"I Hate Labs"

[Baxter'smybaby]

Pretty much every lab (and golden for that matter) just loves to meet every one is bouncing around their feet excitied to see a new friend. bringing stuff to me ect. Maybe they just know that I will fully pick up what ever they bring and make a game of retrive with it lol. becuase 98% of the time I do. maybe they can just read me well lmao.

Oh Blaze has 110% intrest in family that comes in the door he knows, he is a happy go lucky goof when you walk in the door. he is just reserved with strangers.

yep--a well trained lab will lay off when told (even if they are dying inside to get up and retrieve that ball!)
See, that really is a large part of the issue--many untrained dogs that have no regulation cue--so go crazy because they are allowed to. You wouldn't let any dog, no matter the breed--just go do it's thing without training and guidance from you.

 

[crazy_paws]

That was a rude comment. I hear "Hey is that one of those 'ugly' contest dogs?" wayyy more than I'd like. Frequently, they add, "But yours isn't ugly." Which is fine but hardly makes me inclined to let them around my kids.

One of the dogs that I liked best during River's puppy classes was Gabe. He's a yellow lab puppy, showlines, and just a big sweet chunk. River would have been happy getting snuffled less vigorously, lol.

I don't like stereotypes at all. People see a crested, and they think it's a useless, fluffy yapper that's strange looking. My dogs are tiny athletes and fully capable of being trained, going on long hikes, doing just about anything.

I can also say that if a dog fit in right with my crew, I would give just about any breed a shot at a home.

 

[MPP]

I once knew a woman who did competition-level obedience with her Afghan hound. I thought THAT was awesome.

 

[noodlerubyallie]

Allie is the type of dog that instantly goes over her threshold when she meets people!

She's very smart and loves her people, but Rocket is easier to train than she is - heck, Ruby is easier to train - and that says a lot.

She's always been a very happy, upbeat dog, but her nose tends to take over a lot, and that throws her concentration. She's three now, but her self control still needs a lot of work, so I do a lot more tracking with her - she's very serious about it, and it's the only time she can really "handle" people in a calm manner. Her focus with that is phenomenal.

I'd never say Labs are the easiest to train. :rofl1:

 

[Doberluv]

That moron woman was incredibly rude and hypocritical to call you out. You should have told her that she's the odd ball...that Labs have been the #1 dog in popularity as far as registrations go for something like 13 years in a row.

I personally love Labs. They're wonderful family dogs, easy to train and just utterly sweet dogs. To blame the breed because their owners can't give them what they need is ridiculous. And yes, I'm sure they're not breeding them as well as they use to. But still.....generally speaking, I think they're a fantastic, hugely versatile dog.

My Bonnie was all anyone could possibly want in a family dog....trustworthy and stable as a rock with all kids and adults....calm, mellow, beautifully mannered, easy going and enthusiastic about life. She was the ultimate companion that would do anything I asked of her. So for anyone to say they hate Labs, just figure they don't know what they're missing in a good Lab....their loss. Harumph!!

 

[PixieSticksandTricks]

yep--a well trained lab will lay off when told (even if they are dying inside to get up and retrieve that ball!)
See, that really is a large part of the issue--many untrained dogs that have no regulation cue--so go crazy because they are allowed to. You wouldn't let any dog, no matter the breed--just go do it's thing without training and guidance from you.

Exactly. Sawyer has a solid "leave it". So that if someone comes through the door who is not a dog fan I can tell him to stay and leave it and he will stay at my side and just wag his tail like crazy. And he will stay that way as long as I need him too.

I think people just assume that bouncy crackhead greeting is normal acceptable breed trait of a Lab. But it only is for the Labs who have never been taught how to properly greet people. Its actually a good training exercise in self control. It took Sawyer until he was alittle over a year old to have a solid stay and leave it when it came to company.

He was really great as a young puppy. And then around 6 months old he started pushing his boundries. And so we had to start from scratch.

I especially wanted him well trained in greeting when it came to small children. I didn't want a crazy big Lab running zoomies around a 4 year old and jumping up down. Mainly because my nephew had been attacked by a dog a year before I got Sawyer and was generally scared of all dogs. He now LOVES Sawyer and calls him his best friend.

