We are thinking of getting a lab puppy....

[dustygoon]

My wife and I are looking to get a puppy. I grew up with a golden retriever. Great dog. LOTS of hair. We are thinking of a labrador retriever.....less hair. Pretty fun. I have heard mixed reviews on labs however. Anyone have any experience with labs? Good natured? Good with kids? easily trainable?

[dustygoon]

Originally posted by fotze@May 31 2005, 07:03 PM
I think labs are like any other dog, treat it like one it will act like one. I know a few people who are so scared to let the dog off a leash or near other dogs that they are turning into shinguardty dogs that bite and wreck the house.

My dog's hair is driving me up the wall, vacuuming the house 4 times a week sucks, but there's nothing you can do about it.

What kind of dog do you have?

[Flames89]

My great aunt said "there are labs, and then there are other dogs"

My two experiences with Labs (grew up with one, as well as a Golden Ret. - and now my dad has another) are amazing.

Go to a good breeders. Do not pick the alpha male. Do not pick the slowest of the bunch. They are unbelievable dogs!!!

[Flames89]

As for hair? Well they are a dog, the will shed a bit, but I don't think they are too bad.

Also, their coats (with proper food) are great!

[dustygoon]

Originally posted by fotze@May 31 2005, 07:06 PM
Shepherd/Husky, so it doesn't help you any, does it. I guess I wasn't clear.

I remember my mom vacuuming the golden's hair almost daily. I opened the central vac container one time and there was so much hair in the canister that it looked like the dog was stuffed in there! brutal.

The only bad lab stories i have heard usually involve the lab being aggressive against other dogs.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

I absolutely love labs (used to have one as a kid, a bunch of hunting buddies have/had them, and my uncle now has one).
I think they are the most well tempered dog in the world, and they are really smart. So, that being said. If you have the time to properly train and care for a lab, you'll absolutely love it. If you decide to let it do it's own thing, it'll very quickly find out what it can get away with and could cause you a lot of frustration.
Keep them occupied, and you'll have no trouble, neglect them, and you'll get what you deserve.

They also make FANTASTIC hunting dogs, and every one I've ever seen has been just fine around kids.

[SoulOfTheFlame]

Originally posted by dustygoon@May 31 2005, 12:00 PM
My wife and I are looking to get a puppy. I grew up with a golden retriever. Great dog. LOTS of hair. We are thinking of a labrador retriever.....less hair. Pretty fun. I have heard mixed reviews on labs however. Anyone have any experience with labs? Good natured? Good with kids? easily trainable?

In my experience female black labs are awesome dogs! Good with kids too.

[dustygoon]

Originally posted by SoulOfTheFlame@May 31 2005, 07:24 PM

In my experience female black labs are awesome dogs! Good with kids too.

Exactly what we are looking at. We had a 8 month old lab puppy visiting us on the weekend as practice. I melted.

[Indi]

I've had labs or lab crosses pretty much my entire life....labs are well known for thier very even keeled temperment, you rarely meet an angry lab. The hair thing, don't kid yourself, labs shed just as much as goldens, it's just that thier hair is shorter, not as noticeable. In the springtime, you could build another dog by what I brush out of my dogs coat. There are two things that labs live for......balls and swimming, not necessarily in that order. It's hard to keep a lab out of the water....oh yeah, they like to roll in things, the smellier the better. One thing that you have to be very careful with with all mature labs is thier weight...they all seem to pack it on very quickly when they get to about 5+ years.....my vet sometimes reccomends low cal food at around that age to prevent obesity


great dog, you cant go wrong...also, there is a lab rescue society in calgary, you should look them up, you cant go wrong saving a life...its good Karma!!

[4X4]

Labs are great dogs... If you've got the time to see them through the high maintenance puppy stage. When they are pups, they will find trouble wherever it may lurk. My buddy's lab stands in the window to see him off, then its over to the coffee table for a nibble on the leg, then the couch for a nice scratch session.
Its not the dog's fault, its because my buddy has a job & can't stay home all the time to watch him. He is using a muzzle to help curb the gnawing, but it is only a partial fix.

