I always kept lurchers, terriers..when I got a lab(this is my first) I got him for retreiving birds, mainly ducks and geese,I brought him up no different to what I did them, bar the gundog training, sit ,stay, Hand commands etc ,I don't shoot rabbits, so didn't break the dog to ground game, Infact I encouraged it... I love watching him work up, bolt and course rabbits, he's put a fair few in the bag now, isn't the same as keeping a lurcher but keeps him fit, and me happy watching him run them... It hasn't affected his steadiness one bit either... As someone has said, a dog is what you what ma