You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
What's good and bad about them?
4 legs
get fat
eat
shit
bark
need exercise
People dogs. Check hip score though.
Good = almost everything
Bad = hairy, mega mega hairy..
Show bred labrador = nowadays looks more like a rottweiler
Working bred labradors = often looks more like a whippet
You want to aim for the middle ground if you actually want a labrador
Stink.
Eat their own shit.
Very friendly and good with old and young people. Boisterous though so although unlikely to hurt a child, reasonably likely to bump them over then sit on them, tail wagging and looking very please with themselves.
Bloody lovely, miss mine so much.
Only get fat if give in to *that* look they give you (and the big drooly mouth) and lack of exercise.
They love water and mud so prepare for the mess
Good point - Born half-trained, easily trained, loyal.
Bad points - Can become obsessed with treats, easily put weight on, as said earlier - hairy, bloody hairy, mine shed's a coat when the weather changes.
Bloody popular for a reason. Loads of different characters, brilliant but boisterous. eat like nutters. some eat everything. Not all as soft and dopey as they are made out to be.
Look at lab crosses as well.
Due to complete lack of pics I better start it off.
My alfie, Lab X rotti. bloody beautiful.
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4139/4743883776_547922ce0b_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4139/4743883776_547922ce0b_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/8ecDnA ]DSC_21911601[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/evilgoat/ ]Evil Goat[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2577/4032438203_58a6944817_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2577/4032438203_58a6944817_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/79kioB ]Dozy Alfred[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/evilgoat/ ]Evil Goat[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://c5.staticflickr.com/5/4060/4495150692_977b3b4296_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://c5.staticflickr.com/5/4060/4495150692_977b3b4296_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/7RdPG9 ]Noble 2[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/evilgoat/ ]Evil Goat[/url], on Flickr
Lovely dogs -almost as good as retrievers!!!
The ones I've known have always ended up fat and unable to walk properly at a 'too early' age.
Oh and they seem to eat constantly and their shits are massive - the latter two may be linked.
Spaniel FTW 🙂
Edit: I like Alfie ..... good merger there.
All the above really. Ours is a lovely natured dog and is great with my 2 year old. Very loyal and protective but soft as anything. Always ready for attention but doesn't demand it 24/7.
Bad bits, greedy and is a pest when food's about. I blame our lass for spoiling her but I get bored of tripping over the dog in the kitchen. They need a decent amount of exercise and will let you know if they have not had enough. Ours just repeatedly puts her tennis ball on your lap! Whatever the weather you need to be out in it for an hour or two which sends you mad after a winter like we've had.
I agree with Sharkbait, Spaniels (in our case working cocker variety) are the way forward, similar temperament (in my experience) and shed a lot less (again in my experience). Labs are undoubtedly easier to train but the majority of the ones I see are overweight.
[img] 
[/img]
our spaniel playing in the snow
[img][url= https://c7.staticflickr.com/8/7450/27335920262_0fcbdbc13b_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://c7.staticflickr.com/8/7450/27335920262_0fcbdbc13b_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/HDzJJ3 ]555034_4184290851783_1345117414_n[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/143476309@N03/ ]Graham Pickup[/url], on Flickr[/img]
Scooby is ace and at 6 is not in the least bit fat(28kg) but they love their food so you need to be strict. Labs are a big comitment excerise wise but great fun. If they get bored they can be destructive. They are either nuts (like ours) or chilled
He likes snow too
[img][url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7342/27400882296_af73c0cc91_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7342/27400882296_af73c0cc91_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/HKjFF7 ]408444_10200422618274247_70277850_n[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/143476309@N03/ ]Graham Pickup[/url], on Flickr[/img]
brought up with Labradors, absolutely lovely dogs.
the only problem we've had is bad hips have meant lack of ability to walk them (properly) and lack of exercise combined with wanting to eat (and eat and eat and eat) make it a vicious circle.
parents current one is fine with no hip/weight issues at all.
They're the most popular dog for a reason!
