nobbyathome Posted May 1, 2012 Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 go for a black lab i prefer a bitch they are smaller and better round children but still good in the field .dogs i find are more bolder in the field and also great with kids but bigger and more likely to knock the kids over you will not regret getting one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millrace Posted May 1, 2012 Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 You take your eyes off me for a nano second and I'm off!...... you must have got a slow one,,,,, by the time ive thought that shes already away...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stratts Posted May 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 Cheers chaps some cracking replies and advice I particularly like the Xmas pressie idea I'll start working on that one now with the enemy Is there a certain type of breed of black lab that is smaller than others or is it just the genes from particular parents that may have been smaller than average? A smaller lab would suit us and I'll defo go for a bitch as I may decide to have a litter myself later on I know to steer clear of chocolate labs my neighbour has one and although it's never been trained properly it's as daft as a brush & not really very healthy either!! :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sky gipsy Posted May 8, 2012 Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 And here's my two pennies worth... If you fancy a black Lab, get a black Lab. If you get another breed & something goes wrong (and it WILL sometime, believe me ) you will think if only I stuck with my first thoughts & got that black lab!. A lot of confidence with our guns, cartridges etc is all in the mind. Another thing folk say is, get the best bred dog you can. FTc to FTc by FTc etc etc etc could be an exceptional dog in the right hands, but, no offence, you may not have the experience required to handle such a dog. My first lab was by FTc Breeze of Draksehead. To say he was hard work for me in the field is an understatement!! If you come across pups from a mating of two everyday shooters dogs, bred for temperament & honesty I would advise one of these for you at this time. We may all like a Ferrari, but could we handle it after being used to driving a Ford Focus. Good luck with your search Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The big boy Posted May 8, 2012 Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 Hi all! Getting my first puppy in 4 weeks. your advise on here is invaluable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stratts Posted May 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 Certainly no offence taken mate thanks for the advice and I agree totally I have never trained a dog before so as I said earlier I will have a lot to learn too We had a border collie when I was a nipper and my dad taught that to do all sorts but she was a special very intelligent dog! Although surely it can't be any harder than bringing up cheeky disobedient twin boys who are 4 going on 14!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utectok Posted May 8, 2012 Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 this is the right advice, loads of us have dogs that live in and then accompany us shooting. Yes they may not be perfect but they love it and it makes shooting far more enjoyable. Spot on go for it you won't regret it I like cockers but each to his own Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stratts Posted May 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 I've just been reading more about the spaniels and tbh I've started veering towards the springers somewhat One question about them are they a yappy kind of dog coz I can't stand yappies. My bro has a terrier that gets on my wick (barks at everything!!) and a mate has a little cocker that I just can't take to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utectok Posted May 9, 2012 Report Share Posted May 9, 2012 (edited) Good gundogs should be pretty quiet ? I'd say if you do allot of rough shooting get a cocker or springer if you do peg stuff a lab. Both are fine in a hide bit perhaps a lab is better for wildfowling in big water etc Edited May 9, 2012 by utectok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson_tom Posted May 9, 2012 Report Share Posted May 9, 2012 I got a springer and she is great, she doesn't bark a lot. The only time she does is if she is in the car and something is outside she dont like the look of. The bark is pretty high pitched but not a yap. I am not sure about labs but I know my springer will last longer when out and about than my collie, she is only 7 months and my collie is about 18 months now. They do the same sort of distance chasing after the ball etc and when i get back in my house the collie flakes out in his bed for a good couple of hours but my springer could be put back on her lead and do it all again. Saying that she has also been known to sleep on the sofa with the missus all day long when she has been off ill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stratts Posted May 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2012 At the moment I don't to any real game shooting but I may in the future. If anything it would be a bit of rough shooting just wandering around the permissions I have. It's mainly bunnies with the rifles and I'm getting into