I can't figure out how she does this

[GunnyMack]

Out to the club this morning to bird hunt. 3 other guys show up, 1 not hunting.
We put out 20 pheasants for 3 guys. I'm the only one with a dog.
So Claro starts pointing today!
I KNOW this blood line, they DONT point! These are English Labs.
We put up all but a few of the 20 birds and she pointed at least 80% of the birds...
Granted these were by no means a field trial champion type point but points none the less.
How does/did she pick up pointing?

One of the guys tickled a hen, missed his second shot so I threw up the 410, took feathers off, gave it the left barrel and dropped it stone dead at about 50 yards! They both turned in amazement, I was just as stunned! 1/2 oz of #6 out of a modified choke.
Guess I need to find a 9mm shotgun next!

[765x53]

I've seen my beagle hold a point on a setting cottontail until the rabbit got nervous enough to take off. Then the chase was on.

[2ndovc]

My first Lab, an English Lab as well would do that with rabbits and stray cats when I lived out in the sticks.
I'd say " Get 'em" and she'd be off. Hardly a day goes by with out thinking about that dog. Enjoy your time with Claro!

jb

[TWHBC]

Had a Chesapeake, Chelsea, who would point occasionally! No rhyme or reason, just when the mood struck her. Sudden death on retrieves, and running pheasants did not stand a chance. Same for grouse. Kind of amusing to watch her 'announce' a grouse in a tree. She would sit down and stare up in the tree! Often this would give some warning to the shooter before the grouse flushed, and improved the chances for successful shot.
I never knew her to miss a retrieve, but the points or sits were icing on the cake!

[M. M. Wright]

I really like hearing about everyone's dogs. My Rott/Lab cross died a few years back and I'm sorta looking to replace her. I'd really like another Oorang Airedale but they are so hard to keep at home. I live out in the sticks but there now 5 houses in this mile section so I need a dog that will stay at home.

[gundownunder]

I think you will find that pointing is a natural instinct in all dogs. The pointing breeds are just bred to enhance that natural talent. There is a line of pointing labs available which would have been bred over time from the few dogs they found which displayed the same natural talent as your dog. I have had a Rottweiler that would hold a classic point when he found a scent in the bush. With a little training he would have been good enough to hunt over if I had the time and a shotgun, although I hate to think what his retrieved game would have looked like, he had a bite like a shark, and wouldn't let go.

[cas]

She's probably watching those TV hunting shows while you're not around.

[Malamute]

Great dog stories.

Some of my Malamutes have been surprisingly good at different things. One retrieved a couple grouse out of a creek, then wouldn't go get the 3rd. Looked like she was trained for the first 2. swim over, grab bird, bring it to me and drop it, go get second bird, bring it and drop at my feet, then,...nothing. Had to fish the 3rd out with a stick. All of mine quickly learned to sort of point grouse. Theyd flush them just roaming around in the woods, the birds would flush to the nearest tree, Id hear the activity, go see where the dog is, dog would be looking at the bird. They learned to stay and watch it and it would fall out of the tree.

One Mal I told to go around a tree when there was a squirrel hiding on the off side, it flushed them around so I could shoot them. She did it regularly. I also could tell her that when flushing bunnies out of piles firewood or whatever.

One of my dogs was a champion mouser, shed find them in the grass and pounce on them. She caught a couple dozen or so.

[GunnyMack]

I too had a dog years ago that would Go Around, she would chase squirrels so they could be shot. I could tell her to go fetch shoe, always bring a matched pair. She saw me unloading bags of shot once as a 9 month old pup, next thing I know she has bags of shot out of the basement in kitchen! I couldn't believe it until I saw her pick up a bag!! The last year I lived in Colorado, she made over 300 retrieves between doves, ducks, geese, pheasants and a few quil.

They say you are blessed with one perfect dog in your life. I know most of us have known one.

[1894c]

when my younger brother and I started hunting he was always the first one to point out a rabbit, nobody taught him, he just did it--came natural to him..I miss hunting with my younger brother... :)

[piller]

Uncle of mine had a Weimaraner which would go out into the pasture and retrieve wounded pheasant which had got away from other hunters. My uncle often found that dog at the door first thing in the morning with a wounded pheasant in his mouth. The dogs name was Heinie. Probably the most child friendly dog I have ever seen.

[GunnyMack]

Weimers are a great breed! One of my favorites after Labradors!

[Bill in Oregon]

Haha! If you want to start a fist fight, go over to Versatile Gun Dogs and start a thread on pointing Labs. Gunny, glad to hear that sweet little CZ is working for you.

[GunnyMack]

I don't care if she points or not, she is a lab, fetch is what she MUST do!
One of the guys has a rescue English Setter, good hunter when he isn't screwing with ya! I swear he runs a hunnerd yards, locks up and waits for you to get there then he's gone in a different direction!
That CZ was a smaller learning curve then I thought it would be, not used to double triggers!