Buying a Labrador these days

[Byker28i]

Metal Guru said:

I’m sure I’ll get some flak for this, but doesn’t this have parallels with the Dacia Duster thread?
Labradors etc have a snob badge ( Audi/BMW) whereas there’s a lot of mongrels (Dacias) who would make great pets but are considered too down market buy Labrador buyers.

I don't have a problem with mongrels - my wifes dog was a black labrador crossed with who knows what and lets be honest, most of these poodle crossed dogs these days would be called mongrels a few decades ago.

In our case, we have an old chocolate lab, and having really enjoyed her, her friendly, soft characteristics, we wanted another lab.

In the case of Luna, it looks like she had an undetected heart issue, that was just waiting to kill her. We threw thousands at the vets and specialists in two days hoping for better news, some miracle outcome, but I'm glad I was there to comfort and speak to her at the end...

Thanks everyone for the kind comments.

Edited by Byker28i on Friday 15th October 08:44

[S100HP]

So few words. Feel for you OP.

[juice]

So so sorry about Luna, I hope you're holding up as well as can be expected. I'd be in bits.
RIP Luna

[Rh14n]

Oh so sorry to hear this heartbreaking news about little Luna. What was the breeder's reaction? Would he be obliged to inform the owners of her siblings or is the condition so rare that are they unlikely to be affected? I hope he managed to sort out your insurance too.

[redback911]

Jeez, sorry to hear that Byker. What a punch in the gut, life can be so unfair sometimes. Glad you were there at the end for Luna. Sending positive thoughts.

[Jambo85]

Metal Guru said:

I think the dog’s behaviour will be more down to upbringing ( do you call it that?) from a puppy, than what breed it is , obvious breeds excepted.
If you get a puppy of any breed (s) and train it well, you’ll very likely have a nice family pet. Getting an adult dog, and you’re taking a chance on how it had been treated and what has happened to it before you had it . ( car analogy again, new v secondhand ).
Also if someone has spent a significant sum on the dog, they are far more likely to spend time training and treating it well, whereas someone who gets a dog for next to nothing on a whim, may well get bored with it and not look after it properly.

I'll agree with you to the limited extent that a badly trained dog will be a badly trained dog regardless of breed. Although I'd still argue that labs' characteristics are such that even in the hands of a total idiot the worst case outcomes are still pretty good.

Beyond that however, with all due respect, I don't think you really know what you're on about. Do you really think that people who invested time and cash selectively breeding dogs were wasting their time? Do you similarly not believe that Holstein Friesians are better milk producers than most other breeds of cattle or that Aberdeen Angus and Limousins are best suited for beef production? Just vanity that dairy farmers like black and white cattle while beef farmers like black ones and red ones?

[anonymous-user]

Jambo85 said:

Metal Guru said:

I think the dog’s behaviour will be more down to upbringing ( do you call it that?) from a puppy, than what breed it is , obvious breeds excepted.
If you get a puppy of any breed (s) and train it well, you’ll very likely have a nice family pet. Getting an adult dog, and you’re taking a chance on how it had been treated and what has happened to it before you had it . ( car analogy again, new v secondhand ).
Also if someone has spent a significant sum on the dog, they are far more likely to spend time training and treating it well, whereas someone who gets a dog for next to nothing on a whim, may well get bored with it and not look after it properly.

I'll agree with you to the limited extent that a badly trained dog will be a badly trained dog regardless of breed. Although I'd still argue that labs' characteristics are such that even in the hands of a total idiot the worst case outcomes are still pretty good.

Beyond that however, with all due respect, I don't think you really know what you're on about. Do you really think that people who invested time and cash selectively breeding dogs were wasting their time? Do you similarly not believe that Holstein Friesians are better milk producers than most other breeds of cattle or that Aberdeen Angus and Limousins are best suited for beef production? Just vanity that dairy farmers like black and white cattle while beef farmers like black ones and red ones?

No I’m not an expert on genetics. It’s my opinion to which I’m entitled. By all means disagree but don’t patronise me. (although you did say with all due respect , thank you, which is better than the usual PH approach , I.e just call someone a dick).
Anyway, genetics is far from an exact science. Horse racing invests vast amounts of timeand money in it, yet 90% of race horses never win a race.

[moorx]

Byker and family - I am so, so, sorry. Really cannot believe this and feel so badly for you.

Please take care of yourselves and Cadbury.

Many hugs x

Clare

[SPR2]

So very sad to hear and you only had Luna for a very few days.

[Jambo85]

Metal Guru said:

No I’m not an expert on genetics. It’s my opinion to which I’m entitled. By all means disagree but don’t patronise me. (although you did say with all due respect , thank you, which is better than the usual PH approach , I.e just call someone a dick).
Anyway, genetics is far from an exact science. Horse racing invests vast amounts of timeand money in it, yet 90% of race horses never win a race.