Morrison is more reserved with anyone but me. He is very friendly but he would rather run to the door sniff the guest and come back to my side and lay down on his own.

And of course 4+ hours of real daily exercise helps with that focus as well.

I guess my point is they don't HAVE to be hyper bouncy greeters. That obsessively retrieve and drool all over a guest. Service Labs are a good example of that. They airn't incapable of self control. It does take alot of work though.

 

[corgipower]

As a trainer, I feel like it's kind of cliche for trainers to get border collies/aussies. In the right hands, those dogs can do pretty much anything, so about 2/3 of the professional trainers I know have them. It almost seems like a cop-out. Now, if you can take a breed that's not known for being so smart (like a chihuahua, perhaps?) and do amazing training with that dog, there's something to be impressed about.

Goldens are also pretty high on the list for obedience dogs. If I wanted an easy OTCh, that's the breed I'd be looking at.

The trainer I'm most impressed by...just based on a list of accomplishments and having never met her has put OTChes on bloodhounds. Now that's not a breed I think of when it comes to competing in obedience.

 

[Miakoda]

I thought it over and even though there are some breeds I dislike for various reasons (mostly why they were/are bred in the first place), I don't hate any breed. I don't believe in bad breeds. I just say that such-and-such breed isn't for me.

I've never understood the need to be rude to other people because they own a dog you would not personally own. Hell, the list of dogs I would own is very, very short which makes the breeds-I-would-not-own list quite long. I'd spend almost all my time being a bitch to almost everyone I meet, and quite frankly, I prefer to save my bitchiness for fighting B.S.L. and protecting my own dogs.

 

[Chewbecca]

I guess I just love dogs.
As long as the dog is friendly and comes up to me, I'll pet it.

BUT, having said that, if it's a dirty dog or smelly dog that I do not know...EW.
Sorry!
I do get "ew" about dogs that are...stinky. IF I don't know them.
But I'm not rude.
I just politely back up and talk to the dog still.
And sometimes I'll pet them anyway just because I cannot help myself.
I love dogs.

 

[Zhucca]

I've worked in dog daycare for almost two years now, and I've met ALOT of labs, up close and personal. That being said, out of all of them I'd only take around 4 of them home. Most labs can be absolutely horrible to live with because people get them expecting a easy dog, and end up with hell on paws.

I would never get a lab, and I'm not really fond of them yet my current most favourite (seriously love this dog) is a male, adolescent lab. Who wudda thunk? But, I love all dogs with the exception of those who have.. personality/obedience flaws. LOL Some are more particular and snobbish.

Her comment was exceedingly rude. I have a friend who does that, she says rude things 'privately' but her voice is just so loud people hear her and I just get so embarrassed.

 

[Doberluv]

I guess my point is they don't HAVE to be hyper bouncy greeters. That obsessively retrieve and drool all over a guest. Service Labs are a good example of that. They airn't incapable of self control. It does take alot of work though.

See, this does not describe the Lab's correct temperament. They're doing something fishy in the way they're breeding them these days. When I was young, when you thought of Labs, you pictured a laid back, calm, self controlled, but ready-for-action when called upon kind of dog. Bonnie, my Lab was laid back and relaxed, even as a young puppy. She was never hyper. Hyper is incorrect temperament! She was exuberant, but controlled, energetic, but not busting at the seams. It hardly took any training for her to be mannerly and calm when meeting new people. She just was naturally. She caught onto lessons easily. (not as quick witted as a Doberman, but still....really smart, willing and ready) It did not take a lot of work to mold her into a nice dog. And she is not the only Lab I've had, just the most recent. I had a Lab mix who was the same way and I've come across oodles of Labs, hunting dogs my Dad's friends had that he hunted with...all how I describe...excellent, exuberant hunters and well mannered, relaxed house dogs.

So, what some of you are seeing in Labs is NOT the way they use to be or the way they should be, IMO. People need to stop supporting breeders who breed wildly crazy, hyper Labs who are not what they were meant to be.

 

[Xandra]

Well I think labs are fabulous.

I went through a lab-hating stage (about the same time as my small dog disdain stage) and I've come out of it really liking labs.

