What dog thread: Labrador, retriever or something else?

[garythesign]

mike74 said:

Flatties have lovely temperaments and are known as the 'Peter Pan of Dogs' but this can become a little wearisome, ours is 12 this year but it's still like having a 6 month old puppy in the house, and he still demands a huge amount of attention, affection and stimulation.

He gets 3 walks a day but on every walk he's just constantly interacting with you and wanting you to play with him. Same in the house, he's either wanting to play, or demanding you stroke him or trying to sit on your lap! He's very rarely content to just do his own thing or take himself off to bed.

He's also incredibly stubborn and obsessive, but always in a cheeky and forgivable way rather than just wilfully defiant like some dogs can be.

He's got a companion, an ex working Border collie, but they're very different personalities and have little to do with each other.

Having said all this I wouldn't change him for the world and he's the most characterful and affectionate dog we've ever had, but he is hard work at times.

We had the same combination of dogs but ours played all the time.

Unfortunately our flat coat had cancer and died at 7 1/2.

All our memories are of him bring us laughter as he was such a goofy boy.

Any owners want to post photos of their flatties. I could do with a could cry!

[SwissJonese]

We went for a working style black Labrador (long and tall). With young twins we needed something good with kids and as I work from home full time it made perfect sense to get a dog. We got her as a puppy from a family which had both mum and dad dogs. She walks to school everyday and gets loved by loads of children at the school gates (with 2 other black labs).

As a puppy she was a bit of a nightmare, ate pretty much the whole kitchen, but now at 3 years old she is totally calm. She has loads of energy, is a great trail dog when on the bikes. Super fast, loads of stamina and loves the water. But she can have days of just sleeping.

Just remember to keep the weight down on Labs. Almost all other Labs we see are overweight, ours has a perfect weight (no treats!).

Pic of her with her younger sheepdog friend.

[stuartmmcfc]

I’m lucky that my lab retriever came very well trained and is quite small. The only downside really is that she does shed a fair bit.
As for flab, well I give her a weighed amount of food and go for a walk everyday and people, including the vet, often comment on her figure and her fitness. Since she’s yellow, she doesn’t seem to be unduly effected by the heat in fact she often sunbathes when she’s off duty.
I don’t know if it’s common with labs but she never barks and, considering she is a working dog, is a very friendly family dog I can trust in any situation.

[drmike37]

Totally left field, but we’ve had a greyhound and a border collie.
Both have been totally fab with the kids (6yr).

Greyhounds are incredibly low maintenance and because they are bred to be good runners they are physically pretty free of defects. Couple of walks a day and couch potato in between. Impossible to make them fat. We were lucky as we got one that could be off lead.

Collie is now 12. Still wants walks ALL the time but seems happy enough to lie around if we’re busy. Shouts a lot. Hates terriers (?)
Again, working breed so physically pretty hardy.

[Chris71]

loskie said:

In all honesty if you just want a pet just go for a crossbreed, they are far less prone to health issues caused by over and in breeding.

11 years ago I went for a lab x springer from a local gamekeeper (the litter of pups was a mistake) she cost me all of £150.

She's still fighting fit and touch wood so far there have been no health issues.


Sad thing is folks are now stupidly in my opinion calling them "springadors" ( I hate these stupid names!!) and they cost £600.

Labs get fat easily and suffer from hip problems, how about a Vizla if you want a purebred?
This is my dog

Funnily enough, two of the farms round here have lab x springers and they are both lovely dogs. My only slight hesitation is that you might not know entirely what you're getting. A friend of mine used to have a Alsatian x collie and that dog was lethal - the skittishness of a collie and the aggression of an Alsatian.

If we could get a Heinz 57 from a suitable home we'd definitely be up for it. My parents' jack russell is in season currently and they think she might have been getting it on with the basset hound nextdoor. Unfortunately, due to her age they're taking her down to the vets for a doggie morning after pill rather than waiting to see what happens.

drmike37 said:

Totally left field, but we’ve had a greyhound and a border collie.
Both have been totally fab with the kids (6yr).

