GWP x Labrador

[countrryboy]

When I started out with dogs the best advice I ever had was - if you like a dog, use it’s sire
Thats why race horses - FT winners struggle to replicate, people use the fashionable one rather than the producer in MHO
Some crosses seem to gel - Lab xGWP seems to be one , but one guy I talked to who has had them for many years say the first cross ones are the ones to go for.
The subsequent crosses he found were poor
Good luck with whatever you choose

Spot on Marta.
An old dog man used to say the same if u see a cracking dog find its sure.

Funny I knew a couple of keepers that preffered 2nd gen labX wire, but there really not doing anything a pure lab wouldn't do.

To be fair most of the problems wether pure or X bred are due to folk not being honest about there own dogs ability.
Most lurcher men prob wouldn't breed of poor dogs and as no red letters to for have to use a bit of sense/eye, pure breed dogs would off been the same decades ago, breeders using there eye, now it automatically the nearest/most fashionable stud.
Plus there breeding dogs for there specific purpose, buying or using a well bred FT dog of any breed purely for deer stalking isn't really bred specifically for that purpose.

 

[Keith Edmunds]

Easy temprement and some prey drive is what's needed.

Personally...Amen to that

 

[Tikka 270]

I got a lab x gwp pup 2 years ago to replace my ageing lab and he is far superior already to my old dog and many others.
He is incredibly easy to train, obsessed with deer, has incredible energy (can do more than my lab ever could), very friendly with people that come to the house or people he meets on a walk.
Only downside is he's a noisy sod and barks at everything while at home and whines alot

 

[sportingspaniels]

Re:Go to the good dogs sire .It’s not just a sire that makes a good dog ! Give me a good bitch line everyday !
Crossbred this and that ? I was always told oil and water don’t mix. All this “ you get the best of both worlds “ is utter tosh.

 

[Tikka 270]

Re:Go to the good dogs sire .It’s not just a sire that makes a good dog ! Give me a good bitch line everyday !
Crossbred this and that ? I was always told oil and water don’t mix. All this “ you get the best of both worlds “ is utter tosh.

How do you think we got the breeds we have today by crossing breeds

 

[countrryboy]

How do you think we got the breeds we have today by crossing breeds

U've missed out the most important part thou, the many pups/adults PTS, every dog not up to standard so only the actual pups out of the litter that were the best of both would survive and only the best of them bred from.
They did not just randomly cross random dogs/breeds together.
These breeders knew wot they were doing.

On average only 50% should be best of both if that some litters will be more others less most will have good and bad bits off both breeds , pure luck which good/bad bits each pup has.
It could equally be possibly for an entire litter to get the worst off both breeds, all breeding s a gamble, so u should be stacking the odds n ur favour with as many knowns as possible.

The biggest problem with dog breeding in general now is everyone thinks there dog is great and worthy of breeding from, when in reality that is not the case and the truely ridiculous money involved now only making it even worse.
Heard a lad getting 5k for Irish setter pups, 45k a litter, and I don't think it's anything special ( ie not show and definately not working)

 

[marrajack]

Re:Go to the good dogs sire .It’s not just a sire that makes a good dog ! Give me a good bitch line everyday !
Crossbred this and that ? I was always told oil and water don’t mix. All this “ you get the best of both worlds “ is utter tosh.

So working cockers we have now that had in most cases springer introduced to save the breed or HWV that were crossed to create, have had a benefit in my eyes
That said I always line bred my terriers but started with border x Lakeland and have seen many of these work as good as anything.
I agree because it’s a cross isn’t a reason it’s going to be good - but these dogs must be popular for a reason I assume

 

[landkeeper]

Working cockers and springers all came from the same pot years ago anyway at one point in the not so distant past it was a cocker òr a springer depending on its size

 

[Dawnrazor]

Working cockers and springers all came from the same pot years ago anyway at one point in the not so distant past it was a cocker òr a springer depending on its size

It was in 1892 when Springers and Cockers were separated as breeds!!!

 

[Norfolk Horn]

It was in 1892 when Springers and Cockers were separated as breeds!!!

