Labrador people! Need some help!

[lizzybeth727]

I met a lab this week who came from hunting lines, his sire is in the hall of fame or something. :/ Anyway, the dog was NUTS... NEVER stopped moving, had so much nervous energy he literally made me dizzy. Responded quickly to cues, it was clear he'd been well trained, but he had NO idea how to settle. His owner said that she's never seen him lay down except in a crate. She - his owner - likes that about him, but he'd drive me CRAZY.

So, be careful, know what you're looking for and meet some examples of the breeder's dogs before you get one!

[Shai]

LizzyBeth that sounds like a field trial dog not a hunt dog. They actually are rather different.

ETA: Unless she likes it such that she's never bothered to teach him to settle and encourages that behavior or doesn't give him adequate exercise in which case I wouldn't blame the breeding goal. Hunting dogs are by nature of their job high energy and enthused, but they should not be maniacs.

[AdrianneIsabel]

Sounds like my malinois. LOL Part breeding, part training, but lets be honest in some lines no matter how much you train an off switch the best you can get is a "go to your bed/crate and settle", which mine have but it took a lot of work to get even there. Expecting them to lounge on the couch while you chill out watching tv and eating a snack isn't exactly fair depending on their breeding.

Denis wants a lab out of field trial lines when we move to Oregon. I am pushing for a nice field bred golden (I mesh much better with their softer/pleaser attitude) or a flat coat or brittany but I'm pretty sure I'll lose out in the end, better start enjoying them now. :-P

[Shai]

lol actually I would say the Lab split isn't all that different from the Mal split. There's the show lines that trot around a ring. There's the extreme sport lines derived due to elimination-type competitions that rewards extremes. Then there's the do-it-all dogs who take dedicated owners, sure, but are pretty biddable, high energy, do the job they were bred to do (real hunting, all around protection/herding whatever), and retain rational thought for the most part

The middle group is why I love my FCR. She's on the more intense end of that middle group but she's perfect for me...and with any luck she'll do well in the beauty ring too .

(note: Not saying FCRs are perfect. Just that the one I have fits me like a glove and the joy that brings makes me all gushy sometimes :P)

[Red Chrome]

Originally Posted by AdrianneIsabel

Sounds like my malinois. LOL Part breeding, part training, but lets be honest in some lines no matter how much you train an off switch the best you can get is a "go to your bed/crate and settle", which mine have but it took a lot of work to get even there. Expecting them to lounge on the couch while you chill out watching tv and eating a snack isn't exactly fair depending on their breeding.

Denis wants a lab out of field trial lines when we move to Oregon. I am pushing for a nice field bred golden (I mesh much better with their softer/pleaser attitude) or a flat coat or brittany but I'm pretty sure I'll lose out in the end, better start enjoying them now. :-P

How true! I have a dog like that. lol

Hey....if he is looking for a really nice field Lab. I fell in love with a friends Lab and their breeders dogs...and I am so not a Lab person but I'd get one from her in a hearbeat. Full health testing and titled and gah..you can't beat her program IMHO. WindyCanyon Labrador Retrievers! Check her out!

[Michiyo-Fir]

Originally Posted by AdrianneIsabel

Denis wants a lab out of field trial lines when we move to Oregon. I am pushing for a nice field bred golden (I mesh much better with their softer/pleaser attitude) or a flat coat or brittany but I'm pretty sure I'll lose out in the end, better start enjoying them now. :-P

Same as me. I really love field bred Goldens a lot more than labs, I'm not sure why even though some people tell me they're quite similar.

[AdrianneIsabel]

I have several lab clients and a few goldens. Ime the labs are stubborn, willful, hard to manipulate, and inexhaustible. The goldens are softer, pleasing dogs that are heart broken if they fail, they too are high energy but less of a "f.u. I'm barreling here!" and more of a "weeeeeee join me in this awesome play session!" way.

Of course with lots of work I've won over two of my lab clients and am loving one of them as an agility girl (go figure, she's built like a show dog). They're great dogs ime but they're not easy and sometimes I really love a dog that cares when their handler is disappointed, which ime my lab clients do not. Lol

[Shai]

Originally Posted by Michiyo-Fir

Same as me. I really love field bred Goldens a lot more than labs, I'm not sure why even though some people tell me they're quite similar.

I do too. In general goldens are "softer"...which in field terms means they actually care more about correction and you have to be careful so you don't shut them down. One of the reasons field Labs are so popular for field trials is you have a better shot following the prescribed pro "formulas" which relies quite a bit shall we say on e-collars and you can over- or miss-correct and the dog really doesn't care and is going to be just as GOBABYGO the next time around. And the one after that.

Me, I like a dog who actually gives a darn about my opinion on the matter, at least assuming we have some sort of relationship.

Now there are softer Labs and harder Goldens to be sure...definitely a lot of room for overlap. On the other hand, the stereotypes exist for a reason.

[MicksMom]

Originally Posted by Michiyo-Fir

...Are there any labrador forums around that she could get more information?

Try Just Labradors (different from Just Labs). Your friend is more than welcomed to say I sent her if she wants. http://www.justlabradors.com/forum/index.php

Originally Posted by Red Chrome

...Hey....if he is looking for a really nice field Lab. I fell in love with a friends Lab and their breeders dogs...and I am so not a Lab person but I'd get one from her in a hearbeat. Full health testing and titled and gah..you can't beat her program IMHO. WindyCanyon Labrador Retrievers! Check her out!

She posts on Just Labradors, too, as does Laura (Kelrobin).

[Red Chrome]

Seriously, Anne(WindyCanyonLabs) is amazing. She is one of the best people I have ever met in the dog world. She is so knowledgable and helpful to ANYONE with ANY breed! I just lovfe her and her dogs!