Advice Please

[slipper 116]

hi all, i,m after a bit of advice that i can pass on to a friend, he needs a dog for pigeon/crow shooting mainly but we do a lot of rough shooting, well a bit of everything really, what would be the best choice? we have been told to forget spaniels because they will not keep still in a pigeon hide, but then others have said forget a lab because it will not smash through cover, not sure on what to decide on I have more experience with terriers and lurchers so my knowledge is limited, please can anybody advise us what is the best all round gun dog?

[border-hunter 29]

either a lab, or a lab x, labs will work cover just as good as a spaniel..

[Peter Tierney 0]

No chance a lab can't work cover as good as spaniels can I'm no saying the can't be used for rough shooting but they can't hunt like a spaniel. A well trained springer is in my opinion the best all rounder .

Same time a lab is the best for picking up or wildfowling no saying a spaniel can't

[stroller 341]

if you want a dog to go through cover then a terrier is better than a spaniel, if you want a dog to retrieve from cover then a spaniel is better than a terrier. All of the gundogs can be trained to sit still etc.

 

I have a vizsla which is a pointing breed who will not work cover like a spaniel but then he doesn't need too he comes on point if anything is in the brambles if there isn't anything there he wont bother its all about horses for courses. spaniels are generally happy little dogs who need a firm hand (Not brutal)labs can be more laid back but ive seen plenty of metal labs as well. pointers are born mental because they have to run like f**k all of their working lives!

 

its a big decision getting and training any dog they aren't tools they are much more

[dicky82 1]

I would suggest a well mannered Springer, that's just my opinion. Lots of people have lots of different breeds they use for the hide and or rough shooting. might be worth remembering that if you buy a pup it will be next year before you know if they are suitable for both the hide and rough shooting. if you were to look at older dogs that have a bit of experience in both scenarios then you could then have your decision made about what breed you go for.

[whitefeet4190 1,725]

hi all, i,m after a bit of advice that i can pass on to a friend, he needs a dog for pigeon/crow shooting mainly but we do a lot of rough shooting, well a bit of everything really, what would be the best choice? we have been told to forget spaniels because they will not keep still in a pigeon hide, but then others have said forget a lab because it will not smash through cover, not sure on what to decide on I have more experience with terriers and lurchers so my knowledge is limited, please can anybody advise us what is the best all round gun dog?

hi mate one of my mates has just had a litter of good springadors red and black, the dam is is first cross lab springer and the sire is a nice strong red dog that is runs in tests they should be just what u need give me a ring on 07540765353 if ur interested

atb

pete

[loumic 47]

I have a springer that will sit in a hide all day, smasher cover to pieces, she'll sit on a peg, run in a beating all day too and has ran in fields trials.

To me a good spaniel is the best gundog as you can go out hunt and flush your game out of any cover (where a terrier couldn't get) and water then when told bring it back to hand or handle out as far as needed if trained right.

I've been on so many shoots where labs won't even look at a bird if in cover and miss birds too.

[camokev64 36]

hi all, i,m after a bit of advice that i can pass on to a friend, he needs a dog for pigeon/crow shooting mainly but we do a lot of rough shooting, well a bit of everything really, what would be the best choice? we have been told to forget spaniels because they will not keep still in a pigeon hide, but then others have said forget a lab because it will not smash through cover, not sure on what to decide on I have more experience with terriers and lurchers so my knowledge is limited, please can anybody advise us what is the best all round gun dog?

 

Slipper,

 

The first thing you need to do is work out exactly what the requirement is of the dog,and by the way that you are speaking it appears that a Spaniel would suit your friends needs.

Now here`s the hard bit.

 

Never mind people coming on here saying my Lab will smash cover for fun or my Spaniel will take 500 yard runners.At the end of the day each breed if trained correctly excels in their own fields,it is only the trainer to blame in 90 odd % of cases when the structure disintegrates and the dog becomes out of control.

So, yes a Spaniel will sit quiet and steady at heel when not required to work,just as a Lab will face cover if trained correctly and is required to do so.

Training and Dedication is the key...

 

Good Luck and stick in.

[slipper 116]

thanks for all the replies

[Peter Tierney 0]

if you want a dog to go through cover then a terrier is better than a spaniel, if you want a dog to retrieve from cover then a spaniel is better than a terrier. All of the gundogs can be trained to sit still etc.I have a vizsla which is a pointing breed who will not work cover like a spaniel but then he doesn't need too he comes on point if anything is in the brambles if there isn't anything there he wont bother its all about horses for courses. spaniels are generally happy little dogs who need a firm hand (Not brutal)labs can be more laid back but ive seen plenty of metal labs as well. pointers are born mental because they have to run like f**k all of their working lives!its a big decision getting and training any dog they aren't tools they are much more

He wants the dog do do a bit of everything so a terrier no don't be silly lol