# What kind of dog to get????



## outdoor2011 (Mar 1, 2008)

This is the scenario. I have never had a hunting dog, but am considering it. I live in town, but have a large open field 1 block away from my house. I hunt mainly waterfowl in both fields and ponds. Pheasnant isn't very big with me, but my dad likes to go pheasant hunting. I am thinking of either a lab or chessie.
Any other suggustions or tips or anything would help me.


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## stonebroke (Dec 16, 2004)

You need a Chessie... They are considered the ultimate waterfowl dog and do a real nice job on Pheasants as well (that's what I use them for....I have 4 of them). I have a litter due this week, if you are interested. Here's my website: http://www.geocities.com/stonebrokemt/


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## cancan (Feb 28, 2008)

Dont want this to turn into a this breed verses that breed but I would say go with a lab....you cant go wrong with a lab if you do your homework on where to get one and out of what lines. there are plenty of great lab lines.

Health clearances being number one priority.

You can also look into Pointing lab lines if that tickles your fancy.

Ive had labs so long I cant justify changing now.

Labs are plenty tough too


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## ND decoy (Feb 1, 2003)

You can't go wrong with either breed. Just do your home work and stay away from the back yard breeders.

Only deal with a breeder that has their dogs health certified. You will save yourself a lot of problems in the future.


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## cancan (Feb 28, 2008)

dont forget gaurantee.....if they wont give you one that oughta tell ya sumthing.


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## stonebroke (Dec 16, 2004)

cancan said:


> dont forget gaurantee.....if they wont give you one that oughta tell ya sumthing.


Most guarantees aren't worth the paper they're written on.......I've been burned twice on dogs that were "guaranteed". It takes a Philadelphia Lawyer to understand most of them.. I've read countless guarantees on different websites. They are almost always geared to protect the breeder. It's one thing having a guarantee....it's another thing getting a breeder to stand by it. I contacted a lawyer in regards to one dog I bought.... He said we could probably win the case, but it would end up costing about 3 times what the dog was worth in legal fees.

Here's my guarantee... I guarantee that any dog I use for breeding will have current hip and eye certifications, and I'll be more than happy to provide documentation that the hips and eyes are certified. I guarantee that the pup will be healthy at the time the pup is placed. I ask that people have their vet examine their pup within a week after they get it. If the vet finds anything wrong with the pup that is serious in nature, I offer a complete refund of the purchase price... No questions asked... No replacing the pup with a pup from the next available litter, and all that BS. If they want to return the pup, I'll take the pup back. If they want to keep the pup or give it away, that's fine too. As far as the hips and eyes are concerned, I feel that as a responsible breeder I have done my part by certifying the hips and eyes on any dog I use for breeding purposes. I will absolutely not breed a dog that has a poor temperament and my dogs are proven in the field before I'll consider breeding them as well.

Breeders are not God.....we do our best to breed the best dogs possible, but we can't foresee everything that might go wrong with a pup down the road. We have no control over environmental factors such as how a dog is fed, exercised, housed, etc. You'd be amazed at what some people do with their new pups....


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## cancan (Feb 28, 2008)

hips and eyes are basic , what about dm, pra, cnm and Eic?

I would only buy a dog from someone who's done all the testing possible.

If you have to sue a breeder probably needed to do more research and talk to refrences before purchasing from someone who wouldnt honor their own guarantee. I refuse to buy a dog from anyone I dont know or 
havent fully researched and gotten refrences on. Very important step if ya ask me.

might wanna reconsider advertising here without being a supporting member/sponser.


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## verg (Aug 21, 2006)

getting pretty pushy without having been around long aren't you cancan? :roll:

Stonebroke has put out a lot of useful information about dogs, not just chessies over the past couple years. You sound as if You're the expert. 
You best be careful because there is a lot of knowledgeable dogs guys on this site that you may end up crossing.


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## cancan (Feb 28, 2008)

I just know better than to advertise my buisness here without being a sponser....I work for a major bird dog kennel here and breed my own EP's as well. I was just giving the original poster info I think is important without advertising to him.

complete health clearences should be the first step in considering where to buy a dog. does anyone disagree with that?


