All about labs!

[Citrus007]

Ok I am about to get a lab and would appreciate what you have to say. Please don't copy and paste large amounts, I have read the websites, I want maybe some personal experiance but if you find anything interesting on a site feel free to.
How much do they eat?
What type of brushes will I need for them?
About how much excercise do they take?
Do they like doing agility and obediance?
About how much should they weigh/how tall should they be?
Anything else, some of this I know but just want to see to get a more personal view. I have done my research just want to know EVERYTHING and be prepared.

 

[jess2416]

Well, I cant give as much info as the people that have purebred labs, BUT I have a shepherd/lab mix and she has a ton of energy, she would play fetch until she dropped if I let her...

She is a very big shedder right now, and I use a Zoom Groom (can get them at Petsmart) and it does wonders with getting out dead hair..and thats all you should need

She is very small for a shepherd/lab mix...she is 20'' tall and weighs about 45 pounds
but she is only 8 months old

She gets feed Innova Adult formula and gets one cup in the morning and one cup at night (sometimes more, sometimes less)

They are very big chewers, and will chew on everything, and if bored will dig lots and lots of holes in the yard...

Thats all I can think of right at the moment...

 

[Citrus007]

Mine will most likely be a mix too. Thanks for the info. I have heard about the chewing, does it stop once they get older because I will not be adopting it as a puppy though I hear they last in that stage for a few years.

 

[jess2416]

Mine will most likely be a mix too. Thanks for the info. I ahve heard about the chewing, does it stop once they get older because I will nto be adopting it as a puppy though I hear they last in that stage for a few years.

Well, she is still a puppy eight months old and it has gotten better, but still hasnt stopped

 

[LabBreeder]

Mine will most likely be a mix too. Thanks for the info. I ahve heard about the chewing, does it stop once they get older because I will nto be adopting it as a puppy though I hear they last in that stage for a few years.

Both of mine are purebred AKC Labs. I'm sure you know they do very well with field work and hunting/retrieving. They also love water. I have one that's almost 4 months and one that just turned 2 years old yesterday. Our 2 year old chewed for close to 8 months. She was especially fond of chewing paper. She'd chew on newspapers, paperback books, etc. She's long since outgrown her chewing faze, so I don't believe they chew for "a few years". Each dog is different though, especially with a mix. Tira loves playing with balls and tug of war or squeaky duck toys and dummy retrievers. She loves retrieving from the water (or land) and took to hunting quite naturally. She does, however, come from a line of hunters so that played a part in her retrieving/hunting abilities IMO.
Labs can get overweight if not excersized regularly or kept on a feeding schedule. Tira weighs 70 lbs (which is the max weight for a female according to AKC standards) and is 23 1/2 inches tall (also max height). She hasn't gotten any taller since the last time I measured her and she keeps a pretty steady weight although she could stand to loose 5 lbs.

Gunner is 1 wk shy of 4 months old. At 11 wks he weighed 26 lbs. He's more of a standard "English" looking Lab. In other words, he 'looks' more like a show Lab whereas Tira 'looks' more like a hunting Lab. He loves chewing...especially potty pads (when I go grocery shopping for example and they are in their bedroom). He hasn't started losing puppy teeth yet, but Tira lost hers from 5-7 months of age. They are both very loving and friendly but will bark if someone knocks at the door unexpectedly or a stranger comes up the sidewalk (that they've never seen before) and they happen to be looking out the window. Neither have ever bitten anyone and I don't expect they ever will. Labs do shed. Mine don't usually shed alot, but Tira is now that winter is over and it's hot outside. They are hard headed and sometimes stubborn, but smart. I taught Tira how to "crawl" and Gunner how to "give paw" in a matter of 20 minutes. Sit, come, lay (or down), paw and crawl are their main things...but stay works for Tira 80% of the time now. Gunner has found his 'voice' and has taken to barking at Tira when she's ignoring him. But he listens when you tell him "quiet".

Overall they are very sweet, loyal, intelligent dogs that love to please their owners and retrieve/swim (at least mine do).

 

[jess2416]

Yes, thanks LabBreeder, I forgot to mention toys,

If yours is going to be anything like mine, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT invest in a large amount of stuffed toys, get alot of squeaky toys that are very durable...

 

[LabBreeder]

durable toys are a labs best friend. strong canvas squeaker toys (unless you're willing to sew up the soft fuzzy ones )...kong toys...rubber balls...tennis balls (real tennis balls, not the dog toy ones)...dummy retrievers....oh, and a kiddy swimming pool is REALLY fun!

