Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: midnight Target on March 27, 2002, 08:57:47 PM
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There is one available at our local shelter. Black, Male, Slightly overweight, sweet disposition....3 yrs old, I'm caving...someone talk me out of it. I love Labs!!!
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Get it before someone puts the poor guy down!
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watch his behaviour first.
i would love a Bull Terrier, but they are very expensive and hard to find in shelters.
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Sounds like he already picked you out, Tahgut. :D
I had a mixed black lab for 17 years. He had a very friendly personality. Very smart. Very, very good bird dog - hunting pheasants.
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Ew, Bull Terrier. My grandparents had one of them and it attacked things for no good reason, especially other animals. My father hit it on the head with a bat once when it lunged at him. Good times.
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Anyone with a Lab, how do they get along with other dogs?
I have a Female mutt that may be very jealous.
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Mine was happy and playful with females, but he fought many male dogs that we encountered ... I don't know why. He was a digger too.
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My female Lab-Golden mix is very territorial,and doesn't get along well with other females...but seems to have no problem at all with males.
I'm sure your mutt will try to establish that she is boss,after all she has tenure....but it should be ok.
You may as well stop wasting time,and go pick him up.We both know you've already made up your mind.;)
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i have lab/rotty mixes, they are the most loving things in the world. The boy is a spoiled daddy's boy, and the girl is the little trouble maker...but they are the friendliest things on the planet. All they wanna do is play and make friends.....
a labs temperment and personality are among the best for a pet.
take that mutt home!
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Labs are fantastic dogs! Now go get that dog before I steal it from you :D
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Brad, aged 5 (borrowed over Christmas)
Loves: Eating, footballs, dogs, people
Hates: Cats, being told off or ignored
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Oh not that damn dog that shed hair everywhere and crapped all over the car park.....and tried to shag my sofa.
(http://www.swoop.com/images/logo_small.jpg)
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Midnight T,
I breed Labs. Pretty much goes without saying that I love the breed and most of the individuals in it.
That being said, be aware there's been a lot of indiscriminate breeding going on. This can result in a dog that is totally "non-typical" with respect to "standard" breed characteristics. IE, while generally the Lab population is considered a gentle, loving breed, you can get a mean one.
Find out why the dog is in the shelter. If put there by previous owners, call them up and ask them WHY he's in there. Sometimes its as simple as they were moving and couldn't find him a home. Other times it can be because he bit the crap out of their kids or something.
Try to find out whatever you can first. Second, tell the Shelter you'll take him and love him on a two week trial. Then be realistic in the two weeks. If he has faults admit it and decide if you can still live with that fault 3 years from now.
Good luck to you. Rescue him if you can. A good Lab is a marvelous friend and companion.
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The Chocolate is the foundation of the breeding program. 10 years old. Out of French Championship lines, he points pheasant as well as a Shorthair. Also holds the title of "World's Happiest Lab"; he'll brighten your day every day.
The 12 year old female center is my second lab. She had hip dysplasia so we never bred her. A gentle dog and a good hunter. Companion to my sons as they grew.
Young son of the chocolate and a squeak out of the '95 Irish Field Trial Champion. Points as well as his dad, nose is even better in range. Another Happy Lab. Big plans for him in the breeding program.
I'm partners with a very good friend in this endeavor. He's a Vet. Good thing, because we own two females together and he's kept 3 of our line so far!
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Toad just earned 10 Santa Points.
Labs are the best :).
My brother has two labs. Both qualified as rescue dogs, and they work as that too. Earth quakes - they're there. Someone lost in the woods - they're there.
They'll go from all play to totally focused on the job at hand in a flash.
Mentally, they're about the most stable of breeds. I haven't known a neurotic lab.
The labs we've had have always gotten along fine with other dogs, so shouldn't be a problem.
Follow Toad's advice, that's some good stuff there.
You can't go wrong with a lab is my basic feeling :).
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I'd have to agree with what Toad said. Lab's are great, but you should find out why the dog is there, in case there could be any behavioral problems.
I have a female lab/husky mix, the most undog dog I have seen. She has not gotten into fights, she does not bite even when little kids are poking/grabbing/dragging her. She does not chase after cats (doesn't give a toejam about them), but will go ape over a squirrel. She is very smart, but whenever she sees food, she will go totally stupid. Must have been how I trained her ;)
I couldn't think of not having her, she's added so much to my life. Coming home from a toejamty day at work, tired as hell, and having her greet me is so uplifting.
I don't know if you've had dogs before Target, if not, you'll be pleasantly surprised. If you have, then I guess you know what to expect :)
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Labs are sweet....my dog goes to "Doggy Day Care" twice a week and plays with 2 labs and is best buds with a beagle. Yea, day care sounds silly, but for $10 a day, she gets to socialize and play with other dogs. When I bring Chloe home, she's wiped from playing all day and after she chows down supper, is pretty much asleep for the rest of the day :)
Best thing I ever did was get a dog. Mine is an Australian Cattle Dog, very very smart, loving and loves herding the cats along (got 4 cats). The backyard is now a minefield, but you can't but a pricetag on that big smile-tail-wagging look when you come home from work ;)
(Shameless picture of my Chloe crashing out on the bed after a day of daycare....)
