Springer x lab

[welsh_hunter12 119]

I won’t bring myself to call them a springador haha.anyone have any experience with these? I’ve just reserved one off a gamekeeper friend of mine.it’s going to be my first gun dog having kept lurchers and terriers for years so I’d like to hear good and bad in them thanks 

[Elchapo 3,167]

23 minutes ago, welsh_hunter12 said:

I won’t bring myself to call them a springador haha.anyone have any experience with these? I’ve just reserved one off a gamekeeper friend of mine.it’s going to be my first gun dog having kept lurchers and terriers for years so I’d like to hear good and bad in them thanks 

Seen 2 or 3 , worked like a spaniel but not as fast , looked like smaller labs , dindnt realy see any benefits from the cross other than not having a spaniel spinning circles or a smaller lab , 

[welsh_hunter12 119]

I see thanks for that.it should suit my needs in the beating line,rough shooting and bushing for the lurchers hopefully.

[Elchapo 3,167]

19 hours ago, welsh_hunter12 said:

I see thanks for that.it should suit my needs in the beating line,rough shooting and bushing for the lurchers hopefully.

To be honest mate if it was for what you’ve just said I’d go full spaniel, the prices are coming down no pick non papers spaniel up 600 .

[welsh_hunter12 119]

Yeah I see what you mean but I’ve committed now and it’s dirt cheap.plus the bloody missus is smitten 

[welsh_hunter12 119]

Thanks yep that’s exactly the way she’s shaping up a mini lab.I’ve seen the dam (lab) work loads of times and she’s brilliant.and I’ve heard good things about the sire which is also owned by a keeper 

[Born Hunter 17,798]

I'd imagine the benefit of the cross is it'll produce a dog with more hunt in it than a lab but more forgiving to the novice than a spaniel?

[Lloyd90 509]

On 10/12/2021 at 12:38, Born Hunter said:

I'd imagine the benefit of the cross is it'll produce a dog with more hunt in it than a lab but more forgiving to the novice than a spaniel?

 

Or a dog with the size and power of a lab, which likes to bugger off like a spaniel?  

 

Most people get these top bred dogs, and don't put in much effort training to be blunt, many a wild dog on a shoot thats far better bred than the owner needs. 

Put the work in and I imagine it will do you well. 

 

From what you have described I'd train it like a spaniel, but it might be a bit harder if it takes after the lab character wise. 

[welsh_hunter12 119]

Got her off TomKeeper off her on Sunday and she’s a clever thing already well chuffed with her.roll on training in a few months 

[Tyla 3,179]

So ..... how did she come on?

[welsh_hunter12 119]

She’s a belter.so easy to train too.

[Neal 1,873]

There's a short section on this cross in John Cowan's "The Gamekeeper's Dog" in which he says pretty much as has been written above i.e. potential to be "the ideal keeper's dog" as it'll hunt well, face water readily and be biddable. Looks like you've picked a good 'n.'

[jok 3,323]

All the above. Had a field trial Labrador and field trial spaniel. They were kennelled together and I missed the obvious. However. The outcome was fantastic. My friend had 2 pups, Spic and Span. What a pair of dogs the turned out to be. We did the Solway on the geese(obviously) and those little dogs were just the best. Fearless. Obedient, biddable, friendly. I would, without hesitation, recommend  this breeding. Strange thing is that they don’t take the springer colouring. What they do take is the the look in there eyes which is unmistakelingly spaniel. Jok.

[welsh_hunter12 119]

Thanks yeah fingers crossed she’ll do me proud.it’s my first gun dog so I’m a total newbie.the lurcher and Lakeland bitch hate her big time so that’s a pain in the arse at the mo but im hoping they’ll relax when she’s got out of that pup stage 

[welsh_hunter12 119]

The little bitch got into my shed yesterday jumped on the lurcher’s kennel then across to the garden furniture and up to the shelves! Chewed my sealand gaiters, about 30 purse nets, my cartridge belt and a really old catapult! She’d better make a good gun dog haha.