Labradors working cover

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Hi

Does anybody have any advice on which bloodlines of Black Labs are best at working thick cover. I remember my father in law owning a thick set black Lab years ago that would go through anything I think it was a Drakeshead bred dog. I'm after an allrounder and fancy a black Lab, I understand a Spaniel may suit better but would like to know if there are many Labs that can do it all.

Any advice gratefully received.

Stu

[shotgun tim 27]

its all about traning pal iv seen springers that wont go into cover but my chessies do, same with labs start them as a pup throw a dummy in to a bit of semi rough then progress from there

Edited March 7, 2012 by shotgun tim

[eli 0]

some may but not adog for the job

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Thanks

I'd expect a Lab to face thick cover when retrieving, but it's the drive to hunt up in thick cover I'd like to see. Not sure many Labs have it so might have to get a ESS?

[sibaldib 6]

Shotgun Tim is right - it's all about the training. Both my small labs were taught from an early age to retrieve from thick cover and bramble. Once they had done a few retrieves, they never thought anything of it.

Often on the shoot they would pick up where certain spaniels wouldn't.

 

Sadly I lost both mum and daughter within 7 weeks of each other, recently.

 

Sib

[barraboy 28]

my mate has a lab that'll work cover very effectively, but she's one of very few that ive seen that can hold a candle to a spaniel. my advice would be avoid trialing lines and find a nice home bred line from a bloke who does a lot of rough shooting with his labs over a couple of generations and it should do ok for you. more reliable option is to get a spaniel but labs will work cover just as spaniels can go wildfowling on the marsh.

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Cheers

I'll have good look around over the summer.

[Lab 10,979]

If your going to be working lots of thick cover then get a spaniel.

[GrCh 856]

If your going to be working lots of thick cover then get a spaniel.

 

I bet that hurt :laugh:

[Rhodey 96]

Most labs will hit thick cover when there young and eager they soon learn to avoid when they can as they get older. Like others have said springer or cocker would be best suited.

[Dave C 63]

My Lab bitch is only just over 21" she is off trialing stock which is also worked hard by keepers, which makes her light built and fast.

I did all the usuall training until she was 7 months, i then stopped all dummy training and started light rough shooting, all a young lab wants to do is retrieve, but the only way my bitch got a retreive was if she hunted hard and made the fluch for me to shoot.

I dont know if this made her keener ( i guess alot was already in her) but she hits cover like a self harmer and when i get complements off lurcher lads when i use her bushing i know she is the business cause them lads respect hard hunting.

 

I now have a dog which can rough shoot, sit in a hide or on a peg and go bushing with a bobbery pack.

 

ATB

Dave.

[mickyatch 37]

most people on hear are speaking sense with the spaniel situation going into cover .... my lab is opf drakeshead and wilson young lines hes a big dog with big feet and a big head and has a thick coat hes coat gets plenty of compliments off guns on different estates saying he has the very old type labrador coat .... he hammers cover if theres birds in there he will also work thick patches of bramble if i send him off to quater but he is NO spaniel at the job with the end of the season now you can tell hes worked hard as his muzzle and around his eyes are covered in small scares off brambles and thorn bushes hope this helps

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Thanks Gents for your advice, thinking I'd better try and find a big strain of ESS, but will keep my eyes out for an older Lab which is happy working cover.