(http://www.checksix.net/tiredchloe.jpg)
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I suspect midnight Target hasn't responded to this post since last night because he is otw to the shelter.... ;)
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Originally posted by Sox62
I suspect midnight Target hasn't responded to this post since last night because he is otw to the shelter.... ;)
Or he picked up the dog, and found out that the dog is infact Cojo reincarnated, and he's currently hiding in his closet :eek:
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awesome breed overall.. though they do like to chew...
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Red Shar-Pei's are better. :)
-SW
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You are all wrong..Pugs are the way to go. Here's my co-pilot Chuck.
(http://rook.innercite.com/~sunking/chuck4.bmp)
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Nice doggies there.
Me and my wife first thought to get labrador retriver, but figured out that it's so common dog here in finland and it can grow quite big too, so we ended up the "Toller", Novascotian Duck Tolling Retriever. His name is "Nova" (I, myself and me figured out this imaginary name, go figure :D) and is now 1 year and 4 days of age. As all male dogs, Nova ain't exception, he has very strong "own mind". He's also lacking fear of other dogs, challenging even Great Danes (sp?) LOL! We have lots of dogs where I live (over 60 dogs within less than 1 square kilometer area!). Here's few images:
(http://www.kolumbus.fi/cool/nova1.jpg)
This picture was taken during last Christmas Eve, what a perfect wheather for Christmas; -10°C temperature and sun was shining from clear sky, oh boy!
(http://www.kolumbus.fi/cool/nova2.jpg)
"1 year old male toller is seeking for company..."
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OTW to the Shelter now...I do work sometimes.:)
He is obvoiusly a pure bred Lab, good with kids and like I said kind of fat. He probably didnt get enough excersize, but a sweet disposition. i'll post a pick if all works as planned.
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Well, I did it, pick up "Bradley" tomorrow after his (shhhhh operation). The way it works here is you have to pay for the neuter no matter what. There is a 15 day trial period, but the vet bill stays. I will post a pic or 2 this weekend. He's gonna love my pool :D .
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Well, very best of luck to you and Bradley.
As far as overweight... it's easy to fix. Feed him a quality food and totally ignore the "feeding guidelines" on the back of the bag. They don't need anywhere near that much food if they are housedogs. There is a constant fight in my house to keep the Chocolate on his weight. My wife spoils the heck out of him with too much chow and too many treats. She points to the back of the bag. My vet buddy and I tell her those folks are trying to sell lots of dog food.
My partner the Vet has a simple system for overweight Labs. He feeds Eukanuba and he gives each male dog one large plastic 32 oz "Coke" cup from McDonald's per day. That's IT. The dog gets walked in the morning and evening, at least a mile, on the days he's not training. (He's a busy vet.)
When you can look down on your standing dog and see a "waist" between the end of his ribcage and his hip bones... a definite narrowing of the body... AND when you look at him from the side when he's standing you can see the indentations between his last 3-4 ribs in the rib cage (the short ribs)... He is weighing what he should weigh.
You may now very slowly increase the amount of dog food until you find the amount that holds that look. Start by adding about 1/2 a cup per week and don't be in a rush.
You'll have him quickly "on weight" if you do this. It won't take you more than a few weeks if he's already close. It isn't that tough on the dog, either.. but he'll try to make you think it is. ;)
Note: When we're working the dogs hard like during actual hunting trips or when we're training hard they pretty much eat as much as they like. We just fill the bowl and leave it out that way. Working dogs burn calories incredibly fast. They eat what they need and sleep a lot more during times like that.
As I said, good luck!
BTW, best "collar" I've found so far for controlling a dog on a lead is the Halti. Looks funny and it takes them a while to get used to it but it is very, very humane, using the dog's natural tendencies to give you control. I used slip chains for years... threw them all away this past Fall. Instructions come with the Halti; even little kids can control big dogs using those things. Petsmart has them @ $13. A steal.
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im so glad you like pugs sunking.:D
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Originally posted by midnight Target
Well, I did it, pick up "Bradley" tomorrow after his (shhhhh operation). The way it works here is you have to pay for the neuter no matter what. There is a 15 day trial period, but the vet bill stays. I will post a pic or 2 this weekend. He's gonna love my pool :D .
Good for you MT!! I've had lots of dogs, but a lab mix I had years ago is among my all-time favorites. Smart dog, loyal and will protect you on neighborhood walks a hell of a lot better than carrying a concealed weapon will.
Toad, I was under the impression Labs were jump dogs, not pointers. As an avid pheasant hunter I always felt like I had to put up with the stupidity of a Shorthair or a Brittany to have a decent field dog, and after having both a German Shorthair and a Brittany Spaniel I've all but given up on a combination companion/hunting dog, and frankly I don't have the heart to use a shock collar on a dog, so I've never had much success with pointers. Every Lab I've ever seen has been a jump dog, not a pointer.
