Originally Posted by
mr.mc54
A Lab can do it all if you get a good one! First of all there are pointing and flushing Labs. Both will do Grouse as well as pheasant. I like the flushing Lab, that's just my preference, for all around bird hunting. As far as I'm concerned a lab can do it all!
there is more to hunting too. what can your dog do after the 15 weeks or so hunting a year?
lab is nice because they will retrieve at home in yard. they swim. they are tough dog on defending you from bears/coyotes/fox/bocats/cougars/other dogs/your neighbor who they dont like
they hunt in front of you at 30 yds max.they look for you all the time while hunting.
toby goes out in worst weather with me.we take walks at midnight with full moon at 10 above zero in feb in pa.
labs hair is easy to maintain.
lab is not best dog for grouse,setters/gsp/brittanys are better.they hold their nose up to scent,labs do more ground scenting.
next and probably the ONLY problem with lab is HEAVY COAT for upland. those coats beat the heck out of lab in heat.most labs cant hunt more than 3 hrs .
setters/gsp will go all day. next day too.
this is what i see.i have had toby wear out in 1 and 1/2 hrs at 55 degrees and he is in fairly good shape too.
HEAT is brutual on lab.
i am looking at setter as we speak as i hunt grouse the most but i cant get away from another lab,i just like them .
even a POINTING LAB will tire out here in bigwoods of pa.
DOC E is real good at lab and his hunt longer than my toby does.but i am only 1 using a lab for grouse here in my area of pa.those other dogs go all day and they have more grouse in their bag than me and toby do.
flusher is just not right dog for grouse in my opinion but very good for phesants.