I just ordered a stand for my lab for this next season. I checked reviews and it showed 4.4 out of 5 with like 8 total reviews.

Wanted to see if any of you use this stand or have used this stand. Any pros or cons? Any tips to make it easier or better?

It is the MOmarsh Final Stand Dog Platform http://www.gundogsupply.com/momarsh-final-stand.html

Best dog stand money can buy. We have a couple of them as well as a couple invisilabs. Light and great for walk in hunts.

I'm not a waterfowl guy. What is the purpose? To get the dog out of the water?

Originally got the base only, ended up selling it and getting the covered one in stead. Biggest reason was to hide my dogs tail better. 2 seasons in and it's light and durable. Would recommend.

The Invisalab is much more versatile than the regular stand, I use it for the dog, ducks, and gear when hunting the marsh. I had layouts, decoys, and an invisilab in my garage after hunting season. They are so good that someone stole the invisilab but didn't worry about the full body decoys, layouts, jet sleds.......

Definitely more versatile but not something you'd want to carry more than a couple hundred yards unless you are walking on dry land.

Not to be rude, but if you're not a waterfowl guy, what are you doing in this section? Lol.

To answer your question;

It has multiple reasons.

1. I've "place" trained my retriever. Meaning I can command "place" and he'll go to his stand (or whatever location that I establish as his "place"). Keeps him from moving all around the blind.

2. Keeps the dog out of the water thus preventing the dog from getting too cold. Though in the south where I hunt that is usually not the issue.

My biggest reason is the first one I put. It is a means to control the dog...

Great answer...if I ignore the first sentence. Please remember this is not the Waterfowl forum! Its the Migratory Bird Hunting forum. I'm passionate about shooting dove and do an occasional SandHill Crane hunt, but I have only been duck hunting twice in my life...its not my thing, but I like learning new stuff about all aspects of hunting, event if I do not hunt a particular species.

Does the platform go inside your blind, or does it get a smaller blind/natural cover of its own for the dog.

OWNED!

These are the best stands I've used. I've got the one with the cover.

I have an Invisilab and use it for water and for field hunts. Stands and invisilabs(full enclosure) are great products and as previously mentioned serve a few purposes. The dog is elevated for better visibility, can be drier depending on the depth of the water, and as previously mentioned it helps with steadiness (when taught). I started using mine last year for dove hunting and it was great. The regular stand would also work well dove hunting.

I hunt in tall dove weed and sunflowers. You can leave it on the ground but couple of feet visibility is huge when marking in that stuff. Also, I would drop a cool matte (out of an ice bucket) inside so every time she jumped back in she was laying on a cold matte. On the stand the matte stays relatively clean and more air is circulating around the dog.

I'll eat crow on that one. Lol.

I sometimes forget that this section is for all migratory birds, not just waterfowl.

Again, I wasn't trying to be rude.

In my opinion, if you have a legit blind with a hard floor then this probably isn't needed. I hunt freelance style on public land, so I can't use a real blind. It is typically just finding the best natural cover. I would just put the stand close by and brush it in as well.

I don't need a dog stand to control my dog. I use it purely to get dog out of the water, otherwise I'm not hauling a dog stand around on a hunt. You should be able to "place" (or whatever term you use) your dog anywhere, next to your layout blind or where ever. I use a Sportstand, not sure if they make them anymore, I've had it for 9 years.. It has straps to carry like a back pack, has decoy bag that goes on the back although I never use it, and sterdy enough where we both can sit on it. But that Momarsh stand looks good, especially for the price. I want to say I paid $250 or something.

One big difference in the sport stand and momarsh is that the momarsh platform is made of mesh that allows the water to drain out from the bottom. That and the almost $150 price difference.