Best Dog In Water

[CRAFTY FOX 0]

Whats the best dog for retrieving in and around water, looking for something to take out on the creeks and marshes in the coming Fowling Season but not sure which dog would be best suited to the task.

Never had a retriever so a bit unsure which to go for.

[Lab 10,979]

Whats the best dog for retrieving in and around water, looking for something to take out on the creeks and marshes in the coming Fowling Season but not sure which dog would be best suited to the task.

Never had a retriever so a bit unsure which to go for.

Labrador...do all you want and more.

[CarraghsGem 92]

id have thought the irish water spaniel would deserve a mention

[Ideation 8,216]

Aye i'd go for a lab, i like springers but in tidal waters and with big fowl a lab has that bit more muscle to get the job done.

[lewismac1 1]

Black lab by a country mile

[Lab 10,979]

Black lab by a country mile

Yellow lab' by 2 country miles

[Steve McHardy 2]

ive used labs on the foreshore for the past 15yrs and they are great at it my old bitch would sit oposite me in a creek and keep watch when she hit attention there was duck on the way. never bothered with gulls but the bugger would have drowned before she let a bird go in the tide. she nearly dig bringing home a canada as big as her. in short labs all the way.

mine have all been black and always will be my next gen is planned for very soon.

unless your going to buy a young dog your a bit late to think you could get a pup and have out this season as it wont be old enough.

[CRAFTY FOX 0]

ive used labs on the foreshore for the past 15yrs and they are great at it my old bitch would sit oposite me in a creek and keep watch when she hit attention there was duck on the way. never bothered with gulls but the bugger would have drowned before she let a bird go in the tide. she nearly dig bringing home a canada as big as her. in short labs all the way.

mine have all been black and always will be my next gen is planned for very soon.

unless your going to buy a young dog your a bit late to think you could get a pup and have out this season as it wont be old enough.

 

Thanks for all the replys chaps, looks like a Lab it is then, to be honest i was hoping you was all going to say a sprocker or springer, my mates bitch is going to have a litter of springers soon and he is bloody good at training them too so that would have been job done, but as they say "buy it once & buy it right"..!

Yes Steve i realise i have left it a bit late to get my own dog for this season but for the odd occasion i will be going out i can borrow a dog or just use my friends for the time being, i was just trying to plan ahead for next year, i might not even like or get on with the Wildfowling as it will be my first crack at it but if i do i just wanted an idea of what to get in the future. I suppose the next thing is whether to get a pup or something part trained, i think i will cross that bridge when i come to it.

Edited July 11, 2010 by CRAFTY FOX

[Steve McHardy 2]

ive used labs on the foreshore for the past 15yrs and they are great at it my old bitch would sit oposite me in a creek and keep watch when she hit attention there was duck on the way. never bothered with gulls but the bugger would have drowned before she let a bird go in the tide. she nearly dig bringing home a canada as big as her. in short labs all the way.

mine have all been black and always will be my next gen is planned for very soon.

unless your going to buy a young dog your a bit late to think you could get a pup and have out this season as it wont be old enough.

 

Thanks for all the replys chaps, looks like a Lab it is then, to be honest i was hoping you was all going to say a sprocker or springer, my mates bitch is going to have a litter of springers soon and he is bloody good at training them too so that would have been job done, but as they say "buy it once & buy it right"..!

Yes Steve i realise i have left it a bit late to get my own dog for this season but for the odd occasion i will be going out i can borrow a dog or just use my friends for the time being, i was just trying to plan ahead for next year, i might not even like or get on with the Wildfowling as it will be my first crack at it but if i do i just wanted an idea of what to get in the future. I suppose the next thing is whether to get a pup or something part trained, i think i will cross that bridge when i come to it.

no offence ment mate, as it happens im going to put my lab bitch in pup she is due to go to the dog any day now. if your mates good at training spaniels you wont go wrong with the lab as they train there self almost. spaniels are alot harder in my opinion and ive had labs from when i was 15 and ive trained a springer for the owner of an estate i keepered on and ive got a cocker at the moment. labs are alot easier to train.

as for wildfowling its one of the last shooting sports in natures true wilds its magical. have a look at 2 books by the authur BB (denys watkins pitchford) called dark estuary and tides ending you will be hooked before you pick up the gun. i live right on the solway estuary so if you fancy a look up some time il take you out, pm me if you want.

[marlin vs 7]

id have thought the irish water spaniel would deserve a mention

Iv'e had an I.W.S.and she was useless and also the Chesapeake bay retriever and none of them can match the Labrador the Water spaniel is not called the clown of the spaniels for nothing and the Chesapeake I had ,had a hard mouth.

[stealthy1 3,964]

Labrador by three miles, you just cant keep a lab out of water once its seen it, its just in them, they will paddle in their water bowls if they have to