I wouldn't say its always the case, But I would say its slightly different for labs that Spaniels.
On our shoot there are a few places where the pickers up will drive the birds to the guns in a different place than where the beaters are, before taking up our positions at the top of the hill to perform the normal picking up.
Therefore the labs are all used to flushing birds.
Would I say Alf quarters,, no not as such, But I can cast him off to the right, Stop him and then dirrect him left and keep him moving back and forth.
I would imagine thats probably about as far as the average lab might need to quarter.
Well I wasn't going to answer this one Andy but seeing as you've mixed me and Natasha up I will .
I do actually teach a little quartering with my dogs. Not as much as I did in the past but a smidge. Rocky, who is nine now can compete with the spaniels for quartering hence he is in great demand round here for walk ups and picking up.
It is quite difficult to both teach quartering and keep the straight lining that is necessary for todays test and trial competitions. There are several top Field Triallers in Norfolk who will teach dogs to quarter though and I have to admit you can actually see who they are if you go and watch there dogs compete in the IGL. There dogs have the most beautiful hunting pattern when out of sight of there handlers looking for a bird and I really enjoy watching dogs "work the ground" in this way.
I, mostly, train with a dual Spaniel/Labrador trainer and we do teach the young labs to quarter in a similar way as the Spaniels, but not to the same extent as he does with the Spaniels of course. I actually secretly wish I could do a bit more with them but just at the moment my sights with the younger dogs are firmly set on competition and, therefore, straight lining.
Natasha's 100% right, no retriever would ever be asked to quarter IN COMPETITION. But sometimes, some dogs, do need to. But it all depends on what you are using the dog for. I occasionally go out with a few friends to do a little mixed shooting. On the spinney I might be doing a bit or beating with my dog, Then there is the bean field where Snipe lurk which we walk up, often with my dog quartering the ground. The hedges where I need to push the birds out. Add to that we will need to pick up the shot game. Probably our total bag for the day will only be half a dozen, mixed Pheasant, Rabbit, Pigeon and occasional Snipe, and yes, this is really Spaniel work, but it's great fun all the same!
Some trainers advocate it when training dogs for shooting, I believe Edward Martin is one who trains both his Labs and of course Spaniels to quarter. I don’t personally train for it, but it would be useful when walking-up, beating, dogging in etc. I think quite a bit of training advice given on LF is aimed towards Working Test Competitions, where as JohnW says, it is not a required discipline.
Well I wasn't going to answer this one Andy but seeing as you've mixed me and Natasha up I will
Eek, I am so sorry Jill and especially you Natasha after you'd been so good as to reply, no idea how I managed that one. Possibly because you both have such beautiful pups in your signature pics.
Thanks everybody else also for your thoughts and observations, they're very welcome.
Well I wasn't going to answer this one Andy but seeing as you've mixed me and Natasha up I will
Eek, I am so sorry Jill and especially you Natasha after you'd been so good as to reply, no idea how I managed that one. Possibly because you both have such beautiful pups in your signature pics.
Thanks everybody else also for your thoughts and observations, they're very welcome.
I blame it on those darn foxy puppies As for the quartering can I just add that many experienced picking-up labs mysteriously seem to go into spaniel quartering mode come end of January (and often before that) - 'gone' are the nice, straight looooong lines...
Natasha
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WLF All the Way!!!!
"Handle every stressful situation like a dog. If you can´t eat it or hump it. **** on it and walk away..."
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Possibly because you both have such beautiful pups in your signature pics. 
