Black Lab pup

[mryimmers]

Hi guys,

I got a buddy who is looking for a female Black Lab pup to have as a companion/hunting dog. Doesn't seem to be anything in our area.
Closer to Thunder Bay / NW Ontario would be best, but I guess no big deal to ship if needed.
Anybody know of any reputable breeders that might have something?
I'll pass info along to him. PM works too.

Thanks, take care

[Robins36]

My wife and I know this breeder personally. Check out her website.

www.eagertrieve.com

[sns2]

Both parents field champions and they have females left. You won't find any better, let's just say that. These pups are in Ontario.

https://www.baypointkennel.com/ike-x-sara

[sns2]

Originally Posted by Robins36

My wife and I know this breeder personally. Check out her website.

www.eagertrieve.com

I don't at all mean to be rude, but those are show dogs. They would literally collapse if put through a serious day of hunting. They simply would not able able to do what is asked of, and loved by, field bred labs.

She breeds championship dogs. No doubt. But not hunting dogs.

[Sundog57]

Originally Posted by sns2

Both parents field champions and they have females left. You won't find any better, let's just say that. These pups are in Ontario.

https://www.baypointkennel.com/ike-x-sara

Dan & Gloria really know their stuff
These guys (actually two girls left) are gonna be rock stars - but might not be the dog for a guy starting out

I'd be after one myself if I could persuade the VP Procurement

[270WIN]

Check out Ultimate Gun Dog at Cayley south of Calgary. My current lab, a female, came from there. She's my fifth lab over 45 years of training and hunting over them. She's now 6 and is a real hunting machine. Strong retreiving desire, eager to please, great nose, loves to hunt and very trainable. When the time comes to look for lab no.6, my first call will be to UGD.

[Robins36]

Originally Posted by sns2

I don't at all mean to be rude, but those are show dogs. They would literally collapse if put through a serious day of hunting. They simply would not able able to do what is asked of, and loved by, field bred labs.

She breeds championship dogs. No doubt. But not hunting dogs.

Good to know that there are differences in what the dogs would be capable of.

Thanks

[MK2750]

Originally Posted by Robins36

Good to know that there are differences in what the dogs would be capable of.

Thanks

Don't believe everything you read on the internet. I have been raising and hunting English Labradors for decades as have thousands of other hunters. They will out hunt 99% of their owners and unless you are a diehard guide or extreme bird hunter they will serve most people better than a high performance field dog.

You will read more stories of people struggling with poorly trained and unruly field dogs than you will ever read of people not loving to death their well bred English.

High performance dogs require a special kind of commitment that most are unwilling or unable to make. They require high quality protein and daily workouts, not a 10 minute stroll in the dog park. Without proper training and muscular build they often injure themselves when trying to perform at a level they were never prepared to perform at. Think of a race horse thrown into the Kentucky Derby without proper training. They will literally run their heart out until something breaks.

On the other extreme a well trained and exercised English will keep pace with most any field dog. I often run dogs 10 to 15 kilometers a day in tough terrain with no sign of quit. Obviously the dogs are covering 10 times that distance.

English Labs have a true Labrador under coat and can not withstand the heat as well as their American cousins. That same undercoat makes them much better suited to waterfowl hunting where actual water is involved. They never get truly wet and can withstand longer waits in cold weather.

Your friends breed some beautiful dogs at Eagertriever. They are not chasing Polar Bear, Fox Red or Silver bloodlines with no respect of the bred. Their dogs will hunt and will make a wonderful companion for anyone wanting a nice dog. As with any breeder, including field, research needs to be done to ensure you get what is expected. There are differences between litters and even within a litter.

The OP should be honest with himself as to exactly what he wants in a dog and find that dog. That may be an English, American or even a British bred dog, all of which can be found with a little research.

[MooseRiverTrapper]

Is that a dog or a seal? I don’t think anyone is saying that dog can do any hunting. But you can hunt hard with a lab that isn’t an American field dog.

