Lab Vs Collie Lab Cross

[Gtbaker369 44]

Hi all,

Ive got to the point in my life that im fancying a Lab.

Ever since i was a little one ive had Springers, my dad mainly had Springers, so when it comes to Springers i am alright. But when it comes to Labs I aint really got a clue.

 

Ive been talking to a few people but thought id see what opinions i get on here.

 

Not at any point am i after a trialing dog but i dont mind trialing blood somewhere in the line. Im after a straight working dog.

 

Ive heard that somewhere along the line people put a collie to a lab for some more brains and then stuck to labs so all that is left now is maybe a little bit of white somewhere on a black lab.

Just wondered if anyone has had experience with a Collie Lab Cross and how the compare to a pure lab?

 

Cheers

 

[Lloyd90 509]

I've got a lab , she's a bit headstrong but I think my family spoiling her n not being strict was a big prob.

 

My mates got a 1st cross lab collie I believe and he's pretty switched on. Seems easy to train as he's quite good on commands and learned a lot more tricks than my lab (and my mates a right moron lol)

 

Whether this will transfer over to a shooting dog , you can only hope.

 

Some people seems to have pretty handy crosses on this site so if you don't need to trial etc I don't think it matters hugely.

 

One of the main benefits from a "pure" is that you can atleast ensure the 2 parents are well worked dogs that make the grade. not sure alot of people are doing gundog work with a collie so might be a bit of a chance in that ?

[whitefeet4190 1,725]

Collie x lab will heard ur pheasants and a lab will pick them up?? Ur call me ode China

[MIK 4,756]

i was speaking to some lads about this while fishing last week my first dog was alb collie cross and was as good a gundog as ive seen ....I remember when I was a keeper at 18 we had one of the queens lab trainers with us picking up in the line on a walked up day at the grouse and he said to me at the end of the day that is a very special dog you have there ...I remember feeling about 10 ft tall.

You wont see lots of lab collie crosses because the gun dog world is very much money orientated

[Gtbaker369 44]

i was speaking to some lads about this while fishing last week my first dog was alb collie cross and was as good a gundog as ive seen ....I remember when I was a keeper at 18 we had one of the queens lab trainers with us picking up in the line on a walked up day at the grouse and he said to me at the end of the day that is a very special dog you have there ...I remember feeling about 10 ft tall.

You wont see lots of lab collie crosses because the gun dog world is very much money orientated

Yes I know what you mean.

My dad always said that if you had a Spaniel, you were classed as a Beater. If you had a Lab then you were a Gun. Even though the best dog me dad has ever had was a springer called Joe, there was nothing he couldnt find or pick up. He used to be sent in to retrieve when all the others couldnt.

Like i said in my OP, all ill be looking for is a Dog that will do the Job, not after a trial dog, just a good hardy retriever.

[fabiomilitello 37]

 

i was speaking to some lads about this while fishing last week my first dog was alb collie cross and was as good a gundog as ive seen ....I remember when I was a keeper at 18 we had one of the queens lab trainers with us picking up in the line on a walked up day at the grouse and he said to me at the end of the day that is a very special dog you have there ...I remember feeling about 10 ft tall.

You wont see lots of lab collie crosses because the gun dog world is very much money orientated

Yes I know what you mean.

My dad always said that if you had a Spaniel, you were classed as a Beater. If you had a Lab then you were a Gun. Even though the best dog me dad has ever had was a springer called Joe, there was nothing he couldnt find or pick up. He used to be sent in to retrieve when all the others couldnt.

Like i said in my OP, all ill be looking for is a Dog that will do the Job, not after a trial dog, just a good hardy retriever.

 

If you're after a good hardy retriever to pick up pheasants and ducks, just get a purebred working lab. Any lines are good, mine is Glenbriar but there are thousands - Drakeshead are well known, Fenway, Basswood...

 

It's your choice at the end of the day. I've known collies can be quite neurotic because they are so intelligent. Labs are just hard working, eager to please dogs. They'll do well on the beating line as well, if you ever go beating. But of course, they are best suited for the picking up line.

 

ATB

Edited May 12, 2015 by fabiomilitello

[Gtbaker369 44]

Cheers Fabio

I am leaning towards a straight Lab to be honest.

Just need somet to sit with me in hide, walk to heal when rough shooting, go in a bit of rough when told to, and pick up when told to do so.

[mackay 3,364]

What of the rumours that collie blood was added to the trialing lines ?.

A lot of labradors today look nothing like Labradors of years ago, snipey, leggy, half the weight in some cases, with flashes of white popping up everywhere.

[trenchfoot 4,243]

Funny dogs collies, Ive seen collie lab x's that were excellent, but then for no obvious reason go gun shy

[clarkhirstphoto 94]

I've got a collie x lab

 

He retrieves a ball perfevt everytime, not tried him on game yet. ...Time will tell but guns don't bother him

[ftm 3,357]

im a springer man but ive seen all sorts of x,s both in beating line and picking up line the dog that stands out from al of them was a pointer x lab - ive owned collies & would never knock them they can be a very versatile dog indeed and excel at tough tasks

[sussex 5,777]

If you want a gun dog get a Lab ... They have been breeding them for years to do the job & have all the brains & attributes needed for it .. My pal had a cross , it was clever as fcuk but run a mile if you fired a gun near it .Stick with a straight Lab mate it might be more straight forward than a cross ..

[Gtbaker369 44]

Yes after a lot of thought and reading comments, I'm probably going to get a straight lab.

My spaniel will wonder what's going on when he stops coming out with me.

Sure he will enjoy retirment though lol