Need help choosing a dog breed

[Stilly bay]

So my wife is still digging in her heels about getting a Lab, so despite much trying it looks like they are off the table

Boykin is now the front-runner.

  don't pigeon hole yourself or let yourself be pigeon holed into any one breed until you get to hunt behind it. you might find a boykin is exactly what you are looking for in the field or you might find it just doesn't compare to another breed you have hunted with. either way your going to be stuck behind this critter for the next decade or so, its going to make you laugh and cry - proud and embarrassed. so don't settle for anything less than exactly what you want.

IMO your doing the right thing by test driving a few breeds, don't stop on a Boykin unless you just know nothing else will do. hell test drive several dogs of the same breed just to make sure you know what your seeing. you got plenty of time. if more people took the trouble to find the right breed for them- there would be less dogs at the pound and rescue.

[Cascade_fisher]

That is a well written tip.   

[Atroxus]

I'm curious.  What does she have against labs?  They are so versatile in the field and great family dogs.

She likes tiny dogs. Says a lab is too big and sheds to much.

  don't pigeon hole yourself or let yourself be pigeon holed into any one breed until you get to hunt behind it. you might find a boykin is exactly what you are looking for in the field or you might find it just doesn't compare to another breed you have hunted with. either way your going to be stuck behind this critter for the next decade or so, its going to make you laugh and cry - proud and embarrassed. so don't settle for anything less than exactly what you want.

IMO your doing the right thing by test driving a few breeds, don't stop on a Boykin unless you just know nothing else will do. hell test drive several dogs of the same breed just to make sure you know what your seeing. you got plenty of time. if more people took the trouble to find the right breed for them- there would be less dogs at the pound and rescue.

Absolutely, I am going to try to get out and hunt over as many different dogs as I can. I want to make sure that I choose a dog that I can be happy with for the next 10+ years. Plus hunting with experienced dog owners/trainers I expect to learn a bit about hunting, training, breeds/breeders and other things that might not be covered in a couple training books.

Anyone who has dogs that fit my size/temperament requirements and would be willing to let me hunt with you for a day please shoot me a pm. I'm interested in both upland birds and waterfowl. Stilly is taking me out a second time, so I am guessing I didn't make him nervous in regards to safety around him and his dogs.

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[Goldeneye]

I'm curious.  What does she have against labs?  They are so versatile in the field and great family dogs.

She likes tiny dogs. Says a lab is too big and sheds to much.

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One thing to note.  The are different type of coats on Labs.  Ones that have the finer short hair do not shed much at all.  That could address part of the issue.  As far as size.  It was mentioned earlier.  All labs are not big.  I actually know of a female that runs at 50 pounds.

  Anyways, as Stilly said don't pigeon hole yourself.  If shedding is that big of a problem.  A standard poodle does not shed much at all and I've seen them go retrieve for retrieve with a lab through icy water.  It's uncommon enough when thought of as a hunting breed, that you may be able to find one.  You would probably find one of those easier at a rescue facility that one of the other hunting breeds.

[Stilly bay]

  the only reason why I am beating this horse is because you said you wanted a lab more than a boykin or other breed so far  here is one of the many examples of smaller hunting labs available. (BTW shipping a dog isn't a big deal)
http://www.duckhillkennels.com/dogs/canoelabs.php

Goldeneye is spot on about different coats in labs. My male Chinook has a very thin coat compared to my yellow female, and his shedding isn't even noticeable especially compared to hers. I also vacuum once a week.

I'm interested in both upland birds and waterfowl. Stilly is taking me out a second time, so I am guessing I didn't make him nervous in regards to safety around him and his dogs.

    

[Curly]

I'm curious.  What does she have against labs?  They are so versatile in the field and great family dogs.

She likes tiny dogs. Says a lab is too big and sheds to much.

Sounds like Atroxus needs to promise to vacuum 2-times per week if she will let him get a lab.........

[Atroxus]

I'm curious.  What does she have against labs?  They are so versatile in the field and great family dogs.

She likes tiny dogs. Says a lab is too big and sheds to much.

Sounds like Atroxus needs to promise to vacuum 2-times per week if she will let him get a lab.........

I tried that. I have also shown her all the pics and videos in this thread. I also tried convincing her that taking a lab from a line that tends towards smaller size and getting a female would bring the weight down pretty close to if not below the 50 pound mark, but she isn't buying it. 

I really don't like the look of poodles, but I am still considering them as a possibility. Standard poodles are borderline on my size/weight limit though, which is part of the reason that boykins are my current first choice. From what I read a female Boykin should be well under the 50 pound mark, even if she is at the upper end of the weight spectrum for that breed. (and they don't look like a giant cotton ball)  If anyone has a hunting poodle I could hunt with for another point of comparison though hit me in PM so we can schedule a hunt.  Like I said I am still open to other options. 

[Stilly bay]

i think blue moon has a poodle he hunts with and maybe Roper. I wouldn't spend a nickel on poodle for a hunting dog unless it came from serious hunting lines

[Happy Gilmore]

Boykins are cool little dogs. From what I've seen, they aren't the easiest dogs to train. The good ones seem to end up with professional trainers and they take a fair amount of time to come along. For an "out of the box" hunting partner and easy to train family dog you can't go wrong with a lab.

[Happy Gilmore]

Picture of my dogs with probably one of the best Boykins on the West Coast. This is Elroy.

[Curly]

I'll just throw this idea out there, don't know about them......I'd rather have a lab, but what about a Labradoodle???    Could that be a compromise that would work? 

(Or maybe get a pure bread, smallish lab female puppy and tell the wife it is a labradoodle.  Then after it gets larger and continues to look like a pure bread lab...........it's too late and the wife would already be attached to the lab).   

[Curly]

Some reading material: Labradoodle Link

[Curly]

Labradoodles are really spendy..........   link

[Atroxus]

I'll just throw this idea out there, don't know about them......I'd rather have a lab, but what about a Labradoodle???    Could that be a compromise that would work? 

(Or maybe get a pure bread, smallish lab female puppy and tell the wife it is a labradoodle.  Then after it gets larger and continues to look like a pure bread lab...........it's too late and the wife would already be attached to the lab).   

I did a little looking on Labradoodles and one sentence on wikipedia has me concerned. "Because the Labradoodle is a hybrid and not a breed, puppies do not have consistently predictable characteristics." I would hate to get a dog then find out it won't hunt. I don't know how hard it would be to find a labradoodle that I could verify that both parents are from good hunting lines.

Passing a lab off as a Labradoodle is tempting, but I'm not really comfortable lying to my wife about it to get a lab. So far Boykin or maybe poodle seem like the best compromise. Poodle only if I can get a chance to hunt with one and find a breeder that has a verifiable hunting line.

[Curly]

Passing a lab off as a Labradoodle is tempting, but I'm not really comfortable lying to my wife about it to get a lab. So far Boykin or maybe poodle seem like the best compromise. Poodle only if I can get a chance to hunt with one and find a breeder that has a verifiable hunting line.

Yeah, I'd wouldn't add Labradoodle to the list either.  Also, I was totally joking about lying about the pup.  Just one of those funny thoughts that go thru my twisted mind sometimes........