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The doghouse

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Original poster

Do labradors really smell?

93 replies

headintheproverbial · 01/05/2021 09:57

Looking into getting a family dog over the next year or two as the kids get older and researching now.

Labs seem a good bet for children, trainable and friendly.

But one 'con' I keep seeing as I research is shedding and smell! We have dogs in our extended family but no labs. Is it bad??

OP posts:

MrsElijahMikaelson1 · 01/05/2021 18:57

Our lab stinks-more so as she has got older if I’m honest

Delatron · 03/05/2021 18:28

My lab smells lovely. I’m always sniffing his head.
I may be deluded though.

cjpark · 03/05/2021 20:40

Sorry, but all labs I've ever met are pretty stinky. Friends who have labs have a definite doggy smelling house.

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 03/05/2021 20:54

Labradoodles bloody do!! 😱

Happytentoes · 03/05/2021 20:58

My boy smells of baked goods and my girl smells of watermelon.
But they are groomed, dried when wet, cleaned off and brushed, and they are fed quality foods.
Their coats are glossy. I have met labs and other breeds whom I have not wanted to touch, but I don’t see people recoiling from these 2.

Iyland · 03/05/2021 21:23

We have a lab and he needs groomed every day really. My Mum has commented that our house doesn't smell of dog whereas he friend who has ones home does.

I would say grooming daily, hoovering, not letting them sit on fabric sofas (he has a blanket he has of the sofa which gets washed frequently and swapped out for others) and keeping teeth clean help eliminate the smell. He's working breed also which I've heard helps whether it does in reality or not I don't know.

If he's been swimming the place reeks of wet dog but I'd say that's the same with any breed.

I have young family and he is amazingly gentle. He's big and he's strong though so training to not jump from day 1 is essential.

I couldn't recommend a lab as a family pet more but only if you're prepared to put in the hard work to train and stick with it. You also need to commit to teaching your children how to live with and respect a dog. A huge % of animal/children altercations are down to children mishandling the animal and distress/warning signals not being picked up on or ignored.

BalladOfBarryAndFreda · 03/05/2021 21:27

I think I’ve gone nose kind to the smell of mine

BalladOfBarryAndFreda · 03/05/2021 21:27

Nose blind

BalladOfBarryAndFreda · 03/05/2021 21:30

His (very regular) wind reeks though and I do the same as PP, in terms of brushing him and daily vacuuming/weekly washing of blankets & dog bedding/monthly washing of cushion cases. He’s also not allowed upstairs.

Dancingsmile · 03/05/2021 21:37

I have a lab mix and yes there is a doggy honk and hair. Omg the hair - how is he not bold!!!
Be prepared to hoover constantly and to keep air freshener & fabreeze single handedly in business !
Some smell musty more than others.

aalwnaha · 03/05/2021 21:41

Yes 😂 I have a lovely old lady lab but she really does smell. She amazing with kids and the perfect family dog in all other respects, however she wouldn't have been really when she was younger. Very bouncy then and liked to chew holes in walls 🙈

Fightingtalk · 03/05/2021 21:48

I might be nose blind but I don’t think our 9 month old black lab doesn’t smell unless he’s rolled in fox poo or been in the river. He’s shedding his winter coat at the moment though and it’s coming off in clumps!
I would say pretty much any dogs’ behaviour is down to training and owner. Labs couldn’t be guide dogs if their personalities were as rigidly chaotic as a PP suggested! Ours is loving and playful, very gentle with small children and cautious around new people and other dogs. We adore him 😊

JuneFromBethesda · 03/05/2021 21:52

Labs couldn’t be guide dogs if their personalities were as rigidly chaotic as a PP suggested!

Good point @Fightingtalk

lovelovelove2 · 03/05/2021 22:05

@DiddlyWiddly

You have a completely different experience with labs than me. Mine is great with children. Had mine since before my children were born, they play with him cuddle him he loves them. Mine doesn't smell, he is groomed and swims often but he does shed hair. It's nothing that I can't cope with though. I brush him regularly outside and he is the best friend to our family I could have asked for.

sweetypop · 03/05/2021 22:14

All dogs stink... people with dogs can't smell it. I don't have a dog but I can smell them in peoples homes and on their possessions

fanniboz · 03/05/2021 22:35

I have a lab and I've never thought she was particularly smelly. I give her a wash when she needs it but it's not very often. Shedding is a big issue though, I don't have anything that isn't covered in her hair and it can be frustrating at times. I've yet to find a brush/grooming tool that really sorts her coat out. Feel like shaving her sometimes

Giggorata · 03/05/2021 23:05

Yes, labs smell. Mostly just dog smell. Partly because they naturally produce lanolin in their coats, for waterproofing.
If people bathe their labs a lot, they might hold off the smell for a few days, but they will also upset the balance of their coats.

DiddlyWiddly · 03/05/2021 23:15

Labs couldn’t be guide dogs if their personalities were as rigidly chaotic as a PP suggested!
Those Labradors are properly trained though...
A lot of the ones I meet aren’t!
In fact, I would say the majority (unless old or fat) I meet aren’t properly trained.

I have seen a fair number of people struggling to control their young Labradors our on walks.
I suspect that their family friendly reputation means a lot of people don’t put the effort in they should then once the dog is big enough and strong enough to suddenly be a problem it’s not so easy to train out as they have had plenty of practice.

Holothane · 03/05/2021 23:17

Dogs do smell we had a friend we got into her car I nearly threw up as we got to the park I opened the door, it really turns my stomach sorry but it does.

LakieLady · 03/05/2021 23:21

A family member has a 9YO lab and she hardly smells at all. The house doesn't smell, either but the owner is very houseproud, constantly cleaning.

However, the dog never goes in water. I think all gundog breeds smell if they swim.

Chimboo · 03/05/2021 23:22

I have two, and they really don’t smell (and believe me, my parents would tell me if they did...!) the fur though...my god the fur 😂 they are both beautiful gentle lovely dogs though, well worth the fur mountains ❤️

29ac · 03/05/2021 23:31

I love labs. But, of all the dogs I know that belong to family and friends, the labs do smell the worst! It’s totally put me off ever having one.

Crocidura · 03/05/2021 23:36

We have a yellow lab, she doesn't smell unless she's rolled in something or been swimming, and we very rarely wash her, she's good at keeping herself clean. I don't know whether the colour makes a difference but our friends have a chocolate one and she does smell.

The shedding is pretty epic though.

Ours is 7 and has been a lovely family dog, got her when the DC were 9 and 7. We all love her dearly.

danadas · 03/05/2021 23:46

Yes our lab cross definitely has a doggy smell to him and there is a constant need to hoover with him. The hair never ends 😭

Chocolateandamaretto · 04/05/2021 09:04

Ours smells a little bit doggy but nothing horrendous. He's brushed regularly and towel dried when wet. I do agree with the pps who say you need to keep on top of hoovering!

Obviously he smells if he's rolled in something foul, but to fair so would anyone!!

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