So my mom (deathly scare of dogs) and father (grew up in the old country thinking dogs are only protection not pet) finally decided to get a dog. I have been asking for a dog for about 10 years and they finally said out of nowhere that they will get me one for a HS graduation present. QUESTION: Would a yellow american lab be a good family dog as well as a good hunting partner? Are they tough to train? I would be getting a purebred (expensive but I am paying for it anyway) from a reputable breeder and as a puppy.
A lab is a clasic hunting dog/family companion and are very loyal and willing to be trained. You need to do your homework though and find a dog from good hunting lines, whose parents represent the size of dog you would like to have, and have a temperment you want. Some lab lines can be very high strung and if it is to be a housedog also, you'll want one who isn't wound tight all the time, only when it needs to turn it on in the field. Like most dogs, labs can have some breed specific health issues, namely hip displaysia, bad elbows and eyes. Good breeders will have had the parents checked for each of these conditions and will give you essentially a warranty on eyes, hips and elbows. The last thing you want is to bond to your new buddy and see him with hip displaysia at only a few years old. Take some time and look for breeders in your area and ask lots of questions and go see their operation. I've always thought a good, reputable breeder cares as much or more about where his/her puppies are going than the new owner themselves.
We have a Golden Retriever and a Yellow Lab (both are 14 now) and they have been and will be the best dogs I've ever had, and I've had a lot...from Alaskan Malamute to a German Shepard and even a Poodle!!!! I have 2 younger children and even when they were Babies these 2 dogs were awesome. To be honest I don't think there are much better family dogs out there then a Lab or a Golden Retriever. Do yourself a favor and get 1 you won't regret it!!!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
You need to listen to this African American brother ... he is spot on! What king of game are you looking to hunt? A Vizsla is hard to beat for a family dog ... but if you are exclusively a duck hunter, I would go lab ...
Im going to start getting into goose/duck hunting this year. After seeing over 4-5 flocks everyday of Canadian, Snow geese and ducks flying over my tree stand...i think its time to start.
A really really really good breeder with great dogs. However, expensive. I think he will ship puppies. His dogs are on the Sporting Dog Adventures which are on the Pursuit channel or Sportsman Channel. Jeff is a good man and will take care of you. http://www.soggyacres.com/
Thanks a ton for the link! The pricing isn't too bad at 1,000... i expected to spend 2,000 on a good pup. I just wish he had yellow labs.
He will have yellows don't worry. I would give him a call if you are interested as he doesn't always have his website updated. I'm sure we will be having yellows sooner than you think. He owns a lot of dogs.
Labs are awesome. My 9 year old black lab is passed out in "his" recliner right now. If you train him yourself I recommend getting some books first and reading those and being consistent with your pup. A young lab has more energy than any other creature on earth and they key is to channel that into its training. I trained my lab, but if I were to do it again I would have probably sent him to a professional who could lay the foundation. You have to work a young dog every day, but when he's not having fun it's time for a break.
My wife's parents has one that is 4 or 5 years old and it is a great dog and a great hunter and he really turned me onto this breeder. We put a deposit down on a litter for a chocolate puppy that should be born here late February and ready to go home in April so we are getting one as well. You guys are going to have to make sure he ships dogs because I don't know for sure if he does that. Some breeders do and some don't.
Do some searching around your area, in local sporting magazines/newspapers or even internet forums like this one. I'd want something close enough so I could visit the and see the parents. That said, find someone trustworthy like Brad and you can also go that route and have some confidence in your decision. Personally, I love training them myself rather than someone else. It builds such a bond and it is amazing how well you learn to understand and read each other when in the field.
I agree with this. As much as I like this breeder I would prefer to visit something local and see it with my own eyes. Also I'm not sure how I would feel about shipping a 8 week old puppy. I know people do it successfully but I would rather not expose the young dog to that stress. Good luck in whatever you guys do. Labs are so popular you should be able to find a really good breeder close by. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Labs are hard to beat, loving, loyal and great family dogs. The link above has something many breeders do not seem to do, when you are paying for a pure bred all breeders should be doing it. Labs are known for hip, elbow and eye issues, the breeder in the link openly shows the hip and elbow clearance for their dogs. If you are spending that kind of money on a dog make sure the breeder is spending the money and making the effort to breed dogs that will not likely cost you thousands in Hip, Elbow and other health issues. I would also try to find a breeder in the area so you can let the pup in the litter pick you out
Yeah I have been looking around for awhile now. Need a replacement for my chocolate that was shot last year. Im thinking of waiting until closer to the summer so I can spend more time with it and the kids.
Puppy's are a ton of work. My advise to you would be if your not going to have hours and hours a day to spend with it to go with a rescue dog. Our family just got their first puppy last year and it was a humbling experience. Our three other dogs before that were all rescues around two years old. And save those big dollars you plan on spending for college. Lol
$1,000 is too much for me if youre not going to be using it for trials or straight up hunting. Id only pay $500 for AKC with good lines if it was going to be half family pet. Sure you don't get the exclusive bloodlines, but hey its up to you. Dogs are definitely time consuming, especially in puppy years with all the chewing and pooping and peeing. Then you also got to train them. My dog didnt chew up too much, but he did cost a bout $200-$300 in replacement furniture and clothing that we had accidentally left out. Then the vet bills because he somehow got girardia and then got this crazy red bumps all over him. Luckily he turned out fine even then im pretty sure ive traumatized him a few times. Next dog though, ill make sure I dont make the same mistakes. Wouldnt trade my dog for anything.
