Lab x Collie puppy? Anyone any experience with this breed?

[princesspeppax]

As title says really, anybody shed some light on this breed? We are looking into getting a pup but are unsure of what to expect as this is a breed i have never really come across?

My parents had a 1/2 collie, 1/4 lab 1/4 something with short legs, maybe terrier.

It was the loveliest dog!

It’s not a breed - it’s a cross of two highly energetic intelligent breeds.

I’d say only go there if you’re an experienced owner, have a lot of time for training and exercise (2-4 hours per day) and both parents have had the appropriate genetic screening and health tests. I’d also be questioning the reputabity of the ‘breeder’ and asking why they’re producing cross breeds when rescues are full of them, and wanting assurance of the mother’s Welfare

Like a PP said it's not a breed in itself.

However labs and collies are both very high energy working breeds. Labs tend to stay as giant overgrown puppies until they're at least two!

Both breeds need lots of mental and physical stimulation. Collies in particular need a "job" to do or they get bored. I really wouldn't recommend a cross between the two unless you have several hours a day to devote to walking and training once it's older!

Not experienced with labs but previous experience with golden retriever / collie.

We have been trying local rescues the last few months, we have two dogs trust centres within driving distance to us. We would only want a young dog under 2ish and they have very few, if any that they are willing to rehome to family's with kids under 8, which we have and with SSPCA any young dogs are reserved very quickly

My parents has a collie/lab she was the loveliest dog ever lived till 16 !

Had

Very very clever!!

I’ve got one. He was a rescue.
What Vet and others have already said really.

He needed lots of of training, and exercise, but most of all lots of mental stimulation. Fortunately the place we got him from had experience with working dogs and gave us good advice.

You will have a mix of two breeds that are highly intelligent, driven to work and capable of thinking for themselves so you need to keep up!

Our boy is the most gorgeous, loving dog. He is 12 now but he can still cross a field in 3 seconds and run circles around most other dogs when he’s out.

I will be around most days as I work part time nights and DP works Mon-Fri daytime so he would be home at evenings and weekends, so pup would never be alone except the odd few hours a week - but we do have family close by who would be happy to pop in and help. We live surrounded by fields and nature walks, we have a nature trail across the road from us so we would be able to take him good walks, and we have a large garden enclosed with 6ft fence which he would be able to run around in.

It was more just to see if anyone had experience in them, what is there temperament like? Do they eat well? Do they make good family pets?

To answer your last question, yes, it'll be a lovely dog I should think and a great family pet. You already know it'll need a fair amount of walking and stimulation

As a cross breed you have to consider that you wont know which bits youll get or in what measure

I work in rescue and we have had dogs that just look like a shaggy lab to ones that you could swear were pure collie within the same litter.

Same goes for temperament, you could get a full lab temperament or a full collie temperament. And then any mixture of the two wether its worst traits (looking at you puppy who had the food seeking of a labrador, and the intelligence of a collie to do so!) Or best traits

My best friend has a mix similar to the above and hers is 95% collie in temperament including the neuroses, herding and restlessness (she does lots of flyball etc). She was aware of this though and the dog is her pride and joy

Would you be willing to get either a pure bred collie and a pure bred lab? If so then youll be much more suited, but you arent set up for a collie and all their needs then id reconsider

Ill echo concerns about why mix puppies are being bred? A dog is only as good as its 2 parents so its important they have the relevant health screenings too. We often forget with mixs that the parents will still pass on health genetics (eg if the lab mom has bad hip scores they are just as likely to get mums hips as dads hips)

was more just to see if anyone had experience in them, what is there temperament like? Do they eat well? Do they make good family pets?

Temperament is the reason we got ours in the first place, as he was already around 6 months old but it was clear he was an absolutely lovely dog. Unfortunately he had a bad start, no training, in all likelihood because he was a handful.
So the question about being a good family pet, well yes but it takes commitment to get there. Also what sort of family? We take him camping, walking, husband runs with him, kids adore him, he is part of our family in every way.
He would eat for Britain and would steal given the opportunity! We are quite strict with food and treats otherwise he would be the size of a house.

His mum is a pure breed lab and his dad is a cross of lab / collie if that makes a difference

Ours looks just exactly like a black lab but with a shaggy tail and white spot.
We got mostly lab temperament with a dollop of collie neurosis (the bit we worked hardest on).

