Thread: Are Labradors good at finding Large Game?

I've been doing research into selecting a good breed of dog as an tracking / indicating dog for large game ( deer, pigs and goats ) but I also want a breed that is good to keep around my children.

I've looked into Labradors and all I can find is endless information on their use as waterfowling dogs ( which I understand is their main use ) but I'm wondering if anyone has any experience in using Labradors as indicating dogs for large game and what the success rate looked like?

I know there are other breeds such as the Hungarian Vizsla that are great pointing dogs but I'd like a breed with a more moderate energy level around the house, hence the interest in Labradors.

So if anyone has any information regarding the use of Labradors as indicating dogs for large game animals ( not in their traditional use as duck dogs ) I'd be really interested in hearing from you and what you think about the breed in this role.

Cheers

I knew a guy that hunted a black lab dog on everything( deer, ducks, pigs, the lot). And he was good at it too, as well as being a good household dog.
Had a good nose, drive, and reasonable brains.
I will say tho, that said guy did look around for some time to get the right pup, not just any old part breed yard mutt lab

Yup they go great if you buy a good pup and train it properly like all breeds. I hunt with a black lab and she loves retrieving ducks and tracking deer. I have shot deer over her in the bush, tracked game after the shot and she is awesome around home like all labs are known to be. You can see her in my youtube videos if interested..

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZz...8lLO7ZqtseZCww

My cousin in Scotland uses only labs for his deer stalking and for retrieving small game.

The great all rounders

YES and that is ment to be in capitals.... was it me personally the training would involve food....they ared called sloberadores/vacumesniffers etc for nothing. when dog learns Dad shoots deer.I get venison tit bits...well oncw penny drops..look out bambi.
Clubbie has great looking lab see his videos...subsonic .308 etc Ive owned 3 lab crosses and all have been awesome alrounders....did I mention FOOD ....a lab will...

I was going to say Setter but I guess the energy levels may be a bit higher than a Lab. Good with family, Love to hunt etc.

More in line with the lab have a look at the curly coated retriever. My sister and Dad both have them from a hunting kennel out from christchurch.
To be fair neither of them hunt. Dad's is a very hard dog and not that sociable, dose not get on well with every other dog he meets. Very strong and determined on fetching, also impervious to cold wet and is quiet happy to take all his fur off going through the toughest scrub. Just follow his progress by the scrub tops shaking as be bashes through. Sisters dog is good with young kids and people.
Zq

I'm onto my 3rd lab one bitch and now two dogs. All very different in temperament and hunting vigour. The latest one is very bidable and has great recall. On the negative he at 3yrs is still immature and can be timid around home no guard dog at all

Don't leave backsteaks unattended while cooling the meat down. I believe they disappear pretty quick

Watching this thread with interest as it is of current relevance to us.

Have read heaps of hunting dogs threads on this forum so far and picked up some really really good tips re breeds. I am also leaning towards the Black Labrador as a good all-rounder. As an owner of fully documented pedigree dogs over the years (Staffords, Rottweilers) we have been very careful and very lucky to avoid any of the inherent genetic weaknesses that some of the breeds are prone to.

My question to the experienced owners here is are there any merits to this view put to me recently by a hunting mate? He will only go with crossbreeds, careful crosses of dogs with specific characteristics. He wants hybrid vigour and minimum risk of dysplasia or other hereditary problems. I know nothing of Labrador genetics here but my mate is convinced it's risky going with pedigree dogs from well-known kennels. I remember someone on here recently had to take a juvenile Lab back after it was diagnosed with something hereditary?

There have been some Lab crosses on the Dogs page, has anyone deliberately crossed a Lab to improve genetics, both in terms of health and hunting skills?

Originally Posted by Flyblown

Watching this thread with interest as it is of current relevance to us.

Have read heaps of hunting dogs threads on this forum so far and picked up some really really good tips re breeds. I am also leaning towards the Black Labrador as a good all-rounder. As an owner of fully documented pedigree dogs over the years (Staffords, Rottweilers) we have been very careful and very lucky to avoid any of the inherent genetic weaknesses that some of the breeds are prone to.

My question to the experienced owners here is are there any merits to this view put to me recently by a hunting mate? He will only go with crossbreeds, careful crosses of dogs with specific characteristics. He wants hybrid vigour and minimum risk of dysplasia or other hereditary problems. I know nothing of Labrador genetics here but my mate is convinced it's risky going with pedigree dogs from well-known kennels. I remember someone on here recently had to take a juvenile Lab back after it was diagnosed with something hereditary?

