Labs/Goldens size vs. endurance?

R

Rogue Hunter

Active member
Didn't want to highjack the weight of retrievers thread, and hope I'm not reviving old arguments...but just lately I've been considering getting a retriever. I remember 20-30 years ago there was heated discussion regarding the utility of a Labs' weight/height in regard to endurance in busting cattails looking for pheasants, mainly, but also, retrieving ducks. Did people come to a consensus on this issue, or, did it just die-down.

Really, I'm not looking to dredge up old animosities, though maybe will...just trying to become educated on the capabilities of modern Labs/Goldens.

Maybe, I should just ask what size dog you have, and why you feel it meets your needs in a retriever?
 
I think youre drilling it down enough that its the individual litter or dog you have. As meentioned, get a good field bred pup and youve stacked the odds in your favor, regardless of breed.
 
I've spent thousands of hours hunting with labs and goldens. Labs retrieve better, and are more aggressive in general.
 
An individual dog's level of conditioning is going to have much more impact on his ability to handle the rigors of a given day of hunting than the dog's size/stature. If you have a dog not in good physical condition and take it to cattails you will not have good performance. Keep your dog lean and be sure they are well conditioned prior to season and any of them will perform adequately. The more effort and thought you put into his conditioning, the better he will perform.
 
If you want a breed of retriever that will bust through anything including ice to retrieve a duck, a Chesapeake Bay retriever is at the peak of the summit. Unfortunately they often have the personality of a stump though.
 
gimruis said:
If you want a breed of retriever that will bust through anything including ice to retrieve a duck, a Chesapeake Bay retriever is at the peak of the summit. Unfortunately they often have the personality of a stump though.
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The best Canadian honker retrieve I ever saw, was by a Chesapeake male,in January, on the Yellowstone River. This bird was barely hit, weighed 20 pounds, and was standing on an ice shelf on the other side of the river. The river was 200 yards wide.That dog chased after that bird for 10 minutes! He finally ran him down,then swam all the way back with him, with strong current. It was an epic retrieve!!
 
Goosemaster said:
The best Canadian honker retrieve I ever saw, was by a Chesapeake male,in January, on the Yellowstone River. This bird was barely hit, weighed 20 pounds, and was standing on an ice shelf on the other side of the river. The river was 200 yards wide.That dog chased after that bird for 10 minutes! He finally ran him down,then swam all the way back with him, with strong current. It was an epic retrieve!!
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It’s a Canada!
Pamela Anderson has 20 lb Canadian honkers
 
I've hunted a Chessie in Alaska and labs in Alaska and the lower 48. For upland game, a good, light-mid weight lab from field stock can't be beat. I've tried the "british" style labs, and though they have great personalities, are easy to train and wonderful bird dogs, they tend to be too heavy to last a full day in the field, especially in warm weather. I actually have one "british" lineage lab and one "american" lab right now. I love the way the brit hunts, but feel sorry for her at the end of the day. The "american" lab is a rocket and can hunt all day in warm weather without a problem. Unfortunately, in my experience, it is hard to find a light-mid weight lab. The breeders I have talked to all say "oh, he/she will only get up to 60lbs at maturity", then at 3 years old you've got a 75lb dog. Find a good, honest breeder. Look at both parents. As far as goldens, they have a great personality, and the ones I've been around hunt extremely well. The only thing that turns me off is the long hair and burrs. If you can deal with that, a golden would seem to be a great option as well.
 
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