VikingsGuy
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If you are used to flushing labs, they also breed pointing labs. All the good of a lab plus the point.
GSP vs English Pointer
- Thread starter RyeGuy74
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Irrelevant
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What's the good part of the lab? I've never seen more than whining and excessive licking. I'd rather not have a dog than a lab, and I love dogs.
VikingsGuy
Well-known member
With the exception of pit bulls, all dogs are GREAT! To your question, labs in general are great family dogs and very good hunting dogs. Great with kids, affectionate, fun loving, loyal; and as adults, calm. They are great retrievers and can have great noses. They are hardy in cold weather, and will happily retrieve out of water. (When my buddy brings his Britannies, they just stand and watch my lab retrieve out of anything resembling a wet area - when not with me, my buddy won't hunt areas were a wet retrieve is a possibility as he loses birds). Labs are the single most "owned/popular" breed in the US. Their one downside in my opinion is that they have a long puppyhood - but if you go English style lab they are calm from day 1. Labs are traditionally flushers, but there are a number of good pointing lab breeders out there and a fair number of English style labs have a natural point. One more consideration, they do tend to run hot so location/season temps is something to consider - but up in MN & the Dakotas most hunting is done in cool/cold weather.
Lot's of great dogs out there, and to each there own, but can't go wrong with a good lab.
onpoint
Well-known member
So much snobbery
Ain't a lab nor an EP that can top what this girl has done for the past 13 bird seasons. Hoping for another................
She's either an improved lab or an improved grif - depends on your own snobbish take(s)
EP's are wickedly intense bird machines.......
Ain't a lab nor an EP that can top what this girl has done for the past 13 bird seasons.
Hoping for another................She's either an improved lab or an improved grif - depends on your own snobbish take(s)
EP's are wickedly intense bird machines.......
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Irrelevant
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My post was a joke, but not really. Most of my friends have labs for hunting, including two that have english labs. And I can assure than nothing you just said is consistently true. I have spent hours with several labs that were as neurotic at age 12 as they were at 12 weeks. I have never been around one that didn't try to lick you to death. I have been around ones that froze if it was under 50 degs.
And from all the dogs I've been around (and remember by wife runs out animal shelter) I would MUCH prefer to have a pit than a lab.
onpoint
Well-known member
VikingsGuy
Well-known member
And that proves you are either joking or crazy.
And shelters aren't a great place to judge animals. Very few well trained, well treated, well bred dogs in a shelter. Not to say there aren't some great mutts out there too. Dogs are just GREAT (except pit bulls - we should exterminate the breed)
That dog looks so very much like my Hank! Except you are better and putting more birds in front of her!Full disclosure.....
My other girl came with a fancy piece of paperwork, was $$$, holds a "hoity toity prize title"
Do love labs................
Untitled by Tyler Staggs, on Flickr
406dn
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I have had a fairly strong dog habit over the last thirty years or so. My father had an English setter when I was a kid,,,, so that's the direction I went. The habit started out hunting and killing birds and evolved into a field trialling habit. Hence the string of Tennessee Walking Horses that I own.
I'd never tell anyone one breed is the best breed period. There are so many preferences, all as valid as any other. My preference is for a big going dog that goes with you. Whether on a horse or walking, it should not matter, the dog has to handle.
I would suggest that if you want a pointing dog,, the single biggest advantage they offer is the ability to do the searching for you. If you constrain their search to little more than shotgun range, you might as well use a flushing dog. Let the dog search to the limit of its ambition. If it is honest on its birds, they'll hold them for you.
I've enjoyed field trails, met a lot of very nice people and my dogs have won from time to time.
A few years ago now, my best dog ever, won often enough to get invited to the National Amateur Shooting Dog Invitational Championship in Georgia. That was a long trip from Montana.
This is the first time Lola ever smelled quail.
I will often run two dogs from a horse at the same time. This day they each had birds,,, and I had a camera.
I'd never tell anyone one breed is the best breed period. There are so many preferences, all as valid as any other. My preference is for a big going dog that goes with you. Whether on a horse or walking, it should not matter, the dog has to handle.
