# Little duck dogs???



## NCK (Mar 25, 2009)

I rescued a pup that is 1/2 lab. She is shaping up to be on the small side but has a natural instinct for retreiving. Anyone ever had a "smaller" sized duck dog? Layla is 10 months old and only about 50 lbs right now. I would love to get her into ducks but she might have trouble with a big mallard or a goose!


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## DeweyDuck (Mar 25, 2009)

*Little Duck Dog*

You could think it's too small but you'd be wrong. I knew a guy with a 45 lb lab and she had no fear and could handle anything. She was really fast too. No problemo.


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## Ducks4Me (Mar 25, 2009)

Nice lookin pup man. Dont worry about her size. If she has the drive to fetch it wont matter. She is plenty big enough.


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## chase870 (Mar 25, 2009)

nice dog but the body weight helps with the geese. My fat girlfriend uses her size to knock em down, shes an aggressive girl and loves it when they fight her. Its really cool to watch


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## hawgrider1200 (Mar 25, 2009)

I'm sure a 50 lb dog is strong enough to pull u down the street on the end of her leash if she saw a cat she wanted to chase. Goose won't b no problem.


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## JerkBait (Mar 25, 2009)

size doesnt matter. my little female lab is just under 50 pounds and has come around nicely toting whatever gets shot...


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## alphachief (Mar 26, 2009)

Meet Cricket, she belongs to my cousin, who is my duck hunting partner.  She weighs all of 55 lbs and is a waterfowl retrieving machine.  She retrieved her first malards in AR when she was 5 months old.  I've never been around a dog that get's downright mad if another dog in the blind gets to a duck before she does (and believe me...it doesn't happen often).  Like has been said in other posts...weight is not an issue.  In fact, I think she maintains her energy throughout a long day better than a big dog.


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## Esylivin (Mar 26, 2009)

Hey, my Boykin is only 39 lbs and he handles ducks and Geese great.  Its not the size of the dog its the drive in the dog.


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## LOVEMYLABXS (Mar 26, 2009)

Esylivin said:


> Hey, my Boykin is only 39 lbs and he handles ducks and Geese great.  Its not the size of the dog its the drive in the dog.



She's BEAUTIFUL and nope don't worry about her size the desire will make all the difference 


Enjoy your new huntin buddy hunt her and watch as she just gets better


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## Jarred (Mar 26, 2009)

They look like they will make dogs.


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## NCK (Mar 26, 2009)

Thanks for all of the feedback and pics of your own dogs... Anyone ever want to go out next season I am always willing.


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## georgiaboy (Mar 27, 2009)

A guide I hunted with in MO has a dog that probably doesn't get over 55 lbs, less during season. 

Alof of big dogs I have hunted over don't have the stamina.  Of course they all have to be conditioned.


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## Alaska (Mar 30, 2009)

*Springer*

My 14 year old springer has been my most faithfull. Now deaf he dosn't go as much but I feel comfortable with close dead birds. I just was raised with springers, very versitile. Considering a German Shorthaired Pointer in the future!


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## 01Foreman400 (Mar 30, 2009)

One of my girls is 48 pounds and the other is 52.  It really doesn’t matter because I usually only kill time anyway.


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## JerkBait (Mar 30, 2009)

01Foreman400 said:


> It really doesn’t matter because I usually only kill time anyway.



if youll get out of the deer stand long enough we can change that this year....


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## pokey (Apr 10, 2009)

Mine just makes 50 pounds. No problems at all.


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## tctnm (Apr 10, 2009)

I have a small black lab.  She just turned a year old and at about 40-45 pounds.  She has no problem handeling any size bird.  She has been hunting since about 6 months old.  She is a great hunter and I almost like the smaller size better than a big dog.  Tey are quicker and don't get tired as quickly as some I've had in the past.


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## Dmealer (Apr 10, 2009)

tctnm said:


> I have a small black lab.  She just turned a year old and at about 40-45 pounds.  She has no problem handeling any size bird.  She has been hunting since about 6 months old.  She is a great hunter and I almost like the smaller size better than a big dog.  Tey are quicker and don't get tired as quickly as some I've had in the past.



You have got to be the first I have ever heard of hunting a lab at 6 months then calling her a great hunter. ??????


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## chase870 (Apr 10, 2009)

You Guys need to put these little dogs on some big geese that are crippled, not stone cold dead and see what happens. True a little dog with enough heart will prevail, but I bet half of em would get whipped by a big goose. Not bustin on little dogs just sayin that body size will help, the dog also needs to be a bit aggressive. They will have a easier time with the cripples on the water than land, so dont get a false since of security about the dogs ability to take on a big bird untill you put it on a good number of big birds on dry land.


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## tctnm (Apr 11, 2009)

Dmealer said:


> You have got to be the first I have ever heard of hunting a lab at 6 months then calling her a great hunter. ??????



She started hunting doves in September...She was born in May.  She did really good and I still worked with her,  Next was pheasants in October and she did wonderful for that.  Worked back and forth in front of me...flushed a bunch of birds that would have never flown had it not been for her.  Then after that she was hunting ducks and geese...she would do double retrievs on ducks that had been shot across the river on the land in thick reeds.  She is a great hunter and I wouldnt trade her for anything.


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## Musket (Apr 13, 2009)

Try the little dog on a DEAD goose first.  I've seen dogs that were duck huntin' machines shy away from geese if their first goose got into a clawing match.  If they have a good experience with their first goose, it won't matter about the size.  Actually, I think a smaller but faster dog has an advantage over big birds.  Just my $.02 worth.





chase870 said:


> You Guys need to put these little dogs on some big geese that are crippled, not stone cold dead and see what happens. True a little dog with enough heart will prevail, but I bet half of em would get whipped by a big goose. Not bustin on little dogs just sayin that body size will help, the dog also needs to be a bit aggressive. They will have a easier time with the cripples on the water than land, so dont get a false since of security about the dogs ability to take on a big bird untill you put it on a good number of big birds on dry land.