[Stubb]

^^^ yup. We used to hunt with a lab/rotty cross.... unimaginable eh?

[Albertadiver]

I too am in the market for a lab. American Black Lab Male.

I've been doing a ton of internet searching, reading threads on AO, etc.

I get sick and tired of the elitism I've been encountering doing my research. I just want a healthy pup that comes from healthy parents. Don't care about ribbons, and I never hunted with our now senior lab and won't likely hunt with the new one.

[sns2]

I spent a couple days with Dan at a trial last summer. His truck was parked next to mine, so we chewed the fat lots. That's what I do with guys who are a wealth of knowledge. He's a very personable fellow and loves to steer people in the right direction when looking for dogs, even when he doesn't have any that fit the bill. He's also in Ontario. I don't have to be his pen pal to recommend his dogs, as I have seen them first hand, and follow their results at CDN field trials.

As for you perceiving that I was slighting the breeder that a poster mentioned. I don't think I did. I actually took the time to check out her webpage and gallery. You should do so too if you haven't. Guess what the pictures are of? The breeder's dogs at dog shows. Kinda makes sense that I would say they are show dogs. Don't know how that constitutes badmouthing a business. And, they are simply not even the same type of animal as a field bred dog.

As for Pixel's dog, he came from a dual line that he searched high and low for and shipped up from the Southern US. I have hunted with him, and boarded him in my home. Pixel would be the first to tell any potential buyer of the differences between that dog and his Americans. He's a good hunting dog, but I would attribute that as much to his trainer, as his breeding. Pixel is a seriously skilled trainer. Like bigtime. Most of us aren't.

Finally, I will say this to those who may wonder. Whenever you are a moderator, you have a target on your back from infracting, suspending, and/or banning people. Comes with the territory. But the truth is, I have no more have a free pass on this forum than the man on the moon. I have been warned and infracted since I stepped down as a mod, so there goes that line of thinking.

We can agree to disagree. Anything more really should be taken to PMs though if you feel more needs to be said, then you can let it all hang out and tell me about my problems. You may even be right about a number of them.

Have a good day everyone.

[Sundog57]

Invariably... everybody gets their knickers in a twist when the subject of Labradors comes up.

As might have been previously expressed on this forum, there is no such thing as an "American" Lab or a "British" lab.
There are lots of different Labradors some of which are, and some of which are not, Retrievers (and they only come in three colours, black, yellow and brown).

If you take a look at youtube at some British Trials you will see that most of those dogs look surprisingly like what some folks might describe as "American" Labs and you won't see very many dogs that look like what are called "British" Labs...
It's worth digging around on the net and finding a picture of Shed of Arden or Ben of Hyde or Bramshaw Bob. These dogs (from the late 20s and early 30s) look like Labradors.

So...
Choose your breeder accordingly.
Pick one that has dogs with a nice temperament and with a work ethic that suits what you want the dog to do.
Need a dog that sleeps on the couch all day and will occasionally waddle off to get a tennis ball? OK great - this is not meant to be disparaging - these dogs make great pets, are great with kids etc.etc. just not what I want in a dog.
Need a dog that can do a 500yd water blind? that's OK too but remember that you have to train it.

It's not complicated

[MK2750]

Originally Posted by sns2

I spent a couple days with Dan at a trial last summer. His truck was parked next to mine, so we chewed the fat lots. That's what I do with guys who are a wealth of knowledge. He's a very personable fellow and loves to steer people in the right direction when looking for dogs, even when he doesn't have any that fit the bill. He's also in Ontario. I don't have to be his pen pal to recommend his dogs, as I have seen them first hand, and follow their results at CDN field trials.

As for you perceiving that I was slighting the breeder that a poster mentioned. I don't think I did. I actually took the time to check out her webpage and gallery. You should do so too if you haven't. Guess what the pictures are of? The breeder's dogs at dog shows. Kinda makes sense that I would say they are show dogs. Don't know how that constitutes badmouthing a business. And, they are simply not even the same type of animal as a field bred dog.

