Should i get a Labrador?

[Totallyfloaty35]

Someof you may remember i have been on various waiting lists for a Newfie but not having much luck.The latest is that the Last Newf litter i was waiting for has been born,but only 3 pups and im number 7 on the list
We have also been looking at Labs as they are another breed we are fond of.
Today we saw a litter of Black Labs that were lovely.Mum has a fab temperment and has all relevent health checks etc.Out of 6 pups there are 2 boys left and they are ready to go next week.
I have to decide by tomorrow whether to take one(they have 2 more people coming tomorrow to view dog) should i take one? The pups are beautiful,so sweet and already going out to do their business! I am starting to believe im not meant to have a Newf.But some part of me still hankers for one so much.However DH is at home fulltime to help with pup for next 2 months so getting one now would be pretty good timing......

We have a chocolate and she is brilliant with the children.

She is very protective of them.

She hardly barks at all.

The only down side is I wasn't prepared for how much she malted even though it's only twice a year it drives me crackers.

I'd have a beautiful, black boy lab over a newfie any day.

I love our black lab boy .

I would wait personally. There are lots of nice labs around, so don't think these puppies would be your only choice, but Newfoundlands are a lovely, lovely breed. My neighbour had one called Guinness and he was a gentle giant.

Have you contacted the Newfoundland Club and spoken to the Breed and Puppy Co-ordinator to see if she can put you in contact with a breeder?

I'd kill for a newf!
They are such hard work when they are young though, apparently you have to be v.v. careful with walks and stairs because of their hips.
I would wait if I were sure I would get one.

Mind you, labs are lovely friendly happy dogs too.

I have been on various waiting lists for a Newf for around 9months now.If i get a pup i really could do with DH being around for the early days, so now is a great time.I do love Newfs but i have spoken to endless breeders and something always goes wrong,either the dog doesnt take,or litters are really small or pups are stillborn(heartbreaking)
My other prob is travelling too far to get a dog,i hate driving and my dds get very travel sick anyway. All the other Newf litters around at the mo are up north or in Wales.We are on the south coast.
DD2 really wants a Lab,DH likes Labs but doesnt want to get one just because its easier.Im so torn.

oh I don't know!
I ended up with my dog because a breeder let us down and tbh it turned out to be the best thing ever.
we rang up all golden retriever breeders on the kennel club website and got the first available puppy.
we love him to bits and then some.

Also these pups are from working type,lots of Field Champions in their line.Is it true that working types are harder work?

Neighbour got his dog from a NF breeder in Kent - Maidstone/Ashford way I think. No doubt you've seen this list here too.

Some working types are harder work because they are instinctively on the go all the time (Springers, for example). IME working stock Labs are less so than others. My friend, a rescue owner, has several Labs of his own and those waiting for homes and they are all much of a kind, lovely though.

I have a Lab X and the family have had Labs, brilliant, loyal, loving dogs. But I've got to say this, from personal experience... if you have a favourite breed and adopt a different one you may ALWAYS hanker for your first choice. For me the perfect breed are GSDs and when I lost my first to incurable illness I swore one day I'd have another. Then six months later I lost my my SBTx to a stroke and I was left with just my Lab X, whom I love to bits. It wasn't the way I wanted it to happen of course but then, with my Lab x grieving I searched for a new friend and there was only one choice.

Had I adopted a different breed I know that I would have always been sad that I hadn't opted for a GSD, no matter how lovely the new dog.

I'd ask you this - are you going for the Lab because you really, really want him, or because you can't find a Newfie pup and are aching for a dog and impatient? Not meaning to be rude and I'm not insinuating you'll regret choosing a Lab or give him up in 6 months time, but will he be enough for you or will you always be wondering "What if I'd waited..."?

Of course, it may be possible that you can opt for a Lab now and have a Newfie as well, when one comes up, but if you feel that you can only have one dog perhaps waiting might be the right thing for you to do.

These are just my thoughts of course, you may see it entirely differently. I just know how it feels to adore a special breed.

Whatever you choose, good luck and I hope he and your family will be happy together.

