Will this dog hunt?

[kj22]

About a month ago I got a puppy from a guy in town, now mind you this dog is a mutt and was free. But she is half beagle quarter lab and quarter pitbull. She's a real good dog, but am wondering if she will be worth a darn hunting, mostly retrieving down birds....waterfowl mostly. I've thought about getting someone to train her for cheap because I'm in college and I work two jobs. Also, is there any book or dvd i should try to use....thanks in advance

[tatonka]

It's possible that she might retrieve waterfowl for you. Does she have the Lab type of coat, or is it shorter like a Beagle or Pitbull? If she doesn't have the right coat for retrieving waterfowl, she not handle cooler temperatures very well. The retriever breeds were bred specifically for a coat that will handle water and cold temperatures. The Chessie has the best coat for this type of work.

If she'll retrieve a tennis ball and is interested in birds, she can probably be trained to retrieve waterfowl. I really wouldn't pay a pro to train her for you.....You might have trouble finding a pro to take her on also.

If she doesn't work out, there are usually a lot of Labs in the "Free" columns in the newspapers. I have a friend who has gotten several that way over the years and has had very good luck......somewhat of a gamble, but if you have no money to be a well bred pup it might be worth taking a look at.