Yellow Labrador Retrievers

[Marc]

I’ve got two Yellow Labrador Retrievers, Nash(back) and Penny(front). Nash is my hunting dog by far. He started hunting at the age of 11 months. Nash’s first season hunting he brought back 26 ducks and his first goose. He lost 3 ducks that fall which is not bad for a dog’s first year. When Nash turned two I had his hips x-rayed for warranty purposes. He had hip displasia. The breeder gave me the choice of putting him down and getting another dog or keeping him and getting another dog. We decided to keep him since he wasn’t showing any sign of discomfort or pain. Penny, who my wife picked out because she was the last of her litter, was a waste of a dog when it comes to hunting. She is smart as basic obedience goes but has no hunting instinct what so ever. If you tossed a ball or a treat at her it would bounce off her face I took her out duck hunting with me once because Nash had cut his paw. I shot a duck and she swam out to it and she looked at it and came back in. She didn’t want anything to do with it. That was the last time I took her out by herself. I’ve taken them out together hoping she would learn from the other dog but all she’d do is swim out and let Nash pick it up and bring it back. We decided that she was going to be a pet from that point on. Nash is now turning 7 and his age is starting to show. His face is starting to turn white around the edges. I shot a teal this fall and he chased it for about 200 yards and then the duck started to dive to avoid the dog. This went on for another 5 minutes and the dog finally caught the little bugger. By the time he swam back to the blind with the duck in his mouth he was huffing and puffing but he was still waggling his tail. He's waiting by the truck everytime I take my hunting gear out so he's not to old yet. If I shoot a duck and I can retrieve it fairly easy then I'll get it. I save him for the runners that are out of gun range

[bone-collector]

great dogs marc , we have lana a 2 year old purebread black lab female who is about as usefull hunting as a logging truck 8O , same syndrom , bounce ball off head and then run away , I rescued her from a farmer who was going to shoot her as her chicken killing ability is 100%

my other 2 dogs are just pets thats it, but as of thismorning I did apply to purchace 2 purebread bloodhound pups for tracking wounded game purposes and maybe even search and rescue eventually , will see what the breader says and how much they want a pup

[Cdn-Redneck]

Wow I thought I was the only one with this problem my Golden Retriever makes a better footstool than a hunting dog.

[Thunderstix]

Very very handsome dogs Marc (er, I guess one of them is pretty)

[QnsCowboy]

Great pair of dogs/companions Marc....My yellow lab died in Sept. after 13 yrs of staying warm in the house.....I have my second Black Lab now, but first female dog....I am slowly getting used to her, but seems to be proven me wrong and will be a great dog....

[Blacktail]

I have a german shorthair that points and retrieves grouse pretty good but I feel your pain Marc when it comes to ducks.
I don't know what it is with her ,she will swim out or chase them or do everything she is supposed to but flatly refuses to pick up a duck in her mouth.
She is keen to hunt and flips out when ever she sees the guns come out and stuff but I have gone to leaving her at home when I go out for waterfowl.

[Dano]

About 20 years ago, I had the pleasure of hunting over a pair of German shorthairs (an old and young dog). My dad's friend owned them and we hunted pheasants in Pitt Meadows and grouse in the Ashnola (near Kerameos). Oh yeah, we hunted chukars up near Cache Creek once too. Ian's dogs were excellent and I'll forever have the memory of the dogs locked up on the edge of the Pitt River and a covey of seven pheasant bustng out when we moved in.
If there's Pheasant hunting where you are, give it a try!
Dan

[yellowlab]

great looking dogs,Marc.i've had 9labs over the years blacks,choclates and yellows, only 2duds but i still loved them .i have three yellows right now.the mother i retired this year. she just rides in the truck now.she's 11. her two boys are 8 and still have a few years left in them.all three are hell on wheels when it comes to ducks and pheasants.

[Marc]

I hunted my male last fall but he's realy having a hard time this year. Any amount of exercise, even chasing a ball around for 30 minutes stiffens him up pretty bad. I haven't been out duck hunting yet this year and I think that may be due in part that I don't want to admit that it's over for him and I as hunting partners. He loves it so much and he's been such a great partner and companion. It's going to be hard to retire him but I think it's time he retires and becomes a full time pet. I'll pamper him as much as I can while he's still around as he surely deserves it.

Wife wont let me get a third dog so I wont have a hunting retriever until one of these ones pass on. I'm hoping that doesn't happen soon but I'm really going to miss hunting ducks on the marsh without a dog by my side.

Marc.

[Islandeer]

Fine looking dogs Marc. I have a pet choclate and a primo black bitch. I run her in hunt tests and she is the birdiest lab i have ever seen. Absulutely crazy about birds. She is 3.5 years old,her dad is yellow,so we will be having some super pups in the future, a few of which should be yellow. The stud we are looking at is yellow factored too and has shown well in hunt tests. The pups will only go to working homes as they would be wasted as merely pets. I will post some pics soon, I haven't posted yet so Gem will get her debut. If you are interested check out her parant kennell from Dartmouth, Doindogs. Her dam is Ada and sire is Sailor.

Dano, my Dad had GSP'trs and we shot hundreds of grouse over them. Hard to beat them for upland. He had one that retrieved ducks like a lab, dad always called him the Gordie Howe of huntinfg dogs!!

Blacktail, How ols is your dog. Was it ever force-fetch trained?

Cheers!