In your oppinion, the best alround dog

[77 si 21]

if it was my choice i would go for the spaniel, but labs are excellent dog to.. atb

[Lloyd90 509]

You've asked 2 different questions. 1st you asked what the best all round gundog ? Then you asked whats the best beginners gundog ?

The Springer spaniel is called the maiden of all work, The best beginners dog is a lab IMO as there MUCH calmer and easier to train.

Which one you should get depends on the shooting you want to do. I take my lab wild fowling by me and she will retrieve well, she will also hunt but will not hit cover like a spaniel will, thats why I got my springer, shes too young to work atm but when we go after the rabbits my mate brings his springer who goes through the cover like a loon and puts my lab to shame lol

 

The dog you should get depends on what you want it to do! That includes being a gundog, what type of working it does AND whether it is a pet aswell, in the house or kennel or whatever. Its easier to get away with having a lab in the house, my springer in the house does my head in shes bonkers but my bloody mother keeps letting them in!

[theferreter 311]

a springer hands down mate but ive seen some good cockers trained till the gun

[Dan Newcombe 58]

Personally i would go for a spaniel, i like cockers and as long as you keep well on top of them ALL of the time then they arent too hard to train. There is nothing to choose between a good cocker and a good springer.

 

Labs can be given a bit more freedom without loosing all control.

 

Never mind what anyone says, no lab will hit cover like a spaniel will.

 

Sum up, spaniel for a working dog, lab for a family dog that works a bit.

 

BUT

 

If i was you i would hold back from getting the dog until you decide if you actually want to continue shooting, otherwise you might end up with a 13 year nightmare

 

Dan

[Nik_B 3,790]

I was in a similar situation. I went for a Lab as I was told that for a first dog a spaniel might be too much for me to handle. Having said that my lab is very strong willed and drives me mad at times.

 

Which ever you chose bear in mind you are going to spend two years at least working your a*se off with the dog. Where as you might only get out with the gun once a week, you'll be training that dog every day.

 

I didn't even pick up a shotgun till my dog was nearly a year old and we're still along way off from him being good enough to go in to the field. It's getting to the point where I am thinking about sending on a residential course....now this is going to cost me more than my first shotgun.

 

Just a few things worth thinking about but good luck with your choice!

[lampinglurcher 36]

i have a retriever and a sprocker, both very hard working dogs but if i had to choose, the retriever would c me out on top every time. she hits cover like an express train, windscents and groundscents, very biddable and loyal, easily handleable, she can turn her hand (paw?) to any sort of work, be it driven shooting, rough shooting, bushing, trailing wounded game and angry foxes....

the spaniel is also a very useful dog but just isnt as smart and switched on.

hope this helps

[beddylurcher 70]

my old springer x lad best dog iv ever seen working cover, if u saw him you would have thought he wontnt be able to get into any cother as he was a very big dog but he use to smash through anything in his way and also very good at picking up.

atb andy.

[samearl14 11]

i have a retriever and a sprocker, both very hard working dogs but if i had to choose, the retriever would c me out on top every time. she hits cover like an express train, windscents and groundscents, very biddable and loyal, easily handleable, she can turn her hand (paw?) to any sort of work, be it driven shooting, rough shooting, bushing, trailing wounded game and angry foxes....

the spaniel is also a very useful dog but just isnt as smart and switched on.

hope this helps

 

 

Two nice dogs there mate

[h11wka 1]

just my opinion but you can't beat a gwp for the all round dog they will work the heaviest ov cover retrieve any thing they love water there a bit head strongand they will work al day on the moor in the forreast any where and they[ point] and they are stunning to look at atb kevin

[lampinglurcher 36]

i agree, GWP's are great dogs that excell in their field, but the humble retriever is often overlooked

[lampinglurcher 36]

i have a retriever and a sprocker, both very hard working dogs but if i had to choose, the retriever would c me out on top every time. she hits cover like an express train, windscents and groundscents, very biddable and loyal, easily handleable, she can turn her hand (paw?) to any sort of work, be it driven shooting, rough shooting, bushing, trailing wounded game and angry foxes....

the spaniel is also a very useful dog but just isnt as smart and switched on.

hope this helps

 

 

Two nice dogs there mate

 

thanks fella, alot of time and effort's been put into them

[Tobster838 12]

.

Edited February 17, 2012 by Tobster838

[Lab 10,979]

Lets not pretend some Labs wont hit cover like spaniels cause they will and vice versa there are some very good spaniels that can out shine a lab on retrieving, but these animals are few are far between. So if your mainly using the dog for shooting over and you want to pick what you shoot then i'd go for the Lab. If your going to be hunting up/ flushing then go for the spaniel.....

[Millet 4,497]

What about a spaniel X lab ...would you not get a bit of both from that cross.

[RubyTex 1,957]

Everyone just get a Springer and be done with it..