. GSPs are very loving and can be calm, but tend to go crazy if cooped up and not given room to exercise themselves or frequently walked. I had my oldest walking her on a leash when he was four years old. At that point, the dog was five and weight 70lbs, gentle as could be and never once dragged him. GSPs are very social, you can't keep one outside full time, it will go crazy. Unfortunately, they shed like crazy. Your wife needs to be prepared for dog hair everywhere all the time. With your son having autism, the only potential drawback could be sensory overload during the early years. If it were me, I would be carefully observing how my son handled being around someone else's puppy or young dog, especially if it is a large breed but know for a calmer demeanor, like a lab. If he can't handle that, he won't have a chance having a good experience with a GSP.
