You have two breeds put together that each offer great history in duck hunting. I work with someone that breeds his "Doodle" . He does not hunt nor does he know of someone that hunts with one.
Some very telling statements above (which I chose to isolate).
I think we all need to realize that buying "history" or any "story" doesn't do you a whole lot of good nowdays. The fact that standard-bred poodles ran in retriever trials in 1906 doesn't mean a thing in 2008. Likewise, the fact that I may go out and purchase any Labrador retriever, Golden, Chessie, etc., doesn't mean a whole lot either. Remember, the gene pool for dogs that have been bred to pass on the best traits of working parents is something a reputable breeder of field dogs is working hard to responsibly maintain and improve.
Naturally, you're going to find your best prospect for locating these traits by looking for proof of responsibly bred working stock, by knowing if the titles on paper mean anything, and by doing your homework in general.
That being said, buying a pup from the right breeding does NOT mean you "just add water" and, presto, you'll have a worthwhile hunting companion. That's just the start. You bought a pup with potential and the breeding that should make it trainable. Hopefully you know what level you want to get it to and how to accomplish that. Even then, you still have to do the work and spend the time. How many of us have heard from an someone all about the great breeding on his crackerjack retriever "Ol Roy," only to be subjected to the worst, out of contol, leg -humping bonehead we have ever had the misfortune of hunting with?