And now they are back together.
Spockers

 

[countrryboy]

And now they are back together.
Spockers

Or just cockers as certain competion kennels call them!!!!

 

[John Gryphon]

hybrid vigour,

They are the two most important words..... I have had working crossbred dogs all my life as had my dad. They never saw a vet for hips or any other affliction that an enormous amount of pure bred dogs can carry. In my whole life with my dogs there were two vet trips,one for a grass seed inside a dogs sheath,another my old dogs broken jaw last year from the truck accident. Boar rips in the old days were sewn up by us.

Mongeral's can do a job but doubtful if ever come close to theparent breeds

You obviously haven`t seen some of the champion mongrels working in Australia with that statement.
The human race is composed mostly of mongrels,whether by design or accident..... every year or two we outdo the previous lot.


“Citius, Altius, Fortius”

 

[TomT3]

Interesting thread gents. One things for certain for me -(unless it was an act of mercy or worrying my mates sheep after warning shot) there’s no way I’d be shooting a dog if it wasn’t up too scratch. Not after they’ve trusted you and doted on your all of that time. I appreciate why some chaps feel they have to do it -just seems like a easy get out for me.

 

[countrryboy]

Tom that would be the norm amoung many working dogs ( hunt kennels, greyhounds, terriers, sheepdogs, gundogs etc, I bet even security police dogs too) even until 30 years ago.
And that is how breeds were formed not just by randomly crossing dogs.

And most definately not be bred from which is the problem now everyone thinking there own dogs great and breeding from it

 

[TomT3]

Tom that would be the norm amoung many working dogs ( hunt kennels, greyhounds, terriers, sheepdogs, gundogs etc, I bet even security police dogs too) even until 30 years ago.
And that is how breeds were formed not just by randomly crossing dogs.

And most definately not be bred from which is the problem now everyone thinking there own dogs great and breeding from it

I can imagine mate-just not for me in today’s age with rescue centres etc (If they have the the temperament to be re-homed)

I appreciate why and how it happens though. I’m not a fan of all of these fancy x dogs either to be honest. Apart from the venerable cross between a bulldog and shitzu of course

 

[Siggy]

At the end of the day, a dogs a dog. A labrador is a good breed for a deer dog, so is a GWP. They are not hugely dissimilar so a cross is likely to be a fairly good deer dog. It may be better than the average deer dog but it may be worse. It may favour the lab or the GWP, but at the end of the day, all dogs have a degree of individuality, and you have to work with you get. At the end of the day a good trainer can make a bad dog look good and a bad trainer can make a good dog look bad.

I see the merits of getting a pure breed, but having had 1 lab and 3 wires they have all been effective deer dogs, with their own quirks. My lab was hard as nails, my first GWP was gun shy but would tolerate rifle fire because she wanted to get the deer. The second wire took ages to mature and was 5 before she would tackle a wounded deer (partly out of lack of opportunity). My third is still in apprenticeship but looks like a natural.

Get what you want, and make the best of it.

 

[chrispji497]

Hey guys. Late to the party but I have a 2 and a half year old lab x GWP.

Bought him from a gun dog breeder that does cockers, labs and GWP and they did a trial litter of these.

For the price I was willing to give it a go.

He’s a lovely natured dog. But still so puppy like. He wines like a pointer runs like mad. But everything is still a game.

I bought him to go on peg with me. But Jesus Christ he’s far from that. I’m hoping by the time he’s 4 or 5 he’s ready but I really don’t think he will be. I’d definitely go for a pure breed lab for a gun dog on peg. His prey drive is wild but as I mentioned he’s a lovely gentle family dog.

I’ve trained him to death sits on the whistle retrieves but some days he’s golden some days he doesn’t listen at all and is flat out as soon as the lead is off 100m away. Very steady in the house when he’s had enough exercise but I’m talking 2 hours flat out a day.

Sadly at the moment he isn’t ready for anything but I’m hoping he will be as he settles but if he ever does I don’t know.


He has no idea of fear of another dog is. Clearly aggressive he would still want to see them and probably get attacked as I said he’s just so soft and playful.


We will see.

Over all if anything he’s a great family dog. But I hope he does some working as I feel it would be a waste.

Any tips are appreciated