My companion dog now is a 7 yr old Queensland Heeler I've had since she was 6 weeks, and she's smart, loyal and loves to work cows. Only problem with Queenslands is they tend to be nippers, especially kids. She's zapped the mailman a couple of times, and he's tried to sue me for injuries even when all he got was a slight indentation on his calf. I told him I don't like mailmen any more than my dog does, and he's lucky I don't bite him. Now I have to pick up my mail at the post office.
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I never have posted here but LAB's are the best breed in my opinion...I have had a yellow lab "alex" for 8.5 years now.
We love him ...he sleeps with us...goes on vacation with us....travelled with us to Okinawa when I got stationed over there...traveled back here to New Mexico when I got stationed here 3 months ago....
They have tons of emotion and personality....one thing though...they need human contact and affection...if anyone is considering getting one realize that they will be a part of your "pack" and should be treated as a member of the family...
We love our lab and hopefully he will live forever.....
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labs are great. here's mine. coaco.
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And here is my namesake,Sox...a female Lab-Golden Retriever mix.She's about 75.lbs,and is now four...the pic is a year old.
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Originally posted by Elfenwolf
Toad, I was under the impression Labs were jump dogs, not pointers. As an avid pheasant hunter...
I love pheasant hunting! It puts you out in beautiful country where the horizons stretch away forever. You get to meander through the fields under what sometimes are the bluest of skies. The bird itself is a tough competitor and unquestionably the most beautiful of gamebirds. But I digress...
Yes, Labradors are flushers. However, in some lines genetics have left a bit of a "pause" before the flush that harkens back to their wild ancestors' way of hunting. Ever watch a coyote or bobcat sneak in on a bird?
There are those who are "developing" this trait by breeding for it. They mate true Labrador sires and dams that carry this "pause".
Then there are the unscrupulous (IMO) guys that slip a pointer sire into the pedigree to "speed up" the process. You can usually see it in the heads and tails.
There's starting to be "big money" in pointing Labs, simply because it IS such a versatile dog that retains the great Lab traits as a family dog and companion. Whenever there's big money in dogs, look out. The cheats and chislers come out of the woodwork.
My dogs are True Labs, from breeders long in the game for the love of the breed. The chocolate, a pointer, is actually primarily out of a French Show line. His sire is an International Champion that Trialed a bit. It's quite by accident that Charlie ended up with me and quite by accident that I found he pointed naturally. To a certain extent, he was a "rescue" case, somewhat like MT's Bradley.
I still laugh... me, an avid pheasant hunter, taking on a 3 year old "Show Dog" that his previous owners no longer wanted. One trip to the fields and that dog and I found our tiny place in the universe together. He actually pointed one rooster while retrieving another one that he had pointed and I had shot! We both knew we were made for each other right then!
He is, without doubt, the best Lab I have ever had the pleasure to know. A superb "family" personality and an incredible bird dog.
So far, everyone of his pups by two different dams have shown the pointing trait... some more than others of course.. but it's there and we are breeding for by selecting dams that can contribute to the line. It's a long project and one that we hope our sons may continue to improve.
As to your question... here's Chief, the yellow son of the Charlie X a yellow daughter of Ireland's 1995 Field Trial Champion.
Would this be suitable for you? :D
That is not a "taught"or "learned" behavior. He did that on his very first day working live birds. He's a "natural" pointer. I merely encourage him.
Chief will "hold" about 45 seconds to a minute and then flush. Plenty of time for an alert hunter. Of course, part of the training is making sure the dog hunts within gun range. Unlike a shorthair, he won't hold forever while you hustle 300 yards to get there.
Check out these links... people are working on it. Just watch for the ones trying to take a "shortcut".
American Pointing Labrador Association (http://www.theapla.com/)
International Pointing Labrador Association (http://pointinglab.com/)
Obviously, I can "talk" Labs forever... I'll stop now! ;)
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Ahh.. it was too large. Cropped it.
Here's Chief in action:
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oohh, oohh, dog pictures. Here's Tanner, a lab-mix.
What did you expect from a FDB?
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Toad,
Great info, thank you. One question. Bradley seems to have a flatter and broader head than some of the pics I've seen here, (except for that one of Cheif). Is this a lab characteristic or is it different among individuals?
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Originally posted by myelo
oohh, oohh, dog pictures. Here's Tanner, a lab-mix.
What did you expect from a FDB?
Myelo, I hope PETA gets all over your bellybutton for furnishing alcohol to Tanner, and don't try to claim he brought his own beer either.
On the other hand, knowing all about the FDBs he was probably more sober than you, which might explain why he was driving.
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There is a lot of variation in the head size/shape on Labs. Some of it is genetic; for example, the females almost never have the big, blocky heads that some of the males have. That's just a male/female difference. Both the Chocolate (Charlie) and Chief in that picture have "good" head confirmation.
However, here's the "bible":
Labrador Retriever Breed Standard (http://thelabradorclub.com/standtxt.htm)
"Head
Skull - The skull should be wide; well developed but without exaggeration. The skull and foreface should be on parallel planes and of approximately equal length.
There should be a moderate stop-the brow slightly pronounced so that the skull is not absolutely in a straight line with the nose. The brow ridges aid in defining the stop.