You are of course entitled to your opinion but if your opinion is demonstrably wrong you should expect to have it challenged! If you wade into a thread about one of the most awesome breeds of dog saying that mongrels are just as good what do you expect!?

To continue your analogy, I’ve no idea about race horses but I doubt the 10% that win races are mongrels off the street?

Anyway, have a pleasant evening.

[super7]

Really…. Some guy has lost his puppy… mine is sitting on my lap with his mum and his grandmum in the same room! They’re Golden ‘mongrel’ Doodles! Pretty much like every other pedigree dog was at some point, with inbred defects, until a group of people decided they were acceptable for their own reasons.

Dont miss the point, someone lost their puppy, and thats crap. Leave your stupid opinions behind whilst this guys puppy has gone….

A Golden Doodle breeder and dog lover!!

[Byker28i]

Time to move on I think...

[hotchy]

Sorry to hear that. I'm also rather shocked at the breader. Have you contacted them about the insurance again? I do feel you've been sold a sort of scam and not only is it incredibly upsetting its made me angry. I'd personally pursue it further no matter the cost. Make these dodgy breeders pay otherwise they'll keep doing it to others.

[Byker28i]

We contacted the breeder again yesterday, I think she was waiting for her husband to come home to respond. We had kept her notified of stages as things escalated.
We wanted to make her aware of the problem Luna had, so she could make other owners of the litter aware and what symptoms to look out for, We don't want others to go through the same. They have to their credit refunded the purchase price.

[xerawh]

Byker,

I don't know if it's any consolation but I've been searching for a lab recently. I stumbled upon the local Guide Dogs coordinator a few weeks ago who was an amazing guy and told me they have a large number of puppies due that will need help raising. Maybe this may be a good transition and help you feel positive about the experience - only downside is you have to hand over the pup at 15 months.

I'm seriously considering it as the downside above is overweighed by the contribution you're making to someone's future.

They have labradors and goldadors as the main breed with full support behind it.

[EDE 7N]

The guided route can be a little frustrating unless you know someone-I did investigate as I know a trainer but actually getting in touch with the re-homing department can be hard enough.

I do know most are oversubscribed and have a huge waiting list.

[Mark-E34-535]

Sorry to read that Byker.

I love Labs' for their temperament and the way they look. I wasn't aware of any snob value myself.

This is Ted and we spend most of every day in each others company. I'd like another Lab' as much for him as myself, once our elderly rescue Lab' Holly (14) passes.

[Byker28i]

xerawh said:

Byker,

I don't know if it's any consolation but I've been searching for a lab recently. I stumbled upon the local Guide Dogs coordinator a few weeks ago who was an amazing guy and told me they have a large number of puppies due that will need help raising. Maybe this may be a good transition and help you feel positive about the experience - only downside is you have to hand over the pup at 15 months.

I'm seriously considering it as the downside above is overweighed by the contribution you're making to someone's future.

They have labradors and goldadors as the main breed with full support behind it.

Thanks, the other route if anyone is looking is we are told they sometimes have dogs that are trained but won't meet the standards required as a guide dog.

I've an old chocolate labrador bh, Cadbury is 13 in December, so don't want a male, or larger dog that would leap on her... I can't afford more vets bills which rules out goldens. My wife grew up with a black lab crossed with everything probably, and I thought would be a good addition, not getting another chocolate, which I was worried would be seen as a replacement. Hopefully cadbury has years ahead of her yet.

I think this has knocked us, it might be a while before we look again, or we might just wait until cadbury is no longer with us...

[dtz]

We thought long and hard about getting a pup whilst we still had our elderly dobermann (who was not in the greatest heatlh) and decided that it wouldn't be fair on her to get another pup whilst she was still around. Ultimately any new pup would have taken some of our focus off her and she didn't deserve that.

Sadly our Dobermann died a few weeks ago, her ashes were planted with a couple of trees in the garden today and we were "helped" to dig the holes by our new labrador pup.

I know its not been a great experience over the past week, but I'd suggest enjoying time with your "old" dog.

[bern]

Haven't had a dog in the house for around 4 years. Last 2 were both labs from Labrador welfare.

They haven't been open during covid but recently started rehoming again. We contacted them a few weeks ago and yesterday went to look at a bonded pair. I wanted younger dogs initially but went to see these two and fell in love! Both are 9 and come from a good background. Just sorting a home visit out to check us out as it's been a while since we had a dog off them.

At this age they are obviously their own dogs and we will have to go with the flow with them. Fynne is very ball focused and Lily loves a fuss!