Are Goldendoodles And Labradoodles Good Hunting Dogs?

Hunting dogs are awesome companions that will love to play outdoors. Even if all breeds have enough prey drive to chase wild animals, it doesn’t mean that they are all good hunting partners. For instance, Goldendoodles and Labradoodles are active, reliable, and well-suited for running in the wild. Nonetheless, is that enough to make them good hunting dogs?

Standard Poodles, Golden and Labrador Retrievers were all often used for hunting. With time, most dogs are now domesticated to be good companions. That’s why I recently wonder if Labradoodles or Goldendoodles are really interesting choices to help hunters in the field. Let me share with you what I’ve found about this topic after some research!

With proper breeding, Goldendoodles and Labradoodles can be very good hunting dogs. Their energy, prey drive, and resilience make them excellent companions for hunters. Whether it’s for water retrieval, flushing, or retrieving, Labradoodles/Goldendoodles can do it. However, some of them that weren’t bred for hunting won’t be good at it!

Now, you might wonder why these mixed breeds can be interesting as hunting partners. To make it clear, Poodles are probably not as fragile as you thought. Furthermore, there are plenty of other good reasons to consider choosing a Labradoodle or Goldendoodle as your future companion. At the end of your reading, you will know everything you should before to hunt with one of these breeds!

What Makes Good Hunting Dogs?

There are several characteristics to analyze that will determine if a dog is good for hunting or not. The perfect furry partner will also depend on what type of work he will need to do. Some breeds are better for pointing, retrieving, flushing, or scent tracking. However, the best hunting dogs have some traits in common. Here are some of them that could help you figure out why Goldendoodles and Labradoodles can be good hunters!

Stamina.

Running in the field all day long isn’t easy for every companion. Good hunting dogs are generally excellent athletes. Their energy, stamina, and other physical conditions allow them to chase or retrieve animals over long distances!

Thus, you need to ensure that your bird dog or hunting partner has enough endurance to withstand intense exercise. Hopefully, this quality is something you both can improve with some physical conditioning!

Health.

Like for any other sports, hunting dogs should have good health to work in the field safely. Running in the wild has a high-impact on their joints and bones. Structural issues such as hip dysplasia or arthritis could even restrict the best hunting breeds to enjoy this intense physical activity. Your dog’s health is certainly the most important thing to consider before taking him on your outdoor trips!

Maintaining Labradoodles or Goldendoodles in good health isn’t very complicated. They will simply need proper nutrition, regular exercise, and some mental stimulation like any other dog. Besides, visiting your vet regularly would be very useful to understand if your dog is healthy enough for hunting!

Resilience.

Working outside in the wild won’t be safe for every dog. The coat type is essential for good hunting dogs to withstand the weather or other conditions. Resilient companions will also be more likely to spend long periods outdoors. Your furry partner will need to be comfortable in the field during your hunting sessions. Luckily, most Labradoodles and Goldendoodles shouldn’t have any problem with their coat or resilience!

Prey Drive.

Good hunting dogs have a great desire to chase wild animals like birds. Otherwise, it will be difficult to train them for pointing, retrieving, flushing, or tracking without proper prey drive. Part of this hunting instinct is innate, but there are also some ways to improve this love of chasing things. For example, exposure to birds at a young age is something that could seriously enhance prey drive in dogs!

Good Hunting Temperament.

This is something very difficult to predict about hunting dogs. Whatever breed you choose, you can’t know what temperament your future companion will have. Good furry hunting partners should be fearless, calm, adaptable, and easy to train. Hopefully, your bird dog might develop these qualities with training or practice. Nonetheless, some breeds are simply not well-suited for this type of activity! 

Information About Poodles, Labs & Goldens!

As you probably know, Labradoodles and Goldendoodles are mixed breeds from Poodles and Labrador or Golden Retrievers. These active breeds were all bred for hunting or retrieval. Therefore, it’s not surprising at all that “Doodles” are good hunters with this ancestry!

Some people still use Poodles, Labradors, or Goldens for water retrieval or simply to help them in the field. On top of that, they are among the best breeds for hunting. The Labradoodle and Goldendoodle origin can explain why they are well-suited for this outdoor sport. However, hunting might not be the perfect purpose for them!

Why Poodles Are Good Hunting Dogs?

• Thick Coat Ideal For Protection In The Wild.
• Good For Retrieving.
• Excellent For Swimming.
• Proud Temperament.
• Ideal For Trainability.
• Extremely Intelligent.
• Loyal.

Why Golden And Labrador Retrievers Are Good Hunting Dogs?

