Golden Retriever/Lab/English Setter Mix

[Genny]

Has anyone ever had this kind of dog before? My brother is living w/ my G' parents and he is getting one. In a few months we will be building a new house next to them, we also have pet ducks as some of you might remember. so would that kind of pup grow up to be good with the ducks?? we will also have a new duck pen built but I love how we can let our great pyrenees out alone with the ducks and not have to worry.

Also he is getting a pitbull mix/ it's also a puppy, how would she do?? We're probably going to have to give a lot of our ducks away to a friend of my grandpa's, but we will be keeping some for sure so I'm just concerned for themm I just wondered do these kind have a lot of prey drive?? I k now it would probably be kinda hard to be sure since they're mixed w/ so much but thankyou anyways!!!

[Genny]

anyone know anything about them????? ;) :)

[WELOVESPUPPIES]

I think all breeds can learn to respect any other pets that it grows up with. The only problem I can see is that all three of them are bird dogs, whether it be pointing or retrieving, so it may take a little more work because instinct may take over in them. When I was a little girl we had a bird dog and even though she had never been trained to hunt her drive was strong for anything that flew, even if it was my parakeets. But we took her in as an adult so she was possibly not socialized with that type of stuff at a young age. Our boxers on the other hand did not grow up with small animals and yet they learned to have respect for a ferret that we use to have...
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa103/marmadukechamp/IMG_0457.jpghttp://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa103/marmadukechamp/IMG_0422.jpg
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa103/marmadukechamp/IMG_0479.jpg
If you notice in this last picture Champ even has a rawhide, and she never snapped at Peek-A-Boo for being near her food.
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa103/marmadukechamp/IMG_0414.jpg

It may just take a little patience but major socialization as a pup with the animals you want it to accept as an adult. Good luck.

[Genny]

Thanks so much Tracy! I think you're right--and the pictures of your boxers with your ferret is so cute! Thanks for sharing them ;)

[SemaviLady]

Genny, great to hear that your Pyr girl has turned out so well. :)

Alas, with the mixed breeds, when we want predictable behaviors we can't expect that with randombreds and dogs composed of breeds or mixes from different working genre. This is because their genomes have different behavioral QTLs, brain chemistry and hard wiring. So one person's bird dog mix may not behave anything like another's.

Those of us needing dependable genetics, breed character and size will always need well bred working dogs that behave predictably around other critters. :-)

I hope everything works out. You may not be able to let your birds free range while your brother's dog(s) are growing up. Never give the dog more freedom than it has earned.

Mornings are often the worst times, since the birds are excited about the new day and food, and puppies of hunting breeds tend to be very hyper - bouncing off of walls (nothing as mellow as flock guards we know!). So you may need to put the birds in a pen for nights.

It is possible that your pyr will try to protect the birds from the puppy but if she understands that the puppy is 'family' that might be difficult to guarantee. She might be tolerant of the puppy's misbehaviors and you may have injured birds.

Wishing you and your family all the best!