To say that genetics don't matter is simply foolish. Your best bet is picking a dog who has parents that are good hunters with the characteristics that you want. Then make a plan and stick to it as far as how you will train the dog but be flexible as to when the dog will be proficient. Also, if your getting a puppy in the summer it would most likely be the following season that you would have a hunting dog. It's a big commitment but well worth it.

Still can't get over, an owner makes a dog and genetics don't matter.......

To say that genetics don't matter is simply foolish. Your best bet is picking a dog who has parents that are good hunters with the characteristics that you want. Then make a plan and stick to it as far as how you will train the dog but be flexible as to when the dog will be proficient. Also, if your getting a puppy in the summer it would most likely be the following season that you would have a hunting dog. It's a big commitment but well worth it.

Still can't get over, an owner makes a dog and genetics don't matter.......

WOW at some of the responses.

I've been down both roads. I bought my first lab from a back yard breeder. Dog was great and a life long friend. Still miss him to this day, but I'd say I got very lucky with that purchase. His hips went out, and I had to have him put to sleep. Not something I ever want to go thru again!

Buying a puppy from a proven line with certain traits isn't 100% a sure thing, but it greatly reduces the variables of just picking one off craig's list with the #1 thing being the health of the dog. There's nothing worse in this world short of losing a family member than loosing a retriever. It's a bond most people who don't hunt will never understand and a commitment. I'd hate to know I shortened that experience of ownership with hip and eye issues in my dog that could have been avoided with buying a quality puppy. That's first and foremost in my mind. You also can't teach drive in a dog. They either have it or they don't. Sure labs are smart enough that you can get them to retrieve if they don't have it, but again you greatly reduce this chance if you pick from a quality litter. Puppies are like children. They are going to have qualities their parents have. So here's a question:

If you were the GM of an NFL team and had to burn a draft pick on a 6 month child, would you:
A) pick the child from a proven Hall of Fame NFL player who's wife was an Olympic champion or
B) from two little people you meet on the street with zero knowledge of their background?

I know. Extreme example, but I think we both agree the odds of having an NFL player from one of the examples far exceeds the other although neither is 100%.


If you are wanting a pure meat/hunting dog, I'd find at the very least an HRCH sire and dam that have both hip and eye guarantees. Just my .02!

As far as hunting the first season, Just depends how much you work with em like I said, you get that dog living for retrieving they'll be ready to go 6 months.


That's my dog at like 10-12 weeks, sitting on hand signals next to me and staying until I sent her and putting the bird in hand. She hunted 3-4 times a week at 6 months old with 20 plus retrieves a hunt. You want a machine you gotta build it

X2

You stack your odds of getting a great pup by getting one that has great parents.

x3...and don't get tied up in the whole field trial champion thing. Often counter productive. FT dogs are bred to run straight lines and follow commands. This often equates to breeding the nose out of the dog so they do not smell something and deviate. You want a hunting dog with a nose.

Hunted over two field trial champion Brittanys two years ago. My two GSP's outperformed them hands down....like 8 coveys to one, and singles, not a one by the Brits. Never hunted over a field trial retriever, but the concept is the same