Cant decide

[stalkinginengland]

2 GSP, 1 Vizla and a SWP by far and away a class above the rest. Together with the GWP.

Don't get me wrong I love all my dog work but for an all rounder I dont think you can beat a lab.

Mark

 

[Bestman]

Is a SWP a Slovakian Wirehaired Pointer?
Interesting point about giving 95% of Labs kennel space but only 5% of HPRs, probably explains why Labs are so popular.
I'm quite keen on a Lab but am put off by potential health problems and the fact they age pretty quickly.
Also while there is no doubt they perform better once your quarry has been shot, finding it in the first place I'm not so sure.....

 

[stalkinginengland]

Yes that right about the SWP

There are health problems with many breeds but the point is that if you go for working stock with hip and eye scores and clear eyes your a good way there. The point is they are so easy to train and very intellegent. There is another point. Many of the HPR breeds have thin coats. We used to keep GSD for poacher watching and I know keepers who tried Dobermanns and had to get rid of them because thier teeth cattered with the cold. I would imagine that GSPS and vizlas would be the same.
The gene pool is so large that the chances are you will get a usefull one. Breeders of working stock by definition need very sound animals. If they trial them they then make thier money through the stud fees or pups so it stands to reason that the must have the future of the working breed in mind. Its a very small world in trialing and if a line has faults it is soon known about. I could put you in touch with a breeder who would be happy to give you a demo of what they are capable of. Compared with what they are able to do tracking deer is well within thier bounds. On your other point most of mine have gone to 12-14 years.

Mark

 

[Bestman]

Thanks for the reply Mark, you make a compelling case.

 

[stalkinginengland]

My pleasure, I hardly got started.

Mark

 

[Stringer]

well lads, yes there is some good news! Was over in glasgow there with the other half at the weekend and made a little trip down to meet Stringer and his family.
Must say very nice fella including his family. We had a good long chat about stalking etc, much to the annoyance of my other half, who at this stage has to listen to me repeat every stalk about 4 times! Think she is getting itchy feet to start the pigeon shootingWe went out and had a look at his pups and I have to say I would have definately taken more than 1 if the other half wasnt there .
Great strong pups for the age of them after alot of deliberation we settled on the little bitch. Although there is nothing really little about her . We are more than pleased with the newcomer and cant wait to collect her in a few weeks.
When I get a few photos of her I will be posting straight away to give you folk a look and you might even want one yourselves!!

Cheers Stringer!!

Glad you got home safely, it was a pleasure to meet you and your better 1/2. We'll try and get you a roe doe when come to collect your pup.

All the best

Stephen

 

[Big Yan]

[FONT=&quot]Hi, I think you need to think about the kind of land your stalking, the species your stalking and what you will want the dog to do.
I have a GWP but I stalk open hill, and forestry. I stalk Muntjac up to Red so I need a strong versatile dog GWP is the one for me. I spent along time looking for species and once i decided that it took me 18 months to find the line i wanted. I insisted it was from good working stock and none of this field trial shite. They are two opposite tyres field trial and working. mine points, tracks and has just proved he can pull down the large species so he suits me. he is my best friend and very loyal and would protect me or my Mrs which is always a bonus. [/FONT]

 

[stalkinginengland]

[FONT=&quot]Hi, I think you need to think about the kind of land your stalking, the species your stalking and what you will want the dog to do.
I have a GWP but I stalk open hill, and forestry. I stalk Muntjac up to Red so I need a strong versatile dog GWP is the one for me. I spent along time looking for species and once i decided that it took me 18 months to find the line i wanted. I insisted it was from good working stock and none of this field trial shite. They are two opposite tyres field trial and working. mine points, tracks and has just proved he can pull down the large species so he suits me. he is my best friend and very loyal and would protect me or my Mrs which is always a bonus. [/FONT]

View attachment 3813

When you looked at the pedigree did you look for Field trial shite as you put it, show shite as I would put it or just go on gut instinct and hearsay?

Mark

 

[Wolverine]

[FONT=&quot]Hi, I think you need to think about the kind of land your stalking, the species your stalking and what you will want the dog to do.
I have a GWP but I stalk open hill, and forestry. I stalk Muntjac up to Red so I need a strong versatile dog GWP is the one for me. I spent along time looking for species and once i decided that it took me 18 months to find the line i wanted. I insisted it was from good working stock and none of this field trial shite. They are two opposite tyres field trial and working. mine points, tracks and has just proved he can pull down the large species so he suits me. he is my best friend and very loyal and would protect me or my Mrs which is always a bonus. [/FONT]

View attachment 3813

Aye aye big yan,my labs are full of your so called field trial shite,all of them will pull down wounded sika,red or roe,so your point is!!!!another thing all of them point deer and follow up any blood trail.BTW don't get too cocky if that is the only one your dog has pulled doon,mine have pulled down and killed well into the 30's,not all my cock ups either,police RTA's and other stalkers calling me out.Nothing special so dinna get a big heid.although wirehairs are decent dogs,labs can do the same job and they ain't hooligans or thugs,easier to train too,more trustworthy wi kids,cats and other dogs tooAnother thing most of them have been stags or bucks not an easy hind without headgearI do my labs,ATB

 

[stalkinginengland]

Mine are full of fiels trial shite too and the first time I used one I tracked a roe in a fox snare. That was many years ago and i used him only though desparation. He had never been trained for deer, but he tracked for about 300 yards and then tried to retrieve it. That was through pure instinct. since then labs are all i have used. And well said Wolverine.

