which dog?

weatherbyfoxer

Hi lads,just looking for opinions on breeds of gun dogs as im going to have to start training in a new dog this summer to replace my 11 year old Brittany spaniel

I had a 6 year old chocolate lab who I had to put down 4 weeks ago with huge sadness due to liver failure.she was the first retrieving dog I ever had and will be hard to replace...best company I ever had flighting ponds or bursting into a ditch like a small elephant to flush a pheasant

the Brittany was a good pheasant dog very steady pointing but age is against him he also refuses heavy cover and his retreving is so so.

my main shooting is hedgerows around stubble fields,some long grass,flighting a few ponds and walking a few rivers for duck

some lads recommend a springer but im told they can be a bit of a handful and hard to train

others say a german pointer but I kno very little about them

any thoughts lads?..would like another lab but a
Hard hunting/flushing lab is rare

TriggerPL

weatherbyfoxer wrote: »

Hi lads,just looking for opinions on breeds of gun dogs as im going to have to start training in a new dog this summer to replace my 11 year old Brittany spaniel

I had a 6 year old chocolate lab who I had to put down 4 weeks ago with huge sadness due to liver failure.she was the first retrieving dog I ever had and will be hard to replace...best company I ever had flighting ponds or bursting into a ditch like a small elephant to flush a pheasant

the Brittany was a good pheasant dog very steady pointing but age is against him he also refuses heavy cover and his retreving is so so.

my main shooting is hedgerows around stubble fields,some long grass,flighting a few ponds and walking a few rivers for duck

some lads recommend a springer but im told they can be a bit of a handful and hard to train

others say a german pointer but I kno very little about them

any thoughts lads?..would like another lab but a
Hard hunting/flushing lab is rare

Hard hunting flushing labs are not rare ! It a matter of paying for what you get !

Buy a lab with a bit of back breeding , spend the 4/5 hundred euro , at the end of the day it's an investment

allan450

correct.

shaka

Irish water spaniel . On my first, he just gone year old, been very easy train so far- my biggest problem is keeping him occupied. Never seen any dog move so fast in the water

fitzy_fitzy

Have black lab bitch, with kilerisk breeding.
Very happy with her.
Keep a eye out for kilerisk breeding.

TriggerPL

fitzy_fitzy wrote: »

Have black lab bitch, with kilerisk breeding.
Very happy with her.
Keep a eye out for kilerisk breeding.

Never came across that name , any ftch in background , can you name them ? Just interested. What part of country you get the lab

fitzy_fitzy

have the pedigree at home.
Think i am spelling it right.
The breeding is from Kerry. Rough shooting labs.
A lot FTCH on the other side.

weatherbyfoxer

Thanks for all the info lads I have made up my mind to go for another lab. hopefully ill pick up a young pup in april/may

Just have to decide to get a dog or bitch now??

shoot to kill

Good choice. A good lab is a good all round dog. Always heard a bitch was easier trained and some would say a dog is a harder worker.

BoarHunter

For labs If you have the choice try to get one with a thick coat layer of hair on the back. Some have it and some don't. Hope you see what i'm talking about.

TriggerPL

BoarHunter wrote: »

For labs If you have the choice try to get one with a thick coat layer of hair on the back. Some have it and some don't. Hope you see what i'm talking about.

????

BoarHunter

yes some labs have a thick layer of shiny hair on the back. It's a bit wavy, you can notice it. Nothing wrong in that breed wise. Some have it and some don't but it's a good asset for those who do. Gives an extra protection to your hunting companion.