Need advice re Labrador/assistance dog

[Doggydogdogdog]

Need some sensible opinions…

Basically, I am potentially looking to get a lab, I have the place identified, I just need to think whether I actually want to go ahead or not.

I am autistic and would like/need an assistance dog. I have a 4.5 year old border terrier but whilst he is brilliant he’s not assistance dog material if I’m honest.

So, here comes the lab part. The place I have identified, breeds and often trains labs for gundog work and pet homes and also a few for assistance dog work.

I do not want a young puppy, I could not cope with that, the toilet training that sort of thing. But I can cope with an older dog.

If I were to go with what I am thinking the dog would be a year old plus. It would be trained in standard obedience type stuff, to a very good standard. We wouldn’t get the dog till next autumn.

They would pick the suitable dog, and assess the dog as it grows and swap to another dog if needed if the original dog became unsuitable as it grew.

So has anyone done this, not necessarily the assistance dog part, but the working lab from a gundog breeder that is part trained? If it’s fir an assistance dog it would be even better.

I’ve also never had a lab, I’ve only ever had a cocker cross and the current border terrier. We also have two cats.

So hopefully someone can give me some advice on labs and this situation.

Thank you

He specialises in breeding and training for working homes, pet homes and assistance dog homes

I don't know much about dog training but that description is not of a "speciality".
Something that's good for everything, tends to be good for nothing.

Just make sure that it really is possible to get to the level of training you need to get certified, not many people can achieve it through self training. We looked into it ourselves and the hoops were considerable, the British system is set up for professionally trained assistance dogs. The way guide dogs are trained, they are sent into the community for months of puppy training, not kept in kennels, do you know whether this trainer is doing this?

WTF. Back off.

i never said I didn’t, it was meant to say don’t. I and o are right next to each other.

and I haven’t been rude to anyone. I’m baffled at why you’d say that.

I’m unsure why my post was removed @mnhq. This poster has been posting on numerous Fb groups and other forums with the same question. I thought it best to make other posters aware that MANY others have replied to them before to save them wasting their time when so many had already given advice. Some people appear to need attention no matter where they post…. I could post many screenshots from FB groups where this poster has been exceptionally rude and downright nasty to others but it’s not in the spirit of the site to do that.

It’s such a shame that an innocent dog is going to end up in the wrong hands. The breeder/trainer they refer to use VERY aversive tools and techniques to train the dogs that this poster is considering getting and judging by posts on other forums they have been well warned. The dogs from this “trainer” would be better in a rescue tbh.

Judge for yourselves, however, I will never stand back and not voice my concerns on (a) this poster and (b) the breeder or “trainer” they are considering getting a lab from. If anyone condones really horrible training methods then by all means support this poster and the “trainers’. Personally I will not support the methods used to train dogs in this way nor support anyone who would continue this “training” owning one of those dogs which the OP will agree with. Disgusting individuals imo.

If the PP is right and you are planning to get a dog from a breeder/trainer who uses aversive techniques, please think again. Although you seem to have quite specific and extensive requirements, I'm certain you could find a force-free trainer to help you.

You say that the breeder will be doing basic obedience training, but if after that the dog will be going home to work with you and a trainer on assistance training then you need to realise just how difficult and lengthy a process this will likely be.

Labradors take a long time to mature, at 1 year old they are still firmly in their adolescent stage and can be very hard work + testing at times. If you’re not able to cope with a young puppy then this stage will not go down well at all. It’s not uncommon to have to go back to basics with training as they begin to rebel due to hormone changes. They need a huge amount of exercise and mental stimulation along with this - my golden retriever is 9 months and basically a full time job! It’s certainly not for the faint hearted or easily overwhelmed and if anything she was easier as a young puppy

Wow this thread took a nasty turn!

Why all the downers on labradors? They make excellent assistance dogs, 60% of guide dogs are labradors. I guess the Guide dog association haven't read the thread but have managed to function for 90 years using labradors

MN lives in a different world to all the dogs and dog people that I know [confused}

Loads of assumptions being made and no evidence for most of the comments.

OP it is great you are doing research I would however talk to people who know about assistance dogs and assistance dog training help. A good place to start and ask questions is Assistance Dogs

I think it's really poor to bring OP's posts off the board into this discussion.

She's allowed to post on other forums and get advice there too - that doesn't mean people should follow her around and bully her.

I would say ALL young pups and dogs are hard work - or they should be if you are doing it right. A lab wouldn't be right for me but they are great as assistance and PAT dogs (I know several) and are selected for this which is why research and breeding is important. The OP is doing this so no idea why the nastiness has happened.

Young labs can be very boisterous - it’s not a bad thing, but rarely does a dog come ready-trained: docile and unquestioningly obedient (unless they’re tired out…).Those sort of assistance dogs are bred for purpose, the more “spirited” amongst them weeded out. And the training programme is very lengthy and ongoing. A gundog may well be a lovely dog but they won’t want to hang around all day - they like action.

I am further a bit about the therapy you mention. Most dogs hate being hugged. My old dog loved me to bits but always squirmed if I went in for cuddles. New dog loves a hug and hugs back - but it’s still when he feels like it! A dog can become very anxious, nay, distressed, if they feel trapped and smothered.

Guide dogs are highly trained and many many dogs don't make the grade. The dog op intends to get will be 'trained' by the breeder and then op intends to train it herself. You can hardly make a comparison between the two scenarios.

..... and many labs are very trainable and able to do assistance work really easily.

Give the OP a chance!

Labrador gun dogs hang around for hours (and I mean literally hours) watching the spaniels flush out the birds!! They can be on peg for up to two hours easily without being sent out to retrieve. They have to wait whilst other dogs are sent to retrieve Working gundogs have to be calm and have mega self control.

An assistance dog will be trained to the needs of the owner and that usually included physical touch. Positive association to the behaviour the owner needs whether emotional or physical is what the training will be about.

Well at least that was what happened when I worked for assistance dog organisation for 15 years.

@romdowa do you know the percentage of guide dogs that do not make the grade? - it is small very small. Most of them do not make the grade due to very minor health issues rather than training issues.

Autistic assistance dogs are pretty easy to train. They usually do not have to have the physical training of picking up objects or guiding. Training on emotional support is very straightforward with a bit of help from an assistance dog trainer.

I feel that this thread is full of opinions with very little evidence and very little knowledge of what is involved and what is required from an assistant dog and working dogs.

I still feel the OP is (excuse the pun) barking up the wrong tree hoping to get a fully-trained huggable labrador gundog who doesn’t have the needs or behaviour of a gundog.

That would be the dream, wouldn't it? <eyes up 4 month old demanding puppy> Our lab puppy sounds like a dream compared to many puppies of her age, but she's still hard work.

Why are posters going about hugging? Have I missed the bit where the OP says that is a requirement?