# going from german short hair to yellow lab



## aarongnm (Dec 5, 2006)

Well in my hunting career I have owned a few wonderful German Shorthairs. My last one just died on me almost a year ago. I was very close to him so im having a hard time getting another Short hair. I need to try something different. I have always admired labs because the are just all around good dogs, even out of the hunting season. I know it will be a little different hunting under a flushing dog vs. a pointing dog. Just out of curiosity, is it possible to teach a lab to point? When my pointers were little pups i would throw a pheasant wing tied to a fishing pole out in front of him and that worked immediately. Could that work for a flusher? I would appreciate any advice on how to train a Lab.

Thanks


----------



## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

You can teach any dog to do just about anything but why fight nature, get another shorthair or expect the lab to flush, even lots of socalled pointing labs flush.

Unless you hunt a lot of waterfowl a shorthairs will outhunt a lab in the uplands most of the time,except in sloughs.

I like them both by the way this is just my observation


----------



## fishless (Aug 2, 2005)

Stick with the GSP. Labs are retrievers first flushing dogs second. Unless you do alot of waterfowl hunting, you will probably be disappointed in the lab when compared to a GSP.


----------



## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Bobm said:


> You can teach any dog to do just about anything but why fight nature, get another shorthair or expect the lab to flush, even lots of socalled pointing labs flush.
> 
> Unless you hunt a lot of waterfowl a shorthairs will outhunt a lab in the uplands most of the time,except in sloughs.
> 
> I like them both by the way this is just my observation


Right on Bob.....reminds me of Gene Hackman telling Denzel Washington about the Lippazaner Stallions and being able to teach them anything using a cattle prod up the wazoo.

Why fight trying to get a lab to point when the GSP or GWP will do it naturally and cover tons more ground in the process?


----------



## 1 shot (Oct 24, 2007)

I dont want to start any arguments.
But 1 question I have wanted to ask the pointer people. Doesn't it get a little too easy to shoot pheasants when you know when they are gonna flush? 
By all means beginners and young people I agree get them some easy shots and get them into the sport.

I guess to me its too much like shootin clay pigeons you pretty much do the same thing. Say a command and bam theres a target.


----------



## franchi (Oct 29, 2005)

1 shot said:


> Doesn't it get a little too easy to shoot pheasants when you know when they are gonna flush?


You still have to make the shot. Just because the dog finds them, doesn't mean it is an easily harvested bird. Plus, hunting over the pointer is better than harvesting a bird. Seeing what your dog can do is the best part.
Being someone who has owned two GSP's then switching to a Yellow Lab, I can relate a little here. If you are strictly hunting upland, stick with the pointers, but if you wish to have a versatile dog, go with the lab. The pointers can definitely cover more ground. And the labs are all around great dogs.


----------



## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

> I guess to me its too much like shootin clay pigeons you pretty much do the same thing. *Say a command and bam theres a target.*


thats funny :lol: could you tell us all what that command is pheasant hunting.

Also GSPs are more versatile than labs, just not good in cold water and real real cold weather.

I have owned labs lots of real good labs and while they were all good hunters they are not as good at pheasant hunting as my GSP's not even close with one exception I like a lab in cattatil sloughs. My shorthairs hunt rabbits, deer, ducks, and all upland birds well.

They are true versatile dogs


----------



## Guest (Jan 22, 2008)

there it is out there for all to see right from the moderator!!

"just not good in cold water and real real cold weather. "

" not even close with one exception I like a lab in cattatil sloughs."

So, if you are a late season northern tier MN, SD, MT or ND do as I do, get a lab!!! :justanangel: I couldn't help it Bob, I love those labs.


----------



## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

I love those labs too :beer:

I've just gotten old and prefer the dog run all over the field and find the birds so all I have to do is walk from point to point :wink:

A lab is a great buddy for fishing also...


----------



## BROWNDOG (Nov 2, 2004)

" When my pointers were little pups i would throw a pheasant wing tied to a fishing pole out in front of him and that worked immediately."

Thats because they are natural pointers :wink:

And a lab is not a NATURAL pointer..


----------



## fasenbuster (Jan 12, 2008)

To answer your questions, Yes and Yes.
I'll hold on to my opinion as to which is the better choice and leave it this&#8230; 
Sounds like you need some convincing to get a lab. What do you want?
I would need convinced too. (oops that slipped out)


----------



## Guest (Jan 22, 2008)

I was not addressing the pointing but only the cold late seasons up here. And, fasenbuster, central IL is no where near North Dakota, MN, SD or MT temps in the late season. Unless you come up here and hunt, in which case, you do understand what it is like. I was out in Aberdeen SD december 05 and it was just after that ice storm, -24F with a wind chill of -36F I have hunted with shorthairs that would head for the truck as soon as they could see it in warmer weather than that but my labs, including the old fart I put down a year ago hunted for hours in that weather and no sign of slowing down.. They seem to thrive in that kind of hunting. Cattails keep you warm and out of the wind.  It all boils down to preferences doesn't it. No wrong answer, just get the dog you want, train them the best you can and take em hunting as much as possible. Goll dang it now I'm going to start counting the days........but that's anther subject isn't it! :beer:


----------



## gonehuntin' (Jul 27, 2006)

I don't think there's a right answer to this. A lab is a great pheasant dog. If you know your dog and watch it's tail, you know exactly when that pheasan't going to get up. But Bobm, as usual, made a good point. A lab is a young man's dog, a shorthair an old man's dog. Huh? Let me explain that. A lab works a swath 20 yards to each side of you as you walk through a field. A shorthair covers the whole field.

We were in SD last year and my friend was giving his golden a rest and hunting with me and my Drahtaar. We were about 100 yards from a pot hole and were standing there watching the Drat. She headed for the pothole, swept up the down wind side of it, then turned and came through the pot hole, found no bird's and back up the hill to Gary and I. Gary shook his head and said " They really are a great dog for an old guy, aren't they?". We hadn't taken a step and she had covered the whole piece of cover.  I love it.


----------



## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

When I was slim,fast and tireless I liked my fat and slow labs, now that I'm fat and slow I like my slim fast and tireless shorthairs :lol:

Good old guy dogs.

ME and my shorthairs were hunting near Oakes new years day -5 degrees the old ones were really having trouble with those temps, so were me and my kids. BRRRR


----------



## Canuck (Nov 10, 2004)

Bob,
That's my plan for staying slim and tireless....chasin' after my lab.
Canuck


----------



## verg (Aug 21, 2006)

How do Gsp's do living outside up here? I mean in a kennel with a good house and good bedding. Do they do ok or do they need to come in a lot?


----------



## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

Build a good house like the one I have plans for in the stickies and put an electric heater in it also in the stickies and you would be ok.

I like my dogs to come in the house, at night why put them though it even if they can handle it plus they are my buddies


----------



## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

Canuck said:


> Bob,
> That's my plan for staying slim and tireless....chasin' after my lab.
> Canuck


that was mine too, I can handle the slim part but the tireless part is history


----------



## Deuce 2 (Jan 24, 2008)

Here you go aarongnm, hope this helps in your quest!
you don't teach a lab to point, they either do it naturally or they are NOT a pointing lab. Contrary to what many people will say, they do point.

http://www.americanpointinglab.com/site ... fault.aspx


----------



## kwas (Feb 20, 2007)

I have a pointing lab and he points. at 12 weeks old when I got him he would point everything. Iam force fetching him and whoe breaking him right now at 7 months and he is doing good. I dont think you would be unhappy if you were to get one. The apla American Pointing Lab Asso. is comming to minisota and mich for trials so if you wanted to see them in action you could.


----------

