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Dogs for wildfowling


Tinribz
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In my opinion a cocker as a rule isnt up to tje job .of course you will get exeptions. But i personally dont think its right having a cocker sat in a wet muddy hole for long periods at a time especially in jan., as they arnt designed for that. Their coat isnt the best for this situation.i do know of a cocker sized spanial that can pick canadas up ! But she feels the cold. Suppose it would depend on where you will be shooting. Atb

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Im from kent and would be joining kent wildfowlers i was told that theres places you could shoot low water flights and would be able to pik them up but would most likely still loose birds if im honest i want to be able to learn to shoot all situations wildfowling will throw at me and im guna need a dog for that to happen

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Im from kent and would be joining kent wildfowlers i was told that theres places you could shoot low water flights and would be able to pik them up but would most likely still loose birds if im honest i want to be able to learn to shoot all situations wildfowling will throw at me and im guna need a dog for that to happen

 

Trust me if your going to shoot the swale or Medway. A cocker will go floating down the estuary with the duck.

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I have had a cocker for the last 8 years for all my fowling. He is a big dog, as big as a smallish springer, 17kgs if I remember correctly from the last time he was weighed.

 

Great dog and retrieves geese no problem from land or water. Having said that I do put a neoprene jacket on him from now onwards as it is pretty cold up North, he is fine for a couple of hours but I wouldn't spend all day out on the mud with water retrieves as well in the middle of winter. As others have said a lab would be a better bet as they stay walmer and are stronger but most of my shooting is wildfowling or pigeons and I've never been in a position where I have felt under dogged! One other benefit of a lab would be that you should be able to train one a bit better to do long distance retrieves via the whiste or hand signals. Struggle a little on the distance stuff with my cocker but that could just be my training.

 

Cheers

Flipper

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I have used a springer spaniel, black lab and now have a fox red lab. By far the best has been the dog I have now. Ask any of the guys I shoot with on the wash...I am often calling her to come back to me and she is stood looking at me. Best colour for the job and best dog for the job....in my opinion. She works great too and is more than happy to sit and wait without any movement.

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The one in my avatar was the best wildfowling dog I've had (so far) Canadas in a tide, no problem, a diving Canada, no problem, ( he dived after it, and came up with it :yes: ) if I sent him I knew it was coming home

 

He struggled to carry one, but would drag it where ever he had to to get it back so I could pick it up :good::good:

 

My present,, (and last) Spaniel struggles, full stop

 

Next dog, undecided yet, Curly Coat, Flatcoat, HWV, GWP, won't be a Lab as I'm not a fan of Labs, that's just me though ( they are good dogs for fowling though )

 

Brian

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Trust me if your going to shoot the swale or Medway. A cocker will go floating down the estuary with the duck.

I will second that having shot there for the last 40 years I have seen it under all conditions and gave up on spaniels after two seasons, you dont often see any thing other than labs out there for good reasons a big springer might just do but not a cocker

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Hi im thinking of taking up wildfowling next season and im thinking of geting a cocker spaniel does anyone use cockers for wildfowling and will they handle bigger birds like geese cheers ribz !

I'd say you might have left it a bit late to train a puppy for next season. Maybe you'd prefer to get a part/fully trained dog.

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Think everyone is saying the same a good old fashioned lab was breed for this as originally a fishermans dog so jumping in water to fetch buoys back to fishermen of the Labrador coast (think canada). The cold never bothers them, great breed of dogs

 

If u really want a challenge u could go for a Cheakspere? Bay Retriver, quite rare but for fowling ideal, the few folk i know who have one would not go back to labs say they are far better swimmers. They do/can have aggression issues ogten don't like other dogs and can be very possesive of their retrieves. From wot i can gather not the easiest of dogs to train and probably not ideal for a first gundog. I'm not a big fan of them as don't like the temperment off the ones i've seen, infact they scare the s** t out off me

 

Croc, u might struggle with ur next dog, HPR's aren't know for their swimming abilities althou the rough haired varietes are miles better than the smooth haired but even so some will hardly enter water. Also very slow to mature and some aren't natural retrievers either takes a bit of work

Think there is a well known breeder of the cheskspere bay down about bristol somewhere? might be a decent breed for u if ur experienced handler, possibly more suitable than the others u mentioned

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Think everyone is saying the same a good old fashioned lab was breed for this as originally a fishermans dog so jumping in water to fetch buoys back to fishermen of the Labrador coast (think canada). The cold never bothers them, great breed of dogs

 

If u really want a challenge u could go for a Cheakspere? Bay Retriver, quite rare but for fowling ideal, the few folk i know who have one would not go back to labs say they are far better swimmers. They do/can have aggression issues ogten don't like other dogs and can be very possesive of their retrieves. From wot i can gather not the easiest of dogs to train and probably not ideal for a first gundog. I'm not a big fan of them as don't like the temperment off the ones i've seen, infact they scare the s** t out off me

 

Croc, u might struggle with ur next dog, HPR's aren't know for their swimming abilities althou the rough haired varietes are miles better than the smooth haired but even so some will hardly enter water. Also very slow to mature and some aren't natural retrievers either takes a bit of work

Think there is a well known breeder of the cheskspere bay down about bristol somewhere? might be a decent breed for u if ur experienced handler, possibly more suitable than the others u mentioned

There are two GWP's in our small syndicate , great looking strong dogs. Good retrievers and quite biddable but they won't get their feet wet. Not a wildfowling dog.

Springers and Cockers can do the job to a degree, I've used my Cocker, but as has been said the ideal dog is a Lab, good reports on Chessies but dubious temperaments.

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I have an American book on goose shooting at home which as a story about a Chessy that once a season used to attack/fight it's owner, the owner used to fight back and beat it and it would ok for another year.

 

Think everyone is saying the same a good old fashioned lab was breed for this as originally a fishermans dog so jumping in water to fetch buoys back to fishermen of the Labrador coast (think canada). The cold never bothers them, great breed of dogs

 

If u really want a challenge u could go for a Cheakspere? Bay Retriver, quite rare but for fowling ideal, the few folk i know who have one would not go back to labs say they are far better swimmers. They do/can have aggression issues ogten don't like other dogs and can be very possesive of their retrieves. From wot i can gather not the easiest of dogs to train and probably not ideal for a first gundog. I'm not a big fan of them as don't like the temperment off the ones i've seen, infact they scare the s** t out off me

 

Croc, u might struggle with ur next dog, HPR's aren't know for their swimming abilities althou the rough haired varietes are miles better than the smooth haired but even so some will hardly enter water. Also very slow to mature and some aren't natural retrievers either takes a bit of work

Think there is a well known breeder of the cheskspere bay down about bristol somewhere? might be a decent breed for u if ur experienced handler, possibly more suitable than the others u mentioned

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I know of a local lad who has a couple of chessies (beat with 1 of his mates) not unusual to hear stories of it picking a lab up down the shore if it gets to close and shaking/ worrying it like a terrier would a rat. Big strong dogs thou

 

Meant to be very loyal and amazing swimmers but can have some temperment issues, think also carry a genetic breed disease? may be wrong with that thou, but it does sound familar

 

My gwp swims no,problems and most of the hairy breeds are more comfy in water but i would not say an ideal choice for a wildfowling dog, seen plenty of visla, gsp or wiems that will not even get there feet wet never mind swim, and like i said slow matureing can be very hard and frustrating to train and not all great retrievers.

For me hpr's only come in to their own if u need a dog to work big open spaces and point, fantastic dogs, but if u don't don't get 1; plenty of other decent breeds will be better suited

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