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## jrtank (Apr 19, 2009)

Anyone who has spent some time in the pits will let you know that smaller is better.  Same goes for me in a boat.  I don't want a 85lb monstrosity in my boat with me.  My yellow is ~ 45 lbs and has no trouble retrieving.  Best dog I've ever seen in the field was same size.  November I watched her pick up 24 ducks in 45 minutes and was still ready for more.  I got mine because she is small.


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## pokey (Apr 21, 2009)

Dmealer said:


> You have got to be the first I have ever heard of hunting a lab at 6 months then calling her a great hunter. ??????




I was dragging mine along at 4 months. He was clueless, but the guns didn't bother him so I took him along.


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## georgiaboy88 (Apr 22, 2009)

Just ask TaylorF about small labs. He's got a couple down there in Sylvania that are firecrackers. Just ask him about Hunny. That girl hauls b u t t.


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## dognducks (Apr 23, 2009)

chase870 said:


> You Guys need to put these little dogs on some big geese that are crippled, not stone cold dead and see what happens. True a little dog with enough heart will prevail, but I bet half of em would get whipped by a big goose. Not bustin on little dogs just sayin that body size will help, the dog also needs to be a bit aggressive. They will have a easier time with the cripples on the water than land, so dont get a false since of security about the dogs ability to take on a big bird untill you put it on a good number of big birds on dry land.




with all these geese with have posted around here in the 15-18 lb range most any dog would have trouble with them


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## deadbird84 (Apr 23, 2009)

I'd be willing to bet that no 15  let alone 18lb geese have been shot by anybody on here.  There's a guy that runs a contest every year that will give a free set of custom decoys to anybody that can send him a huge goose.  He started at 16lbs..nobody won..went to 15..nobody won.  I don't think anybody even sent in a 14 when he dropped it to that.


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## Sting'em! (Apr 23, 2009)

Esylivin said:


> Hey, my Boykin is only 39 lbs and he handles ducks and Geese great.  Its not the size of the dog its the drive in the dog.



+1 on the Boykin.  Amazing little dogs.  If anyone is looking into getting a dog for retrieving, look into the Boykin Spaniel, great duck dogs and AWESOME dove dogs that can take the heat on a dove field in September and have the energy to go all day.  They can do anything a lab can do but at 1/2 the size (though I can't confirm geese), can sit in your lap in the recliner after the hunt and won't knock over drinks on the coffee table with their tail!  And very few people have them!  And its one of only 3 All-American gun dogs...ok, I'm done now!  

(Nothing against labs at all, I just really love my little guy)


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## art_gasses (Apr 23, 2009)

I have never had anything but labs, but one of my buddies has a 6 month old Boykin female he has been training and man, she is on time. Smaller dog but still gives it all she has on every retrieve. How does your Boykin do in cold weather?


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## Sting'em! (Apr 23, 2009)

art_gasses said:


> I have never had anything but labs, but one of my buddies has a 6 month old Boykin female he has been training and man, she is on time. Smaller dog but still gives it all she has on every retrieve. How does your Boykin do in cold weather?



I'll admit I haven't had a chance to take it duck hunting yet, but if it can handle a Pheasant on land (and the big Dokken duck dummy in the water), I know it can swim w/ a duck in its mouth.  Many if not most folks actually use them for duck hunting.  

Not sure how cold you're talking, but he'll go after a bumper in the water in the winter...shivers like heck but he's got the drive.  They obviously can't break ice or anything, but this is Georgia!   (they supposedly have Chessie in them along with Springer and American Water Spaniel), they were literally "invented" about 100 years ago in SC.

Mine's acutally a monster for the breed at about 49 lbs 

Sorry, I get excited when I talk boykins.  They're just fun, smart little dogs.  I actually only discovered the breed after researching for a good dove dog.  Hope to get to take him duck hunting soon, its just hard to find somewhere to go.


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## art_gasses (Apr 23, 2009)

Yeah I have never really heard much about Boykins but did some research and talked to friends that own them and they are great dogs. And yeah you got a little heavier one, haha, my buddies is only about 30 lbs right now but its not full grown. But they are definitely a pretty breed.


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## r_hammett86 (Apr 23, 2009)

the lab m buddy has can't even be 40 lbs and he does great. and he's a mixed lab also. love the word duck. can't even say it w/o him freeking out. loves ducks


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## olchevy (Apr 24, 2009)

man those boykins sure do favor my brittney a lot!


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## MustangMAtt30 (Apr 24, 2009)

My friends Lab goes about 60 pounds or so and he is an intense retrieving little machine.

My Lab is a fat 90 lb lap dog that gets scared if you even show her a gun.


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## jkoch (Apr 24, 2009)

I bet she don't think  she is too small!!!!!!


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## NCK (Apr 25, 2009)

jkoch said:


> I bet she don't think  she is too small!!!!!!



There has been some great feedback on this...but that was by far the most accurate and true. She has no idea how much she weighs and could care less. In her own mind she is a hoss. 

We've been working with dummies and the last time we hit the pond there was a mallard family hanging out. As you can see by the pics, she decided to go after them for being in her pond. I only hope she goes after the dead ones with as much enthusiasm....


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## quackwacker (Apr 30, 2009)

best duck dog I ever owned.

ok the pic is small but thats Penny, one of my first Boykins.  Oh and that two Mallards and two Cans


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