Upsides - pretty much everything! Training, good with kids, loyal, loving, happy, not agressive, doesn't bark, loves slouching on the sofa as much as he loves being outside, will sit in the car for 5 hours on the way to a trip
Downsides - lots of hair, flaps his ears at the top of the stairs which used the wake the kids up (they now sleep through this), need multiple pairs of slippers so you can make up a full set, insatiable appetite, like fox poo when he can find it, likes getting in the water so often needs to be dried off (though often just his legs)
Mine is a working lab, is about 34kg but is well very proportioned and not overweight in the slightest. I'm careful about how he's fed and he gets a bike ride with me or a run with my wife
Pic from a few years ago
[URL= http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s189/ben_p1/65A37DDF-16D4-4EB5-BE0B-B734B0E0FA3F-2791-00000197426B97CA.jp g" target="_blank">
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s189/ben_p1/65A37DDF-16D4-4EB5-BE0B-B734B0E0FA3F-2791-00000197426B97CA.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
Fat labs = poor owners. Give the exercise and feed them less. It's not hard and it's your responsibility.
I have had loads of dogs over the years, may cross breeds and a number of terriers. Latest dog (2.5yrs old now) being a Cocker Spaniel. Would never have another breed, except maybe a Springer.
Edit: never met a Lab I didnt like though 🙂
lovely dogs, grew up with them, absolutely fantastic companions.
They will eat anything. Friends of ours had a labrador that ate itself to death. 😯
the most lovable of dogs
[url= https://c8.staticflickr.com/1/728/20283855223_e705c8a543_b.jpg [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/wUq4tM ]cidImage_FOTFF27.JPG" target="_blank">https://c8.staticflickr.com/1/728/20283855223_e705c8a543_b.jpg [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/wUq4tM ]cidImage_FOTFF27.JPG"/> [/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/91703444@N06/ ]20ston[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/467/19146502592_aa19fa239f_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/467/19146502592_aa19fa239f_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/vaUQaE ]DSCN0016[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/91703444@N06/ ]20ston[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8655/16052797858_f7e3c52704_b.jpg [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/qswMwS ]cidImage_FOTFAE1.JPG" target="_blank">https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8655/16052797858_f7e3c52704_b.jpg [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/qswMwS ]cidImage_FOTFAE1.JPG"/> [/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/91703444@N06/ ]20ston[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8546/8689012673_4676e320b7_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8546/8689012673_4676e320b7_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/eePsKk ]28.04.13 bones 002[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/91703444@N06/ ]20ston[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8125/8656301828_4a7a761302_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8125/8656301828_4a7a761302_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/ebVNXf ]16.04.13 payday 002[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/91703444@N06/ ]20ston[/url], on Flickr
Dog threads are like fat bike threads.
I open them out of curiosity as I know there is no place or money for them in my life, and end up figuring out how I could manage to fit one in.
Lovely family dogs. We got a show bred one (met breeder at Crufts), really beautiful with a great character. Ours was never overweight, we fed her twice a day exactly as advised, dry food accurately measured. Labs will eat and eat and always claim to be hungry - this needs to be ignored.
Against, it's a large dog so for somewhat's an issue. Can have hip problems. Will break your heart when they pass away.
The downsides of a people dog is if people can't be constantly around them - as a kid I watched our neighbour's Lab go slowly mad being left alone all day
(mind you our cat probably didn't help by wandering around his house whilst he was tethered up outside, that and sitting just beyond the end of the tether)
Always loved labs and then my inlaws always had springers, which are also great, so when I was finally able to have a dog I got a labradinger!
All the main plus and minus points have been covered but I would like to add that they're not very fluffy. This may or may not be important. They have very oily fur (for the water). We've always had retrievers and spaniels, which are fluffier. As are any of the poodle crosses. In short:
labradors - not fluffy
retrievers and spaniels - fluffy
Charlie is a lab springer x . All the energy of a springer and the appetite of a lab . Lovely nature and has been great with our little boy . Will run all day and happily run with me on the bike although i only really take her on short bursts of a couple of hours but equally will spend all day on the sofa if you let her . Only annoying thing is her obsession with sticks , have tried to break it but to no avail , can be a bit annoying when your out on the bike with her and she is carrying a 6 foot branch in her gob
[img] 
[/img]
Our lab moved on from sticks/branches/trees to rocks
He likes picking up rocks, he goes in the stream to get a new one if the one from the previous day has gone missing. He's been known to run around with a brick and an even a broken bottle (that got taken off him pretty quickly!)
