Your will find that most who frequent this forum do not believe you can "buy" a two switch dog but that you can make one with a good training program.
Most of the field trial lines produce excellent waterfowl and upland hunters.
Just stay away from the lunatics and the sissys and you will probably do alright.

 

patton,
i have hunted with only one ft line dog that i did not enjoy hunting with. constant whinning was the only reason i didn't enjoy this particular dog. his work was fine.

dogs that are successful in the ft game are by definition the most athletic, most driven, most trainable, highest style and smartest of retrievers. as a general rule i believe 1)if they are athletes, have drive and style they have "on", 2)if they are trainable and intelligent they can have "off".

that is if there is such a thing as "off". example: the two dogs in my avatar are laying on their rug asleep tonight just like they are in the picture. rug is by back door, rug is the only place in the house they are allowed to go. when i finish typing this i will stand open back door, they will stand i will say "jet" the black female will walk out. i will say "dee" the brown male will walk out. we will air and go to kennel for the night. are these dogs "off" or "on". there are three nfc, nafc and lots of fc, afc on her pedigree and even more on his. i contend that as long as a dog is doing what I want he/she is "on", whether running a mark(natural on) or laying on a rug(not so natural on). i want a dog that's always on, always in tune, always doing as it should.

you can get a good dog without "proof" of its worth. however, you can increase the odds of getting a good dog with "proof" ie titles etc. don't worry about being the "average guy". you are way ahead of average just by researching and asking questions. good luck.

 

Try a dog with Hilltops Hayseed as a grandparent, or fairly close up. I have had several dogs with this lineage and each were outstanding retrievers, but very cool in the house and whenever we weren't training.

 

When you are at a trial, watch for the dogs that come to the line like a lady or a gentleman, watch their birds down and sit nicely. Some of this is training but some is pedigree.

In our circuit Shaq seems to stand out as a true gentleman and I have judged his pups and they seem to be the kind of dog that an amateur could train for hunting.

Also the Jazztime lines are very popular with hunters. I know Larry Calvert hunts his dogs.

 

It would be very difficult to name a line of dogs that would consistently make quiet, easy maintenance dogs in the blind because there is so much out-crossing in breedings. A lot, maybe most FT trained dogs would be great but some are vocal, whinning as you mentioned, always wanting to move around etc. And some don't like long days in harsh conditions. It would require some personal observations IMO of the sire/dam & some background on the siblings to put the odds in your favor. And this assumes you have done your homework on the dogs that seem to love the water, even under cold, tough conditions. If your needs are strictly hunting, I'd look for an 18 mos to 2yr old dog that may be a FT washout but has style & the habits you desire. You can usually watch these dogs train & even get a one month evaluation during which time you can determine first-hand suitability for your needs. Pups are always an added risk no matter how solid the breeding.

Examples: I own a Patton dog that is an excellent hunter but he whines when he sees ducks working. It drives me crazy & I don't enjoy the hunt. I own an Esprits Power PLay x M&M Buns of Steel bitch that I would not have thought would be a good hunter because she seems most comfortable running defined set-ups for which she is trained but it turns out she is an outstanding hunting dog. She sits still without a sound, watches the birds down, goes when sent, no fuss, no bother - you don't even know she's there except she gets the job done even in the harshest conditions with style & enthusiam.

 

I own an Esprits Power PLay x M&M Buns of Steel bitch that I would not have thought would be a good hunter because she seems most comfortable running defined set-ups for which she is trained but it turns out she is an outstanding hunting dog. She sits still without a sound, watches the birds down, goes when sent, no fuss, no bother - you don't even know she's there except she gets the job done even in the harshest conditions with style & enthusiam.

That sounds just like the FC Izzee x FC Fat City Juice bitch I hunt with a lot. We just bred her to FC AFC Harscrabble's Powder My Buns (FC AFC Esprits Power PLay x FC AFC M&M Buns of Steel). We are hoping to get a good mix of both.

 

I have always had FT line dogs to hunt with and as house companions.Dave, when you were out here in Oregon you may remember Patty my Midknight Code Breaker x a Trumarc Zip Code daughter I was running.Take her too the line and watch out.At home a perfect lady.Great hunting dog too.I bred her to Cosmo and her daughter Rilla was a handful,noisy,etc but again in the house you couldn't ask for better.I think it's more how they are raised then lineage.My current couch potatoes are the same.Purdy is Shooter x Sparky on top and Code Blue x Pricey on the bottom.Beanie is Shadow x Ice ( 2 x CNFC) see my avatar.

Jeff

 

Looks like you had a good weekend in Atlanta a few weeks ago with a 3rd and a 4th. I'm hoping to get in the FT game with this one. I've run a couple of Q's, but would like to go further.

 

Looks like you had a good weekend in Atlanta a few weeks ago with a 3rd and a 4th. I'm hoping to get in the FT game with this one. I've run a couple of Q's, but would like to go further.

Good and not so good. Also got an open 2nd with Stella to get her FC but lost Dude & Hatch to injury in the same open. Both had surgery Monday. Dude a TPLO & Hatch an achilles repair that may well be career ending. Hoping for the best for those two, getting ready for Sexy to have pups near 11/1 & trying to train for the Nat'l with Stella.

 

I love my big goofy field bred male...he's one of the best in the house...he is very laid back. His pedigree is FC and MH parents, 3 of his 4 grands have National titles. Going on the "hyper field bred" theory, he should be bouncing off the walls, but he's the most laid back one we have.

 

I have a MH male out of FC AFC chavez X FC muggazulu and he has a major on off switch when he is amped there is no stopping him and when he is chillin he is dead to the world.