Anyone have a lab?

[ilovetofu]

Planning to get a puppy soon.
Just wondering what do you like in particular about owning your lab?

Erm and also what would you change?

Yes I have a lab!! She's 7 years old and she's gorgeous. She's my third Labrador.

They are known for being patient, kind, friendly, fantastic retrievers (they love to carry stuff around which is very endearing). My labs have all been amazingly affectionate ... there have been no downsides with them personality-wise, but the petty nagging downsides are the excessive moulting, the greed (they are walking dustbins), and the all-consuming need to get as muddy and wet as possible on every single walk!

Awesome dogs, enjoy

Yes, 5yr old male black lab.
Love his friendly nature , but he is a terrible watch dog !
My ddog is a LOT larger than we expected - but thinks he is a lap dog.
Fantastic family pet, loves everyone, but as PP said moulting and the greed are downsides. That being said, I would have another in a heartbeat.

I have two and have owned many over the years, to like - they are easy to train, I find the black easiest, followed by yellow and finally chocolate.

They generally have good temperaments and want to please.

Weather doesn't bother them and they are happy to walk in all weathers, this is not always a positive!

They can do long walks and enjoy whole days across moors and hills when grown up.

Downsides - they seem to soak up mud and take some cleaning up, shedding can be particularly bad. They also love water and frequently come home wet.
They are greedy and can be prone to weight gain.

Young labs can be mental and can chew - a lot!
They can be boisterous and need plenty of exercise and training.

They fart a lot.

As bigger dogs they cost more at the vets. You may need a bigger car if you get more than one.

On the whole though you can't go wrong with a lab. (imo)

I'm on my third. I had a choc originally and then two yellows. The choc was way more intelligent (would've been a good guide dog) but the yellows were more athletic. My remaining lab doesn't seem to love water like the others did. They've all loved fetching balls and eaten anything and everything they could. All been lovely natured. All moulted like crazy all the time.

Downsides, big dogs, so lots of feed, large beds, lots of space on the sofa/in the car! Generally v energetic and hyper until 5, then start aging from 8. Not the longest living breed (average is 11/12).

On our second. First one was a yellow male. He lived to 14 and was the best dog. Petrified of storms though! We now have a black female who's just turned 3. We're amazed at how completely different they are. Female seems a lot more needy although nothing seems to phase her. No fear of storms or fireworks! The moulting is shocking with both colours, we were told the black shed less but this isn't true in our case!

We had a black lab. Absolutely fantastic dog. Brilliant with everyone in the family. Easy to train, friendly but with a big bark so always felt safe alone at night. Only downsides was he was most definitely a very big chewer when younger. He was also very greedy so you really had to be vigilant. Would definitely get another lab, he was such a sweet heart.

Always had labs, got two at the moment, a black dog and yellow bitch, aged 7 and 6 respectively.
Bestest dogs ever imo, but they are big, greedy, filthy beasts at times. Yellow one is a roller, so generally stinks and black one is so greedy he would eat until he exploded if I let him.
HUGE generalisation, I know, but I have always found my black labs to be loving,soppy, laid back bumblers and yellow labs clever balls of energy, easy to train and loyal.

Love them, but think these two will be my last big dogs. I am very jealous of owners who can just dump their dogs in the sink to clean them up😁

He’s yellow and cuddly.

Thick as pigshit, can’t catch, lazy as fuck, but gives the best cuddles.

We had a fox red boy. Lovely dog, patient, gentle but would run all day if he could. Fab with kids, understanding if you were ill but grumpy if you weren't and walks didn't happen.

Easy to train as food obsessed. Liked to hold stuff in mouth...

Downsides - the moulting. Tonnes of fluff at the wrong time of year and as a fox red all the hair was two tone (red tip pale shaft) so wouldn't camouflage on anything!!!

Also greedy - ours was a sneak thief - you got good at shutting doors and not leaving stuff lying around!

Miss him loads!

Labs need two good walks a day from adulthood. You cannot just take them round the block.
They are boisterous if not properly trained (and you only get a trained dog after significant input ( a year?)
Boisterous can mean, jumping up and knocking people down (affectionately), stealing food off countertops, knocking things over with waggy tails.
They moult.
They get mud in your house.
They want to be with you, so it would be cruel to leave them for long periods (over 4 hours)

My sister has one, and the affection is wonderful and the biddability but she needs a lot of attention, and input. Not needy in a whiny way, but just needs walks and togetherness. It was significantly more work than she imagined = biddability isn't the same as no work involved in terms of time exercising and paying attention.

Currently have 2. One sheds more than other ( they are black) but even 2 are not as bad as the 1 golden retriever we had.
They are energetic, always hungry, don’t like being alone ; but the male is very cuddly, empathetic and loving. Female is just full of joy.
Calmed down around 3 years old; can be clumsy around wee ones and will kiss anyone / anything.
Like all dogs, they make a home.