My wife was talking about getting a 2nd dog last night, I was saying no all the way through but I've been thinking about it a lot since!
greedy
[URL= http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv167/porter_jamie/FB_IMG_1443864934287_zpspk8gfaot.jp g" target="_blank">
http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv167/porter_jamie/FB_IMG_1443864934287_zpspk8gfaot.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
fairly naughty
[URL= http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv167/porter_jamie/2012-09-28_16-14-18_805.jp g" target="_blank">
http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv167/porter_jamie/2012-09-28_16-14-18_805.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
smelly[URL= http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv167/porter_jamie/mlb_zpsxpjpf4ei.jp g" target="_blank">
http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv167/porter_jamie/mlb_zpsxpjpf4ei.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
and the hair. soooo much hair
They don't all get fat and die early, We lost Lucy last Christmas, 23yrs old, the vet was as upset as us,
She was the wife's ironman training partner for years, would run and swim all day long, eat anything and everything and never showed any aggression towards anything, top dog
RIP Lucy irondog..
[URL= http://i937.photobucket.com/albums/ad220/khani123123/4aba3039a3a2db0193b4f75c1edad263_zpsdbb17293.jp g" target="_blank">
http://i937.photobucket.com/albums/ad220/khani123123/4aba3039a3a2db0193b4f75c1edad263_zpsdbb17293.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
But by **** she was hairy...
They're intelligent, very loyal, love to smile and play. They do everything with us. They love to camp, swim, run on the bike with me (short distances) hiking, heck I wouldn't be surprised if Sassy wen't kayaking with us lol. They do get into shenanigans from time to time though, our lab always gets into accidents, she's pretty clumsy but goofy like that. Depends how you raise them really!
They all seem to have a great sense of humour.
Particularly fond of farty jokes.
I forgot to mention, my lab pulls me up hills when we're hiking. He also pulls me along flat sections when we're cycling
We have a deal. He pulls me up stuff, I carry his kit
I have an amazing video of him pulling me along on a bike, which is towing my 2 kids in a double trailer. It's the very definition of awsumz
They all seem to have a great sense of humour.
Particularly fond of farty jokes.
😀
Telling them that is. Also useful to be able to blame the dog !
We've got a working lab and she's perfect: not to large/chunky (circa 25kg), sheds hair but not excessive, not especially greedy but likes the odd treat, and she is a proper softy, friendly & loyal.
She does love mud though so spends most of her time looking like this...
[img] 
[/img]
😀
The ones I've known have always ended up fat and unable to walk properly at a 'too early' age.
Oh and they seem to eat constantly and their shits are massive - the latter two [s]may be[/s] are most definitely linked.
Very intelligent dogs, will do anything for food, which is why they're so easily trained; it's why they're the ideal dogs for hearing and sight-impaired people. Very, very loyal as well, the best dogs are a Lab/Retriever cross, as this mix gets the best of both breeds.
This I've learned through contact with Guide Dogs trainers, who we deal with at work.
One story about a guide dog was both heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time; the owner, on their way home on the Tube, felt there was something not right about the dog, and managed to get in touch with their GD contact, who told him/her to try to get home as safely as possible, meanwhile they'd contact a vet. The owner got home, and let the dog off its harness, it went to its bed, and died!
Not difficult to imagine the reaction of the owner, but it shows just how loyal an animal can be.
They have the fat gene according to science, but i just think of them as totally huggable fur balls
Imagine living with a four legged Binner (heaven).
No food will ever go to waste
[URL= http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y176/joolsburger/110_zps69133894.jp g" target="_blank">
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y176/joolsburger/110_zps69133894.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
In their natural position. Mine's 13 now and she is slowing down due to arthritis but the desire to swim, chase balls and eat like a pig is undiminished. She is a perfect dog in every way bar one, when she drops her coat (twice a year) the amount of fur around is incredible. I can brush out a tesco bag every day and that lasts two to four weeks at a time.