 

[jess2416]

durable toys are a labs best friend. strong canvas squeaker toys (unless you're willing to sew up the soft fuzzy ones )...kong toys...rubber balls...tennis balls (real tennis balls, not the dog toy ones)...dummy retrievers....oh, and a kiddy swimming pool is REALLY fun!

Yes, definitely, no kidding about the sewing LOL.... Unless you get one of those weird lab mixes that hate water
like Chloe

 

[Julie]

The experience I have with labs.............

Goofy, lovable, energetic, wants to please but hard headed (if something looks better to them.......I hope your training is reliable).

Labs do best when included in family activities and get lots of attention.
If you keep a lab on a chain, and let him off only for short times the excitability can be mistaken for being a "bad" dog. That same lab included in the family with enough attention could also be mistaken for a "well" trained dog...... If you understand what I am trying to convey.

Expect chewing and such until about two years old. Mine are great with the kids and will tolerate just about anything from anyone. They stick around close and enjoy the water.

They are all around great dogs and will adapt very well to most situations.
I imagine I will always have at least one lab around. I love the breed.

They love to retrieve.......mine goose,duck,&dove hunt during the seasons and are very obedient and reliable to bring in our game. Although we do that just for the meat and........fun.

Charlie is my kids' personal ski-doo in the summer, and pulls them around in the river like a little motor. They love it and so does he. They just grab his collar and go for a ride.

For the right family a lab is a wonderful addition. They love activity and being a part of the action.
Some problems can occur from inactivity and being fed too much. They are very food driven, and if you give in they are likely to become overweight and couch hounds. But I have never had that problem because they get plenty of excercise and stimulation.

I could just about cry seeing an overweight, under exercised lab. That is not what they are meant to be.

Anyway, good luck in finding your dog.

Julie.

 

[LabBreeder]

With mixes you never know which side they are going to take after. Some go the way of the Lab and others go the way of the other side (GSD in Chloe's case, I believe). I had a jrt/chi mix that was sooooo funny with water. She knew how to swim, but she'd start "air swimming" before she even got close to the water! It was so funny.

Tira loves water and has absolutely no gun shyness. Gunner is even less worried about guns and loud noises than Tira was at his age! He loves water but doesn't like when it stays on his face (and won't shake off). He'll paw at his head or roll around until it's dry (or you wipe his head dry).

 

[jess2416]

With mixes you never know which side they are going to take after. Some go the way of the Lab and others go the way of the other side (GSD in Chloe's case, I believe)

Yep....I have tried sooo hard to get her in water

Expect chewing and such until about two years old.

Whoo hoo only 1 yr and 4 months left to go

 

[dr2little]

I can give you some information on labs from a trainer perspective, but I own a lab mix myself and she's definitely different in energy level from the majority of purebred labs.
Due to their popularity here, I have at least 2-5 labs in every class (of ten dogs). The traits that I see in most are as follows: very high energy and excuberant, do very well in obedience if treated properly and trained using non physical methods. They're mischievious, comical, very strong, very sweet but can be overwhelming due to their size and energy level. Many people who get a lab for their growing family with young small children don't realize that they're not as calm as they had expected and I spend a great deal of time trying to explain that their lab is "normal" and just needs consistent training. They do love to chew but can be redirected easily with appropriate interactive toys or chew items. They need quite a bit of exercise compared to some other breeds but that's part of the joy of owning a lab.
Leadership is extremely important through control of resources, labs are no dummies and will take whatever position you leave open for them in your pack.
One thing that I always tell people is this:
The most wonderful thing about a lab is that they remain a puppy for a long time - and the worst thing about a lab is that they remain a puppy for a long time

 

[Julie]

The traits that I see in most are as follows: very high energy and excuberant, do very well in obedience if treated properly and trained using non physical methods. They're mischievious, comical, very strong, very sweet but can be overwhelming due to their size and energy level. Many people who get a lab for their growing family with young small children don't realize that they're not as calm as they had expected and I spend a great deal of time trying to explain that their lab is "normal" and just needs consistent training. One thing that I always tell people is this:
The most wonderful thing about a lab is that they remain a puppy for a long time - and the worst thing about a lab is that they remain a puppy for a long time

I picked a few things from your post that interested me.
They are strong.
I hate to see a family with young kids get a lab and expect a "kid loving" dog with no training. Yes most are......but the problems come with their exuberance and excitibility. I have a 5 year old lab and a 6 year old boy, and a 2 year old lab and a 3 year old boy. You just have to know what to expect and how to avoid any mishaps........ like the butt tuck and run. Lol

We just get along great......and I wouldn't have it anyother way....I mean raising kids with dogs. But for the people that expect a picture perfect dog or kid with no effort is just fooling themselves.