I would only ever recommend a collie or collie cross to a really active (and I mean daily trail running active) family, or where someone works outside and the dog will be with them all the time. Collies can be massively neurotic if not given enough to think about, and really do need a lot of exercise. Just because you cross a collie with something else doesn't mean you take this away, and its not worth the risk. The rescue I foster with gets a lot of collie x lurchers brought in as families just can't cope with them

With a cross you have no idea what parts you will get from which breed
Consider the worst traits of both breeds and then decide if you couid cope with a dog that had all of those - worst case scenario but it couid happen.
Labs are clever and food obsessed but often too lazy to do much about it, so you could end up with a very intelligent greedy dog who is very high energy and won’t quit until it gets what it wants for example. You might not, but you need to consider the possibility

I have one, she is very intelligent. She is 5 now. Was nuts when we first got her, I think that is the collie in her. They need a good walk, but she's the most affectionate and loving dog, and great with kids. We've had her from 8 weeks old.

@PrincessPeppax
We live surrounded by fields and nature walks, we have a nature trail across the road from us so we would be able to take him good walks, and we have a large garden enclosed with 6ft fence which he would be able to run around in.

I think you’re focusing on the wrong things. Do you have a spare 2-4 hours every day to train, exercise, interact with a dog. This type of cross needs to be around people a lot, and could be very large and boisterous - are you able to invest in training
Absolutely no dog will ‘run around’ alone in an enclosed garden unless they have no other choice - they need interaction to make exercise fun.

I don’t have an enclosed garden so my dogs get 3 proper walks a day and then supervised pee breaks in the garden. To be honest I sometimes think gardens are a bit of a red herring in dog ownership - they seem to result in walk-avoidance over time.

Additionally my earlier questions about breeding and genetic testing still stand. Having a ‘purebred’ mum is a guarantee of nothing

A close friend has a couple of lab x collies and they’re both a bit snappy and I wouldn’t trust either with children even if you are in the same room. Both look lab but totally lack the lab laid back ness and they’re both picky about food. I am possibly biased as I’ve two ex working labs.

To be honest I sometimes think gardens are a bit of a red herring in dog ownership - they seem to result in walk-avoidance over time.

I agree with this. Secure gardens are good for toileting without needing to leash/control the dog, but in terms of entertainment or exercise a garden is next to useless unless you use it for specific activities. e.g. set up an agility course in yours. Unless you have a field, the dog will quickly get used to the space so it provides little stimulation.

OP, as with all cross breeds. Look at the very worst of both breeds and make sure you can handle/live with it. Because your dog is as likely to have the worst of both breeds as it is to have the best.

Collies: incredible athletes prone to obsessive or compulsive behaviours, such as obsessing over balls, bike-chasing, herding or nipping children etc. Need to be well socialised because they are not naturally friendly to all.

Labs: bouncy, sheds a lot, greedy so will steal food (out of children's hands) without training, energetic, plenty of health problems in the breed (e.g. hips) so this needs checking, chew all the wrong things as puppies.

Mine is at this moment doing an assault course around the garden with the kids. As I say he’s 12 years old.
Best to think of them as a hobby you will commit to doing ever day for over 10 years. The family pet part is a bonus.

Our dog was exactly that. A rescue dog

He was amazing, highly energetic and couldn't get enough walks.
It helped our whole family is outdoorsy and huge runners/walkers because he could honestly be out six times a day and go for.miles.
He lived a long time, little to no health issues and not once was grumpy or unsettled. He was the best

We had one and he was the easiest dog Ive ever owned. He was super obedient. Extremely intelligent and loyal and loving. If I could find another like him I'd have him in a heartbeat!

Espresso he sounds fab. What a lovely new life you gave him.

I have a lab collie cross and IMO they are such lovely dogs. She is so loving, intelligent and biddible.

She never leaves my DDs side (She's 2.5) and doesn't stray out of eyesight on walks (likes to be close to DD).

She is the perfect family pet and loves a snuggle on the sofa in the evenings.

DDog isn't as greedy as I expected, and will pick at food throughout the day, but with a crossbreed you can get a mix of any of the breed traits.

Here is a pic of my lovely lady getting tucked in to a bone!