• Strong, Agile, And Resilient.
• Tolerate Cold Temperatures.
• Bred To Swim In Cold Water. (Labs)
• Strong Fetching Instinct.
• Desire To Please & Work.
• High-Level Of Energy.
• Friendly & Loyal Companions.
• Smart.

Are Goldendoodles Good Hunting Dogs?

Since Golden Retrievers and Poodles are good hunting partners, Goldendoodles should also do well in the field. Intelligent, active, and easy to train, this mixed-breed should be able to make excellent gun or bird dogs. They love to retrieve and play in the water, so they could be ideal for waterfowl or any other type of hunting with proper training!

The only concern about these mutts is their fur. Without proper grooming, their long coat could allow sticks or other debris to stay stuck in it. Besides, they weren’t originally bred for hunting. Apart from that, most Goldendoodles can be trained to become a good hunting dog. Thus, these awesome furballs can make both interesting family and adventure companions!

Here’s a video of a Goldendoodle hunting dog! (Flushing)

Are Labradoodles Good Hunting Dogs?

Labradoodles can be good hunting dogs with proper training. Poodles and Labrador Retrievers are both well-suited for waterfowl retrieving or upland hunting. Therefore, a mixed breed from them is certainly interesting to work on in the field. Similar to Goldendoodles, Labradoodles have the right stamina, size, and athletic qualities to make good hunting partners!

This mixed breed should have the prey drive, brain, and work ethic to make good gun or bird dogs. However, these beautiful furballs weren’t bred for this purpose. That’s why some domesticated “Doodles” might not be ideal for hunting!

Here’s a video where you can see a Labradoodle in action! (Waterflow Retrieving)

You can find some complementary information about Goldendoodles and Labradoodles as hunting dogs in this article from the Deer Hunting Property Blogspot site! [Link Open In a New Tab]

What Is The Best Type Of Hunting For These Dogs?

Well-prepared, “Doodles” can be excellent all-around hunting dogs. Whether it’s for flushing, pointing or retrieving, they are well-suited to do it well. As long as they have a good prey drive and excellent health, you can train them for almost any kind of hunting. Furthermore, Labradoodles and Goldendoodles are especially interesting for water retrieval. However, they can make awesome partners for most types of hunting! (Bird, Duck, Pointing, Retrieving, Etc.)

Goldendoodles And Labradoodles Were Not Bred For Hunting!

Keep in mind that “Doodles” aren’t among the best hunting dogs out there. If you’re looking for the perfect companion in the field, choosing a purebred should be more sure. Golden & Labrador Retrievers, German Shorthaired Pointers, or Weimaraners from hunting lineage are always safe picks. Furthermore, it’s more difficult to predict the temperament or personality of mixed-breeds!

What “Doodles” Were Bred For?

Labradoodles and Goldendoodles weren’t bred to hunt. They are generally used as family companions. Thus, it might be difficult to find “Doodles” with parents that are good gun or bird dogs. That’s why it’s highly recommended to stick with purebreds that were used purposely for hunting. Otherwise, you could have a mixed-breed that isn’t well-suited for this outdoor activity!

In other words, some Labradoodles or Goldendoodles can be excellent hunting dogs. However, it’s not certain that these furballs will do well in the field. Finding “Doodles” from elite hunting stock can be extremely difficult since they are principally used as companions. On the other hand, they are amazing hypoallergenic dogs for active families!

Be Careful With The Breeder!

If you want to have a good hunting Labradoodle or Goldendoodle, you will have to find the right breeder. In general, these mutts are not coming from quality breeding. Anyway, owning a non-purebred is always a risk that you take because they are all unique. Therefore, some “Doodles” won’t be able to hunt alongside you while others could thrive in the field!

Last Thoughts About Labradoodles & Goldendoodles As Hunting Dogs!

Hunting with your furry companion could be extremely fun and pleasant for both of you. Nonetheless, not all dogs are suitable to point, flush, or retrieve wild animals. Labradoodles and Goldendoodles are generally interesting for hunting. Their high level of energy, intelligence, trainability, and good temperament are ideal traits to be a good gun or bird dogs!

However, purebreds used and trained for hunting will be more interesting than “Doodles”. Keep in mind that these beautiful furballs were bred to be companions, not hunters. If you take the chance to choose a Goldendoodle or Labradoodle to hunt, you might have good or bad surprises. Whatever breed or mutt you finally choose, I’m sure that you will have a lot of fun together in the field or anywhere else!

Now, I highly recommend you to read my article about when it’s the best time (or age) to start training your bird dog!