I would suggest that if you want a pointing dog,, the single biggest advantage they offer is the ability to do the searching for you. If you constrain their search to little more than shotgun range, you might as well use a flushing dog. Let the dog search to the limit of its ambition. If it is honest on its birds, they'll hold them for you.
I've enjoyed field trails, met a lot of very nice people and my dogs have won from time to time.
A few years ago now, my best dog ever, won often enough to get invited to the National Amateur Shooting Dog Invitational Championship in Georgia. That was a long trip from Montana.
This is the first time Lola ever smelled quail.
I will often run two dogs from a horse at the same time. This day they each had birds,,, and I had a camera.
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Irrelevant
Well-known member
I meant is that I've been around a bunch of high priced labs and a bunch of shelter pits. I'd take the pits any day.
onpoint
Well-known member
That dog looks so very much like my Hank! Except you are better and putting more birds in front of her!
Correction, or maybe clarification.
The land and habitat provides my girls the opportunity(s) to put birds in front of me
As well as various forms of undeserved luck.............
corndog1
Well-known member
I have had more luck hunting roosters, especially public land roosters in thick nasty cover with flushers. Now if we are talking roosters that live out on the prairie where there are also Huns and sharpies either one of those pointer breeds would work for me.
VikingsGuy
Well-known member
To each their own - but this does explain a few things
I love my GSP. He was pretty hyper as a young pup, and he liked to lead the way in the field... but he has since mellowed out. All dogs just need a job, and in the case of pointers that is especially true. I get mine out in the hills every single day just about. I let him chase birds and rabbits for as long as he wants. No complaints from me
Salmonchaser
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Really a great summary!
onpoint
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The versatile breeds aren't called versatile for nothin'.
A birdhunter, her bird dog, a sewing machine and face shield fabrication.
Strange times go largely unnoticed by a wiry faced four legged athlete. They are at your side no matter the circumstances.......
A birdhunter, her bird dog, a sewing machine and face shield fabrication.
Strange times go largely unnoticed by a wiry faced four legged athlete. They are at your side no matter the circumstances.......
bullbugle307
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How well do your setters retrieve? I have two llewellyn, one will retrieve pheasants, but she kindve struggles with it and doesn't show much enthusiasm. The other won't pick up a bird at all yet.
Both will enthusiastically retrieve toys/ bumpers. I think they just need more time and experience.
Also, how good are your guys EPs and GSPs at retrieving?
Get yourself a GSP you wont regret it, they are as bombproof of a bird dog as you can get. Awesome bird dogs and even better in the house.
To answer your question, my GSP is a born retriever. Like all dogs she needed a little inspiration in the beginning to return all the way to hand but got it down without much struggle. As a pup she loved finding the birds, mouthing them, bringing them 95% of the way back, and dropping them just out of reach...seemingly just for spite.
If I had to point out flaws:
-She is an absolute pig and would be morbidly obese and eat us out of house and home if we allowed her.
-Walks at heel on a leash but absolutely hates every second of it.
-Not a huge fan of getting flopped by pheasant wings. Will retaliate by biting down on it until it stops....living.
-If not exposed to birds on a monthly basis she will harass yard chickens, groundhogs, squirrels, song birds, and every neighborhood cat
To answer your question, my GSP is a born retriever. Like all dogs she needed a little inspiration in the beginning to return all the way to hand but got it down without much struggle. As a pup she loved finding the birds, mouthing them, bringing them 95% of the way back, and dropping them just out of reach...seemingly just for spite.
If I had to point out flaws:
-She is an absolute pig and would be morbidly obese and eat us out of house and home if we allowed her.
-Walks at heel on a leash but absolutely hates every second of it.
-Not a huge fan of getting flopped by pheasant wings. Will retaliate by biting down on it until it stops....living.
-If not exposed to birds on a monthly basis she will harass yard chickens, groundhogs, squirrels, song birds, and every neighborhood cat
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406dn
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All of mine have retrieved, some really well, others decently. None of them retrieved on a par with a good Lab. A couple were a bit hard mouthed, but never chewed on a bird, just grabbed them with gusto.