The head should be clean-cut and free from fleshy cheeks; the bony structure of the skull chiseled beneath the eye with no prominence in the cheek. The skull may show some median line; the occipital bone is not conspicuous in mature dogs.
Lips should not be squared off or pendulous, but fall away in a curve toward the throat.
A wedge-shape head, or a head long and narrow in muzzle and back skull is incorrect as are massive, cheeky heads.
The jaws are powerful and free from snippiness the muzzle neither long and narrow nor short and stubby."
So, the somewhat "blocky" look to the head is a desirable trait. We do consider that when we breed... looks ARE an important part of what we are trying to do, as well as breeding for the "happy" Lab personality and excellent field ability. It's a complex thing and I'll tell you that I'm a mere beginner at it.
Take a look at these Labs... they're the result of 20 years of dedicated effort by a husband/wife team that knows what they're doing. These dogs fit the breed standards almost perfectly, have excellent temperaments and are respected hunting stock. If my partner and I can achieve as well as this, I'll be one very happy guy.
Coulee Creek Labrador Retrievers (http://www.couleecreeklabradors.com/)
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This is my Charlie, now 10 years old. Taken last night.. see what you started MT? :)
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Originally posted by Elfenwolf
My companion dog now is a 7 yr old Queensland Heeler I've had since she was 6 weeks, and she's smart, loyal and loves to work cows. Only problem with Queenslands is they tend to be nippers, especially kids. She's zapped the mailman a couple of times, and he's tried to sue me for injuries even when all he got was a slight indentation on his calf. I told him I don't like mailmen any more than my dog does, and he's lucky I don't bite him. Now I have to pick up my mail at the post office.
I *beleive* Queensland Heeler/Blue Heeler/Australian Cattle Dog all refer to the same breed, yes? Mines an ACD, also know as a Blue Heeler (refer to the picture above)
Is yours a blue or red? I got lucky, mine has the double-mask :)
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111 lbs. and sweet as can be.
Bradley
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one more.
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Nice looking dog ya got there Tahgut :) This one will be a monster soon. (She gained 4 pounds since last week!)
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Great picture, Oct...the girls I live with went "Awwwww" for several minutes over it ;)
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Nice pup, Oct. Dang, Lab pups are cute..
MT, he really doesn't look grossly overweight in those pics. A little diet and exercise ought to do it. Maybe he's just a BIG lab... many American Labs tend to be larger than the breed standard.
I wish you many happy years with him... and vice versa. ;)
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WTG Midnight: :)
My brother had black labs named Cassius, Brutus, Mark, etc, etc, etc.
Now, its beginning over again with a new Cassius.
Great dogs, no matter what color!
Another guy I know, has a black who picks up dollar bills from the floor, from tables and even off the bar in the Ritz Cafe in Oak Bluffs, when people are not lookin. For this he gets a slim jim :)
:D
Best of luck - hope you both are gonna be real good budds...
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Originally posted by Toad
MT, he really doesn't look grossly overweight in those pics.
Yes, I agree, he looks great. Good looking shiny fur. You have lifetime friend there midnight :)
Octavius, is that a lab? She has same kind of "albino nose" as our toller.
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Originally posted by Elfenwolf
Myelo, I hope PETA gets all over your bellybutton for furnishing alcohol to Tanner, and don't try to claim he brought his own beer either.
If you knew Tanner, you would realize that he was just posing for the picture. He's a Guiness man and would rather drink toilet bowl water than cheap beer.
Regarding PETA, Tanner likes to hunt, loves to eat meat, believes it's fine to have pets (he has 3 humans), and supports medical research involving animals, as long as they are cats. In short, he considers any PETA member that stands still long enough to be leg-hiking material.
Midnight, congratulations on Bradley.
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Aaaaah the little bugger ... Toy, 2.5 month.
(http://home.cfl.rr.com/rauns/toy_nissan.jpg)
(http://home.cfl.rr.com/rauns/toy5-web.jpg)
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Originally posted by LePaul
I *beleive* Queensland Heeler/Blue Heeler/Australian Cattle Dog all refer to the same breed, yes? Mines an ACD, also know as a Blue Heeler (refer to the picture above)
Is yours a blue or red? I got lucky, mine has the double-mask :)
Yeah LePaul, I saw your pic. Mine is a mixed blue and red also so she looks almost identical to yours, maybe just a bit more red in her face. Great dogs, IMO. Mine is spoiled and goes everywhere with me, including water skiing. Summer times it's almost impossible to keep her out of the pool, which is unusual for a Queensland. It's funny, too, but she always swims clockwise. I'm curious as to rather she'd swim counter-clockwise if I took her to Australia. I'll post a pic as soon as I can dig one out.
Toad, thanks for the info on Labs. I've suffered through German Shorthairs, and mine was decent enough as a pointer but was just a crappy companion dog and loved to fight other dogs, and there's nothing worse than having to break up a fight between a shorthair and a fellow hunter's dog. I had a Springer that as soon as you hit the field he'd take off and you'd see him flushing birds 500 yards away. That'll piss ya off.