And I agree.........about the best and the worst thing about labs. Lol
But then again, I really do enjoy it all. I guess I am crazy.

 

[dr2little]

I picked a few things from your post that interested me.
They are strong.
I hate to see a family with young kids get a lab and expect a "kid loving" dog with no training. Yes most are......but the problems come with their exuberance and excitibility. I have a 5 year old lab and a 6 year old boy, and a 2 year old lab and a 3 year old boy. You just have to know what to expect and how to avoid any mishaps........ like the butt tuck and run. Lol

We just get along great......and I wouldn't have it anyother way....I mean raising kids with dogs. But for the people that expect a picture perfect dog or kid with no effort is just fooling themselves.

And I agree.........about the best and the worst thing about labs. Lol
But then again, I really do enjoy it all. I guess I am crazy.

One more thing that I did forget to mention, something that the clinic staff and I were discussing after one of my classes. When you see a lab who's crazy and out of control...just look to the handle end of leash and you'll usually see why. Like almost no other breed that I train, it's uncanny how clearly they show in their disposition how well they were treated and properly trained. While this can be said of most breeds, labs more predictably tend to do fantastically well with terrific owners and can appear to do the complete opposite with owner's who refuse to do the work.
They're wonderful but certainly not "bomb proof" as far too many people assume.

 

[Citrus007]

I could just about cry seeing an overweight, under exercised lab. That is not what they are meant to be.

Don't worry, me too. Overweight dogs bug me. It will be alone during the day but as soon as someone is home, the attention will be on it. Right now I have cats and I spend a great deal of my time with them but I wanted something that would play games with me. I do cross-country so when I don't have team practice my lab will be my jogging partner.

With mixes you never know which side they are going to take after. Some go the way of the Lab and others go the way of the other side (GSD in Chloe's case, I believe).

Yup but I have very little preferance to what the other part of the mix is, I just know that I want it to be part lab (black is what I want, I like chocolate but they don't seem to be too common. So I figured I should at least research the lab well, if there is a purebred like from a puppy mill at the shelter I will probably go for that.

You just have to know what to expect and how to avoid any mishaps........ like the butt tuck and run. Lol

Yup, that is why I am doing this, although I guess I forgot to mention common lab/dog mishaps.
Here is one lab I really want. It says mix but it looks a lot like a lab which is good though I'm not doubting it is a mix. http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=6047486

 

[dr2little]

Here is one lab I really want. It says mix but it looks a lot like a lab which is good though I'm not doubting it is a mix. http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=6047486

She sound..and looks wonderful!!!

 

[Citrus007]

One more thing that I did forget to mention, something that the clinic staff and I were discussing after one of my classes. When you see a lab who's crazy and out of control...just look to the handle end of leash and you'll usually see why. Like almost no other breed that I train, it's uncanny how clearly they show in their disposition how well they were treated and properly trained. While this can be said of most breeds, labs more predictably tend to do fantastically well with terrific owners and can appear to do the complete opposite with owner's who refuse to do the work.
They're wonderful but certainly not "bomb proof" as far too many people assume.

I'm actually excited about the training. I'm hoping that it will know basic commands when I adopt it though I realize it may not. I have never had any experiance training but I am trying to read up on it. Do you think they have videos at the library? I am sure they have books. I taught my cat to sit, although he only does it if I have a treat...

 

[dr2little]

I'm actually excited about the training. I'm hoping that it will know basic commands when I adopt it though I realize it may not. I have never had any experiance training but I am trying to read up on it. Do you think they have videos at the library? I am sure they have books. I taught my cat to sit, although he only does it if I have a treat...

I'm not sure how much up to date stuff they'll have at the library on dog training but if you find something, I can let you know if it's any good (I've read just about everything "dog" out there...
You've taught your cat to sit...I think you're in the right frame of mind for dog taining then!!

 

[jess2416]

Yup, that is why I am doing this, although I guess I forgot to mention common lab/dog mishaps.
Here is one lab I really want. It says mix but it looks a lot like a lab which is good though I'm not doubting it is a mix. http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/...?petid=6047486

The one thing I have noticed about lab mixes, is that MOST of the time in Lab mixes, lab is the dominent feature so sometimes with Lab mixes it is very hard to tell if they are mixed or a purebred lab

 

[dr2little]

The one thing I have noticed about lab mixes, is that MOST of the time in Lab mixes, lab is the dominent feature so sometimes with Lab mixes it is very hard to tell if they are mixed or a purebred lab

I've noticed that too Jess. Most lab mixes really do seem to have mostly lab qualities....except Soph, she's kind of mellow for a lab mix but she is definitely an odd exception IMO.