There have been some Lab crosses on the Dogs page, has anyone deliberately crossed a Lab to improve genetics, both in terms of health and hunting skills?

@Flyblown The idea that cross breeds are the magic cure to health problems is a myth. If you cross a labrador with genetic hip dysplasia with a pointer that has a genetic eye condition then the crossbred pups will inherit those genetic issues.. It’s about doing your homework before you purchase a pup or dog and obtaining medical proof that the parents are healthy and issue free. Dogs with health issues are a case of breeding poor genetics as opposed to a purebred vs crossbred argument.

Originally Posted by stagstalker

@Flyblown The idea that cross breeds are the magic cure to health problems is a myth. If you cross a labrador with genetic hip dysplasia with a pointer that has a genetic eye condition then the crossbred pups will inherit those genetic issues.. It’s about doing your homework before you purchase a pup or dog and obtaining medical proof that the parents are healthy and issue free. Dogs with health issues are a case of breeding poor genetics as opposed to a purebred vs crossbred argument.

I will disagree with this stagstalker. Crossbreeding of two unrelated pure breeds masks or hides genetic faults, and inbreeding / linebreeding brings these to the surface. The crossbred animal will inherit the faults but those genetic faults will not be visible. It is only when the fault carrying animal is back crossed with another animal carrying the same fault that it will possibly make its appearance once more . Crossbreds are more vigorous, healthy, fertile and have longer lives than the parent breeds from which they are derived, this is on average measured at 16% in the first or F1 cross.
Genetic progress in breeding is best made with pure breeds. It is possible to use cross breeds to form new breeds but needs a lot of resources.
In summary, the parents of pure breds need to be totally 'sound' and free of genetic faults ( not just physically tested to not have the fault because they can still carry it ), whereas for a utility dog that won't be bred from a crossbred is a better bet if the genetic soundness of the parents isn't tested and proven.

If anyone is interested, I know where there is a Lab male that leaves exceptional pups. He totally 'stamps' his litters and every pup is brilliant and improved. Pm me and I can put you in contact with the owner.

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

I will disagree with this stagstalker. Crossbreeding of two unrelated pure breeds masks or hides genetic faults, and inbreeding / linebreeding brings these to the surface. The crossbred animal will inherit the faults but those genetic faults will not be visible. It is only when the fault carrying animal is back crossed with another animal carrying the same fault that it will possibly make its appearance once more . Crossbreds are more vigorous, healthy, fertile and have longer lives than the parent breeds from which they are derived, this is on average measured at 16% in the first or F1 cross.
Genetic progress in breeding is best made with pure breeds. It is possible to use cross breeds to form new breeds but needs a lot of resources.
In summary, the parents of pure breds need to be totally 'sound' and free of genetic faults ( not just physically tested to not have the fault because they can still carry it ), whereas for a utility dog that won't be bred from a crossbred is a better bet if the genetic soundness of the parents isn't tested and proven.

If anyone is interested, I know where there is a Lab male that leaves exceptional pups. He totally 'stamps' his litters and every pup is brilliant and improved. Pm me and I can put you in contact with the owner.

You make some good points. It still identifies however that cross breeding is not a magic cure. The issues still remain and they are still being bred forward into the next generation. Crossbred or purebred, the responsibility for health checks and responsible breeding remains the same.

Originally Posted by stagstalker

You make some good points. It still identifies however that cross breeding is not a magic cure. The issues still remain and they are still being bred forward into the next generation. Crossbred or purebred, the responsibility for health checks and responsible breeding remains the same.

Using two pure breeds to cross and produce a utility animal will produce an animal that is superior to the mean line of the two parent breeds. The offspring will be consistent and predictable.
Problems will only arise when the cross-bred is bred with IF it is bred to another similar cross-bred or to one of the parent breeds. In either case the hybrid vigour of the first cross is lost and the genetic mix is randomised with a lot of variation across the offspring. Remember Gregor Mendel's sweet peas that we all learnt about in High School Bio.
If a cross-bred is to be bred from it should be crossed to a third unrelated breed. This will maintain the vigour and consistency.
Genetic progress in breeding is best achieved by selection within a pure breed, but in the case of dogs, because the breeds carry such a high 'inbreeding coefficient' ( this is a mathematical ratio of close breeding relationship) from memory around 60% crossing is a good option to breed a utility dog.
For example Greyhounds ( which are anatomically perfect and carry no genetic faults ) cross very well with Border Collies to produce Lurchers. Such a dog could be crossed to a Staffy to produce awesome pigdogs for example.

Three of the best four dogs I’ve ever known were first cross black labs, pigs and deer.
Exceptional temperament, brains and ability.


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