Pointing lab for grouse?

[WalleyeDrifter]

I've had 2 labs and both were great upland dogs. After hunting grouse with my buddies setter last fall, I found I really enjoyed watching the pointer work. I hunt pheasants 4 or 5 weekends each fall but get out grouse hunting a lot more often. Does anyone have experience with a pointing labs ability on grouse?

[TylerS]

I'd imagine their ability on grouse would be similar to any other quality hunting dog's ability on grouse. You could probably train a shi-tzu to find ruffs if you really wanted to (but I doubt anyone would...although that would make for great barroom conversation). A good bird dog, in general, typically is one that possesses three things: proven pedigree, sound OB and field training, and thorough and continual exposure to birds. That last quality may be the most important of them all, though. The more birds you get under a dog's nose, the better off it will be.

[mnviking28]

I have a lab that has the pointing gene in its bloodline, but never has had the formal training. He is an average dog for pheasants, but hunting grouse with him is a blast. He has it figured out how to get just close enough to them to get them to flush into a tree. They will flush and land about 15 feet off the ground and look down at him. You can figure out how it goes from there.

[IRISHSOBNO4]

I had a pointing lab for 12 years, I had to put her down 5 days before her 13th this last April. She was the best grouse dog I have hunted behind next to a red and white setter that my buddy has. She would also tree the birds.

She was the pup I kept out of the litter I had. The stud was Rick's Risky Raider.

[WalleyeDrifter]

IRISH

I grouse hunted behind my buddies red and white setter this fall after grouse hunting with labs the last 15 years. It was a blast. I guess I was wondering if the pointing labs worked the grouse somewhat like the setters. I'd buy a setter but I think the labs work the cattails better for pheasants.

[IRISHSOBNO4]

Drifter, It depends on the dog, the lab i had would do anything i asked of her.

i have not hunted the cattails with my buddies dog

he say's the dog is a great pheasant dog and has no problems in the cattails.

the only problem is that you can lose him if he doesn't have the beeper coller on.

my lab was tireless in south dakota she hunted for 4 guys for 4 day's when she was 10 and still wanted to go when we were done for the day and dragging A$$.

there is a good breeder of red and whites in Duluth, can't remember the name off hand, but i think their stock came from ireland.