Labradoodles as gun dogs? Questions

Both the labrador and standard poodles are gun dogs, so a labradoodle should be able to do a bit of retrieving for fun shouldn't they?

I would guess that they should be able to turn there paw to it if you get one with the right drive. though i would guess it would depend on what lines they are from, i have met a few labs with no working drive what so ever as they are from pet or show lines only for many generations.

Thanks. Just noticed your also in Shropshire! Enjoying the weather today?

Poodles aren't gun dogs??? unless the group classification has changed they are in the Utility group.

But any dog can do retrieving for fun surely? Doesn't need to be a gundog? Or are you talking gundog specific events?

No - they are not classified as Gundogs - but they were originally bred to be retreivers .... from water I believe?

It was my understanding that poodles were bred to retrieve from water?

I am looking at dogs that would be suitable for retrieving and maybe doing small comps, but nothing very competitive or to a high standard.

I know someone that has taken a labradoodle on a shoot day, picking up, and she was fine, retrieved quite a few pheasants too!!

x

NO! Its stopped snowing and we only had a sprinkle . . . I want more!

And yes poodles were french water retrivers when they were very first bred. A fact that has gotten a bit lost over the years i feel

Would really depend. And it would also depend on what your meant by 'gundog'. For example, you could to a bit of light gundog training classes for fun with most breeds of gundogs (and their crosses). But if you want a trained retriever for the shooting field, and/or a dog to do working tests (and maybe field trials) with, obviously you have to pick and choose the type of dog and it's breeding lines far more closely.

As for a Labradoodle retreiving and working tests (which is what I assume you mean), again it would depend. You can train pretty much all breeds to retrieve, but whether they do it naturally with drive and enthusisum is genetic and can't be trained. I don't know how drivey Poodles are for gundog work, but as they are techically not gundogs I suspect not very much. So the Poodle genes would likely dilute the Lab genes.

Most Labradoodle breedings are from two pet bred dogs, rather than strong show or working dogs, mainly due to the fact that most reputable breeders wouldn't want their Labs (or Poodles) being used to mix breeds. So even the working instincts of the Lab side could be questionable. The problem when you mix breeds is that you really cannot predict temperament, which makes your question difficult to answer.

I think you would be better off finding a breeder of working bred Labradors (or a show breeder who dabbles in gundog work if you wanted a more low-key dog), as you will have a good idea of what you are getting in terms of the dogs future temperament and working ability.

Thanks

I am getting a list together of breeds that may suit me, I've always discounted labradoodles as they were a 'designer' cross breed but have seen a few pics on the net of them working (usually the more lab looking ones).

I have a retriever x (bearded collie x lurcher dam), he chases birds and retrieves things when I ask him to but he isn't much into it to be honest, he was more into agility and obedience.

I have met a few standard poodles (I have one at trainign at the moment) who has a very strong retireving instinct. We also have a friend who has trained up a Labradoodle for an assistance dog - she is brilliant - (she also competes at HtM)

But....its going to be very dependent on the individual dog -an possibly not something you would see as a pup.....

But....if you started as you emant to go on - really encouraging the retrieving instinct and working on the dogs drive and enthusuasm you would probably be OK....

I have standard poodles and labradoodles that would make great gundogs with the right trainer. They hunt and retrieve with no help from me. None of them are from working lines either. One of my labradoodles dissapeared for a couple of hours a while back and brought a sawn off deers head with her! By the size of her stomach the poachers had left the guts behind too! Poodles originated from Germany. They were used to retrieve waterfowl.

I'm sure I remember reading a year or 2 ago that a Labradoodle had passed one of it's grades with the Gundog Club which goes to show they potentially can do gundog work.

I'm sure there would be some that would be capable of doing that kind of work, but I wouldn't choose one on the basis that it possibly could. Incidentally, we had a GSP who had absolutely no retrieval instinct at all - she showed no interest in bringing anything to us, not even toys! Luckily, it's not really necessary for working with hawks, and she made up for it being a fantastic hunter and pointer, but it just shows that nothing's ever guaranteed!

I have read a fair few times that HPR's either excel in hunting and pointing, or retrieving. Very few are good at all 3 aspects!

Did Mahooli who used to post here not do some gundog training with her poodles?

There was article in Sporting Gun a while back about an owner who used a Labradoodle as a gun dog. As with Spaniels, Labs and GRs, you're never sure that the dog will have the instinct.

Our Labradoodle will flush and retrieve (although release needs a little work, unless you like pigeon/rabbit pate). Her mum is a working lab and dad a Standard Poodle from working lines so ,as with 'pedigree' dogs, the history makes a difference.

One thing though - she'll flush from the coarsest of bushes (thorns, nettles etc); bushes I've seen labs flinch from

There was a photo of a Labradoodle on the front cover of "The Field" jumping over a gate with a bird in its mouth and they had an article inside about using them as gundogs.

I don't know who was bred for what but my parents have a labradoodle who is AMAZING at retrieving, from afar, from water, from anywhere..! He becomes a little obsessed with the object, tuning in on it and ignoring anything else around him. He does it in the field of SHEEP and chickens at my mums house!

I keep telling my mum to give him a go at some trials (or whatever they are called) He would excel!

This is very true! As much as HPR's are celebrated for their abilities to multi task, it's still difficult to find one that can do all three elements brilliantly.