Thread: Lab to take me through to old man status

Originally Posted by 00 buckshot

if you have the time for a spaniel go for it,a dog is as soft as you make it if you are hard then you will break a dog, i have one of Chris,s bitches and she is a top dog

Not sure what you are on about. I have worked with many Keepersmoors Labradors and Chris has used my spaniels in his breeding program time and again. They are a kennel I recommend and I have no doubt you have a great dog, don't be so sensitive. I have also referred people to Chris, one bought a started dog for a good sum and took it out and it was gunshy. Extremely soft nature, to the point of requiring extremely subtle handling to make something of it. I do not know if Chris got that dog going well or not and as a man of integrity he took the dog back and fully refunded the mans money. He has since got a "Greymist" he is extremely happy with. As a commercial trainer who has worked with literally thousands of dogs over the years your contention that handling dictates nature is completely flawed. Glad your ONE is OK, I was being a bit more broad!

I would gladly hunt over and own most Keepersmoors I have seen over the past 12-13 years or so of knowing Chris on a first hand basis, discussing dogs, drinking wine, having a cuppa at his Kaharoa kennels and being involved in his breeding programs and working with on at least four different pheasant shoots with him and I will say to anyone, use due diligence to ensure you are not getting a dog too soft for most people to make into something useful, they are in the minority of what he produces, but they are there. Chis is a good man with good dogs, but like all of us, nothing is perfect and it is not unrealistic for me to warn people to be careful. If you get a good one it will be as good as anything going. Hell the man has even bought two VERY good bottles of whiskey for the referrals I have made, just take a breath dude.