Field bred golden retrievers: please read

B

Bob Peters

Well-known member
I wanted to share this with all members and lurkers here. Labs are #1 for good reason, GSP's are #2 for good reason. If you hunt CRP, light grass, or grouse, an english setter or brittany is a good dog. If you hunt this time of year for pheasants, I think it's tough to beat a field bred golden retriever. The ones I've met are so enthusiastic to go hunting, bust heavy cover, and want nothing more than to put up that brightly colored game cock and fetch him up after you put a load of number 5's in him. My whole life I wanted a lab, and still love labs, but after hunting over my buddies golden I can't see getting anything else. She is so strong, her nose is amazing, her drive keeps her in the field longer than I can last, and she gets along with anybody. She didn't have much formal training for hunting, but she is just a natural. There are so many good dogs out there, labs, springers, and pointers. If you live or hunt the upper midwest late season, all I ask is that you look into field bred golden retrievers, I guarantee that if you get one from good stock you will be amazed. There have been multiple retrieves on roosters knocked down in thick cover that absolutely floored my buddy and me. And then on duck opener she had no problem at all grabbing a few bonus geese. There are a lot of great breeds and great dogs out there, but if I were you I'd look hard at getting a hunting golden retriever puppy.
 

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I cant disagree with anything you said. Im on my 4th but probably the second that is truly Field Bred. The others hunted well but there's another level when you see a field bred Golden do its thing.
I have the best of both worlds in that I have an amazing FBESS that comes from great Field Trial lines. Her dad is a NAC. When I see her work and see what a great FB dog is bred to do..It makes me just crazy when I crap the ole sheets and miss chip shots at Roosters and get the stink eye from them.
Hunting dogs ruin flooring, stink, can be annoyingly high energy, make me walk around the yard with a full pooper scooper when they neighbors are sitting on the couch, are crazy expensive..and the list goes on. My wife and I wouldnt have it any other way. Its a way of life at this point.
Great pics Bob!
 
That's so great that you've had that experience. Similar story for me. My buddy had a springer I fell in love with, and the rest is history. To me it's all about finding a breed whose personality fits you. Train to whatever level meets your expectations, throw in as much experience as you're able to give the dog, and there you go.
 
Bob Peters said:
I wanted to share this with all members and lurkers here. Labs are #1 for good reason, GSP's are #2 for good reason. If you hunt CRP, light grass, or grouse, an english setter or brittany is a good dog. If you hunt this time of year for pheasants, I think it's tough to beat a field bred golden retriever. The ones I've met are so enthusiastic to go hunting, bust heavy cover, and want nothing more than to put up that brightly colored game cock and fetch him up after you put a load of number 5's in him. My whole life I wanted a lab, and still love labs, but after hunting over my buddies golden I can't see getting anything else. She is so strong, her nose is amazing, her drive keeps her in the field longer than I can last, and she gets along with anybody. She didn't have much formal training for hunting, but she is just a natural. There are so many good dogs out there, labs, springers, and pointers. If you live or hunt the upper midwest late season, all I ask is that you look into field bred golden retrievers, I guarantee that if you get one from good stock you will be amazed. There have been multiple retrieves on roosters knocked down in thick cover that absolutely floored my buddy and me. And then on duck opener she had no problem at all grabbing a few bonus geese. There are a lot of great breeds and great dogs out there, but if I were you I'd look hard at getting a hunting golden retriever puppy.
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Thanks for the message, Bob. I'm on my 5th Golden and totally concur with your experience and summary.

Golden puppies are getting expensive but well worth the investment. Let us know if you purchase a new dog; always inteerested in hearing about the dog you seslect and your training/hunting experiences.
 
Speaking from experience with horses and cattle a person needs to look at the breeds in general in so far as breed characteristics; however having said that you have to live with an individual. There are individuals in every breed that will be outstanding and every breed will have the dinks that bring the average down to what it is. Cattle breeding has quantifiable characteristics and a person can really see heritability at work. We had a stud horse years ago that became a regional champion and sired two national champions. We had the chance to buy a full brother and he never amounted to squat.

