Looking for a "passenger seat" retriever for dad

[dyrne]

Yeah another "which breed post". Please bear with me. I'm in the central kentucky area and we're looking for a companion dog for my old man. He lives in a pretty remote area and doesn't hear so well these days so needs something to alert him to intruders/noise but also is looking for a good all around hunting dog basically to fetch everything from grouse to squirrel for him. We don't do any duck hunting but we're mostly familiar with retrievers/labs and how to train them and would just get a good lab but he needs a dog more compact and easier to transport and manage these days. I've looked a little at boykins, american water spaniels and brittanys... I know I can train pretty much any gun dog to retrieve but there is something about the way a good lab naturally marks and zeros in on a target that I just don't associate with other breeds. Is there one of the smaller retrievers that most closely matches that lab temperament and focus?

[reba]

Small black lab female.

[fishvik]

Tell him to go to a rescue center (pound, humane society, etc) and pick out a friendly, small retriever type. Test it with bumpers with feathers to see if it will pick it up and take the one he likes. Then work with him to train it to obey and bring things back without chewing them up.

[CDN_Cocker]

If you like labs get a lab. Lots of small ones out there.

[oldbeek]

Used to have GSP but last 3 have been Brittanys. They are great couch potatoes when in the house and very energetic when outside. Weight is 27 to 35# for small Britts. They are good retrievers.

[mnaj_springer]

If you like labs get a lab. Lots of small ones out there.

+1

My in-laws have a nifty little femal lab. She's about 55 lbs, and quite small compared to most other labs I've seen.