Lab vs Golden retriever for upland, ducks , grouse and best friend?

2107 Views 11 Replies 8 Participants Last post by Wingnut, May 30, 2016

cmrosko

Discussion Starter · May 24, 2016

I am looking for input from hunters with experience where they would be able to give input comparing the breeds Lab vs Golden retriever for upland, ducks , grouse and best friend? (would include watch dog to a lesser degree but is also a plus)
Thanks for your input.

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peanut

· #2 · May 24, 2016

Im a lab guy. So for ducks and best friend, lab. For upland/grouse, golden. They make good friends too!

Ive hunted pheasants and grouse over at least six of my buddies goldens. All very good. That being said, he now has a black lab who's parents are grand master/champions, and she is an upland MACHINE.

Hard to say, as I feel either can be molded into whatever you want???

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Cedar17

· #3 · May 24, 2016

Do you have two litters picked out? That would help with more specific answers.

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Dan_O

· #4 · May 24, 2016

Have had both several times, spent big money on each. Training was identical for all. Goldens are nice, but would go with great pedigree Black lab over great pedigree golden every time. There are inexpensive dogs that are great, but the odds are more in your favor if you go with a dog with a great pedigree. In most cases, that ain't cheap.

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EaglePoint

· #5 · May 25, 2016

Dan_O said:
Have had both several times, spent big money on each. Training was identical for all. Goldens are nice, but would go with great pedigree Black lab over great pedigree golden every time. There are inexpensive dogs that are great, but the odds are more in your favor if you go with a dog with a great pedigree. In most cases, that ain't cheap.

Agree with Dan. One thing to add: GR in general doesn't quite have the cold weather stamina of the lab. My advice is research some bloodlines and pedigrees, make some calls and spend the few extra hundred to get that right fit. My next dog will be black with a good pedigree.

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Kaiser878

· #6 · May 26, 2016

EaglePoint said:
Agree with Dan. One thing to add: GR in general doesn't quite have the cold weather stamina of the lab. My advice is research some bloodlines and pedigrees, make some calls and spend the few extra hundred to get that right fit. My next dog will be black with a good pedigree.

There ya go.... might have one lined up for tou.

I'm a lab guy.... Goldens have to many quarks for me.... they are great dogs, but there's a reason why labs are the most used dog for hunting birds... do your research, and be selective...

Money shouldn't be an object, within reason... ive owned back yard bred and I've owned high end.... I will never own anyrhing but a stacked pedigree dog ever again.... there's a reason why they cost double or triple what a back yard bred dog costs...

Also look at health clearances. You want at a minimum for your dog to have parents who have been tested for hips,elbows, eyes, cnm and eic... and this day and age, a dilute gene test... thanks to all the asshats breeding silvers...

Check dogs out on entry express and huntinglabpedigree.com pedigree once you find a breeding you like... that way you can see their performance history ad well as their health clearances...

There are endless resources out there.

See less See more

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cmrosko

Discussion Starter · #7 · May 27, 2016 (Edited)

Thanks for the input you all, I appreciate it.

Well I found a new little hunting buddy.
The breeder currently has one male left that he's selling at a significantly discounted price. I expect these will be very good hunters. They also have an inclination to point birds..
See;
http://marketplace.akc.org/dennis-medlin-32997/labrador-retriever-65354

This is the Sire;
http://www.huntinglabpedigree.com/pedigree.asp?id=21155

This is the Dam;http://www.medlinfoxredlabs.com/foxy.html

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Kaiser878

· #8 · May 27, 2016 (Edited)

cmrosko said:
Thanks for the input you all, I appreciate it.

Well I found a new little hunting buddy.
The breeder currently has one male left that he's selling at a significantly discounted price. I expect these will be very good hunters. They also have an inclination to point birds..
See;
http://marketplace.akc.org/dennis-medlin-32997/labrador-retriever-65354

This is the Sire;
http://www.huntinglabpedigree.com/pedigree.asp?id=21155

This is the Dam;http://www.medlinfoxredlabs.com/foxy.html

Flame is a good dog....

The female doesn't seem to be registered through entry express or hunting lab pedigree.. which only means she hasn't competed or ran tests.... not big deal..

Does the female have health clearances.?

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cmrosko

Discussion Starter · #9 · May 29, 2016 (Edited)

Yes, the Dam, Medlin's Red Point Foxy, has all health clearances for akc registration breeding.

She passed a JR hunt test in February in Monterey Ca.. She is a seasoned bird hunter. Her owner is an avid grouse hunter and grouse hunts in Wisconsin and Ontario. She's also hunted quail in TX. and pheasant in CA., and hunts upland birds in Ohio. The owner's main reason for this breeding was to get a male and female for himself and his daughter.
Foxy comes from a very good hunting line on both sides from a breeder in Mi. who's been breeding hunting line pointing fox yellow labs since the early 90's. Her Dam was Stosh's Red Cedar Point, daughter of Helm's Point Dr. PT., an outstanding pointing lab that Outdoor life wrote about some years ago.

I'm loving this pup... he's helped heal some of the ache of the loss of my 12 yr. old hunting bud and best friend Skyler in October.

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TDT

· #10 · May 29, 2016

I have had both over the years, my last two dogs have been labs. That being said for me labs hands down and while pedigree is nice and can give you a solid pup training is the key with any dog.Good hunting dogs are not an accident they are the result of lots of labor and love.

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Kaiser878

· #11 · May 30, 2016

TDT said:
I have had both over the years, my last two dogs have been labs. That being said for me labs hands down and while pedigree is nice and can give you a solid pup training is the key with any dog.Good hunting dogs are not an accident they are the result of lots of labor and love.

You can't train drive, marking ability, memory ability or most imoortantly, trainability.... that's bred into dogs...

It also depends on what your expectations are in an animal... some people's expectations are lower

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Wingnut

· #12 · May 30, 2016

Kaiser878 said:
You can't train drive, marking ability, memory ability or most imoortantly, trainability.... that's bred into dogs...

It also depends on what your expectations are in an animal... some people's expectations are lower

Well said!

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