Home Forums Birds & Dogs Hunting Dogs Pointing labs

Guys,
I understand your position, and certainly you should choose the breed that is best suited to fit your needs. I would hope you may also understand your hunting needs and situations are not universal.

As an aside, I am curious as to your understanding of how the different breeds and their characteristics/qualities/traits were developed? Do you think, perhaps, it was through breeding for those specific qualities/characteristics?

I'm hoping I have a fair understanding about breed characteristics and traits...but that all being said, above and beyond man orchestrating the selective breeding of dogs to bring out certain traits ( like pointing in a Lab..) Individual dogs within a breed are often just that...individuals....I'm sure not every member of every litter of labs bred for pointing points...as it were..
Some ( a great many) labs make good Service Dogs for the disabled, some make great Narcotics detection or EOD dogs...they weren't "bred" for that..but if they have the traits and personality for it....why not???
Not every German Shepherd born is going to make a police K9...and so forth..
A few examples from dogs I've trained..
Two Border collies for Narcotics detection...
Labs for same...
Standard Poodle for a Service Dog..
and the one that takes the cake..
A "Goldendoodle" who was trained to track an Autistic Child who wanders... ( Dog is a crackerjack at it too...)

Examples could go on and on, but a Lab that points?....You Bet.
A Brittany that retrieves, likewise....and so on...
Thanks for letting me spew a bit...





Ingwe

Yes I understand how breeds developed I just don't see the need to make a Lab into a pointer if you want a pointer get one.

Dukeman,
You are correct, if you want a pointer you should get a pointer.

AJD; You are correct, if you want a pointing lab, you should get a pointing lab!

Ingwe

I understand the idea of if you want a pointer, get a pointer but have to admit that when I was looking for a dog (my first) it was for one that had the following traits: ability to handle the weather (I'm allergic to dogs so it would definitely be an outside dog 100% of the time), ability to hunt both upland and waterfowl, trainable, and last but probably most important that it would be good with kids because even though I LOVE hunting the season is only so long therefore it would be the kid's playmate ALOT more then it would be my hunting companion.

Finally decided on the lab and the fact that she started pointing birds out at 10 months of age, even though her parents don't and nor have I heard of any of her littermates doing it, is one of those little side benefits that I am VERY happy to be able to take part in.

In summary, didn't set out to buy a pointing lab and didn't but am sure tickled that she does.

A post on the first page shows my Dixie in action.

INGWE, 10-4, thank you.

BwanaND,
That's great. I had much of the same reasoning although mine will be an inside/outside lab. I primarily require a retriever for my hunting, but having one that could/may/would point is a bonus and an interesting and exciting possiblity. Yours is a beautiful lab and it sounds like she is exceptional.

I've never heard anyone complain about a pointer that retrieves.

AJD, didn't intend to direct last post at you, just a general observation. As far as I'm concerned the more I can get my dog to do adequately, whatever breed it is, the better.

I didn't think you had. I agree with your statements. It is the point, no pun intended.

my GSP loves carrying things in his mouth but they were bred to be an all around dog more than a dedicated pointer.....when i let him out of his crate when i get home from work, first thing he does is scan the immediate area for something, anything that he can pick up and carry up the stairs....

and that's a pretty good point to mention, as in the earliest days of wingshooting pointers were only utilized to find and point the birds... once dead birds were on the ground the retrievers, which had been kept at heel, were sent to retrieve them....

it was knowledgeable dog men that recognized the different possibilities and selectively bred for dogs that were a bit more versatile... and this was a couple of centuries before the lab emerged in north america as a breed type...

the lab, being by nature more versatile and biddable than most breeds, is a natural for breeding selectively for desirable behaviors (pointing)...

i'm still going for a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon this time....

I knew you were flawed.

John, good luck with your WPG.

Took you THAT long to notice???


Ingwe

I was waiting for a serious character flaw such as the above.

I must say...I haven't been accused of much worse...

Ingwe

Tex in school







Yep puppies are fun!

Waggin-tail dog!

Lots of promise....

Ingwe