My parents have also had a string of greyhounds and lurchers (my mum used to work for the RSPCA so she had a habit of taking the leftovers). They've all come from rather traumatic backgrounds, which probably explains this, but they've all had slight issues with either people or animals. If nothing else, there's a lot to chase around here!

I'd love a collie, but I always thought of them as being another couple of levels up in terms of exercise and training requirements?

Edited by Chris71 on Tuesday 9th June 11:16

[garythesign]

If you are Ok with a cross breed you could look at Black Retriever Cross rescue.

Jemima is an expert on flat coats and we have our last dog from her.

A lot come from Ireland, as did ours, but they do occasionally have puppies.

The supply of rescue dogs is much curtailed at the moment.

Good luck

[Chris71]

garythesign said:

If you are Ok with a cross breed you could look at Black Retriever Cross rescue.

Thanks. Actually, the name rings a bell. I think I've heard about that elsewhere.

Had a bit of a look on Pets4Homes and I can't believe how much the prices have gone up since lockdown! There were several Labs on there for £6,000. As my wife pointed out, the flipside to that is that there will be a surfeit of rescue dogs in six months' time when everyone who spontaneously decided to get a puppy realises how much hard work it is.

So what would you say the considerations are between a 'mutt' and a pedigree puppy? I'm fairly used to dealing with difficult dogs via my mum's rescue cases, but I'm nervous about subjecting my son to anything with an unproven temperament. He's quite good with dogs, but that's a relative term with a five-year old who's never actually lived with one.

[drmike37]

We rescued our collie by accident; she was a “short term” foster after her owner died - I worked with a relative of the ex owner. Owner had been unwell and in a wheelchair so not sure how the exercise thing worked????
I don’t think it was an ideal environment for a collie and she is a bit odd sometimes, but she’s fine with a couple of walks a day (or one really big one).
Even now, a collie isn’t right for us really as we both work but she’s the dog we’ve got and The kids adore her.

[Baldchap]

Just wanted to join in the cute puppy thread.

On a serious note, whilst he's gorgeous, he is quite prone to separation anxiety, which is a breed characteristic of Weimaraners.

Fantastic temperament, great with other animals and kids and very intelligent. Stubborn when the mood takes him though. Again, typical of the breed.

[Chris71]

drmike37 said:

We rescued our collie by accident; she was a “short term” foster after her owner died - I worked with a relative of the ex owner.

My parents gained a third dog recently. My mum used to walk this jack russell for The Cinnamon Trust, but the owner went into hospital and they're now providing a long-term (possibly permanent) foster home.

I think the rescue approach might be a good idea. Healthy, child-friendly rescue puppies must be few and far between, but we'd struggle to afford £2,000+ on a pedigree puppy from a breeder (even if I didn't resent paying that for a dog that would have been half the price six months ago...)

I've dropped the Retriever Cross people a line. Might try the Guide Dogs too. I'm told they sometimes have 'reject' puppies.

PS I'm feeling left out with all the puppy pics, so here's our last flat coat when he was a puppy. No longer with us, I'm afraid, but he was brilliant.

Edited by Chris71 on Tuesday 9th June 15:06

[loskie]

I don't think crossbreed= unknown characteristics and temperament.

Any dog can be dodgy or brilliant.

I have travelled round farms for work for the last 30+ years, I am always wary of collies but have only been bitten on a farm once. That was by a golden retriever! the last thing I expected.
Personally I don't think collies make great pets ( I know others will disagree) they love to work and please their owner but NEED to work and be kept busy. Avoid the red type of cocker spaniels too, too many of those have behavioural issues.

[blueg33]

Rich_AR said:

We went with a chocolate lab, collect him next week. Ours is coming from a hunting dog breeder, so hopefully not that stupid (but no doubt energetic!).

