Lab, Brittany, shorthair... what to do

[AspenBud]

again- generalizations with little backing it up.

your examples were 80lb dogs which fall within the standard for males.

AKC standard for labs...

dogs 65 to 80 pounds; bitches 55 to 70 pounds

Not 90 lbs and up.

[JLS]

I suspect you guys would have a similar problem with them in the woods after a while.

Think of it this way. You can hand the ball to a lineman and he can plow through and get some yards. But you'll have a more productive day if you have Barry Sanders or Ricky Watters running the ball instead.

I understand what you're saying..  I wouldn't describe my big Lab as a "lineman" though.  He's more of an Earl Campbell and gets way more than a few yards.  He is a beast in the heavy brush and cattails where I like to hunt and heck, after a couple hours of hiking through that crap I need a break too.  I guess it depends on your style of hunting.  For ducks and phez in the nasty stuff I'll take a big athletic Lab every time..

Mine is kinda like Brian Urlacher.  Literally.

[Fester]

WPG.  For all around 4X4 this is him/her. Check them out. Best family dog we ever had. Owned Brittney's, Golden Ret., Lab, Springer. This one covers all the bird hunting and then some. We hunt both upland and waterfowl. 

[JLS]

also I have yet to see a true 90lb lab that was anywhere close to being in shape. Most 90 pounders that I come across are either an exaggeration by the owner or an obese dog that should weigh in at around 70lbs.

At 82 pounds, mine looks more like a Greyhound than a lab.  Healthy hunting weight will be about 88 pounds, verified at the vet clinic.

[Stilly bay]

Don't get me wrong, I am not denying their existence in anyway. But from my experience they are very few and far between, to the extent that I don't believe I have ever seen one. That being said I don't travel in the field trial circles where endurance isn't as big a factor as it is in all day hunting.

[LndShrk]

I am speculating that the comment on 90lb labs was more a general comment to stay away from the English style block heads and go with the slimmed down american style.

I don't buy the argument that the larger labs get tired faster and have more health issues.  Have hunted around labs too long and have seen issues in both styles.


But back to the OP question. For an all around dog assuming some upland game hunting and some waterfowl hunting. My personal choices based on my experiences would be.

1. Chessie (These dogs are not for everyone but are great for upland flushers and top of the chain for waterfowl in my book)
2. Lab (Possibly of the pointing variety) (These dogs are for everyone and will sleep with anyone  )
3. Boykin Spaniel (Good all around dog with a great attitude)
4. German Wirehaired Pointer (Good all around dog the ones I have hunted over did not appear to be the most social of dogs  )
5. Springer Spaniel (Good all around dog again hunted over a few and all have been a pleasure)

[JLS]

My GWP is very friendly.  Almost as obnoxious as my lab sometimes.

[Sportfury]

How do GWP's do in the summer when it get's eastern WA hot?  I'm also juggling between these three breeds.  I would like one that can hike with me year around from deep snow to hot summer days.

My GWP does heat up in the hot weather. We were over in eastern WA for the quail and chukar opener and she did great in the morning, but once it hit the the high 50's and 60's it was to hot for her (with what we were doing) and she started hitting the canals. If we are around water when it is hot she will be in it. My preference is to wait until colder weather to hunt her hard. Give her some snow on the ground and she is happy as a clam. I have taken her on hikes with me up off the 70 road out of greenwater during summer weather and up mountain biking in the Pac Forest in Eatonville and she does fine. Of course I watch her and make sure that I always have water or have a water source that I can take her to and if it is super hot (80's or 90's) that we take a lot of breaks. I think with any dog that it is the owner's responsibility to make sure their dog does not overheat. When you hear about dogs dieing from overheating it wasn't the dogs fault.

[LndShrk]

How do GWP's do in the summer when it get's eastern WA hot?  I'm also juggling between these three breeds.  I would like one that can hike with me year around from deep snow to hot summer days.

