Speaking of dogs...

[Bwana]

I thought I would share a few pictures of my daughter's young pup.

Though she did go pheasant hunting several times with me this fall, beginning at 7 weeks of age, it remains to be seen if she can hunt. One thing is for sure, she knows how to attack snowballs:
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Since my old girl (Dixie) just turned 9 years old, I'm hoping that Nellie (the pup) can learn a few things about bird hunting while Dixie is still able.

Though Dixie is 100% lab and the pup is a lab/golden cross, they look ALOT alike.
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[Buckrub]

Dixie was my first dog's name. But mine was a cocker spaniel.

Wish I could visit folks that have dogs more often.

(What kind of camper is that?)

[BarryBobPosthole]

Wow, that's a handsome dog. Winsome too! What a great idea for a cross. The pure fireball energy of the lab and the smarts and alertness of a golden.

I used to know a lady who went into business with her husband raising pointing labs. Last I heard they were in great demand. Yours ever show an inclination to point?

BKB

[Big Muddy]

Those white wheels on your camper are really COOL.

Beautiful dog, by the way!!!

[Bwana]

Bucky - Keystone Sprinter
eddie - those are wheel covers to keep my new tires from getting weather checked
Posthole - I've never heard the term "Winsome," what does it mean?

As for pointing...I know labs aren't supposed to, neither her parents nor any of the other offspring that I have been around point so she is not a "pointing lab," but she does point when the conditions are right and I don't care what anybody says about it, I LOVE it!

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A pointing-related story from the 2013 season:
Dixie tore an ACL when she was 5 years old and for a couple of years after that I pretty much quit taking her hunting for fear of further injuring her. but finally decided she was the way she was and since she loved hunting, I would take her and hope for the best. Because she hadn't done much hunting for those couple of years I was apprehensive to take her on opening day given the size of the hunting party but did anyway. While walking along a small creek I see her getting birdy and then went on point. I get a bit closer, tell her to "flush it up," and then dropped the rooster in the creek. She retrieves it just as she is supposed to. Go another 40 yards down the creek and repeat. Two roosters down and I'm REALLY happy to see she hasn't forgotten how to hunt. Go a bit further and she locks on point again. The only cover is some reeds that have been bent over by the cattle coming to water from the stream so I was thinking I should be able to see such a gaudy bird as a rooster pheasant in such sparse cover but I can't. Finally I walk right up to her and after a bit finally see a few feathers from the birds back under the mat of reeds. Without thinking I tell the few people waiting for the bird to explode to "watch this." As I began to kneel down I set my gun on the ground and then QUICKLY grabbed the rooster by the neck. Bird number three and I never even fired a shot!

[Chicken Dinner]

Good looking dog. There's something wrong in this world when you've got less snow in your backyard than I have in mine...

[Hombre]

Bwana I've always wanted to talk with someone who owned a pointing lab. Coming from a position of ignorance (never owning one) I've always thought that they wouldn't be as good as pointers, or GSPs. I've owned or hunted with GSPs or pointers most of my time in the field. My logic has always been that pointing isn't a natural behavior for a lab so logically they wouldn't be as good, but similar with duck hunting they'd always make a better duck dog than a GSP. I have always thought that both can do both, but each are going to be stronger in their areas of expertise. Wrong?

[BarryBobPosthole]

Bwana, its either winsome as in an attractive female, or winsome as in win some lose some. Both apply to females come to think of it!

BKB

[Bwana]

Hombre, to cut to the chase, I think you are correct.

If you want a good answer you should probably talk to someone who truly has a pointing lab as all I have is a lab who sometimes points. What I am trying to say is that my dog points when the opportunity arises, even though I never trained her to do so, but she is a lab and flushing is what they do most of the time. Given that some pheasants will choose to run away from danger, while some will choose to sit tight hoping danger walks on by my pup works well for how I like to hunt.

To make a short story long, if you want a pointer, buy one but if you prefer a retriever, buy one of those. Who knows you just might get lucky and find one that can do great at their primary task and satisfactory at the other.