ORIGINAL: sproulman
i use SMALL lab for grouse/phesants here in pa.
1. but a ENGLISH SETTER can come behind me and get a phesant that my lab missed, i seen that a lot.
2. yet, i like lab.
3. seems other dogs have better nose than lab. maybe doc e and daleh can comment on the nose of lab vrs other dogs.
1. I've see that and I've also seen the reverse
2. Me too ---- especially of the pointing variety
3. I think the jury is still out. It's something that is probably very difficult to quantify. I think most "experts" believe that the Hounds (particularly Blood Hounds) have the best noses.
Then, of course, you have the "Sniffer Dogs" (drug, bomb etc) and Labs (and a few Goldens) make up the huge majority of those dogs. That is likely due to retrievers being a little more laid back and "people pleasers" than pointing breeds --- and that combined with the fact that Sniffer Dogs are working for their reward (a retrieve)of finding the bad stuff.
Some pointer folks have found that plenty of Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil)in the diet markedly enhance scenting ability.
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