Originally Posted by Goatkiller
They are too small for waterfowl hunting unless you are in a swamp where they can get up on a cypress knee and take a break from swimming or you are hunting a farm pond. They are a good wood duck dog. They are not an open or big water dog.

Other than that they are pretty much worthless.... but make great pets. Would be good for picking up doves and sleeping by the fireplace. That's about it. Overrated big time as a gun dog.


So, they're not a lab, thus worthless? Everybody got an opinion .

The first one I owned in the 90s could swim for hours including in the surf at the beach. Broke ice to retrieve wood ducks. I'd put his water ability up against any big breed pound for pound and he was 55lbs at his peak. Could go all day in 90+ degree heat too. Damned fine gun dog.

If I hunted geese or large ducks in big frigid water, maybe it would't be my first choice for that. For hunting, versatility, and companionship in the south, they're damned hard to beat. I've seen them used as flushers for quail and pheasant, both as the primary and backing up the pointers, and run circles around the pointers they backed up for retrieving. I've seen them trained to hunt box turtles in the woods for scientific research. They could locate and retrieve 4 or so an hour when researchers on their own would go good to find a couple a day.

Here's the thing. They were bred to do certain things, and their origin is in the swamps of SC. They do what they were bred to do quite well. They are NOT labs, and weren't meant to be. If I wanted a lab...I'd get one.