A buddy of mine has an English Pointer, and he's a great hunting dog- unfortunately you have to run the dog the last few miles to the fields to wear him out enough to keep him close to you, otherwise he'd run ahead of you about a quarter mile, hunting by himself.
I've never been keen on jump dogs for pheasant because my reflexes suck, and the sheer beauty of a dog on point adds so much to the hunt. I've checked out the web sites, and a Lab will be my next dog, as soon as I can get rid of my wife's damn cats.
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Elf,
Glad you enjoyed the links.
Be advised, though, there's no guarantees on "pointing labs". Those sites will talk about "sixth generation pointing lab" and such... but you can have a "6th gen" that points and one that doesn't out of the same litter.
All you're doing there is increasing your chances... and chances seem to be good.. but there's still no guarantee.
However, it does seem to carry through. We've had all our pups point so far. . A pointing lab makes one nice pheasant dog.. while maintaining its ability as an excellent waterfowl dog too. Double Bonus!!! :)
The other thing to watch for, as I said, is that the Labs look like Labs. If some guy is advertising "pointing Labs" and the sires and dams have heads and tails that strangely resemble an English Pointer or a Shorthair... well, ...... "if it walks like a duck"... :)
We generally schedule one or two litters a year. Go ahead, get rid of those cats and give me a heads up when you're ready. ;) Chief is going to be in the 2003 breeding rotation for certain. We're still using Charlie this year.
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Vector,
Oct's pup is a Chocolate Lab. Chocolate is a "double recessive". There was a time not so awfully long ago that Chocolate pups were routinely destroyed as defectives. IIRC, they were also banned from Show Competition, but that has changed.
They have no black pigment at all. The noses and eyelids are that "liver" color.
Chocolates have "caught on" in the States and are becoming popular. Prices are going up on them. They are still pretty rare in Europe however and breeders still seem to think of them in a negative way.
We just had a litter of 6 blacks and 2 chocolates. We could have sold 50 chocolates; everyone that called seemed to want one. The two we had sold first.
Even my Vet partner used to say "every Chocolate is crazy." Now, though, Charlie has changed his mind. There are real good Chocolates out there and many of them.
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Originally posted by Elfenwolf
Yeah LePaul, I saw your pic. Mine is a mixed blue and red also so she looks almost identical to yours, maybe just a bit more red in her face. Great dogs, IMO. Mine is spoiled and goes everywhere with me, including water skiing. Summer times it's almost impossible to keep her out of the pool, which is unusual for a Queensland. It's funny, too, but she always swims clockwise. I'm curious as to rather she'd swim counter-clockwise if I took her to Australia. I'll post a pic as soon as I can dig one out.
I got mine at 5 months old, the people kept her locked in a kennel all the time since ACDs are high energy dogs and they couldnt handle her. As a result, my dog loves everyone, so, as my friends say, has the love of a golden retreiver but is smart ;)
Mine loves water too. Even bought her a lifejacket so she can jump in and waddle around. What's funny is she likes to snap at the splashes her feet make. So as a result, she propels herself along trying to bite the splashs, and also ingest a lot of water. Part of her routine is to come back to shore, shake, and release a hellacious burp (we're talking one that would put a beer drinker to shame).
Don't happen to recall paddling clockwise or not
Be interested in seeing what yours looks like. We fostered a Red for a few weeks that was later adopted by some really cool people in Canada (New Brunswick). Want havoc? Have 2 Cattledogs!
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Originally posted by Vector
Yes, I agree, he looks great. Good looking shiny fur. You have lifetime friend there midnight :)
Octavius, is that a lab? She has same kind of "albino nose" as our toller.
lol! No actually thats a yogurt container she got into :D She has a strange white band of fur on her tail though.
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He's doing fine, sitting next to me as I type. Loves everyone and everything.
He hasn't shown any "retrieving" ability, but he may be just insecure still. He was living with a family in an apartment! He needs lots of excersize, but he is a great dog.
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Originally posted by LePaul
I got mine at 5 months old, the people kept her locked in a kennel all the time since ACDs are high energy dogs and they couldnt handle her. As a result, my dog loves everyone, so, as my friends say, has the love of a golden retreiver but is smart ;)
Mine loves water too. Even bought her a lifejacket so she can jump in and waddle around. What's funny is she likes to snap at the splashes her feet make. So as a result, she propels herself along trying to bite the splashs, and also ingest a lot of water. Part of her routine is to come back to shore, shake, and release a hellacious burp (we're talking one that would put a beer drinker to shame).
Don't happen to recall paddling clockwise or not
Be interested in seeing what yours looks like. We fostered a Red for a few weeks that was later adopted by some really cool people in Canada (New Brunswick). Want havoc? Have 2 Cattledogs!
LOL Mine bites at the splashes too and she also has a life jacket, but she only wears it when we go skiing or camping. As soon as my wife gets home I'll post a pic.
My nephews have three ACDs, but they're pro rodeo bull riders and they use them to keep from getting stomped on by the bulls as they pratice. (Been there, done that- bull riding is NOT fun and no matter what you ALWAYS get the crap beat out of you, so it's not worth a 20 dollar bet to ride one). It's cool the way they "heel" the stock, and they're more effective than a bull fighter (rodeo clown, for you rodeo novices) at distracting a bull from its intended purpose of stomping the watermelon out of whatever it just shook off its back. If I get this pic posting thing down I have some cool pictures of Heelers in action at a rodeo.
