Best hunting dog ....ever.

[303carbine]

My dad bought a bear dog from a local dude in PG, he said the dog would always let you know where the blackies are.
We went out for a spring hunt and the dog spotted a nice bear, the passenger window was open and the dog made a leap and he was out onto the road.
We were waiting for the dog to tree the bear, we saw no dog, and the bear was making tracks into the bush.
My dad spotted the dog in the rear view mirror making fast tracks towards town in the opposite direction of the bear.
We went after the dog and about 10 minutes down the road we picked up the pooch and made our way back to town.
We went back to the dog breeders house to have a chat with him with the pooch in tow, he was sitting on his porch laughing as we drove up to his house.
He knew all about this dogs "aversion" to bears, he did not make any false claims about the dog, he said you would know exactly where the bears are., he just didn't tell us that the mutt would be running in the opposite direction.
He had the doggie payment ready and promptly gave dad his money back, we all sat around laughing about his bear dog and we got the story from the breeder about how his runt of the litter pooch made for town at the first sign of bears.

[Big Lew]

The best hunting dog I've ever owned was my first lab. It came from a excellent bloodline and the
only reason I was able to buy it was by giving up breeding rights and that he had too much white
on him as well as short legs. He did well in the field trials until I pulled away from the snobby bunch
controlling it at the time. I then concentrated his training toward hunting and a high level of commands
needed for leash-less traveling through the coastal mountains with me. I've owned several since, but
none, including the present one, could match that first lab for a hunting, companion, and protection dog.
The present one comes close, but he's actually too smart. He wouldn't make a champion trials dog because
he thinks about each scenario too much instead of just barreling through thick and thin in a straight line.

[lorneparker1]

The best hunting dog I've ever owned was my first lab. It came from a excellent bloodline and the
only reason I was able to buy it was by giving up breeding rights and that he had too much white
on him as well as short legs. He did well in the field trials until I pulled away from the snobby bunch
controlling it at the time. I then concentrated his training toward hunting and a high level of commands
needed for leash-less traveling through the coastal mountains with me. I've owned several since, but
none, including the present one, could match that first lab for a hunting, companion, and protection dog.
The present one comes close, but he's actually too smart. He wouldn't make a champion trials dog because
he thinks about each scenario too much instead of just barreling through thick and thin in a straight line.

Quite a few shots at dogs/people that trial there.... You don't really think that trial dogs don't think and just " barrel through thick and thin in a straight line" do you?

I have personally found MOST people at trials to be very nice and helpful. in my experience dogs who run retriever trials successfully are very good thinkers. There is a touch more to do it then just fido going out and picking up a duck at 30 yards like 95% of hunting scenarios

[Big Lew]

Well sir, as I mentioned, I've had several labs. All experienced some level of training and experience
related to field trials. Some had to be trained to go in a straight line, others naturally would do so.
I had one female that was so hyper and keen to get the bird or training dummy she would jump off
high ledges or launch herself into brush piles, or any other object between her and her target. She never
considered an option of going around. She injured herself in doing so, and although she likely would have
done very well in the controlled environment of trials, sooner or later she would have really done herself
in when hunting. As for my comments about people running the trials, I implied that at the time my first lab
was involved, some of the people had attitudes that I found unacceptable. I did not suggest all those involved,
especially the rank and file members, were a problem. As you say, most were more than willing to help in any
way. If you are curious about what I thought to be an unacceptable attitude, pm me and I will explain more fully.