Cross breeding Lab/GSP?

S

southernroots

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Does anyone have any experience with mixing these two breeds for pheasant or quail hunting?

I have grow up around both breeds and have always thought that if I mixed my best two of each breeds I just might get a great pointing dog that has the attitude of a lab. Seems like a great idea but wanted to get some opinions before I went that route

thanks
 
No connection but here you go...http://www.hybridretrievers.com/. My son had an accidental breeding of a FC GSP and FC Lab and this guy bought them. If you got the right mix, you may have a pretty dang good dog.
 
You could also get the pointing instinct of the retriever and the retrieving instinct of the pointer....

Maybe just look at the pointing labs they have now?
 
i'll take 1 of the pups! i have a mixed bag lab/great pyrenees that everyone makes fun of. i hunt him with my pure bred blk labs. he is starting to catch on. there's just 1 problem he points the birds for me but he won't let me shoot'm:D. i guess he's guarding them:D
 
Here's my take, take it for what it's worth.

Breeding for quality gun dogs is not just about putting two dogs that hunt together and see what becomes of it. Unfortunately it doesn't work that way. Oh... sure, the chances that you may get one or two pups that may actually turn out is always there, but it's a crap shoot at best. Experienced breeders don't do it that way and rely on years of experience on what traits work and don't work when put together to produce the kind of dog their after. In other words, a lot of trial and error early on. The other thing to think about is what if you can't sell them or worse give them away, then what?? Something to think about...

IMO, and this is just that, if you want a retriever that will point, go with one of the pointing labs from a reputable breeder who has gone through all the trial and error.

FWIW
 
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The only reason to breed dogs is for the betterment of the breed. Just ask yourself "How am I improving the breed(s)?" I hunted with a landowner a few weeks ago who had a Weimeraner/Lab that was bred intentionally. This dog left me thinking the guy sure put himself through a lot to end up with a funny looking couch anchor.
 
Don't think I'd set out deliberately todo the cross bred thing. Back in the old days there were a lot of "field bred", as in cosumated in the field during a hunt, pointer-setter crosses. Universally turned out to be veryuseful dogs and some fantastic. With the variety of breeds available today, and the variety within breeds, it seems a guy could find a suitable dog without the risk and ordeal of a completely avante guard breeding program.
 
I know I'll get some heat for this but I had a redbone mix when I was in high school that took point on pheasant.I know it's off topic a bit but my 2 cents.I've a few cross bred bird dogs that worked good.
 
Another way to ponder this subject is to think about how many good mix-breed dogs are in shelters wishing they had a truck, and a guy to drive it. I gambled on one and am damn happy I did.
 
First of all there is nothing wrong with giving a mutt a try and a home after a accident. Responsible pet ownership avoids 99% of mistakes. I believe breeding should be done with great thought and care and education. Too many breeds are being screwed up by crappy breeding practice these days and the Lab is a perfect example of it. I think this type of breeding is what is called backyard breeding and creates nothing but problems.:(
 
FCSpringer said:
First of all there is nothing wrong with giving a mutt a try and a home after a accident. Responsible pet ownership avoids 99% of mistakes. I believe breeding should be done with great thought and care and education. Too many breeds are being screwed up by crappy breeding practice these days and the Lab is a perfect example of it. I think this type of breeding is what is called backyard breeding and creates nothing but problems.:(
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These are the poor creatures that you see at Petco and the other puppy mill purveyors. Remember one thing when looking for a dog. If the vendor will sell an animal to anyone with the cash...Run!
 
FCSpringer said:
Too many breeds are being screwed up by crappy breeding practice these days and the Lab is a perfect example of it.:(
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Very true. I am perfectly happy with my labs but am pondering getting a springer, what the hell is wrong with me, after seeing all the misfit non-hunting labs out there.
 
moellermd said:
Very true. I am perfectly happy with my labs but am pondering getting a springer, what the hell is wrong with me, after seeing all the misfit non-hunting labs out there.
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Been there. I have had labs. There are plenty of good ones out there don't get me wrong. But something is wrong when there is litteraly 1,000's of lab breeders. Add that to just about every news paper in the US with an ad for 100$ or less not to mention free pups. It has gotton way out of control. And the health issues have followed.
 
ranchodeluxe said:
Another way to ponder this subject is to think about how many good mix-breed dogs are in shelters wishing they had a truck, and a guy to drive it. I gambled on one and am damn happy I did.
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I did the same thing rancho I got my gsp from a rescue in southern colorado with no intention of hunting him until i was convinced he would be fine around guns and wouldnt take off running. I took great care in introducing him to guns and got very lucky he took to hunting like he had been doing it his whole life, since i know background i knew he hadnt hunted before but i couldnt ask for a better companion both at home and in the field. I always highly encourage looking into shelters and rescue agencys first! just my two cents

Chris
 
I now hunt behind a 3/4 gsp 1/4 lab. At 13 months old he is a very good dog. Steady point, flushes like a lab on them stubborn birds that just won't get up, retrieves, and is a good waterfowl dog. I say go for it!
 
Here's a guy that has already done it for you. He use to be on this site but I haven't seen him in awhile. He has crossed a lab and GSP and named it the Wesslpointer. http://wesslpointer.com/
 
Phil V. said:
I know I'll get some heat for this but I had a redbone mix when I was in high school that took point on pheasant.I know it's off topic a bit but my 2 cents.I've a few cross bred bird dogs that worked good.
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When I was a kid we used to coon hunt every night and a friend of mine that we hunted with bought, and paid big money, a red bone/pointer mix. He was a great track dog, but as soon as he got on the tree and stopped barking and started pointing!!! He would not say another word, but always had a coon when you found him.
 
I have only Lab type dogs:eek::eek:
But holy CRAP!! we seem to get some birds.:10sign::cheers:
 
In the late 1880s and early 1990s dog breeders in Europe were honored because they had vision and drive to create something new for the desires and needs of the hunters of that time.

Times have changed and breeders like Wessels are trying to created a breed that fits todays times. To create a breed that we can take hunting all day, take home to play with the kids, and then sleep at the foot of the bed seems to fit what a lot of the bird hunters need now days.

Taking the best quailties of some of the best hunting dogs out there and mixing it into one dog is the same thing they did 100 years ago. Whats so wrong with trying it now? Now I know a lot of people out there have no business playing with genetics and crossing, but unfortunately you have to take the good with the bad.

Now some of you will disagree because you have a setter or a pointer that will do everything a lab will do or vise versa, but the fact is Labs retrieve, pointers point!!!
 
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