Mark

 

[finnbear270]

Wish I had a dog!,.............. I could join in this bunfight!

 

[fieldgun]

Hi Stone

Depends on the dog, a lab being a big dog needs quite alot to keep it fit a terrier not so much as they are quite busy on there own, Greyhound walked hard twice a day, it goes on, so it is a good question, as you know I have a BMH and the guys that have had pups are very pleased with them, I part trained a dog for a mate in Cornwall, following blood and baying at antlers at three mths so not that hard to train(cant be if I can do it) thought I would get that one in first.

cheers

Kelvin

 

[Wolverine]

It's like rifles and calibres everybody has a favourite.Decrying one breed over another just doesn't work cos they will all do the job as long as they have been brought on right.Near enough any and I mean any dog will follow a blood trail,it's natural for them.All the dogs I have had have done the job well from springers,labs,terriers and lurchers.I would love a german shepherd or a hanovarian just to try them out.Horses for courses choose a breed that's right for you,as long as it does the damage on whatever you want it for,fine.Had pointers too just prefer labs,like I say whatever works for you

 

[Big Yan]

LOL Aye, well the comments on here are typical of this site. I was trying to get it accross that all dogs will do the job and its down to what you stalk the most ie forestry or open hill etc. To be honest field trial dogs in my experience have never been as go but all you are doing from what you have said is going to produce in a few lines what I was looking for, a dog that works for a living and not just trials. Do you all use your dogs for working and trialing or just working. M point was that the trialing dogs cant work as well, but when you breed yours the pups will be from working stock will they not?
Oh and it werent about gettin a big heid it was about telli ng other that there is another young dog out there that has arrived at a decent level and would pull down a live wounded animal.
I also have labs but for game so your point about labs was also invalid. So your saing GWPs are less trustworthy than labs, well ive known a few labs over the years go for other dogs as much as i have any other bar spaniels. And as far as deer with head gear is concerned i am in agreeance with you they are different and one day I may need to use him on a antlered beast and hopefully he will rise to the occasion.
But I am happy with my GWP

 

[Wolverine]

Big yan,I have bred my labs from field trial stuff just for the biddability aspect.proper field trial dogs will "work"all day long too.My dogs don't trial,they are worked on deer everyday,you are correct if you say some field trial lines are a bit too "soft" on deer,mine aren't,however is it just down to luck that they are interested in deer,some would say yes,I see where you are coming from and personally I would tend to agree wi you,better to have parents that are bred from stuff completely engrossed wi deer,you do stand a better chance of deer dogs being produced,however if you bring any dog on welding it to deer shouldn't be too much of a problem,after all it's quite natural for them to go deer,well done wi your dog,sure he will be a credit to you,just dinna slag aff labsPoint taken about labs not being trustworthy,no dog can really be trusted,can they?Yes they are working dogs,better than GWP's too,only joking now!!!!

 

[stone]

Hi Stone

Depends on the dog, a lab being a big dog needs quite alot to keep it fit a terrier not so much as they are quite busy on there own, Greyhound walked hard twice a day, it goes on, so it is a good question,

Kelvin
just to make it clear for those that hav just purchased a lab or thinking of one
Labs being a big dog DO NOT need lots of exercise to keep them fit,
They need regular exercise
which should be monitored from a pup like with most working dogs to help prevent cruciate and shoulder problems
Labs are not built to run all day like some dogs can, totally different genetic make up
but also you need to remember, the more you exercise your dog the fitter it gets, which can only mean one thing
It will keep needing more exercise to satisfy it's fitness levels which in turn could cause more harm than good
weight and health issuses are more regulated by feed than exercise
As for size comparison related fitness Cockers are small dogs that keep busy, but may need 10 times the exercise that a Lab needs so it can cope with a full days work in the field
Exercise is like you say relative to the type or breed of dog, but not to the size
ATB

 

[stone]

To be honest field trial dogs in my experience have never been as go but all you are doing from what you have said is going to produce in a few lines what I was looking for, a dog that works for a living and not just trials. Do you all use your dogs for working and trialing or just working. M point was that the trialing dogs cant work as well, but when you breed yours the pups will be from working stock will they not?

Big Yan
this last post of yours is quite confusing

what is it you want from a working dog, that you don't get from a trialing dog ??

From what stock is a trialing dog bred from that makes it so different from working stock as you put it ??


ATB

 

[Wolverine]

You are correct stone in your last 2 posts but if I may intercede on big yan's behalf,I think he is angling at the fact that if you have a pedigree full of FTCh that is no guarantee of success on deer,it can make your obedience work easier but it won't guarantee you success on deer.Then though can anyone,seeing as pups from the same litter can be vastly different.Also as field trials are on game not deer I presume he is saying this but then again presumption is the root of all evil.You pays yer money you take yer chance.There is never any guarantees with dogs,you can stack the odds in your favour but no guarantees

 

[Wolverine]

BTW finnbear get a lab

 

[finnbear270]

NAAH!, Labs are just too fat.................