Lab / HPR Cross?

[danielsonson]

Hope someone can help:

 

My partner and I are looking for something a little different:

 

I shoot once a week throughout the year on a combo of walked up and driven pheseant - I also get a fair share of Pigeon and Vermin on our small DIY estate (apx 1000 acres).

 

We have been back and forth about getting a dog to work for sometime but we are about to move into a considerably larger house and I feel the time is close!

 

We already have two lovely but very old KCS's who couldn't care less about other dogs.

 

My partner and I have considered a KC registered gundog and I love the steadfastness of the Labrador, As much as I would love to think that I could train and work a Cocker or Springer, I am a realist and am not going to go there!

 

I have met a couple of lovely Lab cross dogs on rough shoots (one a LabXcollie and the other a LabXHPR) I know that the KC would freak out at the concept of someone deliberately messing with a breeds gene pool and thus I have found it very hard to find any working X breeds (other than lurcher's!)

 

Does anyone know of any accidental litters that have involved whole or half working stock?

 

Does anyone have a working dog with any HPR traits in its lineage?

 

Let me know if you know of any Non-Pretentious litters that are due/been born

 

Thanks

 

DB and SF

[Millomite]

As much as I would love to think that I could train and work a Cocker or Springer, I am a realist and am not going to go there!

 

So why bother looking for a cross that may not be what you want? You cannot guarantee what you are going to get with crosses, and to some extent in pure breds, but you have a much better chance of getting the temperament you desire.

 

Why are you looking for that particular cross? Would a pure bred lab not do the same thing?

[Paul in North Lincs.]

Personally I would stick to a good all round 'proven' breed .........these have been bred for the purpose for hundreds of years........................a mongrel cross will not give you an edge otherwise it would already be out there.

 

any dog regardless of breed needs specialist training to work propery..........so again......the cross / breed is irrelevant.

 

To say that you couldn't train a spaniel.(in so many words).....is rather defeatest!!!!......get some books...read up.......understand the psycology of the dog and it will all click.......

 

I have trained my very first 'gun-dog' this last year........a ESS...and as a novice I have been very pleased with the progress made!!!!

 

there nothing to it......just love...and correction :oops:

[danielsonson]

Thanks for all points above - and I understand where you are all coming from.

 

A Lab with lineage was always the default position - despite that fact our very close friends professionally work and compete Cockers. I would not say I am a defeatest, but I have sort council with a number of our local professional handlers and the temprament of a Lab suggests it may be better suited to my requirements, type of shooting, terrain and expectations etc.

 

As for the X line - I just thought it would be nice to work with a slightly different beast, it is not to say that I would only look for a Mongrel, nor that any would be accepted but I am well aware that accidents do happen and that those pups generally go wanting due to the pretense that eminates from KC registrations.

 

Taking into account the advice given - I will re-visit my thoughts and probably spend a little more time with our Cocker friends - better to use the resource at hand and all that. We have shot over them on and off for 2 seasons and to say they are wonderful is an understatement!

 

Thanks Again

 

 

 

 

 

 

Personally I would stick to a good all round 'proven' breed .........these have been bred for the purpose for hundreds of years........................a mongrel cross will not give you an edge otherwise it would already be out there.

 

any dog regardless of breed needs specialist training to work propery..........so again......the cross / breed is irrelevant.

 

To say that you couldn't train a spaniel.(in so many words).....is rather defeatest!!!!......get some books...read up.......understand the psycology of the dog and it will all click.......

 

I have trained my very first 'gun-dog' this last year........a ESS...and as a novice I have been very pleased with the progress made!!!!

 

there nothing to it......just love...and correction :oops:

[al4x]

you seem to have a thing about KC registration being pretentious, it is a bit but the perks are you know the breeding history of the dog and what lines it comes from which can reveal its suitability for your purposes. There are plenty of cross breeds about and I do know a few that work very well but its more hit and miss as to their working ability.

[Roughshot]

LabXHPR are popular here in Ireland for roughshooting and are known as droppers, if you look across the water you shouldnt have a problem finding a good honest litter bred out of 2 workers

[lurcherboy]

If you really want to go ahead with a cross may I suggest a springador. I saw some two seasons ago and was well impressed with them and their actions. Last Saturday I watched what looked like a black Lab, acting and moving like a springer, doing everything that either breed does. It was excellent in the line and picked like a night nurse in a inner city school.

 

I will have one or two of these when some Lurchers die

 

 

 

 

LB