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thinking of getting a pup but what


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As the title says looking at to get a pup, Been thinking of getting a pup for the last couple of weeks like a lab cross pointer  or lab / vizsla or lab/ weimaraner.

Any other suggestions. pup/dog  will come out with me on shooting do a bit of everything pigeons walked up shooting wildfowling and also be a companion 

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Started with ess but have only had yellow labs for about thirty years. ESS do not take as well to the waiting about in the cold and wet of wildfowling. Both are good all rounders but if you intend wildfowling the labs edge it. I would avoid the other breeds with what you have described and frankly have never seen a crossbreed in the field that merits the attempt to combine two breeds.

good luck with whatever you choose.

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13 hours ago, sitsinhedges said:

I quite fancy a Lab but ending up with a fat arthritic lump kind of puts me off.

You need to choose your lab better. Not one working up here in Scotland that i have seen is a fat arthritic lump. Their owners are another matter usually standing on a peg with said Labrador at the side. Those working the hill are lean and fit, both dogs and owners.

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18 minutes ago, Dave at kelton said:

You need to choose your lab better. Not one working up here in Scotland that i have seen is a fat arthritic lump. Their owners are another matter usually standing on a peg with said Labrador at the side. Those working the hill are lean and fit, both dogs and owners.

Virtually all old labs and golden retrievers I see are riddled with arthritis. Must cost a fortune.

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Mac, my previous lab was 11 or 12 when he went overnight from a manic Frisbee chaser to a whimpering wreck who could barely move without yelping in pain. 

The vet said it was most likely arthritis and put him on steroids and pain killers and he recovered to the point that he still enjoyed life for another couple of years at his own pace without further treatment until the cancer got him. 

The insurance company still got the better end of the deal...
 

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Each to there own, which ever breed u choose but do struggle to see why anyone would ever chose to buy a mongral, esp paying extra for 1.

And before anyone starts i have a mongral in kennel the now (think lab/wire) and he's ok but i'd never chose 1 over a purebred or pay much money for 1.

 

I'd echo the same as david abve i don't see many fat labs working, if ur buying from decent working stock and the newer FT stock look like whippets.

My old lab just retired at 12 or 13 last year after doing 60 odd days pickng last season and was never stiff the next morning which is hen u notice it if there getting past it

 

Like scutt says above. Definately worth getting some lessons or joining a training group/club, or books/dvd it really is not hard to train a dog to a basic working level (and most dogs i see out aren't even at that level)

 

 

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12 hours ago, Hector Vector said:

Try one of these then:

1225613855_dogindisco.jpg.4047d19f84d1f53d7fda18c396dd1aef.jpg

Bigger than a Lab (at less than 9 months old), certainly different and has character by the bucket load. He's also coming on fine as a rough shooting dog and has started off really well on blood tracking (deer dog). Fantastic temperament as well. Lovely breed.

he is lolvely what breed is he

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training would be done by a professional not me directly got a friend she is a police dog handler. with both sniffer dog and attack dogs also local gun dog breeder offers training to.

so that would have that covered I'm not a first time dog owner  just had different working type dog in the past had a saluki and there not easy to train bit of minds of there own but he was loyal protective  and would hunt well and retrieved to foot  . i looking for the muggle purley  for something a bit different  not looking to spend loads of cash  around 400 to 500. 

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21 minutes ago, loriusgarrulus said:

What about a Chesapeake bay retriever.

 

definitely consider a chesapeake but only ones found for sale is like 4/ 5 hours drive each way don't get the time for that sort of drive  basically  a full day time you stopped off for something to eat and so on 

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21 minutes ago, Cant hit them all said:

definitely consider a chesapeake but only ones found for sale is like 4/ 5 hours drive each way don't get the time for that sort of drive  basically  a full day time you stopped off for something to eat and so on 

I have driven 5 hours each way for the right dog. If your going to have a dog for 12-15 years the long drive is worth it.

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Just like lori says above for a long drive but also paying a bit extra money for the RIGHT pup when u right it off over 10+ years it hardly matters.

 

Depending on the breeder, but if someone is mating a lab and hpr they'll probably be wanting more than that anyway, some would be charging a premium for their designer mongral.

U would struggle to get a health tested lab for that money.

Bizzarely (and been taling about this a bit lately with other pickers) some poorly bred or just average bitches pups are going for almost the same price as proper decent working pups or even FT lines, sometimes for only an extra £100 u cn be into FTCHxFTCH lines if that floats ur boat.

Some times even non health tested pups are priced towards the top end too.

Must admit i'm in the minority on here but as long as i know the line/history/breeder and there proper working dogs that do plenty of days i'm not too concerned if the bitch hasn't got her hips scored.

 

Can't hit u don't mention wot type of shooting u do or wot u want ur dog to do? Which for me would be the prime factor in breed choice.

But even then i can't think of any reason that i'd prefer to cross a hpr/lab over a pure lab, a pure lab will do everything easier and better

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20 hours ago, sitsinhedges said:

Virtually all old labs and golden retrievers I see are riddled with arthritis. Must cost a fortune.

I have a lab bitch that is a couple of months off 14 years old. She is still fit and mobile. I have a lab dog that is also 13. He is still fairly fit, too.

A fat, arthritic lab is not something that I am familiar with.

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50 minutes ago, motty said:

I have a lab bitch that is a couple of months off 14 years old. She is still fit and mobile. I have a lab dog that is also 13. He is still fairly fit, too.

A fat, arthritic lab is not something that I am familiar with.

And generally something you make.

Edited by Penelope
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14 hours ago, loriusgarrulus said:

I have driven 5 hours each way for the right dog. If your going to have a dog for 12-15 years the long drive is worth it.

I got my ess  from Stamford [550 mls] mind you, we had made the choice before coming down to Derbyshire for a holiday.   

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