The best duck dog i have ever seen was a german shorthair.

Chessie's are got duck and family dogs. we have 2

There's a lot of opinion based on what the individual likes but the question is why are you not a fan of the lab first off and secondly what kind of bird's you want to hunt? With out answer's to those question's you can't get a real good answer. The belief here seem's to be your a duck hunter, I don't recall you saying that. One gentleman seem's to think you mean upland game birds, a GSP is no match for a Labrador in a duck blind, although it can do it.

I covered why I don't like Labs on 2/13/07:









RE: Dogs - 2/13/2007 9:16:32 PM





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crimedog

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I wouldn't get a Lab unless I had no choice, same with golden's. They have been so inbread it's not worth the time to train the dog when they are lame in 6-7 years. The deck is stacked aganst you with Labs and Goldens where Chesapeake's have not been screwed up by all the puppy farms and backyard breeders looking for 300 dollars. Sure there are good breeders out there but a good Lab will cost you 1200.00 and your still operating on faith.

What is said about Chesapeakes is horse crap, they say the same about the Rot's, I got two that love my family, no one more than the other and would give there life for anyone of us. My first Rot was a better bird retreiver than most Labs. Pick the dog right and you won'thave the problems. It's all in the dog you pick, not the breed you pick.


duckhunter669 also covered the GSP was for ducks and not upland game.





duckhunter669
Date 2/14/2007 8:28:15 PM


The best duck dog i have ever seen was a german shorthair.

Just occured to me, this is the waterfowl thred, DUH!!!!!

I've been out of duck hunting for a long time but as I get older and rounder, the comfort's of a duck blind are seeming more inviting than another march up a chukar hill! I love Lab's. I love all dog's. But I've never tried a Boykin spaniel and I'm gonna give one of them a go next.

I really do dislike it when people make this broadbrush remarks. "Labs and goldens.. have been so in bred and screwed up."

There is no history of where Chessie showed up other than they think some hunting dogs got off a ship somewhere on the East coast many years back. You know that they can be tough dogs to train and are more of an individual's dog than a lab or some other breeds.

I love to see my lab work both to get the ducks that drop in the water and work for the pheasants before and after I shoot them. Are there other breeds than do equal or better in one of the other (waterfowl or upland)? Sure. Are than many breeds that are as good all around fine hunting dogs as labs? Not many!

Sorry to offend you but it's no different than your statement

''You know that they can be tough dogs to train and are more of an individual's dog than a lab or some other breeds.''

Check German Wirehair dogs. They are great bird dog. They hunt hard, love the water and easy to care for.


Goatslayer........

I personally like labs ecspecially chocolate labs, they are fast learners and
great around children, and they last for a long time, too!

Labs....it doesn`t matter about their colour, that has nothing to do with their ability to hunt..wonderfulbirddogs!Chessies, I think are a strong willed/one person dog but still a great retriever(I`ve worked over them too)
My father raised Golden Reteivers for 25 yrs...great dogs, very family orientated. I spent 10 yrs as a member of a hunting dog club, most of them were GSPs, some of them were good retreivers also. Draathars, Wirehairs, Munsterlannders all make great NAVDA dogs. I`ve hunted over pointing Labs, Cocker Spaniels. Don`t forget the American Pointers also(hunted over them too)
My dog is an English Setter...she retrieves also. She has been trained in both upland and water. She is of the "Llewyllen" breed, just a bit smaller than regular Setters.
Point being is that, in my humble opinion, it all depends on how a particular dog is trained by a particular person.
Please do not blame the dog.





Notice that the geese are almost as big as her but she did some long retrieves that day. This was one of her best days as far as I am concerned.