best wildfowling dog opinion

[shotgun tim]

what’s peoples thoughts on best wildfowling dog breed ?

[Mr grumpy]

I don't go wildfowling any more.when I did,it was always a labrador.double coat and unbelievable swimmers,even in very strong currents.never had one but heard good things about Chesapeake's.

[shotgun tim]

3 minutes ago, Mr grumpy said:

I don't go wildfowling any more.when I did,it was always a labrador.double coat and unbelievable swimmers,even in very strong currents.never had one but heard good things about Chesapeake's.

iv got chessies myself (i’m getting my 9th one tomorrow) i was just wondering other people opinion 

[ditchman]

i was always told chesapeakes are great dogs but you need a peice of 4"x2" to train them with......

[shotgun tim]

8 minutes ago, ditchman said:

i was always told chesapeakes are great dogs but you need a peice of 4"x2" to train them with......

there easy just slow maturing there great breed once you have had one you will always have one in my opinion people think there labs but there a totally different breed 

[B B]

Use Labs and springers myself but as a dedicated coastal bad weather retriever of geese and duck, think you cant dismiss the Labs they get the job done and are everywhere. If you want a different  hardcore wildfowling if you like breed then irish water spaniel or a Chespeke bay fit the bill perfectly.

 But my dream waterfowling dog would be a Labrador  X chespeke bay, all that Lab goodness with a Chespeke size and coat.

[shotgun tim]

3 minutes ago, B B said:

Use Labs and springers myself but as a dedicated coastal bad weather retriever of geese and duck, think you cant dismiss the Labs they get the job done and are everywhere. If you want a different  hardcore wildfowling if you like breed then irish water spaniel or a Chespeke bay fit the bill perfectly.

 But my dream waterfowling dog would be a Labrador  X chespeke bay, all that Lab goodness with a Chespeke size and coat.

would be an interesting cross 

[Dave at kelton]

Labs all the time, particularly dark yellow. I have seen too many cheesies out there that are, put politely, temperamental.

[marsh man]

Horses for courses , if the op haven't trained a dog before for wildfowling then I would certainly recommend a Lab with a thick coat , colour is your choice , I have always had Black and non of them have ever let me down , as a puppy you train them like you would any other type of working dog , like sit and stay and recall on a whistle , nothing to fancy as long as the dog is obedient , water work is essential and when I was working I often trained mine when it was getting dark or even in total darkness , then when the season start the more work you can give him / her the better , a dog can only learn so much off the marsh , you need to get on the marsh as often as possible and your dog will soon work out the best way to find your shot fowl . Good luck but don't expect to much to soon .

[Old farrier]

Golden retriever 

AKA  Swamp collie 

not everyone’s choice but to me there the best all round dogs and there ability to air and ground scent is a asset along with webbed feet 

the op has made his choice lovely dogs chessies but not for me 👍

Edited August 21, 2022 by Old farrier

[Gerry78]

8 hours ago, shotgun tim said:

what’s peoples thoughts on best wildfowling dog breed ?

You’ve opened a can of worms lol Me personally I’ve always worked fox red labs just me my mate loves he’s springer I have to say the way he’s trained it fantastic retriever in strong water I’ve only ever seen one Chesapeake here in Northern Ireland big dog for the shore 

My old boy Duke 

[Smiler23]

I still fancy a chessie as my next dog, still probably couple of years before I'll need a pup I think... But I hear too many stories, of how they sulk, and how they refuse to hand over the retrieve , iv not seen this first hand. But have heard several times... Any of you lads that keep them found this? Cheers 

[greenshank1]

I just lost my old lab a few weeks back , so interesting thought provoking discussion 👍
I think the advantage of labs is they are great fowling on the shore and in really bad weather but adaptable to also to be used on the beat line , picking up , deer work etc etc . 
The stories about chessies do intrigue me and wonder if it’s the breed or the handling or combination.

In the future will likely be looking for a good black lab bitch pup , double coat ,from good working (preferably fowling) parents , so keep me in mind if you hear of any. 
 

 

[greenshank1]

2 hours ago, Dave at kelton said:

Labs all the time, particularly dark yellow. I have seen too many cheesies out there that are, put politely, temperamental.

Bonnie dog 

[marsh man]

59 minutes ago, Old farrier said:

Golden retriever 

AKA  Swamp collie 

not everyone’s choice but to me there the best all round dogs and there ability to air and ground scent is a asset along with webbed feet 

the op has made his choice lovely dogs chessies but not for me 👍

Certainly look cracking dogs OF and I have got nothing against any other breed , maybe if my first dog had been a different breed than a Lab it might had been more than likely I would had kept that breed for the rest of my life , my first dog learnt me more about dogs than I learnt him about retrieving , then when I got my second Lab I already knew a little bit of how they think and how they work .

The only Chessie I have seen work was a dog that a chap I knew who had the shoot the other side of the river from mine , I remember a time when I was flighting in the reed bed beside the River Waveney and at the time I didn't know this chap was doing  the same as me on the other side , anyhow , a duck that was well up came down the river and I managed to bring it down , my dog was on it straight away and it was soon safely in the bag , the next thing I saw ,which put the fear of christ up me was this bloody great dog working around me and checking out every single reed looking for the duck I had just shot , and all the while paying no attention to his owner who was trying to call him back , after knocking just about every reed down in my little bit of Norfolk he finally gave up and swam across the fast flowing river as if it was a kiddies paddling pool , two things in it's favour was his working in reed beds were 10 out of ten and the same with his swimming powers , as for the rest of him , sorry not my type of dog . but his faults could had easily be the owners fault and not the dogs

[shotgun tim]

3 hours ago, Dave at kelton said:

Labs all the time, particularly dark yellow. I have seen too many cheesies out there that are, put politely, temperamental.

