looking into a new gundog- All and any advice needed!

[KillStone]

Hi there, so due to very unfortunate circumstances I have had to take my dog out of the action, prematurely, as of last year and I really have my heart set on finding a new shooting buddy. I really like the idea of a proper working, dark fox red lab pup and want a bitch not dog. Any on here have any experience or any ideas where I might be able to find one or indeed any experience of them in general? does colour really make any odds to capability (I cant see how but you may know more!)? any good websites to keep an eye on for some coming available?

thanks in advance

[Dave at kelton]

I work only yellow labs from champagne to dark yellow. Frankly black or yellow makes no difference if from good breeding. Fox red is all the rage and seems to command a premium, unnecessarily so in my view. I had been looking for a dog all year and even with a lot of contacts have only just sourced a pup. Not sure if it is the times but all seemed to be sold. It’s worth looking on Pets4homes. I bought my last lab off this site and you do get some good working dogs advertised there. Otherwise it is really find the local gundog clubs or societies and put a call out for a pup. Now is a popular time for breeders having litters so if you are persistent you should be successful. 
 

good luck!

[billytheghillie]

you may need to be prepared to travel a good distance for the right dog, unless they can post 

[KillStone]

Yes all the litters I have found have been sold off waiting list apparently! As for travel I won’t mind going anywhere in England Scotland wales or Ireland for the right dog end of the day it’ll be a 10-14year long companion so what’s a bit of travel to get it, lockdown allowing 😂. I’ll just stick at the search and put my name down at some kennels with them I guess. Thanks for the help. 

[London Best]

1. Dark fox red is a bad colour to be in the field in case you ever shoot with any twitchy, trigger happy companions.

2 There is no such thing as a fox red Labrador.

[KillStone]

22 hours ago, London Best said:

1. Dark fox red is a bad colour to be in the field in case you ever shoot with any twitchy, trigger happy companions.

2 There is no such thing as a fox red Labrador.

1- a good point I hadn’t even considered 🤔but it will be a picking up dog that should keep it away from any idiots or at least you’d think so! But the darker colour is exactly the sort I’m wanting 🙈 I will have to be extra careful of the company I shoot with I guess and to make sure it’s stay close to me unless retrieving 

2- yes I know they’re not recognised as a colour of their own more a shade of the yellow but you knew what I meant. 

[London Best]

My first lab, born in 1973, was that colour (ish). At the time I shot in a diy forestry syndicate with a bunch I would not entertain today. They would break ranks if anyone shouted ‘fox’. It used to make my bum twitch if the dog was not right with me, I can tell you. Fortunately he was rock steady and never ran in in his life. There was never any incident, and old Ben lived to be eight weeks short of sixteen. Like you say, great colour, but I’ve only had blacks since.

Edited May 2, 2020 by London Best

[KillStone]

40 minutes ago, London Best said:

My first lab, born in 1973, was that colour (ish). At the time I shot in a diy forestry syndicate with a bunch I would not entertain today. They would break ranks if anyone shouted ‘fox’. It used to make my bum twitch if the dog was not right with me, I can tell you. Fortunately he was rock steady and never ran in in his life. There was never any incident, and old Ben lived to be eight weeks short of sixteen. Like you say, great colour, but I’ve only had blacks since.

Christ 😳 that’s some scary thought I’ve never been unfortunate to shoot with anyone like that! I bet you feared for that dog and yourself! Mostly shoot on my own or with my old man. Just started last season getting into a few small (4gun) walked up days as they suit both my idea of sport and my budget but like your dog obviously was I want this one by my side at all times when not sent on a retrieve. Crazy to think how some lads will lose their heads while swinging loaded guns around!

[London Best]

Every other dog in the shoot (not everyone had dogs) was running about all the time. ‘Flushing game’ the owners said. But when a bird was down in the thick forestry it was Ben that had usually had to find it when all the others had finished racing each other to the area. Thankfully most dog owning shooting men are more enlightened these days as to what constitutes a gun dog.

[KillStone]

You'd hope all guns these days would be a bit more responsible given the ease of finding out about etiquette etc but I bet there are some true horrors still out there!

[Lloyd90]

I love the look of those dark yellow labs but I’m not naive enough to believe “Fox red” is a different colour or to pay an extra £500 or whatever premium they seem to be asking for them! 
 

If I wanted a lab I’d look for one of them but I’d try and find a breeder who just wanted normal money ... probably fat chance of that mind! 
 

I would end up buying a well bred black lab most likely ... although I do like the look of a good working line Golden Retriever. 

[KillStone]

7 hours ago, Lloyd90 said:

I love the look of those dark yellow labs but I’m not naive enough to believe “Fox red” is a different colour or to pay an extra £500 or whatever premium they seem to be asking for them! 
 

If I wanted a lab I’d look for one of them but I’d try and find a breeder who just wanted normal money ... probably fat chance of that mind! 
 

I would end up buying a well bred black lab most likely ... although I do like the look of a good working line Golden Retriever. 

Yes I completely agree the premium for what is essentially a shade of a yellow dog is ridiculous and as you said I am actually doing the same trying to find a breeder of them that doesn’t charge this premium and one that is more worried about mating two dogs to get a strong healthy good working pup than the deepest red possible at the cost of those other traits. I have spoken to a couple of people (working Labrador kennels that breed to keep a pup back for themselves) and will see if anything comes of that but will keep scouring all the adds and put the word out as much as I can and basically hope! 

[WalkedUp]

Final piece of advice. If you have a dog that isn’t a black/yellow lab or a spaniel beware, it will always be judged to be either the best dog on the field or the worst. It is hard for people to keep track of all the ‘familiar’ looking dogs, but something that stands out is asking for attention. 
 

People notice and praise my Weimaraners, which is great - but the minute they put a foot wrong I am sure I will never stop hearing about it again. 

[KillStone]

4 hours ago, WalkedUp said:

Final piece of advice. If you have a dog that isn’t a black/yellow lab or a spaniel beware, it will always be judged to be either the best dog on the field or the worst. It is hard for people to keep track of all the ‘familiar’ looking dogs, but something that stands out is asking for attention. 
 

People notice and praise my Weimaraners, which is great - but the minute they put a foot wrong I am sure I will never stop hearing about it again. 

Aaah yeah I can see that being very true again hadn’t considered that. Tbh I am fortunate enough to be pretty thick skinned to people’s opinions and mostly take no notice, if my dog is doing ok on my mind then I’m happy likewise I’ll be the first to say it’s not gone well if it does something wrong haha. But a very good point all the same! I love weimaraners, would love to see some working glad you get some compliments on them!