Edited by Rich_AR on Tuesday 9th June 16:26

Lovely - chocolate lab would be my second choice of dog after a Golden Retriever

My brother has 2 St Bernards - but he is an idiot

[Chris71]

blueg33 said:

Lovely - chocolate lab would be my second choice of dog after a Golden Retriever

Out of interest, why a golden retriever over a Lab?

[sherbertdip]

We've got a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever (Toller for short), the smallest of the Retrievers, although ours is quite big for the breed. he's smart, stupid, sleepy and lively, all I ever wanted in a dog

[blueg33]

Chris71 said:

blueg33 said:

Lovely - chocolate lab would be my second choice of dog after a Golden Retriever

Out of interest, why a golden retriever over a Lab?

Totally irrational - I have just always liked them, and from experience with friends dogs they tend to have a more benign temperament, and stupider lolling tongues

[Pieman68]

I love labs and retrievers but the missus wanted something a bit smaller so we got a Working Cocker

Fantastic temperament and hugely loving but he's a massive knobhead. He was supposed to end up as my running buddy but I'm long term injured so it's never happened. He was 2 last week and is still as daft as a brush (he's just chewed through the footstrap on the pedal of my exercise bike!!)

Never had a puppy before. If I'm honest if they're all like him I don't think I would ever have another breed

Too clever for his own good, mad as a bag of badgers with a cat thrown in, loving, everybody's best mate, stubborn as a mule but hilariously funny

Here he is then, and now (ish)

[garythesign]

Pieman68 said:

I love labs and retrievers but the missus wanted something a bit smaller so we got a Working Cocker

Fantastic temperament and hugely loving but he's a massive knobhead. He was supposed to end up as my running buddy but I'm long term injured so it's never happened. He was 2 last week and is still as daft as a brush (he's just chewed through the footstrap on the pedal of my exercise bike!!)

Never had a puppy before. If I'm honest if they're all like him I don't think I would ever have another breed

Too clever for his own good, mad as a bag of badgers with a cat thrown in, loving, everybody's best mate, stubborn as a mule but hilariously funny

Here he is then, and now (ish)

Lovely photos and fully agree with the description.

Photo of Harvey, nearly 13, taken earlier today.

He found the banana skin in the bushes on our walk. One of his nicknames is Harvey Banana

[Sy1441]

Rich_AR said:

We went with a chocolate lab, collect him next week. Ours is coming from a hunting dog breeder, so hopefully not that stupid (but no doubt energetic!).

Edited by Rich_AR on Tuesday 9th June 16:26

Best of luck, they're fking mental, had our chocolate for 14 years. It's cool though they calm slightly at 7.

We've got 2 Dogue De Bordeux now, very different dogs.

[garythesign]

Differences between mutt and pedigree? If they are both puppies, then either should be trainable.

With a cross you just don’t know which genes will be the stronger.

We have what we think is a collie/lab cross. She shows very few collie traits. No rounding up. No nipping. No interest in sheep. She is quite vocal and excitable.

Ex Guide dogs. Good luck as they are in great demand. We had a retired one a few years ago and he was the best trained dog ever.

We foster for guide dogs Ireland and much of their breeding programme is geared around ‘steady’ dogs. Intelligence and trainability is almost a taken in Labs.

Good luck. Sure this thread will run and run.....until you start posting pictures!

[rxe]

Shuvi McTupya said:

Statistically, you are more likely to get bitten by a labrador than a pitbull.

So, get a pitbull, the bigger the better.

They are lovely!

Rescue staffie is not a bad idea at all. There are loads of them in rescues and finding a good 'un is not hard. Some friends have been long term Staffy owners, and now have two rescues. A more loving and calm pair of dogs would be hard to find, and in terms of attention demands they are brilliant - when they are playing, they play hard. When they are not playing, they collapse in a snoring, farting heap. They come for a cuddle on the sofa, perfect dogs. For all their bad rep, they are great with children.

We have a pair of GSDs - they need serious exercise (50 km a week) to keep them chilled, and they are quite demanding in the evenings, howling at stuff and getting on. Keeps the burglars away I suppose.