My advice is to go with a rotti. I'm on my second one & I'll never go back. I've had a austrialian blue healer, a mutt, a little terrier and a cat. Rotti is by far the best pet I could hope for.

Extremely loyal, protective of my property, protective of our campsite when camping (and also protective of all our friends & friend's children), very well tempered (through good training), smart (though that is debatable), and generally good natured.
Short hair means very little shedding, docked tail means no beer cans swatted off the coffee table. Plus, I keep her inside for the most part, so I know damn well that nobody will be breaking into my house. Walk up the front step, or lurk in the yard & she'll let you know that you'd better not be planning entry.


It annoys me when I hear about activists grouping rottis into the dangerous dog category. Of course they can rip your face off. Any mid to large sized dog can. The activists should be pushing for severe punishments for the owners of uncontrollable dogs; they are the ones at fault.
My dog is absolutely great with children. In fact, when we are camping, my friends' daughter is not allowed to leave the campsite unless she is escorted by 'Moxie'.

Never have I had such an obedient dog as her. She responds to my voice & my whistle immediately. I can snap my fingers & point & she'll go wherever I'm pointing. When she starts to play rough, all she needs is a stern "ehhh" & she settles down.
Of course, this is more good training. She knows two things: cookies and slippers. To her credit, she's only actually gotten her ass smacked by the slipper twice. Now, just the presence of the slipper in my hand is enough of a warning.

The only trick a rotti owner needs to know is that your rotti will emulate your emotions. If you are high strung, your dog will be too. If you are yelling & screaming all the time, your dog is likely to freak out too. I guess what I'm saying is that rottis aren't for everyone, but anyone that has a normal temperment can successfully "own" (or be owned by) a rotti.

To keep it fair, I might as well toss in the cons about my dog. She pulls on the leash. Just GO GO GO!!! GOTTA GO NOW!!! She's not sure where, but damned if she ain't getting there NOW!
That is my fault though. I let her get away with it because I figure it's her walk, so let her do what she wants.
She doesn't do it with other people though, which is where the smarts comes in.


Couple pieces of rotti advice:

If you are looking for more of a pet ie, a dog that can be in the house without getting too in the way, go for a runt. Mine is a runt & it is great because she doesn't even dare to question my alpha status.

Also, german rottis are hairier. The american ones' hair is shorter. These ones are not outdoor dogs (especially in the winter). They are ok down to about -15 (with a doghouse) but lower than that & bring the little guy inside. My dog is inside year-round & she loves it. Of course she goes outside for good portions of the day, but whenever there's no one home, she's inside sleeping on the couch errrr gaurding the house.



I'm sure that most of these qualities are found in labs too, but the thing I don't really like about labs is their relentlessness when it comes to playtime. Rottis are happy knowing that they are loved and that they are somewhere in the chain of command. The yard is theirs. No question about it. You are welcome there, and so are your friends, but only a very stupid man would enter the yard of an unknown rotti. The same can't be said for labs.

[flamesfever]

If you want a dog that's friendly, good looking, intelligent, good with kids, and a great hunting companion, you can't go wrong with a lab from a reputable breeder.
You will, however, have to spend a fair amount of time bonding and training it properly, or you may wish to have it trained by professional trainers.

We just purchased a yellow lab puppy from a top field trial breeder down in the US. and have spent the last 3 weeks bonding, house training and getting it to sleep through the night without crying. Believe me, it's like having a new baby in the house. However, the effort is worth it. It is very loveable, intelligent and great with kids (my 7 year old grand daughter carried it around for 3 days and the dog just loved all the attention). It follows you everywhere, has to be near you, and is either running around playing or sound asleep.

