Gun Dog Forum

I have hunted with dogs before but never owned one myself. I am trying to decied between a Lab and a Vizsla. I know labs are good dogs and that was originaly what i was going to get. my friend just got a Vizsla and I fell in love with it. I dont know anything about them though. What should I do? Teej

figure out if a pointing breed or a retriver would be better for your normal hunting, that would be the first step. they are pretty differant in what they do

I mostly duck hunt and dove hunt so I need a retriver. can you not use a pointer for this also

Of coarse you can. There are some really nice versatile breeds out there. I own a lab and love hunting with her for pheasant and gouse, but she's also a fantastic retriever and loves cold water so duck hunting with her would work as well. My brother-in-law has a GWP and she could do it all as well. The visulas I've run into while hunting if trained and can remain calm in the duck blind would work for ducks. My only concern would be with the colder temps, but the visula owners can chime about that.

Both dogs are great choices. The majority of Vizsla I have owned will retrieve. The lab of coarse would excel in cold water, etc. I'm partial to Vizslas, because they are such a great all around dog that will hunt many types of birds and animals. You can get some labs that will point, but I have never owned one that would.

Teej,

If what I did was waterfowl and doves, I'd get the Lab, Boykin or a Springer. Much as I like pointing breed dogs, and I think the Visla is the most underated of them, for what you do the Lab is king. The versitle guys can say what they want, none of them will stay in the game like a lab.

If you live in a fairly warm climate, I'd suggest a Springer or maybe check out a Boykin. No experience with the Boykin but a lot of good reports flying around. To many for them to be wrong. I started with Springer's and Lab's. They are your ticket.

It really depends on what your expectations are and the individual dog. I mainly duck hunt followed by quail and dove. My weims do a fine job until the temps get too extreme. Most of the pointing breeds just aren't designed to handle extreme cold like labs or chessies. When it's very cold, either I fetch my own birds or I invite a buddy of mine and his lab. The nicest thing about my weims is I almost always follow my duck hunts with a short quail hunt. Not only is it a chance to warm up the dogs, but it allows me to warm a little as well.

Vizslas would do a fine job retrieving for you, but I have to agree that a lab would probably be better suited for duck. I would mainly be concerned with how a vizsla handles the cold water. It would probably do fine for awhile, but no matter how you cut it, it doesn't have the coat a lab does and I have to think that it would have a harder time keeping itself warm.

Nice looking dogs. But I assure you that there are Retriever owners that will say the same thing, and Spaniel owner's. In fact I even know of a Standard Poodle owner and an Airedale owner that will say the same thing.

I think the question was what was best the Lab or the Visla. In his case I'd have to say the Lab. Then other options for what he want's would have to start with the spaniels.

You know, I hear a lot about how a dog does in cold water based on its coat, but are you really hunting in such extreme conditions? My vizsla swam across a river in January with no problems whatsoever. It wasn't 50 degrees below zero, but it was normal freezing temps for January at the time. If you're worried about cold, then just throw on a neoprene vest.

But, I digress. If you're a waterfowl and dove hunter, by all means get a retriever of some kind. The versatiles can retrieve, but if you're hunting a niche, get a companion designed for that niche too.

Netheir

I have best of both worlds. I have a German Shorthair for my upland hunting. I have two labrador retrievers for my waterfowl hunting. If you have any questions on training retrievers I would be glad to help you. I would get a retriever if you do more duck hunting. Good luck

If most of your hunting involves retrieving I would stay with your original choice of the lab.

Mav......

Where are you located? The cold water issue may be a non-issue depending on where you are. Just a thought.

Im in southern Arizona so the cold water is not realy an issue. I realy just want to know if the vizsla is a good trainable dog that will retrieve. Teej

A V is a difficult dog to train if you're a duck hunter and want a handling retriever. When you start forcing to water and teaching hand signals, if spearated the retievers from the pointers. Pointing dog's just don't thrive on repetitive drills like retrievers do. V;s are soft dogs and many are kind of spooky. V's are nice upland dog's. A lab is a GREAT waterfowl dog.

If i was to hunt more Waterfowl then Upland then I would go with a Lab. I prefer Chessies over Labs but that was not one of your choices.

teej wrote:Im in southern Arizona so the cold water is not realy an issue. I realy just want to know if the vizsla is a good trainable dog that will retrieve. Teej

Boy that changes things for me a bit. I'd still do a lab but I'd go with a light yellow. Suddenly temp might become a factor.

I have a v and have had them for going on 13 years, had labs in the past, cold water or no water if your main game is retrieving get a retrieving breed, will a v do it? Sure will, will they do it better than a lab? Doubtful.

Why reinvent the wheel?