the pigeon shooting more and more from a hide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ziplex Posted May 9, 2012 Report Share Posted May 9, 2012 Barking is just another aspect of training i'd say......if you allow or praise the pup to bark once it finds it's voice it almost certainly will. We have 3 springers and a GSP and all are absolutely fine in the house and bark if anyone comes by the gate, it's what 'house dogs' do but they just need to know when enough is enough. Our Pointer sounds like the most savage thing in the world to anyone stood at the door and many a time we've had people scarper up the drive on seeing her through the glass as she looks like a monster. Having said that absolute strangers are met with a wagging tail and a slobber if we welcome them in Never had labs, and my Pointer has been hard work but the little Springer has been so easy to train for working in the hide or on the foreshore so it would be Springer for me. Whichever breed you decide on try to make sure the pup isn't a nervous type or it'll be, arguably, more inclined to bark at every opportunity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted May 9, 2012 Report Share Posted May 9, 2012 At the moment I don't to any real game shooting but I may in the future. If anything it would be a bit of rough shooting just wandering around the permissions I have. It's mainly bunnies with the rifles and I'm getting into the pigeon shooting more and more from a hide. to be fair the odds on a springer being patient enough to walk with you with a rifle is low especially for shooting rabbits. Its when you go for a walk with a shotgun they are more suited, and with patience they are ok in the hide. My toerag goes to sleep in a hide occasionally opening her eye if I take a shot, but is pretty good when I'm out with the rifle. Shotgun though she is absolutely spot on loves it not the greatest retriever but will find anything wounded and in certain cases you don't even need the gun here she is last saturday I shot the one then the other tried to make it back to the hole. Needless to say it failed, for a dog for your needs I'd suggest a lab is the most likely to do what you want without giving you too many problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Mongrel- Posted May 9, 2012 Report Share Posted May 9, 2012 (edited) I know to steer clear of chocolate labs my neighbour has one and although it's never been trained properly it's as daft as a brush & not really very healthy either!! :blink: That'll be the problem then! There are those who think the 'choc labs are all thick' mindset are wrong. I'm going to reserve judgement but, I CAN tell you that my choc lab which was trained as a pet, is now learning to be a gundog, and is coming on in leaps and bounds. Two formal sessions and she is good (not perfect yet) on the whistle, taking direction to either side, and going back for a dummy she knows is there. She is returning dummies to hand and that's after 4 years of dropping tennis balls at my feet, walks to heel off lead (always has TBH) and will stop/sit on the whistle. I'm more than happy with that after 4 weeks training. She does live to retrieve though which makes life easier and she was already fairly well trained. She knew what 'Here' means along with sit, stay, heel etc so the basics were there. She is foremost a pet dog, and always will be, nothings changed in that other than what we now let her retrieve and how. All we are doing is adding another layer to her training and skills. You need to remember that most gundogs are in reality, gundogs for two or three months of the year and pets for the rest anyway...some more so than others! Edited May 9, 2012 by -Mongrel- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoggy Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 The Lab in my avatar Picture is sadly no longer with us. But he was trained as a gundog/family pet.... and slept indoors. He was without doubt the best dog I`ve owned. He lived for his shooting, especially his wildfowling. He was loyal, rock steady, odedient,and best of all a great companion. He lived to the ripe old age of 16. Living indoors, and being a family pet as well NEVER did him no harm at all....I wouldn`t have it any other way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snatch Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 And here's my two pennies worth... If you fancy a black Lab, get a black Lab. If you get another breed & something goes wrong (and it WILL sometime, believe me ) you will think if only I stuck with my first thoughts & got that black lab!. A lot of confidence with our guns, cartridges etc is all in the mind. Another thing folk say is, get the best bred dog you can. FTc to FTc by FTc etc etc etc could be an exceptional dog in the right hands, but, no offence, you may not have the experience required to handle such a dog. My first lab was by FTc Breeze of Draksehead. To say he was hard work for me in the field is an understatement!! If you come across pups from a mating of two everyday shooters dogs, bred for temperament & honesty I would advise one of these for you at this time. We may all like a Ferrari, but could we handle it after being used to driving a Ford Focus. Good luck with your search by far the best reply so far well said Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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