British Field Labs?

I'd like to know if anyone here has an opinion on British Field labs? Good or bad I'd like to hear them.

Black ones are good, yellow and choc not so good.

The ones I've seen are big and slow

Robby

I've recently become acquainted with a kennel that brings in and breeds true Field champions from British and Irish lines and they are actually all on the smaller side. From what I've learned through this breeder is the true lines of dogs winning trials in the UK they are small compact and very athletic.

http://www.southernoakkennels.com


After seeing some of these dogs work on video and the fact they have a huge following of satisfied buyers it intrigued me.

I've kicked around the idea of buying a pup but I'm very reluctant and wonder how it would do if put through a force program and if the pup would have enough bottom to do big setups. Apparently there are a few trainers taking some of these pups through hunt tests.

I had heard there was a guy associated with wildrose that moved to Texas

Robby

I have heard this as well. Some guy I ran into at a park (he owned a wild rose dog). Said they are opening a “Wildrose South” oe something. It’s supposedly going to be just south of Dallas (like 20-25 min). Near Fin and Feather Hunt Club if you know where that is...

I think you can get a great British field lab. Especially for a gun dog/family pet. I have two friends (acquaintances?) that bought a puppy from Wild Rose. The dogs look like American field labs IMO. One is extremely soft. Both are calm and great family pets and house dogs. They (the dogs or the owners) do not run tests but would probably be fine running tests if they wanted to take their training to that level. I would say their drive is medium level.

I don’t think the two dogs I have seen would be great in the FT game. But I am sure there are some that would be a good fit for the American FT game.

I am sure Southern Oak breeds fine dogs. You have to remember who they are probably selling to. Hunting/family pets. Almost any Labrador will be a great family pet and therefore you will have many satisfied buyers.

Let’s pretend Southern Oak buyers were all FT buyers...would they have great reviews from Owners and trainers? Maybe, but probably not. But a FT buyer is a much different mindset than someone who buys a dog as a pet and takes the dog hunting once or twice a year.

Also...in general...I think it’s a great marketing strategy. If you’re looking to be a breeder and make $$ selling puppies then I think Southern Oak is a great business plan. You can hype up all the British lines and smaller size etc etc. But really it’s all just a bunch of BS marketing stuff to sell puppies. But it works.

Wildrose sells their puppies for $3500- $5k or something crazy. And they are minimally titled.

I have no problem with this because people pay it. More power to them. If they can get that much...then so be it. Just not a dog I would want if I were going to compete in FT’s. Or even in HT in my opinion. (At least for me).

There hasn't been a ft titled wild rose dog to date. It is a good marketing ploy, but in my opinion, further dilutes today's lab genes. Remember, you can take out the desire of any lab, but you can never put it in.

Robby

Barton Ramsey owner of Southern Oak will tell you straight up that his dogs are not for someone looking to get into American FT. He will also tell you that about half his breedings would not do well in a force program but has some that excel going through a force/e-collar program.

I do think that in the US labs are overbred and to many people not taking temperament into consideration along with a lot of other things.

However, if people would just put in a little effort when choosing a pup they should have no problem finding what they want with American lines.

I've got a little 4 month old pup that has the best disposition and temperament at this age from any pup I think I've ever had and she's the highest bred pup I've ever had. Very heavy FT breeding.

Funny how some of you think it is just marketing. In general British labs were bred for their style of hunting test which highlight natural game finding ability and demeanor. American bred dogs generally have a hyper temperament do to the traits we like. For those that say British bred labs don’t have as much drive are just flat out wrong. Each can result in a great hunting dog and companion.

Noone said anything about their desire level. That would be different with every dog, same as American bred labs.I have personally thrown birds and watched 4 different English labs in the 12 plus years I've been working labs. All 4 were quite large 90 plus lbs. All 4 were slow. None of the 4 could be taught to deal with pressure very well. They did however do well at a couple of pheasant shoots I was at, but all washed out as ft dogs.
Wildrose uses a marketing ploy which is successful with their demographic. To each their own. The op asked, and I gave my opinion from what I've experienced.

Robby

A British field lab is NOT an English (confirmation bred).

A British field lab is a field bred dog. It is no way related to an English lab any more than American labs are.

English lab and American lab are marketing terms. There are field bred labs and confirmation bred labs.