My Esa (named after the highest mountain in Australia, but the Mountain is actually called Isa) has always been pampered and the only time she's ever slept outside is when we go camping... and then she sleeps in our tent.
She sleeps next to the bed and growls at any unusual noise or in response to the neighgbor's outside dogs when they bark, so her main job is as a sentury so I can get a good night's sleep. (BTW- praise your dog when they bark at a strange sound rather than tell them to be quiet. Don't supress this territoial instinct!)
I have had three great dogs in my lifetime, which is more than I can say about two of the three wives I've had in my lifetime, but anyway my Heeler ranks right up there in affection with my present wife, although my Heeler is probably more loyal and has never hidden a Macy's bill from me the way my present wife has.
And MT, you're right, Bradley is too insecure to turn his back on you yet to retrieve anything, but don't worry. Labs love to please their human pets. and in no time at all you guys will be best buds.
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Originally posted by Toad
Vector,
Oct's pup is a Chocolate Lab. Chocolate is a "double recessive". There was a time not so awfully long ago that Chocolate pups were routinely destroyed as defectives. IIRC, they were also banned from Show Competition, but that has changed.
They have no black pigment at all. The noses and eyelids are that "liver" color.
Chocolates have "caught on" in the States and are becoming popular. Prices are going up on them. They are still pretty rare in Europe however and breeders still seem to think of them in a negative way.
We just had a litter of 6 blacks and 2 chocolates. We could have sold 50 chocolates; everyone that called seemed to want one. The two we had sold first.
Even my Vet partner used to say "every Chocolate is crazy." Now, though, Charlie has changed his mind. There are real good Chocolates out there and many of them.
Thanks for the info Toad. I've never heard (or saw) this kind of dog before. Sure is pretty, no wonder it's wanted :)
Btw in Finland tail cuttings were banned by the law (which is good), what is the case in other countries?
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Originally posted by Vector
Btw in Finland tail cuttings were banned by the law (which is good), what is the case in other countries?
In the US and Canada, cosmetic tail amputation is legal. Cosmetic ear cropping is prohibited in a few American states and Canadian provinces.
In the UK and Australia ear cropping is banned; tail docking is legal but considered unethical by the Veterinary Associations. I’m not sure about other countries, although I know many European countries also ban these procedures.
If we’re going to start a debate on this, it might be best to start a new thread so we don’t ruin this one with all the cute dog pictures.
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Hey everyone,
He ain't a lab but I couldnt resist......since all good dog handlers NEVER miss an oppurtunity to show off their dogs :)
These are pics I took on one of his rare trips to the house (we have to kennel our dogs, which bites but I'm not the Mayor).
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Vicious ain't he? lol My wife was afraid of em when I first got him. She has since got used to him (obviously).
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Fixed they are the friendliest animals around not and they arestill the best dogs. Also labs tend to love humans and take you as their parent and in a way think they are human and dont associate with other dogs bellybutton well. But this isnt always the case. They are always great petsand usually get along well with other dogs.
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Oh yes and to add to what someone said on genes said chocalate jean they think their are genes that cause sight and hearing defect in chocolates also chocolates tend to be stupider from what i hear.
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I love labs, but they need discipline. They love to chew anything, including your hands. A friend of mine has this beautiful black lab pup, it could win competitions just by beauty, but its extremely hyperactive.
This is what I'm getting:
(http://www.pageweb.com/allegro/buckybev.jpg)
So ugly they are cute. They play rough though, I am aware of that. Its also a very expensive breed :(
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Originally posted by Hobodog
Oh yes and to add to what someone said on genes said chocalate jean they think their are genes that cause sight and hearing defect in chocolates also chocolates tend to be stupider from what i hear.
Hobo,
I haven't hear anything about Chocolates being more prone to eye disorders than Blacks or Yellows. As far as I know, these disorders may occur irregardless of color. For a good discussion of dog eye disorders, particularly with respect to Labs, check this out:
Inherited Eye Disorders in the Labrador Retriever (http://www.labbies.com/eye.htm)
I've heard nothing about hearing problems in any of the Labs.. unless you consider a hard-head that won't obey to be a "hearing" problem. ;)
As far as chocolates being stupid as a rule... I'm not buying it now.
There was a time, maybe 25 years ago when I did hear that said about them and it might have been true. There were dang few chocolates as "working" dogs then and they did not have a good reputation overall.
However, there's been a lot of determined breeding of good Chocolates since then. Just check the web for Chocolate studs that have earned the top titles in the AKC and UKC hunting tests. There's a lot of Chocolates standing at stud that have achieved the highest levels in those hunt tests... and stupid dogs don't make it anywhere near that far.
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animal that thing is uuuuuuuugly! :D didnt patton have a bull-terrier type dog too? (that is the name, right?)