Choc here, almost 7, still as bonkers as she was as a pup at times but she's mostly very calm. Pretty much trained herself, never been a chewer, great on the lead, great recall. She's so loving too, always wanting cuddles which I love, she's a big baby

Black here, 5yo today!

She's cuddly, friendly, so easy to train except for the barking! She's a great doorbell and warning system, but if anyone broke in the most they'd get is a good licking. Has no idea how big she is. Great recall even when excited.

Fantastic with kids, we regularly have 5 in our house from 2-15yo and they all adore her.

Cons - The hair. Bloody everywhere all the time.
She's a dustbin - not allowed in the kitchen without supervision and will eat from the cat litter if not cleaned quickly.
She also likes to roll in the smelliest stuff she can find.

Absolutely adore the stinky hairy beast.

Awwww they all sound so lovely and cuddly

So the hair, the rolling in stuff, knocking things down & needing a lot of exercise seem to be the worst of it.

Ive been advised to carefully check eyes & hips if we get a pedigree - do any of you have issues like this?

Also, wondering if we'd be better off getting a lab mixed with something else?

Ooo and another question is do any of you also have a cat? And if so do they rub along ok together?

Any puppy we get is going to have to make friends (peace?) with our spoiled old lady 😼

To be completely honest, our lab was from an accidental litter so neither of the parents had been hip scored. She has a slight stiffness when she's overdone it but no problems at all. We supplement with fish oils to help with any potential issues and she has a full physical every 6 months.

I would definitely check if getting a pedigree though, if only for the fact that some insurances ask for it.

Cross post! Have 3 cats too. They tolerate each other nicely and she's wildly defensive if a strange cat comes in the garden.

We have two female black labs (and a cat).

I call the labs my hairy angels, they are just wonderful good-natured, affectionate and snuggly dogs. But very greedy, and won't hesitate to steal. The eldest has wolfed a kilo of Haribo, got into the spice drawer to steal the chicken stock cubes, and eaten the contents of an unopened tin of sardines! The youngest will sneak downstairs in the early hours to lick any plates inadvertently left on the coffee table. You have to be one step ahead of them when it comes to leaving food around. We also close the kitchen door when we go out so they can't get into the bin.
They are fantastic companions though.

They coexist OK with the cat. The eldest lab, who we adopted at the age of 2 doesn't really pay her any attention. The youngest, who we got as a puppy, has more interaction with the cat. I think that's because the puppy was (obviously) small when we got her and represented less of a threat.

Your cat will train your puppy very very quickly, don't worry about that bit.

Definitely make sure the parents have been scored for hips etc. A reputable breeder will do this anyway.

If you do decide on a cross, same rules - make sure both parents have a satisfactory hip score etc.

The idea that crossbreeds are less likely to have genetic health problems is a myth, sadly. One of the worst cases of genetic arthritis I know of is a lovely sweet natured Labrador x Golden Retriever. She's only two but moves like a sixteen year old.

We have a 6yr old Chocolate Lab and a 1yr old Jack Russell.
They're inseparable. The lab is just the most patient, loving mama bear I've ever known, to the pup AND my two kids!
But, she's greedy, smelly and needy, too!
She's eaten a whole Christmas cake, tipped the bin over and had a feast, eaten two baguettes fresh from the oven... she's terrible for it. We nag any guests not to leave anything where she can get it.
We've already said we won't get another one though, not because she's put us off but because we'd never get another one like her. No other lab could come close. She's ace.

We have a cat with our two (see earlier post).
Black lab and cat sleep together, groom each other. Cat follows him around. Yellow girl mainly just ignores cat, but has been known to share a bed and give an occassional lick.
Cat is totally unphased by boisterous dogs and happily steals their food.

I have a lab who be 5 next month Is golden but fox red ears and tails

Downside
The hair is everywhere not helped as coat is thicker than most labs..
Dirt magnet
Strong so is important they learn walk nicely on lead as a puppy

Pstives

Loving , Intelligent,fun, obedient ,mine is great with children.

I like being outside so long walks are a positive We often d o 15/20 miles a day sometimes more (not all labs walk that much should add)but is not for everyone as means out all weather's

Mine is show lab build but his parents worked as game keepers dogs a

I have two labradoodles (please don't slate me I'm just trying to help op) My two have very minimal to no shedding. Wonderful character, bitch stronger willed than the dog but both so loving towards us, children, cat and each other. Would however steal ALL food in sight! So loyal, happy, fun loving and THE most amazing huggers. Smart with great recall and don't give a banana about fireworks , storms but boy not keen on the rain. Love swimming though.

Thanks @motherofdoodles
They sound lovely. I just really LOVE labs 🐾

@ilovetofu the only the thing I would add is that they do seem to be puppies for a long time.
I think all of mine have been just about hitting the three year old mark before I considered them grown up😁