Labrador Question

[Aggiechick]

I will third, fourth, etc what has been said, color does not make that much of a difference, the breeder and pedigree does; however, I will say this...I have yet to see a Silver lab that has its Grand Master Hunter but I think that is because the breeders are going for color and not hunting ability....that does not mean it will not be a great dog, it may just be a bit more difficult to train out of the box.

I saw that you live in San Antonio, I have owed three black labs and have a yellow lab (she is almost white now ) and a husky, and our black labs have had a harder time in the heat than the other two. Just something to keep in mind.

[bdchorn]

To the whole......................."what to look for" question I will add this. Most high rolling breeders in the $1,500 range with rock solid pedigrees pick the dog for you according to what you have indicated you want in the dog. Sounds crazy until you realize you are trying to make a decision after watching the pups for 30 minutes. They are making a decision after watching the dogs everyday for 8 weeks. They also know the best way to continue to build a great reputation is to place the proper dog in the proper home. Nobody knows their dogs better than they do

[Rack Ranch]

Don't buy a silver...
I recommend Cross Creek Kennels in Crockett. Solid blood lines bred to hunt.

[Tex21]

Don't buy a silver...
I recommend Cross Creek Kennels in Crockett. Solid blood lines bred to hunt.

2nd them ^^^ I am picking up my second pup from them in a couple weeks and a buddy currently has his pup in training there. Matt & Helena are great to work with and have awesome dogs.

[Quackerbox]

My last 2 have been chocolate. Both been great dogs. I'm one who believes you don't need to spend 2k to get a great dog. Sure it helps but it can be done for less. Spend time working with the dog. Hell I hunted 3 or 4 days a week with a guy who had a dog from the shelter. I saw that dog out hunt whistle robots more times than I can count

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[bdchorn]

My last 2 have been chocolate. Both been great dogs. I'm one who believes you don't need to spend 2k to get a great dog. Sure it helps but it can be done for less. Spend time working with the dog. Hell I hunted 3 or 4 days a week with a guy who had a dog from the shelter. I saw that dog out hunt whistle robots more times than I can count

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It happens, but it's incredibly rare. Also depends on what you are looking for. If you want a reliable hunting dog then you can find that across multiple pricing points. If you want a dog that will honor other dogs, mark for multiple hunters, run clean arrow straight lines, deliver to hand on heel, run flawless blinds and do it all with speed and style then 99% of those dogs are in the $1k plus price point.

[Quackerbox]

It happens, but it's incredibly rare. Also depends on what you are looking for. If you want a reliable hunting dog then you can find that across multiple pricing points. If you want a dog that will honor other dogs, mark for multiple hunters, run clean arrow straight lines, deliver to hand on heel, run flawless blinds and do it all with speed and style then 99% of those dogs are in the $1k plus price point.

Seen a lot of 1%ers then. Spent 2 seasons working as a guide helper in college and hunted 40+ days a season. I can remember one dog that worked on a whistle. That dog was owned by the fella who owns bay flats now. Every other guide dog did what you say and never had professional training. Each nearlt always out worked trained dogs. Sometimes the owners got disgusted and put robot in the truck.

[whitecrow]

If you want a dog that will honor other dogs, mark for multiple hunters, run clean arrow straight lines, deliver to hand on heel, run flawless blinds and do it all with speed and style then 99% of those dogs are properly and completely trained to do those things.

Fixed it for you. Most of the really expensive breedings are selling health certs and reputation. It's all hedging. I've seen AFC x AFC breedings that produced dogs that wouldn't eat chicken, much less pick up a bird......but your odds are better than getting a $100 pup off Craigslist. Above all, make sure they have the health certs. Nothing like training and attaching to a dog that turns up dysplastic at 2 yo.
As has been stated, Silvers are bred for color, not ability. The odds of getting a fireball field dog are lower than with the other colors. Same thing happened with chocolates back in the 90's, but I think a lot of that has turned around now....there are some great chocolate lines.
Good luck and spend time with the dog. They pick up so much just being around you.

[jettech17]

Just had to let go of my buddy after 14 years. The best dog I've ever known and makes me contemplate not getting another, worrying I'll be disappointed


A friend, who owned his daddy, also a phenomenal dog , now has a VERY expensive dog from a very solid club ,that won't retrieve a dummy, much less a duck!! You just never know

[bdchorn]

Seen a lot of 1%ers then. Spent 2 seasons working as a guide helper in college and hunted 40+ days a season. I can remember one dog that worked on a whistle. That dog was owned by the fella who owns bay flats now. Every other guide dog did what you say and never had professional training. Each nearlt always out worked trained dogs. Sometimes the owners got disgusted and put robot in the truck.

I'm not arguing it takes professional training. I'm arguing it takes a pedigree.

[bdchorn]

Fixed it for you. Most of the really expensive breedings are selling health certs and reputation. It's all hedging. I've seen AFC x AFC breedings that produced dogs that wouldn't eat chicken, much less pick up a bird......but your odds are better than getting a $100 pup off Craigslist. Above all, make sure they have the health certs. Nothing like training and attaching to a dog that turns up dysplastic at 2 yo.
As has been stated, Silvers are bred for color, not ability. The odds of getting a fireball field dog are lower than with the other colors. Same thing happened with chocolates back in the 90's, but I think a lot of that has turned around now....there are some great chocolate lines.
Good luck and spend time with the dog. They pick up so much just being around you.

It's not about AFC x AFC. The pedigree I'm talking about is HRCH, SH, MH. 99% of the dogs that will do what I indicated in my post have those type pedigrees. 100% of them have great training, professional or otherwise. They aren't selling reputation. They are selling healthy dogs with proven generational hunt test results.

Of course there are exceptions, but the reason they are "exceptions" is because it's not the norm

[In-Yo-Grill]

My chocolate was a hunting machine. She wasn't gun shy at all. My black, however, was not very interested in hunting and only hunted when she wanted to.

[Buckley99]

Seen a lot of 1%ers then. Spent 2 seasons working as a guide helper in college and hunted 40+ days a season. I can remember one dog that worked on a whistle. That dog was owned by the fella who owns bay flats now. Every other guide dog did what you say and never had professional training. Each nearlt always out worked trained dogs. Sometimes the owners got disgusted and put robot in the truck.

I know Chris and the dog you are talking about. That dog was never more than 3 feet away from Chris and retrieved birds like a machine. Not sure what his pedigree was but he was one of the best duck hunting specimens I'd ever seen.

[Quackerbox]

I know Chris and the dog you are talking about. That dog was never more than 3 feet away from Chris and retrieved birds like a machine. Not sure what his pedigree was but he was one of the best duck hunting specimens I'd ever seen.

This was back when he was in the tire business and lived on the corner of avenue D with the painted fire hydrant.



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[EastTx]

To the op, I have a buddy with a great litter on the ground right now. Send me a pm if interested. Sire has HRCH, MH25, AND QA2 titles, dam has a SH title.