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Originally posted by Hobodog
Oh yes and to add to what someone said on genes said chocalate jean they think their are genes that cause sight and hearing defect in chocolates also chocolates tend to be stupider from what i hear.
Like Toad, I've never heard (sorry) of any hearing problems in Labradors. Deafness is mostly a problem in breeds with a lot of white, like Dalmatians.
Some veterinary ophthalmologists see (sorry again) more eye problems -- retinal dysplasia -- in field trial lines of Labs. In our area, chocolates are more common in field trial lines, but this varies a lot with different regions.
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Heya LePaul, Here's Esa at 5. I had to rip off the pic from my wife's desk at work, and when I asked why she didn't have a pic of me on her desk she said I wasn't cute enough.
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Toad I might be calling you as well. My son and I were just sitting here looking at all the pictures of the dogs. He has wanted a black or chocolate lab for a couple of years now. But living in a townhouse is kind of confining for a large dog. We are looking at some homes with larger backyards and that is the prerequisite for him getting a Lab. I will also be bringing my 7 year old English Springer Spaniel up from my parents house when we get this house.
BTW nice site for the Labs you put up there previously.
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No Problem, Reschke.
My partner lives just South of Atlanta. Hunts a lot up at Guntersville. Probably not too bad of a trip for you.
Right now I have another friend with two 9-week black males out of one of our younger studs and an American Lab squeak from pretty decent trial lines. They're left out of a litter of 8. I know he wants to move those pretty quick. Says he's tired of scooping the pup residue! These would carry the yellow gene.
We should have another litter out of my Chocolate and the Irish squeak for sale around August. That's a repeat of Chief's breeding.
Anyway, let me know when you get ready.
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Originally posted by Elfenwolf
Heya LePaul, Here's Esa at 5. I had to rip off the pic from my wife's desk at work, and when I asked why she didn't have a pic of me on her desk she said I wasn't cute enough.
Kewt!
Top this for spoiled!
(http://www.countrykennel.net/easter0210.JPG)
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There have been some GREAT pictures throughout this thread.
you all and the best to you and your "owners".
I like 'em all; I'm just kept by Labs. ;)
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LePaul, That IS spoiled. For some reason Esa's tail was bobbed by the breeders, but other than that they're almost identical. I had heard that the difference between Queenslands and ACDs is the tail bob, but I'm not sure.
It's funny how they share behaviors like splashing the water and biting at it. I wonder what other behaviors they share? If I throw my underwear on the floor instead of in the clothes hamper Esa will take them out to the back yard and bury them. Does your ACD do that?
My next dog is a yellow lab (I hope) as soon as I can break down my wife's will to say no. I have enough room for another dog, a pool for a Lab to swim in, and plenty of cats to chase. Sounds like Dog Heaven to me.
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Originally posted by Elfenwolf
LePaul, That IS spoiled. For some reason Esa's tail was bobbed by the breeders, but other than that they're almost identical. I had heard that the difference between Queenslands and ACDs is the tail bob, but I'm not sure.
It's funny how they share behaviors like splashing the water and biting at it. I wonder what other behaviors they share? If I throw my underwear on the floor instead of in the clothes hamper Esa will take them out to the back yard and bury them. Does your ACD do that?
My next dog is a yellow lab (I hope) as soon as I can break down my wife's will to say no. I have enough room for another dog, a pool for a Lab to swim in, and plenty of cats to chase. Sounds like Dog Heaven to me.
My girlfriend's previous ACD had a docked tail. To me, I think they look better with the tail....you can really tell her mood with it.
As for things in common, well, she is very easy to teach to do tricks. She can bark without voice (speak soft), sits up, lays down, rolls ever, barks angrily when I say Democrat and many other things. She loves to chew the fuzz off tennis balls, or pop them in her mouth. She has a big, hard plastic herding ball she just goes nuts for and herds all over the local schoolyard.
She doesnt do a thing to my underwear hehe
She likes to sleep by the door, so she helps keep the cold out ;) Umm, what else...she loves her cats, and its funny to watch her herd them around.
She's very mellow about her food, if one of the cats is in her bowl, she is very passive about. She's really not agressive in any way. She loves the mailman, and he loves her....the only annoying trait Chloe has is she is a barker. Put her in the car and she is a nervous ninny. She loves it, she just cant control her excitement.
She knows many words....god forbid someone say "go" in my house. We found hotdogs and one of those clickers work great in training her.
Finally, you can see her working things out in her mind we she noodles her head sideways....hehe....hard to explain, but I think you know what I mean
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oooo! oooo! Lookit my girl!
Your dogs are cute and all, but they don't hold candle to this supermodel!
(http://www.luftjagerkorps.com/posts/mchann_99.gif)
McHann - summer of '99
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Originally posted by Zaphod
Vicious ain't he? lol My wife was afraid of em when I first got him. She has since got used to him (obviously).
Wow! Can't blame your wife of fearing that dog. Sure has quite cruel look! You don't get much " ppl around you, do you? :D
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Elfen,
Showed the girls your dogs picture, just amazed how much they look alike.
Here's another :)
(http://www.countrykennel.net/chloe1201.JPG)
Both of our ACDs have the double-mask!
