Posted on 07/14/2005 7:15:45 AM PDT by libstripper
Not too long ago, Labrador retrievers were considered a tad exotic. In the 1950s, the sporty mid-size breed was a suburban rarity, popular mainly among upper-crust Anglophiles who liked the idea of owning a dignified hunting dog. Today, however, Labs are the Levi's jeans of purebred dogs. They've topped the American Kennel Club's list of registered canines for 12 years straight. And not just topped, but dominated: The number of registered Labs is nearly three times the number of golden retrievers, the second most popular dog on the list
(Excerpt) Read more at slate.com ...
CORGI??? I have a tri color Corgi who along with my yellow LAB are the funniest pair of dogs. Have fun with your pup.
??? The beagle is a totally different creature from the other two!
My dog of choice is a boxer. Wonderful, wonderful pets. Mine were six when our first child was born and they adored him. He had some trouble when he first started walking outside because they hovered over him so protectively, and when he fell over, he got the full licky assault. We lost one of our beautiful girls last fall, but her sister is still going strong and plotting opportunities to lick our eleven month old every chance she gets!
I've always said Americans (not any1 else) are making the German Shepherd go the way exactly of the Irish Setter. Hell, they (the American types) are as skinny and over-tall as the latter have become!
We just brought one home last Friday, having lost our 14 year old yellow lab last October. She's a keeper.
I have had two dogs. One a black lab/golden mix. My new dog is a lab (white coat, probably mixed with something else. He's almost as wonderful as the first dog. Except when he runs off to play with the pit bull next door, he is usually obediant. The other day the silly dog actually gave me a "high five" when I told him, "High paw." What he has been taught did not take a long time to teach. I wish my children would listen as well as he does.
It's still a dog. :)
If anyone is looking for a fantastic pet--go for goldendoodle or as another poster mentioned, a labradoodle. These dogs have the personality of a retriever and the non-shedding coat and intellect of a poodle. They grow to be the size of a regular retriever, but are the smartest, friendliest dogs around-Not to mention the cutest as puppies. Granted, the name is kind of hokey, but the dog is definitely a prize.
"Our lab dislikes water."
We call that a cat.
This is my labradoodle, Ginger. She is absolutely the sweetest of the many dogs I have had. Her father is a white standard poodle, and the mother is a yellow lab.
She has the most laid back personality and is great with all our grandkids--from the youngest to the oldest. She is just past a year old now.
Sam and I agree. He's part Husky as well. But he's got a great personality. We got him for our oldest son before we knew another kid was coming along. We might have reconsidered getting such a big dog.
BUT, Sam was always gentle with the baby. Even when as a toddler, our son would play pretty rough. But Sam always knew which toys were his and which ones were our son's. He never chewed them (earlier puppy years were a different story).
Now, he's a companion to my mother-in-law who lives with us. He checks up on her.
Recenlty when our (now) five-year-old was downstairs by himself and Nana hadn't come down yet, Sam went upstairs and barked until Nana came down to be with our son.
Family is all gone this week and Sam has been noticably subdued. He misses them.
She knows how to use it too. I can find her beside our clean clothes basket, with socks all around her, and she'll look up with a "how could you ever be mad at me" look.
I've had dogs my entire life from beagles to labs to German Shepards. But the best, best dog that I ever had was a German Shepard/Collie mix. Gosh, what a wonderful dog and companion. Had him before Mrs. Lando and I had kids. We lost him last fall - 14 years - and I still grieve.
Now we have a shepard/husky mix, a Fox Terrier/Chihuahua mix (survives on the "cute" factor) and a pedigreed Shetland Sheepdog. The pure bred is the one that needs constant vet maintenance. The mix breeds are best.
Lando
I think it is shameful the number of unwanted dogs we put down each year, but you're placing the blame in the wrong place. It is backyard breeders who are ~not~ trying to perfect their breed who need to stop. There is a legitimate function for many of the purebred dogs, be it hunting, or police work, herding, or search and rescue. Most had or have a legitimate historical purpose that was worth honing, and those specific types are worth preserving. It is the irresponsible breeding of mutts and unremarkable backyard purebreds that needs to stop.
I agree, mutts make fine pets for most people, I currently have two... but they are the byproduct of irresponsibility, not a better way. Fight for spaying/neutering of pets.... Argue with friends who want to breed their backyard dog just for the fun of it or because they can make a few hundred bucks.
>They won't be much scared of any "yella" Lab!<
A couple of years ago, a local dog club put on a Temperament Test. One of the dogs tested was an elderly yellow Lab, accompianied by her elderly owner.
The last test involved a "suspicious stranger", who hits the ground with a riding crop. When the weirdo came out from his hiding place, the Lab looked visibly alarmed. She then very deliberately placed her full body in front of her beloved master.
There was not a dry eye in the crowd.
The basenji sounds like the perfect dog....in theory. Barkless, odorless, don't shed too much, not too big, etc. But they are both sighthounds and scenthounds and very active. Definitely escape artists!!! Oh, forgot to mention that they are the epitome of stubborn too. Listed as the 2nd hardest breed to train, next to a borzoi.
I "inherited" my basenji from my brother and his wife after they had kids.
Best canine swim instructor is another water-crazy Lab. After watching the other dog have SO much fun leaping into the water, the water-shy dog will usually venture into the shallows. Once they get to racing each other to the bumper or tennis ball, the deal is done.
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