As for Pixel's dog, he came from a dual line that he searched high and low for and shipped up from the Southern US. I have hunted with him, and boarded him in my home. Pixel would be the first to tell any potential buyer of the differences between that dog and his Americans. He's a good hunting dog, but I would attribute that as much to his trainer, as his breeding. Pixel is a seriously skilled trainer. Like bigtime. Most of us aren't.

Finally, I will say this to those who may wonder. Whenever you are a moderator, you have a target on your back from infracting, suspending, and/or banning people. Comes with the territory. But the truth is, I have no more have a free pass on this forum than the man on the moon. I have been warned and infracted since I stepped down as a mod, so there goes that line of thinking.

We can agree to disagree. Anything more really should be taken to PMs though if you feel more needs to be said, then you can let it all hang out and tell me about my problems. You may even be right about a number of them.

Have a good day everyone.

This is from the Eagertriever website;

I breed labradors that not only excel in the conformation ring, but also in the field, obedience, serve as Guide Dogs, and are devoted pets

Now after making the above statement, which I know to be true BTW, would a person take this post as an insult or a compliment?

Originally Posted by sns2
I don't at all mean to be rude, but those are show dogs. They would literally collapse if put through a serious day of hunting. They simply would not able able to do what is asked of, and loved by, field bred labs.

Now also considering many members here hunt every year with English Labs from Eagertriever, Cowboy Up and alike, how do you think they would appreciate this post?

There is no such a thing as a "show dog" as a different breed. There are dogs that conform to bred standards and those that do not. All Labradors can be traced back to a couple of dogs.

The dogs in those pictures were raised as pets and trained to show off. They are overweight and extremely pampered. Those same dogs if fed a high protein diet and worked daily will make excellent hunting companions. Exactly like the OP said he was looking for. Will they out perform an American Field Trail Champion? Of course not but some might argue that 99% of people couldn't handle a true field dog to begin with.

[sns2]

I have suggested you PM me if you want to continue. Then we can both talk freely. Likely the best route at this point.

[mryimmers]

Thanks you everyone for the suggestions!
I have passed them along and hopefully my friends can find something to their liking.

Thanks again!!

[raised by wolves]

No names on the breeders with whom I have experience, just so nobody gets ****y with me, but here's my experience.

My first Lab was a dog of a lifetime and came from real field lines and well-established breeders. The breeders were well known for researching the bloodlines. Plenty of ribbons and awards for both parents. End result was an amazing family companion and an outstanding hunting buddy. She was amazing on uplands, pheasant, and waterfowl. She was retrieving at 5 months and kept going until she was 12. I had to reign her in as she got older as the drive never let up.

The second Lab was pretty. She came from a breeder, mentioned previously in multiple posts, and many have chimed in already, referring to show dogs or English Labs. My wife chose the breeder. Nice personality and temperament, and a fun family dog, but there was no hunt or any field in this little girl. No nose, no interest in retrieving, refused to touch a bird, and honestly did not like being outside or near water. She was a good family dog but was very much a princess from a breeder of princesses.

Do the research and choose the breeder carefully.

[Pheasantchaser]

Google "Ringneck Kennels." Maunty may no longer breed dogs, but he might be able to point you in the right direction. He isn't interested in show dogs. Good luck.

[ganderblaster]

Big difference in show or field lines in labs. That’s the downside to being the most popular sporting breed.
I honestly had no idea how different field lines are from show til I spent a week with a pro trainer who had a couple of each on his truck. Depends what you are after.
With high drive comes other quirks some just want a dog to go get the odd bird more of a companion type. Some expect their dog to run 500 yard blinds on the birds that go down across the field. As long as everyone is having fun who cares but there is a big difference and that’s what SNS2 was accurately pointing out.

[AlbertaSam]

Check with Oaklane Retreiver in Saskachewan

Kristy has a 2 weeks old litter of black and yellow pups. Not sure if they all are spoken for, but worth a shot.

https://www.oaklaneretrievers.com/available-pups

[danoneseven]