They're happy and a very good bet for a dog that is trustworthy with everybody and everything. They swim. They retrieve. They're trainable.

They're really pretty against a blue sky:

gouhegou.com/page/33/

All that said, I don't think I'd want to OWN one. But if I had my own place I'd love to foster.

 

[corgipower]

They're doing something fishy in the way they're breeding them these days.

It's called puppy mill/byb/quantity not quality...

Do I like labs? Yep. I like them when I'm working in a kennel. They are usually one of the easiest breeds to care for when they're boarded. I like them as a trainer. In 10 years of training, I've never gotten a call about an aggressive lab...not that it can't happen, but it hasn't.

Would I want to own a lab? Nope. They're just not my type personally. My two favorite dogs are my two least social dogs, so maybe that's part of why I wouldn't own a lab. Also my two favorite dogs have a higher level of sharpness, and sharp isn't a word I usually think of when describing labs.

I am partial to owning herding breeds...maybe it goes back to my pre-dog days of living on farms and dedicating my life to farm work. Maybe it's because there's something in herding breeds that clicks better for me - aloofness, sharpness. I don't know. But just because I wouldn't own a lab - or many other breeds - doesn't mean I dislike the breed. Just means they're not suitable for me.

As for the woman's comment not being said directly to the OP...there are people who will say something fully intending it to be overheard.

 

[smkie]

I think if the dog is drooling jumping all over visitors and cant' control himself you best look at the owner and not the dog. Think that's true for most any dog unless he is so inbred he's crazy. Seen a couple of those too. Thing about a lab is they need to be worked. If they are left alone all day, and unstimulated before and after, they will find something to do. They will be powerful and exuberant in their destruction for their own entertainment. Especially those from field lines. A lab needs a lot of stimulation, a lot of exercise, a lot of consisitancy to let shine with their best qualities. A lot of lab owners think it is something they will grow out of and they wait too long to train if they do at all.

 

[smeagle]

Goldens are also pretty high on the list for obedience dogs. If I wanted an easy OTCh, that's the breed I'd be looking at.

We have quite a few Goldies in obedience here, too, although I must admit they wouldn't be my first choice if I wanted a more "traditional" obedience breed. I'd be more inclined to go with a higher drive working dog like a working line GSD or something cute but relatively drivey like a Toller.

 

[Laurelin]

I've often thought I'd never own another lab but I'm not 100% sure anymore. Our dog was a great field bred dog. Very happy and friendly and very high drive but he was sane. He was probably the easiest all around dog we've owned. Just bombproof in every way. Lately I've been admiring the field labs I see around training for hunting (it's very popular here). Those are some great dogs. Beautifully sleek and athletic. Stoic is a good word for a lot of them too.

I still am not sure I'd mesh with one though. Like CP I tend to like more aloof types. (Except for Summer)

 

[ihartgonzo]

I work with at least 20 Labs a day, 5 days a week... sometimes more! There is no doubt that they are THE popular breed. There are easily 10x more Labs than other common breeds that come into the hotel. On top of that, the VAST, VAST majority of these Labs are very badly/randomly/pet bred. Honestly though, out of all of those Labs who are not well bred and who are owned by "average" people, I can't think of more than a couple who had any aggression issues toward other dogs or people. I like that about the breed, a lot!!!

However, me and my co-workers usually sigh when another Lab comes in. Most of them have SA (or just plain hyper, uncontrollable anxiety) and are super dee duper untrained. Most are very mouthy and grabby. Most bark... loudly... and make terrible noises in their room. Like 95%. Most of them are compulsive humpers and will pay no heed at all to a squirt bottle... in fact, most of them enjoy being squirted! LOL. But those are all owner faults, not breed qualities.

I actually love seeing real Lab people. I can tell when some one has a Lab just to have a Lab, and when some one really appreciates and understands the needs and abilities of Labs. I love seeing people who have taken advantage of all of that intelligence and trained their dogs, rather than passing off rude, hyperactive behavior as "personality" (I hear a lot of "Aww, just like Marley & Me... my dog is a huge douche!" minus the last part teehee). I love seeing well-bred Labs, although they are scarce! We get these 3 amazing field bred Labs occasionally, and they are just super sweet and super cool. I can say the same about GSDs, Goldens, Beagles, Yorkies, Chihuahuas and a plethora of other popular breeds who have developed a terrible BYB/PM problem. But Labs are quadruple the popularity of those breeds, and they are obviously suffering for it! At least it's primarily for being bouncy and hyper, and not for being aggressing and unstable. If any breed had to be so insanely popular and badly bred, I'm glad that it's Labs and not Border Collies or Huskies, etc.

