Choosing a dog breed

[Mark]

There is a new breed a pointing lab they are new and not well know but as far as ive seen they look to be great upland and waterfowl dogs! BTW The best dog I ever had was a black lab and he did point on upland game!!

They're not new. There are some some that are breeding for the trait, but I would prefer to see my labs as flushing dogs. To each his own.

I would like to make a suggestion to anybody that is breeding labs, considering buying a lab, or that knows someone that does breed labs. I'll keep it brief in this thread, and I'll be posting something soon that will bring the reality of this closer home so to speak.

There is a disease called CNM that affects the Labrador breed that is fairly obscure, but is easily preventable. It isn't new, but the DNA test for the presence disease has only been available for about 4 years. Go to http://www.labradorcnm.com for more information.

TEST ANY PUPPY THAT YOU ARE CONSIDERING BUYING! TEST ANY BROOD B*THCHES THAT YOU OWN! INSIST ON SEEING THE TEST RESULTS FROM ANY BREEDER TO ENSURE THEIR DOGS (BOTH PARENTS) HAVE BEEN TESTED!

If this isn't brought under control soon, the Labrador breed is going to be seriously affected in the short term, and possibly destroyed in the long term. This disease is easy to test for, but a lot of very well known breeders are burying their collective heads in the sand so that they can continue to breed their dogs. I personally know of breeders that know their dogs are carriers, but they continue to breed them and make money. They are spreading the disease and they know it!

More later and on another thread... sorry for the rant.

[Don Fischer]

Best thing to do is to decide what game and what cover you like to hunt best then pick a breed that specializes in that area and make due everywhere else. Otherwise, you might just grab a screwdriver to drive a nail. It will do it but a hammer is a better choice.

[oldcp]

I'm looking at getting my first bird dog myself. I need/want a very versitile dog and one breed that keeps popping up is the Deutsch Drahthaar. Alot of the Bird doggers here in Texas are starting to use them and they are singing there praises. Ducks to quail to blood trailing they are suppose to be able to do it all. http://www.vdd-gna.org/

[Wild Antlers]

The pointing lab I'm riefering to is not just a lab it is a lab pointer mix that a group of people have been breeding to bring out just a black color with pointing characteristics its body looks pretty much just like a pointer just a little thicker and they've breed them to all come out black the only other color is some of them have a little bit of white on the chest I've seen them a couple times and they look to be great upland and water dogs!

[BowAddict]

i have a lab and she will sniff out anything. just need to train them early. they have any kind of hunting in there veins. great all around dog i think

[Don Fischer]

The pointing lab I'm riefering to is not just a lab it is a lab pointer mix that a group of people have been breeding to bring out just a black color with pointing characteristics its body looks pretty much just like a pointer just a little thicker and they've breed them to all come out black the only other color is some of them have a little bit of white on the chest I've seen them a couple times and they look to be great upland and water dogs!

I think I read about that dog, aren't they being bred in the Dakotas somewhere? If I wanted a versitle dog I would not even concider one of them. In fact I wouldn't concider one under any circumstances.

It takes many many generations to develope a breed of dog. What those are is really mutt's. When you get a pup from one you have no way of being reasonably sure of what trait's will surface. Infact the pup could be substandard on the trait's of both. My impression of what is happening is someone is creating a breed similar to ladadodles and goldendodles, a designer breed. If you want to know why, the designer breeds I've seen are bringing $1000+ and can't even be registered anywhere. The only proof of purity is the breeders say so and he/she is already running a scam for the money. I haven't seen even one that was guarenteed to hunt nor have I seen one guarenteed health. Lab's are famous for Hip Dysplasia. For that matter I have only seen one breeder of the pointing labs that advertises tham as pointing labs that will guarentee they will point. Rather what many say is they have a good possibility of pointing!

[Mark]

What those are is really mutt's.

If you want to know why, the designer breeds I've seen are bringing $1000+ and can't even be registered anywhere.

Very well put.

[Wild Antlers]

The pointing lab I'm riefering to is not just a lab it is a lab pointer mix that a group of people have been breeding to bring out just a black color with pointing characteristics its body looks pretty much just like a pointer just a little thicker and they've breed them to all come out black the only other color is some of them have a little bit of white on the chest I've seen them a couple times and they look to be great upland and water dogs!

I think I read about that dog, aren't they being bred in the Dakotas somewhere? If I wanted a versitle dog I would not even concider one of them. In fact I wouldn't concider one under any circumstances.

It takes many many generations to develope a breed of dog. What those are is really mutt's. When you get a pup from one you have no way of being reasonably sure of what trait's will surface. Infact the pup could be substandard on the trait's of both. My impression of what is happening is someone is creating a breed similar to ladadodles and goldendodles, a designer breed. If you want to know why, the designer breeds I've seen are bringing $1000+ and can't even be registered anywhere. The only proof of purity is the breeders say so and he/she is already running a scam for the money. I haven't seen even one that was guarenteed to hunt nor have I seen one guarenteed health. Lab's are famous for Hip Dysplasia. For that matter I have only seen one breeder of the pointing labs that advertises tham as pointing labs that will guarentee they will point. Rather what many say is they have a good possibility of pointing!

I didnt read about them I actually seen them at work and that is the only reason I suggested them because they looked to be great dogs for water and upland and very easy to train and it seemed like that is what he was looking for! And yes that might seem like a mutt to you but to me all dogs come from somewhere and all dogs start out as mutts all im saying is this breed seems to be what hes looking for a water and upland dog that is easy to train! any dog can learn to hunt you just need to take the time to train. As far as Im concerned you dont need generations to get a good hunting dog, Ive had pure breds and mutts and they all turned out to be great bird dogs, matter of fact my best dog to date was a mutt but I guess that dont matter does it!!

[79Ford]

There's not a thing in the world wrong with a mutt. A dog does not have to be pure bred to love and want to be loved. Just because a lab is mixed with a boxer or some other kind of breed does not mean he has lost all hunting ability. However I in no way agree with these people who breed a lab with a german shorthair, etc.. and then try and sell them for a couple of hundred bucks when there are unregistered pure bred pups that wont sell for that much. There's nothing wrong with a mutt, but it doesnt make it worth any more money to me......

[Wild Antlers]

[quote="79Ford"]There's not a thing in the world wrong with a mutt. A dog does not have to be pure bred to love and want to be loved. Just because a lab is mixed with a boxer or some other kind of breed does not mean he has lost all hunting ability. However I in no way agree with these people who breed a lab with a german shorthair, etc.. and then try and sell them for a couple of hundred bucks when there are unregistered pure bred pups that wont sell for that much. There's nothing wrong with a mutt, but it doesnt make it worth any more money to me......[/quote

I agree
Ya as far as paying more for a mixed breed ya whats the point in that but still could make for a good dog I would deffinetely give one a chance if I had the opportunity, I dont think Id be willing to pay for it though not being AKC registered.