One of the best books to read on the subject is "Training Your Retreiver" by James Lamb Free. It would probably help you a great deal - especially if you are going to use it for hunting. It is particularly important to know who the parents and grand
parents are. It's good to have good working dogs in its lineage. Our dog's 3 year old half sister put up 100 pheasants last year.

[dustygoon]

Thanks for the tips. I don't hunt often enough, but when i do, watching the dog work is the funnest part.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally posted by Indi@May 31 2005, 01:56 PM
There are two things that labs live for......balls and swimming, not necessarily in that order. It's hard to keep a lab out of the water

A more true statement I've never heard.
My uncle's lab has a knack for finding tennis balls. you can be out on a walk with her and if there is a tennis ball within 100 yds, she will find it. Out at the lake, she has been known (and by has been known, i mean it happens all the time), to randomly show up with a tennis ball and no one knows where/when she found it.

And man do these dogs have a lot of energy. I've only once seen her not chase a ball into the lake, and that was the last day we were out there last year, and we threw the ball as far into the water as we could for at least 4 hours. Some time around 5 PM she just looked at us with a depressed look that said "I'm tired, you go get it". And we actually had to get it ourselves.

[Cain]

As a guy who has owned an amazing female golden lab for the last 9.5 years (Her days are numbered at this point though...poor girl) I can vouch for labs in general being great great dogs. My sister just got another female golden lab who is also an extraordinary dog.

My dog was a very very gentle, easy going dog. You could trust her with anyone, I never saw her angry at all in her entire life (unless she was near a cow...but I think she was scared more than anything...bad experience when she was a pup). Great with children, very loving and would not trample young ones. She loved walks, would never say no, and would not be kept out of the water if such an opportunity was presented. She was a great friend, and I'll miss her dearly.

My sisters dog, also a golden lab is a ball of energy, so pick one that has a personality that suits you. She is a very young dog, so not as well trained, and will probably calm down a fair bit (already has actually...but still on the very energetic side). She is great fun though, game to do anything you'd want to do. She is a bit lacking on the training side, but that is more due to the lack of initiative on her owners part. She is an incredibly smart dog.

Just thought I'd give you a rundown on the two labs I know best. I've only really heard good things about labs, and I highly recommend them. They are a wonderful breed, and in my opinion, one of the best looking as well. Smart, good looks, playful, energetic and gentle! What more could you ask for.

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

My brother has 2 labs. He also has 1/2 section of land. I don't know if I'd get one without the other.

Don't get me wrong. I love dogs and his are fantastic. Amazing personalities, smart as hell, and well trained (he hunts with them).

But they are big dogs with a LOT of energy. It'd be a handful in the city. Of course, maybe if the dogs don't grow up chasing and ATV they would need that nightly to wind down.

[Flames89]

Originally posted by Bend it like Bourgeois@May 31 2005, 11:59 PM
My brother has 2 labs. He also has 1/2 section of land. I don't know if I'd get one without the other.

Don't get me wrong. I love dogs and his are fantastic. Amazing personalities, smart as hell, and well trained (he hunts with them).

But they are big dogs with a LOT of energy. It'd be a handful in the city. Of course, maybe if the dogs don't grow up chasing and ATV they would need that nightly to wind down.

Pick an energetic pup, you'll have an energetic dog.

Pick an easy going pup, you'll have an easy going dog.


My dad lives in a condo, has a lab with no problems. He is really low key (the dog that is). Granted it helps that his wife is retired so is able to take hime for long walks in the morning, etc.

[nfotiu]

We had a 2 year old lab that died of liver disease a couple weeks ago. They couldn't figure out what caused it and it isn't common to labs. But he was a great dog while he was alive. Great with kids and other dogs. They are a lot of work as puppies. They do need a good amount of exercise. We found 20-30 minutes of free running and a mile walk was pretty much required daily. If you can't give him that, he'll be pretty rotten!

We just picked up a new chocolate puppy.

[dustygoon]

After seeing those photos, I wonder how anyone could say that they are a cat person and not a dog person?!

Great looking pup.