My GWP does heat up in the hot weather. We were over in eastern WA for the quail and chukar opener and she did great in the morning, but once it hit the the high 50's and 60's it was to hot for her (with what we were doing) and she started hitting the canals. If we are around water when it is hot she will be in it. My preference is to wait until colder weather to hunt her hard. Give her some snow on the ground and she is happy as a clam. I have taken her on hikes with me up off the 70 road out of greenwater during summer weather and up mountain biking in the Pac Forest in Eatonville and she does fine. Of course I watch her and make sure that I always have water or have a water source that I can take her to and if it is super hot (80's or 90's) that we take a lot of breaks. I think with any dog that it is the owner's responsibility to make sure their dog does not overheat. When you hear about dogs dieing from overheating it wasn't the dogs fault.

 
and hypothermia.. 

[AspenBud]

It is fair to ask a breeder how heat tolerant their dogs are. Some lines are more heat tolerant than others and that applies to every breed.

[JJD]

Interesting, seems most of the "what dog should I get" threads are carbon copies of most of the others.
I think that most of the hunting breeds have good qualities. 

Something I would look into today, were I in the market for another Lab is EIC (exercise induced collapse).  It's getting to be more of an issue in labs and AKC wishes to ignore it for the most part.  I had a Lab with it years ago, but the condition did not have a name then.  I believe that the U of Minnesota had a genetic marker all but identified when their school of vet medicine ran out of funding for the program. EIC is not an out of shape dog who's been over worked. 
Google; Exercise induced collapse or hit
 http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/dvm/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=559257
to understand what it is and ask your breeder about it and if they or any of the pups they have produced.  Also jump on web sites like this and ask if anyone has a pup from a prospective breeder with the symptoms of EIC.
U of M web site, but I believe the site is old and they are not offering the testing any longer, but could be wrong on that point.
http://www.vdl.umn.edu/ourservices/canineneuromuscular/eic/home.html
In most cases, the purchase price of a good hunting dog will be the least expensive part of ownership.
And before anyone jumps in my feces, there  are certainly other health issues everyone purchasing a new pup needs to look into.

[Sportfury]

Interesting, seems most of the "what dog should I get" threads are carbon copies of most of the others.
I think that most of the hunting breeds have good qualities.

JJD you hit the nail on the head... it usually goes lab, lab, lab, gwp, brittany, springer, WPG, etc. Any dog is good and as long as it is trained it will get you the birds. The only way for a person to form a true conclusion is to go out and buy the dog themselves. Either that or come on here and get an opinion from one of us... lol.

[mlovely83]

I have AKC male English Choc. Lab and AKC GSP female. I was considering breeding together. Thoughts?

[MLHSN]

I have AKC male English Choc. Lab and AKC GSP female. I was considering breeding together. Thoughts?

I would be interested in one from that litter.  I'm planning on getting a dog late next year after a move.

Not being extremely experienced with dogs (I've had only one) it seems like a juggling act decision process between all the prior listed breeds.  I've finally come to the conclusion that I just want to see what the parents are like most of all.  It appears there are great and difficult dogs within any breed.

[Happy Gilmore]

Interesting, seems most of the "what dog should I get" threads are carbon copies of most of the others.
I think that most of the hunting breeds have good qualities. 

Something I would look into today, were I in the market for another Lab is EIC (exercise induced collapse).  It's getting to be more of an issue I labs and AKC wishes to ignore it for the most part.  I had a Lab with it years ago, but the condition did not have a name then.  I believe that the U of Minnesota had a genetic marker all but identified when their school of vet medicine ran out of funding for the program. EIC is not an out of shape dog who's been over worked. 
Google; Exercise induced collapse or hit
 http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/dvm/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=559257
to understand what it is and ask your breeder about it and if they or any of the pups they have produced.  Also jump on web sites like this and ask if anyone has a pup from a prospective breeder with the symptoms of EIC.
U of M web site, but I believe the site is old and they are not offering the testing any longer, but could be wrong on that point.
http://www.vdl.umn.edu/ourservices/canineneuromuscular/eic/home.html
In most cases, the purchase price of a good hunting do will be the least expensive part of ownership.
And before anyone jumps in my feces, there  are certainly other health issues everyone purchasing a new pup needs to look into.

Everyone tests for it. (at least responsible breeders)Do remember, the AKC is not a breed and health police. That is the responsibility of the breeder and the breeder alone. The AKC is simply a breed registry. They keep pedigrees and record titles.