My neighbor has three lab-chow mix female puppies. The look cute; what five week old puppy doesn't? My kids are going nuts begging to have a puppy. I actually have been planning to get a puppy -- maybe a purebred lab or a standard poodle. The chow part makes me nervous, but they've been raised in a family home with children. Any thoughts on a chow-lab mix?
Chows are notoriously "face biters" but a Lab Mix tempers most bad traits in a breed.
I bet they are awesome.... Puppies are so darn cute!
How old are the kids!
"Any thoughts on a chow-lab mix?"
I have one. She was sort of star-crossed as a puppy, but is a very sweet-natured adult. Her Chow nature and her Lab nature do tend to battle one another, though. She's not quite as sociable with strangers as my full Lab is, but I wouldn't call her disagreeable, just a little standoffish. She *wants* to like water, but hates getting her feet wet, which is comical to watch. She's a "licker," which feels wonderful on tired, hot feet, but some people think that's disgusting (I don't, fortunately). I love her and have no regrets, but will admit that I wondered what I had taken on, when she was around nine months to a year old. A lot of it boils down to how much time you have to work with the puppy, so it grows up knowing how it's expected to behave.
I had a chow lab mix. His name was Festus. Great dog. Only time he nipped at anyone was when the cable guy accidently dropped his drill on festus' head. Was great with kids. 5 year old neighbor girl got such a bang when she'd come over and tell him to sit and he would. Not nearly as rambunctious as a pure lab.
Big paws, big wag. Invest in a good garden hose and keep all breakables higher than your head.
While you're at it, invest in Kodak stock. Chow-Lab mixes tend to be amazingly gorgeous animals.