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## verg (Aug 21, 2006)

No where did anyone say they didn't want health clearances. You may need to go back reread stonebroke's post. 
By the way, go to the classified section..can post just about anything you want. That is why this is a great site.


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## cancan (Feb 28, 2008)

The key word is complete, hips and eyes are great but not what i consider complete when i buy a dog.

Over and out.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

IMO Stonebrokes opinion of guarantees and his offer looks good to me, very good in fact.
Theres also some advantage in the fact the Montana is so close to ND that it would be easy to deal with him.
I've always wanted a chessie.

Cancan can you please email or pm me your kennel info I've recently got into Eps and would like to look at what you have.

5 of my eight pointers are going to be retired in the next year

Thanks


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## stonebroke (Dec 16, 2004)

Cancan,
Each breed has health issues that are often times specific to a particular breed. Example: Springers need to be screened for PFK, which is a hereditary blood disorder. I don't know of other breeds affected by this, but there might be. Dalmations are prone to deafness, etc. Yes, hip and eye certifications are basic for all breeds. And yes, the hip and eye clearances are just the first step in evaluating a dog for breeding purposes. Many people view Hip and Eye certifications as a license to breed without taking into consideration the dog's trainability, temperament, hunting and retrieving desire, etc.

Observation here: I've always found it interesting that dog breeders are expected to test for every hereitary desease under the sun, and heaven help a breeder who knowingly breeds a dog with any fault whatsoever.....they get raked over the coals, yet people have no problem whatsoever having children knowing there is a family history of diabetes, heart desease, and a host of other problems that are genetic in nature.

In regards to the two dogs I got burned on, I did my reseach. For what it's worth, the people I got the dogs from are well known, long time breeders. I will not name names....it's between myself and them. I'm sure the vast majority of the dogs they sell are outstanding, but I happened to get one dog that failed OFA and another that failed the CERF exam..... The one breeder keeps telling me he'll replace the dog I got, but it's been 5 years and nothing has happened. The other breeder flat out would not honor the guarantee....

In regards to advertising here without being a sponsor, I was just informing the person who started this post that I had pups coming in case he was interested. My pups are usually sold before they are born....5 of the litter that is due are already sold. If you have a problem with me posting that information in this thread, I apologize.


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## northdakotakid (May 12, 2004)

CanCan ...

what outfit are you woking for?


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## nytrapper16 (Jan 9, 2008)

lab thats the only breed i have owned good to train great with kids


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## cancan (Feb 28, 2008)

No worries stone, i may have been a little uptight that day...that said i tend to go with breeders that have tested for at least the major heriditary issues. I was just trying to give the OP pertinent information that would help him, before i got sidetracked. Again no worries brother.

Kid , like i told BobM , I've been asked by the owner not to broadcast on the internet forums, we have recently undergone a partnership fiasco and are in the process of evaluating new brood *****es. When I am given the all clear I will be happy to make the info known.

That said I am in the process of researching a move and very well may open a kennel of my own with my dogs, possibly in ND/SD.....until such time as im given the green flag and become a sponser i gotta keep my lips zipped.

I will throw out there that if i start my own operation in a new state my studs and *****es come from really good stock, my one stud is from same blood lines as the new national champion from Ames (whippoorwill) and the other is out of damascus. *****es have similar backgrounds.


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## gonedoggin (Mar 20, 2008)

You should get whatever breed you are most drawn to. That way you'll get more enjoyment out of training him. That being said, there is no easier dog to train than a field bred Lab. Stay away from generic or show bred dogs of any breed.


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## choc24/7 (Mar 22, 2008)

go with a lab. temperment wise you cant beat em.


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## brianb (Dec 27, 2005)

It is easier to find a nice lab litter just because of numbers. Labs also tend to be cheaper for comparable pedigrees, couple to $300 cheaper usually. Probably again the result of numbers.

www.northernflight.com go to magazine articles, he has written an article comparing labs to chessies. He is a well known chessie guy who writes for Retriever Journal. There are also a bunch of other nice articles on that site.

You can find great and worthless specimens in either breed. A good dog of either breed will have most of the same traits.

Basically, do some reading and trust your gut.


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