Also she is a drake, a small working lab, so she is tiny in comparison to other labs. We feed all three of our dogs carefully so they don't get fat but they do steal food given the chance.
Labradors are ACE 😀
[url= https://c7.staticflickr.com/4/3814/9849075014_cf77d33c86_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://c7.staticflickr.com/4/3814/9849075014_cf77d33c86_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/g1k5Sb ]263[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/31852911@N07/ ]Marcus[/url], on Flickr
Even wet stinky ones...
[url= https://c7.staticflickr.com/2/1576/25813529966_700dfbe75f_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://c7.staticflickr.com/2/1576/25813529966_700dfbe75f_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/Fk468u ]76[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/31852911@N07/ ]Marcus[/url], on Flickr
Brilliant dogs.
My family have always had them. They're easy, silly and greedy pigs if you're not careful so can get a bit fat, especially with old age. My aunts dog Pepper is right now and is still a giant puppy at heart but is fab with our little boy who loves here.
When the time is right, they'll be high up on the dig list.
Our choccy lab is 9 years old, she has a fantastic temperament, the least aggressive dog we've ever encountered - annoys my wife that she's totally besotted with me! Downside is she eats poo and sometimes barfs it up on the carpet 🙁 She also has a chronic irritable skin condition requiring steroids that means she's now going bald - took years to find the right treatment as she'd lick/chew the skin of her paws raw. My wife's sister has her litter brother - just had a £6k vet bill following a near-fatal liver condition as a result of eating something...he was staying with us puking and passing blood - luckily a referral to Royal Veterinary College saved his life as the ordinary vets were useless. We've also got a basset hound and had other hounds previously - for character, fun and loyalty they're 10x better than labs, but not exactly obedient.
The greedy trait is from a faulty gene. It may be possible to avoid...
Magnetodog is a Lab retriever
He is ace!!
Very smart with the propensity to be equally stupid. My boy is 6 and still a teenager. Great with kids, my 4yr and 8month old love him, he loves them, they both give as good as they get.
I run XC 5km's with mine, he loves it. Loves a trail ride too but no more than 20km and he needs water stops.
Truly a best friend. Like a best friend, he'll annoy you from time to time. Loves mud, water and fresh horse sh*t.
I like Labradors ...
Actually I just like all dogs & cats ...
Did we do the video of Stella yet 🙂
@khani you just made my day. Mine is 5 and I'm always worrying what I'll do when he's not there anymore, if he gets to 23 I'll be delighted.
Black labs in particular seem to be a bit more nuts than the yellow ones I've met. Mine is a big working dog, 34kg, not fat but only because we measure his food and he gets a lot of exercise. Too smart by far and can be adorably demanding.
Great with kids but doesn't like strange large men (I've met other black labs with same trait). Generally very quiet unless someone is at the front door, then he barks nervously. Mine will not steal food but will sit in front of the oven when I'm baking cakes and then runs back and forward between rooms to find me when the buzzer goes off.
Be sure that you're up for:
- being told when it's feeding time (twice per day)
- lots of exercise (mine has to carry a ball everywhere) - about 2 hrs per day.
- drooling around food
- put the effort in to train when young, particularly walking on a lead and recalls.
- those big puppy eyes telling you he wants something
- not leaving him alone all day every day unless you tire him out first.
Mines 10 and is terribly lame with hip dysplaysia.. Its probably his last summer 😥
Hes been an awesumz dog though.. amazingly loyal, perfect guard dog (protective but not aggressive) and has been so good with 3 small children even though he is in discomfort / pain. He's also very Hairy, has a tendency to steal toast off the children, seems to be a flea magnet, and will do anything for a dentastix.
[URL= http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc310/jenga101/DSC_0676_zps3303ce1b.jp g" target="_blank">
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc310/jenga101/DSC_0676_zps3303ce1b.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
[URL= http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc310/jenga101/311597_10151092973576869_1384444289_n.jp g" target="_blank">
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc310/jenga101/311597_10151092973576869_1384444289_n.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
Nothing more to add so I will just post a pic of my terrible twosome
[IMG] 
[/IMG]
Despite having a bed each, they often end up like this. They are ace 😀
I have got a working Lab and he is great at bricklaying. Shame really because I am a Painter!