How many have yall hunted behind different breed of dogs besides labs that you enjoyed?

I had a great Chessie. I didn't hunt ducks much, but used him a lot on pheasant, and occasionally on dove and quail. He was awesome. I don't think we ever put a bird down that he didn't find and retrieve. He would charge through the dense willow saplings like a tank.

owners have a labradoodle that is a duck dog. have not hunted over it but they have.

Why do you not want a lab? Just curious, and is kinda important in your next pup purchase, which I'm assuming is why you are asking the question.

I have a Boykin who is great. I prefer the smaller size being a house dog and rides better in the front seat of my truck also.

Spoke with a guy who bred chessies, he said the problem with labs was if someone broke into your house the lab would probably help them carry out your stuff, a chessie would eat them.

Well Scott, you know what I got and why LOL. But for those that don't...

I considered all the versatile bearded dogs cuz I like upland hunting, too. I ended up with a pudelpointer and have zero regrets about that decision. She does train and retrieve differently than a lab, took a while to adjust.

She's also a phez hunting machine and heck of a good pointer, too. The not shedding part was just a bonus, some do.

I’ve had Labs, GSP, GWH, and setters. I will only own chessies the rest of my life.

I could be talked into a jag W/a chessie, but I wouldn’t use him in any big water situation


Chessie is a lot of dog, if to much I’d look into a DD.

Not my lab. And you better let her sniff you first before you try and pet her.



I do agree though that, on average, chessies makes a better watch dog and are also, normally, more muscular.

I use Deutsch Drahthaar for everything.

That duck's not dead yet...but it's trying to be vewy vewy quiet.

Not even close to being dead, it was just winged. Catching a winded greenhead, especially when both feet still work and diving, not an easy bird to catch...

What's interesting with wounded ducks on public vs private water. Private water, especially small enough where you can see all the banks, if you just watch the duck with your binoculars, it will swim quietly away to the other side, then quietly go up the bank 10 or 20 yards into cover, and just sit there quietly and hide. Let them sit for a while, they think they are safe, you can just send your dog and pick it up like an easter egg. On public that won't work, it will be gone, it will not go up on land and hide, it will just keep swimming away. I have done this experiment many times on private and public water (lakes).

I have a Boykin as well. Such great dogs!!!

My girl Molly (RIP 2015) would point. I think she's pointing at a grasshopper here..

I've got a golden. She is a great family dog and is very scrappy and will hunt and run through brush and hunt with the best of them.

With that said, she will be the last golden I get for a hunting dog. Her coat picks up every cockabur in the county and I've spent hours after hunts getting then all out of her coat. Boykins have the same issue.

I'll go back to a lab on my next gun dog, unless I somehow end up moving to a place that has more upland options than I might get a GWHP or a drahthaar.

My girl Molly (RIP 2015) would point. I think she's pointing at a grasshopper here..


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When I was a kid we had a half lab/half pointer. She would point at airplanes flying overhead.

Have duck hunted behind goldens, boykins, and GWPs. Follow someone on social that runs their husky lol

I've hunted ducks with labs, brittanys and dathaars. All work.

I've hunted mainly behind two WPGs and couldn't be happier. About to hunt behind a young PP which I suspect will be similar. Not shedding or not shedding a ton is huge plus for house dogs.

Long hair is not ideal for a hunting dog, and duck dogs, it’s like a mop coming out of the water, more water in the boat, takes longer to dry off….and some dogs get smelly when they get wet. And freezing temperatures, can’t imagine what it is like when that long wet fur freezes. Labs they shake, and they are pretty much dry. My dog I never give her a bath, her bath is going swimming. And a bath with shampoo takes all the natural oils out of their coat, makes a huge difference how fast they dry off and how much water their coat holds when the get out of the water.

I had a Boykin Spaniel who was a bad to the bone as a retriever. He was the first Boykin ever to get a Senior title in retriever games in the state of Texas to my knowledge. He was running at the Master level when I got too busy with kids and stopped doing the hunt test games.

With that being said though. There is always a best tool for a specific job and for the job of fetching ducks and geese nothing beats a lab, except maybe a Chessie, but then you have to deal with the Chessies attitude.

Labs are just great all around dogs. They can turn off their energy inside the house, can flush and fetch upland game and excel in retrieving waterfowl. For my money if a dog is going to be primarily a duck dog you have two choices a lab or a Chessie.

Man. Looks like there are a bunch of other dogs running these days. It seemed I was the only fluffy dog at HRC for awhile.

Don't forget the versatile Vizsla. My second one I ran in HRC and AKC. Huck18's dog was running then too. I watched him run. He had a really great Boykin. My first two Vizslas were used maybe 50% waterfowl some years, but I hunted a lot and all over. My new one Rosie I have mostly been using for upland. But she was under 6 months old during last season. She does have a couple waterfowl hunts under her belt though. I might or might not run her in some HRC and AKC hunt tests, but I am wanting to focus more on upland first instead of everything at the same time like I did Dash.

Dash



Blaze


Rosie

While I believe there is no better dog on the planet when it comes to retrieving game than a lab, there are a couple other breeds I’ve seen that got the job done.

My second choice other than a lab would be a Golden. While they can be quirky there are definitely some that are bad to the bone. I would be very picky on where I got one from.


The other breed I would consider would be a pudelpointer. The few have been around had great water attitude, retrieving desire and temperament. I would also only take one from a specific litter I’ve actually been looking at. I know the dam and she’s a beast.


The GSPs I’ve been around might could retrieve your birds but they just don't typically act like they enjoy sitting and watching, they want to hunt a field:

Every chessie I’ve been around looked like it was in slow motion and didn’t particularly care for their temperaments.

Used to hunt with a buddy who had a Boykin. Amazing dove dog, hated cold water. They just aren’t built for the cold.

I was always impressed with the Pudelpointer's I saw while at NAVHDA events. It is only the only other breed I would want to pair with my Vizsla and let it take over more of the waterfowl side of my hunting, but still hunt upland. In fact it was my plan this time around, but My V is full of field trail blood and handles like a wild mustang. With my hands full training that one, I am holding off on the 2nd dog for now. Maybe after I get another strong upland season and some road trip versatile hunting under her I will start looking.