I’ve always had labs and have been generally happy with them. I’ve had two I couldn’t give away fast enough. I’ve had one rescue dog that was one of the best hunting dogs I’ve had. Breeds have general characteristics, but a person needs to look at close relatives to get the odds in your favor. Even then you can get surprised occasionally.

A good dog is a true joy, and something everyone should have at least once in their life.

That’s my take anyway, others may have different experiences.
 
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I really like hearing from guys that love goldens. I’ve never seen one hunt ever. The only one I know are from people that have them as family pets. My Jr high science teacher Steve Myrtue always had them, and was really into them. Can’t wait to see one work one day. Keep posting guys
 
FB Goldens tend to be medium to dark red. Part of the separation from bench dogs I suppose. Someone will call me out telling me about their cream colored pup that hunts. I know theyre out there.
You wont see too many reddish field Goldens with long flowing hair doing TP or Fabreeze commercials. Reminds me…mine do stink right now
 
4shot said:
I really like hearing from guys that love goldens. I’ve never seen one hunt ever. The only one I know are from people that have them as family pets. My Jr high science teacher Steve Myrtue always had them, and was really into them. Can’t wait to see one work one day. Keep posting guys
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4shot, you need to go hunting with me some day, I will show you goldens that hunt! Lots of fun plus they are a pet the rest of the year.
 
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Here is Skye with a bird we got on Saturday, new years day, in south central MN. She's definitely got a red tinge to her fur. I was nervous about hunting in -6 (-20 something with wind). She was fine and when we got back to the cabin she laid in the snow chewing on a stick and her tennis ball.
 
FD4D3527-A5C5-4B9C-B9AF-FAE089133E8C.jpegI picked a Golden for my first bird dog because I needed a breed that was forgiving of my lack of knowledge and experience. She has not let me down. I also needed a good family dog. We will always have Goldens now. With my lack of experience I couldn’t get my male to stop being gun shy. I still wouldn’t trade him for anything.
 
I grew up with goldens and I've hunted over numerous goldens. They are good dogs, but they have drawbacks just like everything. Even if you keep their coat short, they get burs worse than a lab. My goldens couldn't handle cold water as well as labs I hunted with....but I've heard from other guys who claim their goldens can handle cold water just as well. Maybe it was just my dogs.

The one thing that I didn't like about the goldens I had growing up is they took a long time to settle down. One dog settled down when he was 2 and the other didn't settle down until he was 3ish. I know labs can be the same, but I bought a British lab two years ago and this dog starting settling down at 6 months. By one year old he was pretty damn good, very calm, and well behaved.

I know British labs have been "trendy" and there's some questionable breeding. However, there is different behavioral characteristic between American bred and UK bred field lines. Namely, in the way field trails are run. Allot of the field trial winners in the US wouldn't be bred in the UK because they favor different characteristics in their dogs, and field trial winners get bred allot. I've watched some videos of US field trials and allot of those dogs have real bad "creep" that I would never allow my dog to get away with. I'm not sure if my dog would ever be capable of a 300 yard blind but he is capable of a 100 yard blind and that's all I need from him. UK field trial dogs are eliminated if they make any noise. My dog never barks, ever, and he doesn't whine. That's an ingrained trait.

If I was strictly a grouse hunter I would have a pointer. If I strictly pheasant hunted I would probably import an english springer from the UK. Those dogs are serious pheasant hunters! I've never seen more drive then from an English springer from good UK field trial lines. For an all around hunting dog, that's good around the house, it's a lab from UK field trial lines. I'm on the waitlist for another lab currently, but after one of my dogs passes away my partner wants to get a golden. I told her it has to be from good hunting lines so we'll see how it matches up.

Shout out to McFarmer for the rescue mutt hunting dog. I had a lab/german sheppard/beagle mix that I shot over 1000 birds over in his career. He was a great hunter. Not a ton of drive but methodical and he had a good nose. I got allot of stares hunting with that dog.

I'm surprised no one ever mentions field bred standard poodles on here? I've talked to a few trainers who have trained them and they are apparently super smart and easy to train. Very good hunters, and great family dogs.
 
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