I agree that people are rude about lots of breeds. A lot of people think Border Collies are insane. Er... wait.. I can't argue with that! haha. People have told me that it's sad that they breed Corgis to be short, and Fozzie looks deformed. F 'em!

 

[Laurelin]

BCs aren't overbred there? There's tons and tons of them here and quite a few are missing a few screws and some in very bad ways. After labs and a couple other breeds, bcs (and aussies) are probably one of the most common breeds around.

 

[ihartgonzo]

steve HATES black labs. he's bitten three dogs now, and all three have been black labs and all three were dogs who flew up in his face with no warning or invitation.

Gonzo and Steve must be distantly related... or both members of the "I hate black Labs" club!

The first dog who attacked Gonzo, when he was a puppy, was a black Lab. The second was a black Lab. The third was a Rottie. So big black dogs basically send him into must-aggressively-herd-evil-dog-away mode. He has never played with a Lab. They are very physical, body slamming and such, and Gonzo likes to be flirtatious and much more non confrontational in play.

Come to think of it, I never see Labs playing with herding breeds. They really are very different, with very different play styles. I'm not a fan of over the top greeters. Having said that, I also dread meeting spazzy, neurotic, hyper Border Collies just as much!

 

[smkie]

I work with at least 20 Labs a day, 5 days a week... sometimes more! There is no doubt that they are THE popular breed. There are easily 10x more Labs than other common breeds that come into the hotel. On top of that, the VAST, VAST majority of these Labs are very badly/randomly/pet bred. Honestly though, out of all of those Labs who are not well bred and who are owned by "average" people, I can't think of more than a couple who had any aggression issues toward other dogs or people. I like that about the breed, a lot!!!

However, me and my co-workers usually sigh when another Lab comes in. Most of them have SA (or just plain hyper, uncontrollable anxiety) and are super dee duper untrained. Most are very mouthy and grabby. Most bark... loudly... and make terrible noises in their room. Like 95%. Most of them are compulsive humpers and will pay no heed at all to a squirt bottle... in fact, most of them enjoy being squirted! LOL. But those are all owner faults, not breed qualities.

I actually love seeing real Lab people. I can tell when some one has a Lab just to have a Lab, and when some one really appreciates and understands the needs and abilities of Labs. I love seeing people who have taken advantage of all of that intelligence and trained their dogs, rather than passing off rude, hyperactive behavior as "personality" (I hear a lot of "Aww, just like Marley & Me... my dog is a huge douche!" minus the last part teehee). I love seeing well-bred Labs, although they are scarce! We get these 3 amazing field bred Labs occasionally, and they are just super sweet and super cool. I can say the same about GSDs, Goldens, Beagles, Yorkies, Chihuahuas and a plethora of other popular breeds who have developed a terrible BYB/PM problem. But Labs are quadruple the popularity of those breeds, and they are obviously suffering for it! At least it's primarily for being bouncy and hyper, and not for being aggressing and unstable. If any breed had to be so insanely popular and badly bred, I'm glad that it's Labs and not Border Collies or Huskies, etc.

I agree that people are rude about lots of breeds. A lot of people think Border Collies are insane. Er... wait.. I can't argue with that! haha. People have told me that it's sad that they breed Corgis to be short, and Fozzie looks deformed. F 'em!

No one ever brought their lab puppy into be trained when they were only a few months old. THey waited until they were a year or more and had never seen a leash or thought one was what they were suppose to pull their owners about with.. I did at least 5 dogs a day for obedience and then a hunting test was set up and the starter dogs were worked there. They don't pay attention to water even if they are fighting. WE had a metal pole every third run that I never had to use because I am anal about checking locks on gates, but I was glad they were there if I ever did need one. I blame the owners, not the dogs. I hear you, an untrained lab is a pia.