Which Dog ?

Olaf

Well-Known Member
Hi, I'm looking into getting a dog at the moment and I was wondering what people would recommend.
I initially liked the idea of a BMH but then read the recent BMH thread and, well, enough said.
Ideally the dog would be a pet who would come to work with me (I'm a self employed Cabinetmaker and Joiner on a Farm) and would also live in my house (a smallish town house) .
The dog would be a pet but one that I can train for tracking a wounded Deer, should it be needed, but I don't want something that can't think about anything else and can't be around other people or kids. I don't want a yappy dog either, I'd like one that can quietly sit up a high seat and enjoy life with me, also, it would be nice if it were smallish, like Spanial sized. So, I've been toying with a Wire hared Teckle ?
My only concerns with the Teckle are its little stumpy bumpy legs ! Maybe they are a positive thing rather than a hindrance ? I imagine that they could work quite well on a wounded Muntjac in thick cover ?

Kindest Regards, Olaf
 
When I started out reading this I instantly thought "Labrador" but I think from the sound o things it may be a touch big.

Teckels can be a real handful but I don't have much experience of them.

Have you considered a Border Terrier? Small and placid and there are plenty of people who use them for deer work.
 
When I started out reading this I instantly thought "Labrador" but I think from the sound o things it may be a touch big.

Teckels can be a real handful but I don't have much experience of them.

Have you considered a Border Terrier? Small and placid and there are plenty of people who use them for deer work.

Hi, thanks, indeed a Lab would be lovely but as you observed a touch too big. I'll have a butchers at a Boarder Terrier. Are they not a bit of a disaster to train though ?
 
Hi, thanks, indeed a Lab would be lovely but as you observed a touch too big. I'll have a butchers at a Boarder Terrier. Are they not a bit of a disaster to train though ?

Ach, I've had a look and they look lovely but I think I still prefer the Teckle option. I'm open to further thoughts on it though ?
 
I work labs, always bitches. How much space does one take up compared to a border? They both need a bed in the corner of a room, a smallish box for the car and one does not cost any more than the other in kennels when on holiday because it is a bigger dog. There is a good choice of working labs in this country and a wee bit of homework should find you a good one with proper health checks having been done. I would not discount one because of size alone although I have sen some very big and powerful lab dogs that may seem out of place in a wee house.

Personally I would say a lab bitch from proven working lines would fit the bill perfectly.
 
Jamross has made some very clever points regarding a Labrador and keeping a dog of that size versus a terrier size dog.

Fair enough if you aren't over keen on the border terrier over the teckel but I would say as far as training a border goes they would be every bit as biddable as any teckel.
 
Be carefull not to take a dog which is to short in the leg. Imagine snowed in bracken or heather. There are so many types of ground on which a short legged dog will be disadvantaged a lot. The teckel has great nose and a lot of "spurwil" but is just to small, when the going gets tough. He is perfect for a short "totsuche" on easy ground, but how will he cope with a legshot hind or stag on a snowed in hill? A female lab has the perfect size.
 
Sounds like a lab is your ideal choice, as Jamross said don't think the bigger the dog the more space you need. That said if you do go in the lab direction consider a bitch of the smaller framed variety which can be around 25kgs, LIKE MINE!

Great family dogs, bidable, love working and have a very natural instinct (unless it's chocolate).
 
Hi - I will probably start an argument now, but are all chocolate labs poor useless animals? I have often heard this said, is it really true, or can they be trained as black and yellow labs?
Regards - K
 
Hi, I'm looking into getting a dog at the moment and I was wondering what people would recommend.
I initially liked the idea of a BMH but then read the recent BMH thread and, well, enough said.
Ideally the dog would be a pet who would come to work with me (I'm a self employed Cabinetmaker and Joiner on a Farm) and would also live in my house (a smallish town house) .
The dog would be a pet but one that I can train for tracking a wounded Deer, should it be needed, but I don't want something that can't think about anything else and can't be around other people or kids. I don't want a yappy dog either, I'd like one that can quietly sit up a high seat and enjoy life with me, also, it would be nice if it were smallish, like Spanial sized. So, I've been toying with a Wire hared Teckle ?
My only concerns with the Teckle are its little stumpy bumpy legs ! Maybe they are a positive thing rather than a hindrance ? I imagine that they could work quite well on a wounded Muntjac in thick cover ?

