About 12 years ago, the phone rang and a man called to ask if we could train his dog. He had a chocolate Lab he wanted trained. We invited him out. At the time we lived right up next to the mountains just outside Boulder, Colorado. He came out one Saturday afternoon with his dog. He explained what he wanted and we explained how we trained. He told us he had heard of us from one of his friends who was a long time field trialer and knew us from that world. Before he left, he also mentioned his dog was a “pointing Labrador” and he wanted the Grand Master title on the dog.

Oh brother.

A pointing Labrador? Give us a break. What kind of dweebus was this? Fortunately the dog liked to retrieve and was trainable. So in a few weeks the man came out again to see his dog and do some upland work with him. He planted a couple of birds in the big fields behind the kennels and we headed out with this guy and this supposed pointing Lab. The dog came across wind of the planted bird and locked up tighter than Dick’s hatband. The man flushed the bird, shot it and the brown dog brought it back. Okay…….. The dog continued to hunt, came down wind from the next bird and sure enough, locked up again. 

The dog was really pointing that bird…..

The man left. Paul comes running into the house to find Julie, “Honey, you have got to come out and see this dog. He is pointing birds!” “What did you say?” she replies. “This dog is pointing birds out here, you’ve got to come see this!” “Oh come on Paul, he isn’t pointing birds. I’m right in the middle of blah, blah, blah…” “No, come out right now. I want you to see this.” So outside they go on a Sunday afternoon. Julie is thinking what a waste of time this is, but he seems so intent. Bird is planted, they walk out with the dog hunting in front, and what do you know, there’s another sure-dee point on a bird, about 20 feet away. He really was pointing. Just like the pointers.

That dog was Sir Hershey, who went on to become a Grand Master Pointing Retriever, producing Cajun, another Grand Master Pointing Retriever (and Fauquier Sam of Black Forest, Smokin Annie Oakley and countless other classic, well known pointing Labradors). When it became obvious that these dogs were really pointing, had never been taught to do so, and did it from the heart, and with style and staunchness, we became believers. So we took these naturally pointing Labradors and learned to, without sacrificing the pointing talent and style, train them to the highest levels of retriever competitions. There are Grand Master Pointing Retreivers running AKC Field trials and winning. There are numerous AKC Master Hunter GMPR’s, Hunter Retriever Champions GMPR’s and every other venue for retriever competitions. The last 2 National Champions for the National Hunting Dog Association (now the National Gun Dog Association) were pointing Labradors. These dogs beat all other breeds pointing and flushing. There as yet are not GMPR Field Champions, but we are working hard on that one right now with some good contenders.

Pointing retrievers are not the same dogs as the beautiful and talented pointing breeds. They are different. That is why there are so many retrievers as seeing-eye dogs, handicap assist dogs, search and rescue dogs and pets and hunters. The retrievers lend themselves far more to the service functions than the high rolling pointing breeds. It is that mentality for which we have developed a training system and methodology that has proven itself on hundreds of dogs, not just dozens. Conversely, there are some added training concepts that must be incorporated into the training of a pointing Labradors that is not utilized in the conventional retriever training.

There are no other individuals who have spent as much time with the pointing retrievers as we have these past 12 years. We have made training errors and learned a great deal about the natural pointing in a strong retrieving breed. We have tremendous respect and admiration for the talented pointing retriever. They are about as all-around talented, useful and enjoyable animal as there is to own, train and play with. As we have learned over the years from the great retriever trainers like Rex Carr, Danny Farmer, Mike Lardy, Don Remein, Judy Aycock and John and Laura Parrot, it doesn’t really mean much if you don’t pass on what you know to those who earnestly want to learn more themselves. We have no secrets about these dogs. We pass on the training knowledge to those serious about learning more. And once you hunt with a good pointing Lab, it’s kind of like driving a BMW. Hard to go back.