every one of mine has been great with people and other dogs but they have been well socialised as pups 

2 hours ago, Gerry78 said:

You’ve opened a can of worms lol Me personally I’ve always worked fox red labs just me my mate loves he’s springer I have to say the way he’s trained it fantastic retriever in strong water I’ve only ever seen one Chesapeake here in Northern Ireland big dog for the shore 

My old boy Duke 

i got my first bitch chessie from belfast 

1 hour ago, Smiler23 said:

I still fancy a chessie as my next dog, still probably couple of years before I'll need a pup I think... But I hear too many stories, of how they sulk, and how they refuse to hand over the retrieve , iv not seen this first hand. But have heard several times... Any of you lads that keep them found this? Cheers 

it’s down to understanding the breed and training and remember there not a lab lol 

[shotgun tim]

chessie i imported from germany her dad is from alaska 

mum and daughter i had and bred great workers on big day pheasant shoots as well as fowling 

[Smiler23]

How different do you train them to a lab? 

[shotgun tim]

chessie i rescued 

Just now, Smiler23 said:

How different do you train them to a lab? 

u have to understand there not a lab and slower to mature slow and steady with training 

[Smiler23]

Iv had a look on YouTube about them, and there isn't a great deal of footage, there's a couple of European videos ( I think) with a tidy dog working, but not much else.. there's the good one of the long retrieve aswell... 

[Old farrier]

1 hour ago, marsh man said:

Certainly look cracking dogs OF and I have got nothing against any other breed , maybe if my first dog had been a different breed than a Lab it might had been more than likely I would had kept that breed for the rest of my life , my first dog learnt me more about dogs than I learnt him about retrieving , then when I got my second Lab I already knew a little bit of how they think and how they work .

The only Chessie I have seen work was a dog that a chap I knew who had the shoot the other side of the river from mine , I remember a time when I was flighting in the reed bed beside the River Waveney and at the time I didn't know this chap was doing  the same as me on the other side , anyhow , a duck that was well up came down the river and I managed to bring it down , my dog was on it straight away and it was soon safely in the bag , the next thing I saw ,which put the fear of christ up me was this bloody great dog working around me and checking out every single reed looking for the duck I had just shot , and all the while paying no attention to his owner who was trying to call him back , after knocking just about every reed down in my little bit of Norfolk he finally gave up and swam across the fast flowing river as if it was a kiddies paddling pool , two things in it's favour was his working in reed beds were 10 out of ten and the same with his swimming powers , as for the rest of him , sorry not my type of dog . but his faults could had easily be the owners fault and not the dogs

They were in there time sadly those two are long gone but I like the picture😊

rescued one after them best most loyal and protective one I’ve had weren’t the best gun dog though 

got another after her my fifth he’s not to bad does everything I need and good company 

the spaniels do the rest 

[marsh man]

Brilliant , Love the first photo , five very contented and switched on dogs who don't want to miss nothing if there names are called out .

[Old farrier]

1 minute ago, marsh man said:

Brilliant , Love the first photo , five very contented and switched on dogs who don't want to miss nothing if there names are called out .

TBH I think I was eating a pastie 😂

thanks for your complimentary comment though 😊👍

[Lloyd90]

The problem with the less common breeds is that some puppy farmers have latched into them as they can sell for more money than just a lab etc. 

 

There are a lot of “working” golden retrievers being bred that have sadly never seen a days work in their lives. 
 

I am not sure if this issue is as bad with Chessie’s or other minority breeds but the pool of available pups is obviously a lot smaller. 
 

Based on the fact you’d likely want (ideally) a pup from parents who are actually worked, and proven in the field, a dog that’s got a high chance of being trained to a decent standard, even by a novice handler, and a dog that’s up to the job, the Labrador retriever has got to stand out by a mile. 
 

Whilst chessie’s etc look amazing powerful dogs, and other minority breeds can be very good, I think based on stats alone, more handlers novice or not, will produce decent fowling dogs from labs than any other breed. 
 

 

They are very forgiving and very useful as all around dogs  

 

 

I would love a working golden retriever in future but think it’s difficult getting one from decent proven stock due to the smaller pool available etc. 

 

[Dave at kelton]

8 hours ago, Lloyd90 said:

The problem with the less common breeds is that some puppy farmers have latched into them as they can sell for more money than just a lab etc. 

 

There are a lot of “working” golden retrievers being bred that have sadly never seen a days work in their lives. 
 

I am not sure if this issue is as bad with Chessie’s or other minority breeds but the pool of available pups is obviously a lot smaller. 
 

Based on the fact you’d likely want (ideally) a pup from parents who are actually worked, and proven in the field, a dog that’s got a high chance of being trained to a decent standard, even by a novice handler, and a dog that’s up to the job, the Labrador retriever has got to stand out by a mile. 
 

Whilst chessie’s etc look amazing powerful dogs, and other minority breeds can be very good, I think based on stats alone, more handlers novice or not, will produce decent fowling dogs from labs than any other breed. 
 

 

They are very forgiving and very useful as all around dogs  

 

 

I would love a working golden retriever in future but think it’s difficult getting one from decent proven stock due to the smaller pool available etc. 

 

Lloyd, you are quite right about the difficulties in getting the minority breeds from proven working stock. We are fortunate here in SWScotland to have a few who are doing just that and I can name three in particular but of them all Kirsty Cousins and her father stand out a mile….see Gorton’s Gundogs. Kirsty also qualifies for the Retriever Championship every year so you are talking one of the UKs top trainers in both goldies and labs.

My experience of Chessies is that they can be short tempered. I understand that originally they were not only water dogs on the fishing boats but also guarding dogs. This latter trait I have seen come out too many times on the shore for me to have or recommend one.

For an inexperienced handler you are right to, question why you would make life even more difficult.