Thread: Lab to take me through to old man status

You're telling the story....

Originally Posted by Tahr

I met a guy duck shooting today with a Lab, and he said a very funny thing. He said "most spaniels die half trained, and most Labs are born half trained full". I had a chuckle to myself.

Fixed it for ya

Originally Posted by Ruff

I still think you have.

Fuck knows, you're the one telling the story ?

Originally Posted by Ruff

I still think you have.

Not sure if I'm getting my replies back correctly so apologies to all if things aren't appearing in the right place.
Personally I've used labs and yes they're good but after having a Working Cocker " Not a Show Cocker!!"I'd never go back. Personal preference I suppose!

We know the difference mate, all good. Just caught in the crossfire of me winding "Kawhia" up who tends to wait at customs to jump on any new blood entering NZ

New Zealand's most successful Cocker handler and breeder in natural game trials... Bob Whitehead with some of his charges.

if you have the time for a spaniel go for it,a dog is as soft as you make it if you are hard then you will break a dog, i have one of Chris,s bitches and she is a top dog

Originally Posted by 00 buckshot

if you have the time for a spaniel go for it,a dog is as soft as you make it if you are hard then you will break a dog, i have one of Chris,s bitches and she is a top dog

Not sure what you are on about. I have worked with many Keepersmoors Labradors and Chris has used my spaniels in his breeding program time and again. They are a kennel I recommend and I have no doubt you have a great dog, don't be so sensitive. I have also referred people to Chris, one bought a started dog for a good sum and took it out and it was gunshy. Extremely soft nature, to the point of requiring extremely subtle handling to make something of it. I do not know if Chris got that dog going well or not and as a man of integrity he took the dog back and fully refunded the mans money. He has since got a "Greymist" he is extremely happy with. As a commercial trainer who has worked with literally thousands of dogs over the years your contention that handling dictates nature is completely flawed. Glad your ONE is OK, I was being a bit more broad!

I would gladly hunt over and own most Keepersmoors I have seen over the past 12-13 years or so of knowing Chris on a first hand basis, discussing dogs, drinking wine, having a cuppa at his Kaharoa kennels and being involved in his breeding programs and working with on at least four different pheasant shoots with him and I will say to anyone, use due diligence to ensure you are not getting a dog too soft for most people to make into something useful, they are in the minority of what he produces, but they are there. Chis is a good man with good dogs, but like all of us, nothing is perfect and it is not unrealistic for me to warn people to be careful. If you get a good one it will be as good as anything going. Hell the man has even bought two VERY good bottles of whiskey for the referrals I have made, just take a breath dude.

Tell us about that red cocker ruff. I have a not so secret desire to put a working red setter we have here to a cocker bitch

Originally Posted by Pointer

Tell us about that red cocker ruff. I have a not so secret desire to put a working red setter we have here to a cocker bitch

Good luck with that, it's Whiteheads

Mate I reckon a P lab would be the berries heading for retirement, provides an income and if all else fails you'll get a nice room in prison, better and cheaper than a retirement village and if yr lucky a sex life of sorts!

Originally Posted by Pointer

Tell us about that red cocker ruff. I have a not so secret desire to put a working red setter we have here to a cocker bitch

OMG... if for nothing else, it would be interesting...like walking through nettles with shorts on...

I find them so similar in temperament and personality I doubt it would be such a shock. And it would be more than interesting EBs, they would be useful. Enzo is the best spaniel I know

It has already been done, where do you think the colour came from in the first place.

Exactly. Both Erlandson and his mentor Nash spoke openly about it

Speak with an old kennel boy of his on Facebook, all the setters breeds and Irish water spaniels were used to save the wcs, and it is why you get a mix of colours in litters.