Labradoodle hunting dog?

[Gunnar's Dad]

Okay, so I'm sure with the title I've already alienated some people.  Hunting is a politically charged topic and I get that.  So before I get to my question I will explain my thoughts very briefly and we disagree philosophically so be it, hopefully we can do so respectfully.

-I am a gun owner and believe in responsible gun ownership (different topic to argue if you disagree)

-I am fairly neutral on hunting.  I have done it, and I think it is important to conservation for some hunting to be done.  I haven't hunted anything in over 10 years.

-I am not currently an avid hunter by any definition of the word.  I don't even fish.

-I eat meat, but don't care if you do or do not.  Live and let live.

-I will NEVER kill an animal for that I am not excited to eat unless they are vermin or a threat to my life.

-I even let nonvenomous spiders and snakes go when found on my property.  (the tarantulas are awesome)

Whew.

Believe it or not, naming our dog Gunnar has nothing to do with guns.  It is to do with our Danish and Norse family background.

Has anyone had experience with a Labradoodle as a hunting dog?  Gunnar ran down and actually caught a quail this morning during his early morning potty break!  To my surprise, he soft mouthed it and the bird was unharmed.  He dropped it on command and after I checked it over as much as I could through its struggling, we let it run away.

Gunnar is only 4 months old.

Both Labs and poodles are hunting lines, but Gunnar did not come from specific champion hunting dogs or anything.

A number of web sites list the following as hunting dog traits

• Irritability: This refers to the dog’s five senses. The sense of smell will be the most acute. One of the primary functions of a hunting dog is to be able to detect scents.
• Reflexes: The ability to change directions quickly when they pick up new scents is very important.
• Instinct: Dog’s from the wild have an instinct to hunt and capture- this kind of instinct is ideal for a hunting dog.
• Emotions: Behaviors such as wagging its tail or whimpering will be evident in any kind of dog, but this is a way that your hunting dog will share what it is feeling and will be how they share in companionship.
• Intelligence: This may be the most important out of all of the levels. The ability for your hunting dog to understand what to do in different situations and the ability to listen to its master at all times is critical.

Gunnar seems super smart, is very obedient, loves to retrieve and hunt, loves to bury his head in the snow and follow scents, does not puppy bite or compulsively chew and has a soft mouth which is supposedly good for bird hunting.

I do like to eat pheasant quite a bit but it is at least an hour- 2 hour drive to get anywhere where I could hunt them.

That said, I'm highly tempted to let this dog follow what seems to be his calling and train him as a hunting dog.  

That, or distract him with a frisbee.

[Stacy]

I've heard of rattlesnake aversion training classes for dogs, and if I lived in an area where they were prevalent I would definitely do that! I once knew a lady on a dog forum whose dog was bitten and they spent 10,000 on treatment. The dog lived, but it didn't look very good for quite a while. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

A couple of members have done the rattlesnake aversion training:

http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/rattlesnake-avoidance-clinic

http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/rattlesnake-school-update

There's also a rattlesnake vaccine that is sometimes recommended for hunting dogs and those who are at high risk to get bitten, but it's only effective against bites from the Western Diamondback and the dog can have a reaction to it. It also doesn't eliminate the need for immediate treatment, but it does increase chances of survival and/or buy you more time, I think. 

[Gunnar's Dad]

These are all western diamond backs in my area, so I'll look into the vaccine and the training.  Didn't know either existed.  Thanks!

[DonMarie and Picco]

We get the vaccine every year and yeah, it only buys you more time.  We've only have run into one rattler (at least that has been seen) on many of our hikes.  I don't bother to go and look, I just grab my dog and truck on. 

Several dogs in our group have been through the aversion training and it's successful.  When I went to sign up the good trainer had just retired.  If you decide to take a class you should get some references and observe one first.  Training involves shock collars and there are some hack trainers out there!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

There are some here who have actually taken their dogs through Rattle Snake training to teach the dogs not to mess with them.  I think Nancie and Gracie Doodle do.  

Me personally if I lived where there were Rattle Snakes, I'd have to move ... lol.   

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Me too. I can't even look at a picture of one, lol. 

[Stacy]

I also wanted to say that I'm super paranoid about ticks too. Not only do I not want them on the dogs, but I don't want them on me either! I agonized over the safest/most effective thing to put them on. I was really happy with bravecto last summer. I never saw a single tick after that.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

We live in deer and rattlesnake territory.  My dogs have gone through rattlesnake aversion training twice and it has stuck with them.  Check your area for training.  We have no trouble with deer ticks, my dogs are on Sentinel and Activyl monthly.

Roo is nonchalant to totally uninterested in wildlife, but a retrieve-aholic with his zogoflex bones.  Tigger barks at anything that moves or looks like it might move.

[Ginny Nightingale]

I have a mini-poodle/lab cross who is a terrific hunter when the animals are dumb enough to come into our yard! This is not exactly what you have in mind, since she catches them and if I am not fast enough, they are lunch! For a smallish dog, she is very fast and her low center of gravity helps her to turn on a dime. 

She loves the tracking class I have taken her to and I bet your boy would too--you can also play a "go find it game"--I let her sniff something, have her stay (she is well trained and 10 years old but was able to do this at the age of one) and then I hide the object and she searches for it--just some ideas.

[Gunnar's Dad]

I'll give it a try!  I love seeing him in his element.

[Gunnar's Dad]

wouldn't let me edit but I guess there are great basin rattlesnakes and prairie rattlers here too.  who knew?

the two I saw killed I'm almost positive were diamondbacks from the photos I'm looking at online..

We are technically in the city suburbs but have all sorts of wild animals since we live on the mountain.  Mule Deer, quail, coyotes, rattlesnakes and a ton of other snakes, tarantulas, scorpions, foxes, raccoons, you name it.

I'm sure there are mountain lions too, since they follow the deer populations.

I'll keep carrying my pistol.

We are NOT going to have a Where the Red Fern Grows moment.

[Gunnar's Dad]

One last funny bit is Gunnar's littermate Tank seems to have absolutely NO prey drive or retrieving drive to speak of.  He will chase and wrestle with Gunnar, but will not chase a ball or anything else.  He prefers to snuggle and be petted.  Polar opposites.