Why does everyone push for a lab?

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Originally Posted by cdnvizsla

The OP keeps referring to Tollers, look at their original purpose. They were bred to run up and down the beach to draw birds close to shore and put them in the range of the gun. They are not as good in cold water as a Lab. A chessie is a great option as well however most new trainers don't have what it takes to train a chessie. Not a knock against the breed, but they require a strong trainer as they can be a little headstrong.
Headstrong dogs that are broke are usually better dogs in the end, but it takes work to get there.

Which is why people recommend labs.

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Well said. My Dad had a Chessie- an excellent retriever etc. I still remember him hip checking me off the pier at Port Stanley when I was about 5. :)

My brother's friend had a chessie lab mix and was a really good duck dog. I think it was around 90lbs and was very gentle but as soon as it hit the duck blind he was all business.

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Originally Posted by yellow dog

I have worked for a few municipalities over the years as a manager of Parks and Recreation and Maintenance Manager. Very few dog parks work based on my many years of experience. The myth is especially an off leash dog park that most of the animals are well behaved and trained. My experience is the opposite and have found many people that do not provide the training and go to a dog park and release there dog. These people may work all day and come home to a hyper dog that needs to be mentally stimulated and exercised. These people show up at the dog park thinking all is good but the outcome is disastrous because they have no training in obedience. These dogs go on a rampage and start tackling other dogs and a dog fights start. I have heard the same story over and over that he or she listens at home and cannot understand what came over there dog. My advice is stay clear of dog parks until you can guarantee your dog to be completely obedient off leash.

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I agree with you in your post and for my own part I use a shock collar to get my dogs attention at the park when he gets a little to excited meeting all the other dogs.All that aside I have seen on numerous occasions completely unprovoked attacks on individual dogs.
We have three teams of DOG WALKERS at the Jack Darling park I attend occasionaly.Each walker has 15 dogs all off leash.They almost never have control of the whole pack (how could they).I have even seen them leaving dogs behind because they miscounted and came back an hour later looking for the missing dog.LOL
I have also meet owners with aggresive dogs and have indicated to them to conrtol the dog the pat answer "its an off leask park, whats your problem".

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Originally Posted by Gilroy

I agree with you in your post and for my own part I use a shock collar to get my dogs attention at the park when he gets a little to excited meeting all the other dogs.All that aside I have seen on numerous occasions completely unprovoked attacks on individual dogs.
We have three teams of DOG WALKERS at the Jack Darling park I attend occasionaly.Each walker has 15 dogs all off leash.They almost never have control of the whole pack (how could they).I have even seen them leaving dogs behind because they miscounted and came back an hour later looking for the missing dog.LOL
I have also meet owners with aggresive dogs and have indicated to them to conrtol the dog the pat answer "its an off leask park, whats your problem".

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Thanks for the PM Gilroy.

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Originally Posted by PaulR

Because if it's not a Lab,,,, it's just a dog! :)

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And if it's not a Chocolate,,,,, it's just a Lab! :)

I have 2 labs, one chocolate and the other black. Both are excellent retrievers, both are great upland bird and both are great with kids. My new pup is an Airedale, of the RedLine group. He is an excellent hunter even at 12 weeks. He just doesn't shed so he's easier on my wife's asthma.

A lab is like a Honda engine, well built and reliable and starts first pull every time:)

No disrespect intended, but perhaps I'm misunderstanding the OP. It sounds like his question can be paraphrased and summarized as:

"Why are Ford F-150 pickups so popular among hunters in general when what I specifically need is a Dodge Grand Caravan minivan?"

Is there really an answer to this sort of question?

I need a dog to make over 1000 retrieves per year, be social with many different people and have the size to run down wing tipped geese on dry fields. Other than maybe a CBR no other dog other than a lab will do what I require.

Bardern-- how many other breeds have you tried?