Top Dog Why Americans love Labrador retrievers.

Slate ^ | July 14, 2005 | Brendan I. Koerner

[iconoclast]

Wrongly guessed you had them serially.

They're not noted for gettin along real good together.

[LoneConservative]

MY GOD...
My wife & I adopted a lab mix from North Shoree Animal League a little over a year ago- I swear, your dog is a younger version of Rocky.

I've always figured he's half-hound- When he doesn't bark, he yowls, growls & makes all kinds of strange noises.

LC

[GraceCoolidge]

Interesting. From what I'd read, I too thought the basenji would be a great choice, but they do sound quite high maintenance. The biggest problem I saw was the climbing. I've always had fenced areas for my dogs, and I read that a basenji can get out of anything. That would be a deal breaker for me!

[HairOfTheDog]

Actually, if you can evaluate an adult dog, it's more certain than raising one from a pup is. But dalmations are pretty high energy... FAR more than a lab, and some suffer from the same syndrome as any of the breeds that have been bred more for color than for the content of their character. Sometimes you get some very pretty dogs that are just dumber than a sack of hair. ;~D

[Darnright]

>I agree, mutts make fine pets for most people, I currently have two... but they are the byproduct of irresponsibility, not a better way.<

Amen. Every time I go to the local shelter, the dogs there are mostly larger (50 pounds and up) mixes. Put the blame where it belongs, on the irresponsible people not spaying and neutering their mixed breeds and pet quality purebreds, not on responsible breeders of purebreds, some of which are extremely rare, and have existed for thousands of years, like the Pharoah Hound, the Saluki, and the Xoloitzcuintli.

[AnAmericanMother]

I second HOTD (she's almost always right about this stuff, guys!)

Purebred dogs, bred properly, have a purpose dependent on their breed. Retrieving, pointing, scenting, digging . . . they exist for a reason. The various dog clubs and breed societies exist to "improve the breed" - to make it better at what it does.

Now here's a fine example of a Labrador Retriever (modest blush - aw, c'mon who am I fooling - I am nuts about this dog) my little Chocolate is the product of two interesting bloodlines that aren't often crossed. Her father is a fine show dog but with some hunting background, a splendid temperament but a BIT of a couch potato. Her mother is a daughter of the only Chocolate Lab ever to win a national field trial title, bred to a Candlewoods dog (the kennel that has had 19 national field champions in 25 years). She has the loving temperament of her father, but the drive and energy of her mother's bloodlines. A bit of a live wire to have in the house, but she is the poster child for "performance dog."

She is very true to her breeding - agile and willing and gun staunch and HOT to retrieve. And as you can see, she is a little bit of a thing for a Lab - 45 pounds. Again, this was predictable - she has the short stature of her father with the leanness of her mother.

"Purebred" dogs that are spat out by puppy mills or the product of "we want the kids to see a litter" are another story. They are worthless for many reasons - health problems, temperament problems, lack of the breed's good qualities - and should be actively discouraged.

[Babu]

... big dogs (labs in particular) are much better for kids, as a rule, than little dogs.

Righto! Another breed with a really sweet disposition that are great with kids is the Boxer. I have had several, and they really love kids. Kids can beat on them, pull their ears, tails, whatever, and they won't react. Boxers are great family dogs, very playful, even when older, they still will be playful like a puppy. (And the short hair is a plus around the house!)

[Corin Stormhands]

I'll file that away. But Sam's got some good years left in him. And, as of right now, there are no plans for a replacement.

[MarineBrat]

Our Lab LOVES the water, LOVES to get a bath, and most of all LOVES to get toweled off when she's done getting a bath!

Even when the pool's 40 degrees she'll not hesitate a second. The German Shorthair loves the pool also, but doesn't like a bath. She doesn't go in the pool until it's > 70 degrees.

[Eva]

I had the biggest Springer that anyone had ever seen, over weight but just big, too. The vet finally put him on thyroid medication and he slimmed down immediately. The Vet said that Springers can sometimes be prone to underactive thyroids. Unfortunately, they are also prone irritable bowel syndrome and allergies.

[billnaz]

Yep, Labs are great dogs. But my favorite is the little wirehaired dachshund/cocker/poodle/lhasa apso that hops up in the easy chair with me to watch Fox News Channel in the evenings. Besides, he's a great home security system, and he works for dog food.

[Capriole]

And my basenji, unlike yours, loves to swim! I can hardly keep him out of the stream and large ponds near our house, especially if there are geese or beavers for him to go after in the water. He enjoys fishing in the shallows. He actually dived underwater and killed a juvenile beaver (I think--at least, he dived underwater and came back up, very laboriously, with a small beaver.) I would love to try him out in a swimming pool but don't know anybody who'd let me swim my dog in their pool.

He detests baths, like any self-respecting dog, but unlike your dog he needs them frequently after rolling in dead game, playing in mud with my little boy, or swimming in aforementioned pond.

[HairOfTheDog]

(she's almost always right about this stuff, guys!)

Now.... about the fighting breeds ;~D

[StuLongIsland]

I live in an apartment building (co-op, I own). They don't allow dogs in the building, would love to have a dog, Lab preferred. Probably no way to get a dog unless I sell the place and move, can't afford that, oh well :( I keep thinking of moving just for pet ownership Always had dogs growing up. :( Wonder if there is a way around the rules..

[mtngrl@vrwc]

"Sometimes when I'm sitting at the computer monitor at home, he'll come into the room and stare at me, as if he is trying to communicate to me telepathically."

He's saying, "Get off of that computer and come throw me the frisbeeeeee!!!!" Lol!

I have a yellow lab and fetching or swimming at the lake is never far from her mind. :-)

[Varmint Al]

Bart's puppy picture.

Bart and Tide when Tide was about 12 weeks old.

Tide at 2 years old.

Tide's profile at 2 years old

Happiness is a couple of Labs. Bart's Page: http://www.varmintal.com/abart.htm

Good Hunting... from Varmint Al

[mtngrl@vrwc]

"We keep talking about getting a lab puppy (my parents have had several black labs and love them), but I'm not ready to have black fur everywhere."

Then get a yellow lab!

[MarineBrat]

Here's a picture of Hanoi John's dog...

[AnAmericanMother]

LOL! My Lab enters the water like "September Morn."

[the OlLine Rebel]

"It is backyard breeders who are ~not~ trying to perfect their breed who need to stop."

That's arguable, tho. There is a real problem w/"legitimate" breeders. They are often the very 1s to blame for the breed going downhill. In America, THEY are the 1s who decide what they like as far as looks mostly, and sometimes temperament (let's make them all submissive goofy lap dogs), and so goes the breed as a whole. They gather together in breed clubs and all agree on their preference - regardless of old standard - and work only to pass their own criteria in mere conformation (questionable itself) shows. They don't care about work. That's a joke.

They are ruining my GS, and I would much prefer the "low-bred" GS to the 1s who actually win AKC shows. If they have papers and look like a GS, so be it!