I have a wonderful choc lab. before him, a lovely black lab...

BUT, black labs can be harder work (my black lab, though great with family, could be an unpredictive little git with others)..

my chocolate lab (show rather than worker - does that play a part??) is perfect. true gent.

But, I would recommend labs any day. Chocolates if children are involved.

Weird, harimosmummy, I've heard it said that choccos can be more difficult. I'm dubious of this myself, have met great examples of all colours and for me only my black Lab X is a real problem, though this is because he was abused as a youngster. Like yours he is great with us but can be unpredictable with strangers, generally fine but can really take against certain men, which was most embarrassing when the dad of one of DDs pals came to our house and my boy decided the man was unwelcome!

That said, my local rescue's owner has several Labs, all colours. One which was a problem was a chocolate - he was dog aggressive but now is old and has few teeth due to dental problems, he generally avoids the other dogs but last week wandered through the pack in the owner's kitchen without a care. The owner also has a black girl who can be unpredictable and a choccy girl who nips your bum if the owner isn't about!

Maybe it's less about colour and more about background and/or personality?

(I wish MN had a "I dunno" emoticon!).

Thanks Heated,yes i have contacted about 12 breeders from that site and been on various lists.
Val i know exactly what you mean about having a favourite breed.I did end up with a Shar-pei last time instead of a Newf and that put my Newfie dream off for 9yrs
harimo, i have been told that Chocolates are hard to train by lots of people,i really like chocolate Labs,i have decided that its the dog,not the colour that is important.
Still not made my mind up,will probably be mulling it over all night.
The plus points are Labs are much cheaper to buy/insure etc,the mother was a fab temperment and dds were totally enraptured(although dd1 has always wanted a rescue Greyhound) they were very goodlooking pups.

I did see some other pups a few days ago.But the mother stood there growling at my dds.The owners kept saying that dog had been kept in a pen alot so was "nervous". I thought she was going to attack dd2! Also the whole are stank and was soaked in urine.The puppies looked very healthy but it actually put me in mind of a puppy farm.
I couldn't get out of there fast enough.

That last post is shocking Totally. If the dog is nervous, you work with her, not cage her, and you certainly don't breed from her.

The bloody breeder needs shooting!

Personally, going on what you said of having a Shar Pei, I think you have answered my question... I'd hold out and wait if I were you.

Actually, no I wouldn't. I'd go with your son's idea of a rescued Greyhound, but I am very biased as I know how many are in rescue and that they are along with SBTs in the most need of loving homes. I also know how they are treated by many of the racing community and how many die as a result. If you're interested, this link will tell you more about how Greyhounds suffer.

Val, the greyhound link makes very sad reading.We did look into adopting one before but the rescues would not let us.I have a 3yr old dd,2 chuahuas and a cat.Apparently finding a dog that could deal with all those things is not possible
There is no doubt though that DD1 will end up with one when she is older and she has been talking about doing voluntry work with them.I think that would be good for her as she loves them.

Valhalla - you are right... my black lab (the unpredictable one) was a cross... Father unknown!

Chocolate ones might be tougher in terms of training, because, well, they are a bit thick, but (IMHO) easier to deal with because they are so predictable.

In our household (dog and two kids under 2YO) the phrase 'DS, PLEASE do not bite the dog' is the only one you will hear. I don't have even an ounce of doubt when it comes to DDog.

Lol @ harimosmummy!

Totally, helping at a rescue would be a lovely thing for your daughter to do. My DDs (12 and 14) come with me at weekends and on school holidays to help in our local one. Hard work but fun and very good for them, in terms of education, understanding and empathy (both with the dogs and the overworked rescue owners) and selflessness. My girls can be beggars but I'm proud of them for their hard work and commitment to the rescue and their respect and affecion for the owners.

i hope your own daughter achieves her dream, we need more youngsters to understand the difficulties and cruelties rescue sees - most adults have no idea of what goes on with Greyhounds and unless they do of course change will never happen.

Forget the lab. The bloody dog is in my bad books for chewing DS2s shoe.