Kindest Regards, Olaf

How often will the dog be worked?
If just now and again, a lab will be just the ticket, if a few times per week something a bit more specialised would possibly be order of the day.
 
Hi - I will probably start an argument now, but are all chocolate labs poor useless animals? I have often heard this said, is it really true, or can they be trained as black and yellow labs?
Regards - K

No not all of them but most.
If memory serves me right in the late 19th century the first Labrador entered the uk which was a desendant from the St johns water dog, just as the new found land was. When they were first breed here black was accepted as the only proper colour and all yellow and chocolate pups from any litter were subsequently culled at birth. That was until some earl decided he wanted a yellow one, since aristocracy thought it ok to have a yellow so to was acceptable for every one else. chocolates on the other hand were still bumped. Durin the 1930's or slightly earlier chocolate and chunky was very trendy and fashionable and from this a fashionable dog was breed in the sense of the loveable chunky chocolate labs we typically see today, since this fashionable dog was breed out of desire parentage drifte away from working stock and by and large the dog lost a lot of its natural instinct. However choclate pups are occasional born from black/yellow parents. There is no reason why these would not make good working dogs. Like I said this is just from memory I could be slightly off on a few thing!

I'd take a chocolate lab from working stock, I'd love to disprove the myth!
 
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Hi all not to sure that all choc labs are usless but black labs are my choice have got two 8 month old bitches at present and thay are great companions and willing to learn the aim is to train one for deer and one for picking up phesies but there again most of my dogs have been self taught eg thay trained me!
what ever you choose am sure it will be right for you but black labs are the best
good luck
 
Not to detract from the original thread but you see a lot of very small 'snipie' labs these days . . . . are they preferable in the field?

I'm not a lab man, but would have thought a good solid heavy lab would be better for stalking.
 
Not to detract from the original thread but you see a lot of very small 'snipie' labs these days . . . . are they preferable in the field?

I'm not a lab man, but would have thought a good solid heavy lab would be better for stalking.

Mines got a snipie nose and is lightweight and lean, still strong as an ox and works very well. She my be less stocky than a thick set lab but she is still thicker (both physicaly and mentally) than most HPR's and has a thick strong neck. The thinner, leaner labs of this style I thick are partly breed from the need/desire to eliminate/reduce the risk born from heredatory hip displacia.
 
I am currently training a black lab for stalking but have to say that after 2 gsp and numerous spaniels the best stalking dog i have owned was a chocolate lab, if the new bitch is half as good i will be overjoyed.
.
 
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Gents, this is good info indeed. I completely agree with you about the Lab options and I know Labs well, I had one as a kid and used to help out with my best friends fathers 8 labs and 4 Springer gun dogs up keep. I had a great time helping with the feeding, walking and training when I was growing up. I'm afraid that they are too big though. As an example, you can have a Springer on your lap in the car but you wouldn't want a Lab sat on you for too long would you !
In terms of temperament the Lab is such a lovely dog, so kind and easy going, but, I think it is going to have to be a smaller dog this time.
Its a fair point about the stumpy bumpy short tiddle legs of the Teckle being a disadvantage though, and they are yappy too. I don't like yappy dogs, they get on my nerves. But chaps, thanks so much, looks like I'll have to keep on looking..... Anyone with any other suggestions...... ? ........Pleeeeeease.........
 
I think one of the issues about chocolate labs has probably come from a relatively small gene pool compared to yellow or black. So if a litter of all cgocolate was desired then there was a limit to choice of sire to bitch. I don't know this for a fact, just speculation. I have no doubt there are good chocolates out there but I have not seen on on any of the shoots I got to over the years.

Working dogs tend to be bred for ability firsts and looks second. So if yellow or black pop out they will not be disadvantaged by colour alone and there is no reason why if both parents have been chosen wisely they all have potential to make good workers.

Just like good retreivers some make good trackers and lines used for that purpose would be desireable as the parents are 'proven' on deer. That said, my lab bitch which can be seen in my gallery has never been on deer but is an experienced bird dog. When out for a walk should roe get up in front of us she gets really excited at the scnet they leave and instinctively wants to 'track' them. I have no doubt that one dropping blood as well would be a doddle for her on a hot track, and without any formal training.

I agree with Cadex on the 'looks' of some of them. Mine have always been very solidly built with good muscle.

I will probably take a litter off her next year as I want another pup for myself, assuming the health checks all come back okay.
 
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