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looks like a fat, happy sausage :D
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LOL
Speaking of, how's that pup of yours doing?
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Bradley took about 3 seconds to become part of the family. He loves walks (typical Lab-on-a-leash problems, but that will pass) He is so even-tempered it is amazing. Not phazed by other dogs or little kids or ....well, haven't introduced him to the cats quite yet. I tried to get him to jump in the pool this weekend, nothing doing. I think he's waiting for warmer weather. Sits next to me when I fly, or sit at the puter....great bud to have around.
Bradley eyeing the pool / big water dish.
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Trust on this one... as I mentioned before, get rid of the slip chain collar and put a Halti on him. End of the "lab on leash" problem in about 15 mintues. Very humane as well. You'll believe in miracles. ;)
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Cute lab. Its also nice you rescued him off the shelter instead of buying it from an expensive snubby breeder.
We should do an underground dog fight on the 2003 con.
My bull terrier will pwnz0r all those whiney dumb labs.
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cc Toad, bought the Halti, but haven't used it for long. He hates it with a passion, and seems to be one of the escape artists mentioned in the directions. We're getting there though.
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Have you tried the 'self training' collars (you know, the ones that look like some sort of medieval torture device, with the chain link 'teeth'?) I've read some studies that they are much, much more humane than a regular collar, or a choke chain, and prevent long term damage in dogs that like to pull.
I was skeptical, but I tried one out because the dog would pull so hard sometimes that she would get all wheezy from choking herself (on a normal collar). Went to the self training collar, she tried to pull once, immediately stopped, and when she has it on now, she doesn't pull - she's not in any pain, isn't damaging herself like she was before, and walks are about 100x more enjoyable for me now too.
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:mad: I need some info about labrador puppies personality's. Like does the first born take on the role of being aggresive, or does the runt? Can anything in the early age determind the future personality of the dog?
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Yes, indeed.
Go here to get a rough idea of "puppy personality".
PUPPY APTITUDE TEST (http://www.golden-retriever.com/pat1.html)
And then go get a copy of "The Art of Raising A Puppy" by the Monks of New Skete.
"Art" from Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0316578398/002-2586095-9579239?vi=glance#product-details)
You need to pick a pup that will suit YOUR personality and will be capable of doing what you want it to do. For example, a timid pup isn't going to be a Field Trial Champion in most instances. The boldest, most agressive pup in the litter may not be right for you if you have little kids right now.
The Monks book covers this pretty well, with more detail than most Retriever books. I do like
Retriever Training: A Back-To-Basics Approach (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1572233915/qid=1046326187/sr=2-3/ref=sr_2_3/002-2586095-9579239)
quite a bit as well. Milner is very good and he covers this topic lightly but with enough detail to help you out.
Good luck!
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My Chocolate Lab, Riley, is so far so good at 13 weeks. Very loving, friendly and intelligent. Right now he either eats like a horse, sleeps or is wound up like a top!
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Though she's no longer with me, she was the best danged dog I ever had.
(http://members.cox.net/barking.pig/images/casey.jpg)
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You guys are killing me! ;)
My wife and I are looking to get an Aussie Shepard/Healer mix in the next few weeks. It'll be her's and my step-daughter's dog.
Then, when we move into a house, I get my lab! Can't wait. I've hunted over springers, GSP's, and English setters, but I want a lab. Most of my bird hunting is dove, so I need a retriever more than a pointer or flusher.
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Meet Kate, the newest part-owner of the guy that works for three yellow labs.
She's been pretty easy on me so far.
Pure English lines, she was the reason for my recent trip to England. Betrothed to Chief, the yellow lab in the "pointing picture" upthread.
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Yes, she likes to retrieve.
;)
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did someone mention Labs?
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My ex-Girlfriend who lived with me had a white lab (yes, I know its supposed to be yellow, but this dog was almost pure white) and it was a great dog. A little sappy, but a very good dog. My only complaint was that it heavily shed constantly all year long. You could vacuum the carpet, and within two hours it would be covered in a sheen of white lab fur. Its been almost two years since she moved out, and I still find white lab fur in my house. Midnight, 111 pounds? wow thats a BIG lab.
Me personally, am more a Boxer type. I've had 3, and I like them a little more than the Labs. Speaking of hunting dogs, ever heard of a Boxer that would track and point at rabbits? SWEAR to god, I'm not kidding. First boxer I've seen that acted like a hunting dog.
Here's my baby, just a little over 2 now. She's small for a boxer at only 55-60 pounds (I had one male at 100+) but a great dog. And tell me THIS isn't cute ;)
Blatant cute puppy shot !
(http://www.vermin.net/chris/puppy.jpg)
And a few more recent shots
(http://www.vermin.net/chris/puppy-2.jpg)
(http://www.vermin.net/chris/puppy-3.jpg)
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just had to show you dolf and friend
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he he
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Originally posted by midnight Target
There is one available at our local shelter. Black, Male, Slightly overweight, sweet disposition....3 yrs old, I'm caving...someone talk me out of it. I love Labs!!!
Go save heem!
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Here is my girl...fetching...and eating snowballs last winter.
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