My First REAL Dog!!

jryley · #1 05-13-2011, 03:12 PM

Hey gents. Exciting times!!! Lookin at my first actual retriever here. Had a couple labs with my father when i was younger but im
Now in a position where im looking at my own dog. Being a new family man and all. Ive narrowed it down to a chessie, lab or golden. I do a lot of goose shooting so i want a heavier dog, i think. More
Muscle mass i guess you could say. If i go with a lab i prefer english lines. Larger head and generally more mass. Anyone
Have any words of wisdom to
Help me with my final selection? AND some breeders names?

citori · #2 05-13-2011, 04:15 PM

I got mine from www.eagertrieve.com

Check his picture out

sinawalli · #3 05-13-2011, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jryley

Hey gents. Exciting times!!! Lookin at my first actual retriever here. Had a couple labs with my father when i was younger but im
Now in a position where im looking at my own dog. Being a new family man and all. Ive narrowed it down to a chessie, lab or golden. I do a lot of goose shooting so i want a heavier dog, i think. More
Muscle mass i guess you could say. If i go with a lab i prefer english lines. Larger head and generally more mass. Anyone
Have any words of wisdom to
Help me with my final selection? AND some breeders names?

Had a chocolate like that! Huge guy! Weighted in at about 110lbs! Awesome dog! Was great with the kids, very smart, never wandered off, just BIG!!

Emo · #4 05-13-2011, 05:48 PM

I would think I would prefer a Chessie? They are larger overall (vs a lab or golden) so that makes up more of their mass but they have longer legs than the other two so seems to me they would be slightly more agile, I also find them more rare, not too often you see them.

flyguyd · #5 05-13-2011, 05:49 PM

Chessies are a little rough around the edges and can be exceedingly stubborn ,but they are tough as nails and generally a one man dog. Goldens are a walking burr magnet but very smart and make for better family dogs. Myself i would go with the Lab

densa44 · #6 05-13-2011, 05:58 PM

I don't know how many dogs with an English head retrieve geese but I do know that if you meet some of the doggy people in the Edmonton clubs you'll meet dog experts, see some very good dogs, and maybe a number of breeds.

The training days are going on now, the licensed trials soon.

The dog will live 14 years +/-, so make sure that you are happy with your pick.

RLG · #7 05-13-2011, 07:17 PM

get a chesapeake. big dogs, lots of strength and endurance for geese all day long, they also double as a good security system around the farm. Have labs at the moment, but the next pup will be a chesapeake in a few years, and a female. they are all good really, just preference.

blackmamba · #8 05-13-2011, 07:20 PM

I got my chocolate last october from jc labrador puppies out of carstairs .. This dog is absolutely amazing and very well put together .. check em out or Give jackie a call.

Puppies@jcslabradorpuppies.com

heres easton at 4 months . He leaves on monday for 3 months of training at ringneck kennles ..
easton mountain.jpg

mamba,

gatorhunter · #9 05-13-2011, 09:02 PM

Trust the old adage about the fight in the dog, not the dog in the fight! Size DOES NOT MATTER when it comes to retrievers.

I'm big into waterfowl retrievers and Canada goose retrieving particularly. I can state unequivocally that I have seen all kinds of 60 pound labs retrieve goose after goose, from 30 yards to 300 yards in all kinds of field conditions.

Virtually all the waterfowl outfitters within 50 miles of me (at least a dozen) use 55-65 pound labs. They are hunted every day for 5 to 6 weeks with up to 50 Canada goose retrieves per day.

Most of these dogs are family pets when not hunting in the fall. They are not field trial dogs, just hunting retrievers. Training takes place regularly throughout the year and picks up during summer (swimming). When bird season starts they are in shape to run and carry or drag geese for hours.

In terms of family dog, there are none better than the retriever. I've had Goldens and they were phenomenal with our babies who then grew into toddlers. However, our present dog is the most intelligent, easy to train, friendliest, funniest, most dependable dog I've ever seen. My wife brings him to school every couple of weeks so that kids can read with him. He is a black lab with the head and body characteristics of the English blood lines. He weighs exactly 72 lbs right now and about 68 - 70 in the fall.

silver lab · #10 05-13-2011, 09:59 PM

I've had a english bred lab and I have a field bred lab now. The english bred had a hard time jumping into the box of my truck(which is a pain when you have your hands full of huntin stuff).The field bred lab dosnt even need the tail gate down.Lol! dont fret the size. my 75 pound male will out work my 90 pound female all day! For the most part a good blood line = A good dog!

#11 05-13-2011, 11:36 PM

Nice dog (;

Quote:

Originally Posted by gatorhunter

Trust the old adage about the fight in the dog, not the dog in the fight! Size DOES NOT MATTER when it comes to retrievers.

I'm big into waterfowl retrievers and Canada goose retrieving particularly. I can state unequivocally that I have seen all kinds of 60 pound labs retrieve goose after goose, from 30 yards to 300 yards in all kinds of field conditions.

Virtually all the waterfowl outfitters within 50 miles of me (at least a dozen) use 55-65 pound labs. They are hunted every day for 5 to 6 weeks with up to 50 Canada goose retrieves per day.

Most of these dogs are family pets when not hunting in the fall. They are not field trial dogs, just hunting retrievers. Training takes place regularly throughout the year and picks up during summer (swimming). When bird season starts they are in shape to run and carry or drag geese for hours.

In terms of family dog, there are none better than the retriever. I've had Goldens and they were phenomenal with our babies who then grew into toddlers. However, our present dog is the most intelligent, easy to train, friendliest, funniest, most dependable dog I've ever seen. My wife brings him to school every couple of weeks so that kids can read with him. He is a black lab with the head and body characteristics of the English blood lines. He weighs exactly 72 lbs right now and about 68 - 70 in the fall.

gatorhunter · #12 05-14-2011, 08:54 AM

Thanks Ladygun! He is a sweetheart! 4.5 years old and still has a puppy face when he drops his ears.

LiegeRiver · #13 05-14-2011, 09:03 AM

Go with a Lab, hands down. We had a Chessie, and while he was a great dog, and I loved him to pieces, he was a one-man dog. He was my first retriever, and I made some mistakes with him. After he passed on, my wife got me a Lab pup for Father's Day 2003. I've NEVER had a better dog. Smart, people friendly, loved the kids, loved to hunt, you name it, he was the best. He has since left us for the big duck slough in the sky, where all good retrievers go. You won't be sorry with a Lab.

LR

LiegeRiver · #14 05-14-2011, 09:05 AM

Go with a Lab, hands down. We had a Chessie, and while he was a great dog, and I loved him to pieces, he was a one-man dog. He was my first retriever, and was probably too much dog for me . After he passed on, my wife got me a Lab pup for Father's Day 2003. I've NEVER had a better dog. Smart, people friendly, loved the kids, loved to hunt, you name it, he was the best, for 13 years. He has since left us for the big duck slough in the sky, where all good retrievers go. You won't be sorry with a Lab.

LR

threeforthree · #15 05-14-2011, 04:05 PM

Read below................ENOUGH SAID