Need help choosing a dog breed

[lokidog]

Now I'm starting to think my wife is just being contrary. I finally started making progress on the lab, then she went from "it's to big" to "i don't want a puppy, i want a dog that is already potty trained." to "I don't want to think about it now cause we aren't getting a dog until summer". 

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Ouch!! 

[Curly]

Now I'm starting to think my wife is just being contrary. I finally started making progress on the lab, then she went from "it's to big" to "i don't want a puppy, i want a dog that is already potty trained." to "I don't want to think about it now cause we aren't getting a dog until summer". 

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Potty training is the easy part, IMO.  My lab puppy I brought home when he was 8 weeks old and I crate trained him.  He was potty trained real quick and only had one accident in the house.  The puppy was a babe magnet; the ladies would flock to be able to pet the cute little guy.  Maybe she's worried about you getting a puppy and having all the ladies fawning over him..........  

[lokidog]

Now I'm starting to think my wife is just being contrary. I finally started making progress on the lab, then she went from "it's to big" to "i don't want a puppy, i want a dog that is already potty trained." to "I don't want to think about it now cause we aren't getting a dog until summer". 

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Potty training is the easy part, IMO.  My lab puppy I brought home when he was 8 weeks old and I crate trained him.  He was potty trained real quick and only had one accident in the house.  The puppy was a babe magnet; the ladies would flock to be able to pet the cute little guy.  Maybe she's worried about you getting a puppy and having all the ladies fawning over him..........  

    

Ours potty trained in three days at 7 1/2 weeks old.  The crate training is the only way to go.   

[ribka]

Second the Vizsla
 Mine does well on upland and ducks

http://i862.photobucket.com/albums/ab186/ribka123/cquail4-1.jpg

I have had 3 vizslas that were good at ducks and excellant for upland. I had one that busted 1/2 inch ice to retrieve geese and if they were alive she killed them quick! They have the shortest hair! I'm not recomending them as your best choice, but they have been my favorite for 40 years. I have 1 vizsla now (40 lbs wet) and 2 choc labs (mother & daughter 60 lbs). I hunt all 3 toghether. I would also recomend a Britanny although it's one of the few I haven't owned, they have a very good nose and smaller size.

[ghosthunter]

Consider trading the wife off. And get a lab.

[skinzner]

Theres a 6 month old gsp on lewis yard sales under pets that got posted today for 50 bucks, house broken and up to date on shots. phone # 2532099818

[Goldeneye]

Now I'm starting to think my wife is just being contrary. I finally started making progress on the lab, then she went from "it's to big" to "i don't want a puppy, i want a dog that is already potty trained." to "I don't want to think about it now cause we aren't getting a dog until summer". 

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It's starting to sound like if your wife can't dictate things then she is just going to ignore you on the subject and hope it goes away. 

Was she brought up in a city enviroment with no pets by chance?  If so, I think I know why she is doing this.  Fear of the unknown.  You might consider babysitting an older lab when someone is out of town to show her that when they are grown up and have manners that it's actually neat to have them around.

[Happy Gilmore]

Now I'm starting to think my wife is just being contrary. I finally started making progress on the lab, then she went from "it's to big" to "i don't want a puppy, i want a dog that is already potty trained." to "I don't want to think about it now cause we aren't getting a dog until summer". 

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Sounds more like, "I'm entertaining your dreaming and you'll never get a dog" lol...

[pens fan]

That Boykin's name is Earl, Elroy is the owner. He is only 39#. I know because he's bred my bitch twice.
The largest Boykin that was from any of my litters was 52#. His name is Tank and he lives in Oregon.
 Most of my male pups are right at 40#. The females range from 32-however much they were overfed.
 Are they tougher to train? You don't train a Boykin....you " introduce" them. They tend to get things the first time around and get bored quickly. Regimental training is a big no no for Boykins. Show them.once then let them show you.
 Now, a lab will jump over a cliff for you of you tell it to. A Boykin will tell you to kiss its arse. They reason. Getting them to do a lot of the odd things requited during hunt tests (imho) they will require more work.
 But in the field, they will flush and retrieve with the best.
Some people argue they are too small for duck hunting. Their mouths won't hold a goose. BS. As for being slow in the water, they are half the size of a lab, so they might take a bit longer to get out there and come back.
 They don't get stuck in mud like bigger dogs. They don't knock you over when you come home. They can sit right next to you in the car without their big heads in the way. They eat less than a bigger dog. They ate easier to pull onto the boat and don't rock it. You can canoe and kayak with them without dumping you.

 There are other breeds out there, don't get hung up on any one of them.

[Happy Gilmore]

That Boykin's name is Earl, Elroy is the owner. He is only 39#. I know because he's bred my bitch twice.
The largest Boykin that was from any of my litters was 52#. His name is Tank and he lives in Oregon.
 Most of my male pups are right at 40#. The females range from 32-however much they were overfed.
 Are they tougher to train? You don't train a Boykin....you " introduce" them. They tend to get things the first time around and get bored quickly. Regimental training is a big no no for Boykins. Show them.once then let them show you.
 Now, a lab will jump over a cliff for you of you tell it to. A Boykin will tell you to kiss its arse. They reason. Getting them to do a lot of the odd things requited during hunt tests (imho) they will require more work.
 But in the field, they will flush and retrieve with the best.
Some people argue they are too small for duck hunting. Their mouths won't hold a goose. BS. As for being slow in the water, they are half the size of a lab, so they might take a bit longer to get out there and come back.
 They don't get stuck in mud like bigger dogs. They don't knock you over when you come home. They can sit right next to you in the car without their big heads in the way. They eat less than a bigger dog. They ate easier to pull onto the boat and don't rock it. You can canoe and kayak with them without dumping you.

 There are other breeds out there, don't get hung up on any one of them.

YOu have one getting trained with Butch Higgins?

[pens fan]

No. Never met Butch. I train, so to speak, my own dogs. I don't hit the HRC circuit, though I want to. I just kill birds...for food. 

[pens fan]

Happy, I believe we've met last year. Not sure about that. And I'm pretty sure I've met Gasman, too. I have met Bluemoon. No one knows what to make of me....I hit a shoot once in a while. I get odd looks with my dogs when I show up. I don't run them, but I do help out at the shoots. Funny thing is, no one remembers me or my dogs. There's others I think get the same respect, water spaniels, poodles and the like. I don't judge others decisions, I just admire their choices.

[Happy Gilmore]

There's others I think get the same respect, water spaniels, poodles and the like. I don't judge others decisions, I just admire their choices.

Dunno? HRC has been cool with Boykins for a long time obviously. AKC just opened the flood gates for everything else to run. "Most" AKC folks dabble in HRC once and a while and know what dogs can work. Same is true with training with other trainers. Word on the little working Boykin went around fast when he was in training and starting to work at a high level. That happens with most dogs but, especially the "off" breeds. I shared a cabin with Elroy in BC at a training seminar for a few days couple years ago.

[Atroxus]

  Woot! Wife finally caved on getting a lab, only caveat is she doesn't want a puppy.  I am going to start saving to buy a started dog, but it's probably going to take me a long time to save enough. So if anyone hears of someone with a trained or started hunting lab that needs to be re-homed please shoot me a PM.

[Goldeneye]

Congrats!  At least she caved on a good all around breed.  Hopefully you'll find one that needs to be re-homed.  Buying a started dog from a breeder/trainer is fairly spendy.  If you find someone purely looking to re-home the lab because of a personal issue.  There you go, that'll work.