would like info on labradors

 Bear in mind I am speaking from experience with my one lab whom I have raised from puppyhood...

Lab puppies ARE a handful, I will grant that.  They need exercise and running around the yard won't cut it, so your SIL has to be committed to taking the dog somewhere it can run flat out.  At the same time they are a breed prone to joint issues, so how much exercise they get, and exercise of the right type, has to be carefully monitored when they are young.  

IME, the worst age starts at about 7 months and lasts until 13-14 months.  I was actually warned by my trainer on our first day of puppy class, that the trouble would start at 7 months.  She was right almost down to the day.  However, he did chill out and he really is a very mellow laid back dog now and has been for quite some time.  (He's 2.5.) Training and NILIF goes a long, long way towards minimising the craziness, as does wearing the dog out mentally and physically.

As for your worry about small dogs, all I can say is that Ben has NEVER roughhoused with a small dog unless that dog initiated it and even then, he lays down to get to their level and plays bitey-face, rather than actual wrestling.  Almost all of the big, rough-and-tumble dogs I know have an inherent sense about small dogs and adjust their play style accordingly, so yes it IS possible to keep the lab from pushing your dogs around. 

Labs.....they do not grow out of the puppy stage until they are well past the 4 year mark, they shed like its going out of style, they are the goofiest(is that a word? lol) dogs you can ever meet, if you have nick-nack and breakables on a coffee table - move them, like now, a Lab's tail is a deadly weapon of mass distruction to items on coffee tables, they are easy(ish) to train, they can be escape artistes, they can gain weight **very** easily, the think every toy is they'res, they are anyones friend, and, they are overall great dogs.

As for the rough-housing - yes, it can be done, but, it is *******VERY******** difficult and requires lots of time and training.

Would she consider adopting a Lab(mix) puppy? They're are ***tons*** in shelters, basicly everywhere - Labs and Pit's are probably one of the most common shelter-dogs, some are mixed and some are pure.

Point out that with the gene-pool of pure-breds, they are more likely to get some serious diseases, unlike a mix - which have less of a chance due to a larger gene-pool.....maybe that could help her if she's not into adopting.

misstrouble

Point out that with the gene-pool of pure-breds, they are more likely to get some serious diseases, unlike a mix - which have less of a chance due to a larger gene-pool.....maybe that could help her if she's not into adopting.

I'm all for adopting a rescue dog, and in this case, adopting a somewhat older lab that has outgrown the puppy crazies might be a good option. But please don't perpetuate the myth that randomly bred mixed breeds are likely to be healthier than a pure bred from health screened parents. There MIGHT be a statistically lower incidence of genetic diseases in mixed breeds, although I've yet to see a truly definitive study demonstrating that. But even if the odds are somewhat better with a mixed breed, I've seen soooo many mixed breeds with bad hips, seizures, skin diseases, intractable allergies and on and on that I don't think the difference is enough to justify choosing a mixed breed for health reasons alone. Again, I'm all for adopting rescue dogs, including mixed breeds. Just don't do it because of some alleged health benefit, because the odds of being disappointed on that score are pretty high.

As to the original question - well bred labs are sweet dogs, but often they are perpetual motion machines until they are a couple years old. You won't tire a lab out by tossing the ball for it for a couple hours, much less by sticking him out in the back yard and expecting him to do laps until he's tired. He'll tire himself out by eating the swing set, climbing the fence, digging up the maple tree, and barking at squirrels, pedestrians, and air instead. They need mental as well as physical exercise and that means the owner is going to have to spend time interacting with the dog. I think labs are cool dogs, and there are good reasons why they are so popular. But there are sad reasons why they so frequently end up in shelters at about 7 to 10 months of age as well.

misstrouble

Would she consider adopting a Lab(mix) puppy? They're are ***tons*** in shelters,

Oh please have her consider this. Or even better adopting one of the many purebred young adults that are in shelters.In my opinion Labradors are almost always great with kids and one in a rescue will be temprament tested .Jewel is only 3/4 lab and we brought her home when my son was one.One thing that is very hard to do is socializing a strong lab pup when you have young children in tow.A leash trained house broken adult would make her life so much easierIf she does get a breeder puppy make sure parents have hip and elbow clearances.

Tena

jenns

My sister-in-law is looking to get a yellow lab puppy in a few months.  She has 2 children, one is  age 3 and the other is 6.

This is such a common situation.  Family has kids (young) and kids want a dog.  Family does a little research and sees that Labs are GREAT family dogs. If she is a committed person willing to devote as much time every single day to her puppy (two to three years) as she does to her kids then she will be happy and have a good family pet.  As everyone has said Labs are very high energy dogs and despite the belief that they come out of the box knowing how to retrieve and have a naturally soft mouth and are easily trained they are one of the most common dogs to end up living out their lives alone in the back yard or in a shelter at the age of 6 to 7 months.  Within two months the puppy will be knocking the 2 year old and the 6 year old down unless taught perfect manners from the time he's brought home.  I have been involved with Labs for many years and I love the breed but it takes a committed family to make it through puppyhood to the other side. Labs are very people oriented dogs and they need time every day being taught their manners.  It is certainly not impossible but your SIL needs to understand than any dog, not just Labs, are a huge time committment and I think her kids are at an age where they require a lot of her attention and of course the kids come first.  An older dog Lab or otherwise would be a better investment for many reasons.  Health issues will hopefully be known by two years old and there are many in this breed and breeders don't always reveal all problems in their lines. Every state in the country has Lab rescues overflowing with beautiful dogs waiting for homes.  Where I live they can't even pull most of them because there are not enough foster homes and the ones in foster homes stay for years sometimes.  I had a foster for 13 months and he had no health issues and no behavior problems.  There are just so many puppies available that the adult dogs wait a long time.  I know you have said you have tried to get her to consider adopting from a shelter and there is just so much you can do but at least you can feel you did your best and hopefully help her with whatever she decides.  Look for show bred lines rather than field bred if she just has to have a Lab puppy.  Usually less intense.

buster the show dog

I'm all for adopting a rescue dog, and in this case, adopting a somewhat older lab that has outgrown the puppy crazies might be a good option. But please don't perpetuate the myth that randomly bred mixed breeds are likely to be healthier than a pure bred from health screened parents. There MIGHT be a statistically lower incidence of genetic diseases in mixed breeds, although I've yet to see a truly definitive study demonstrating that. But even if the odds are somewhat better with a mixed breed, I've seen soooo many mixed breeds with bad hips, seizures, skin diseases, intractable allergies and on and on that I don't think the difference is enough to justify choosing a mixed breed for health reasons alone. Again, I'm all for adopting rescue dogs, including mixed breeds. Just don't do it because of some alleged health benefit, because the odds of being disappointed on that score are pretty high.

I have to agree. I'm all for rescuing a shelter dog and would do it again in a heartbeat, but I wouldn't do it to avoid health issues. We're not sure what else Sassy has in her besides lab. She looks pure lab, but we have no way of knowing, but she has been the most expensive dog I've ever had. She has horrible allergies and medications cost several hundred dollars a year and treating the skin infections have cost in the thousands. She's 8ish (we think) and so far I haven't seen any signs of hip problems, but it certainly won't surprise me if I do. All in all, I love the breed and wouldn't hesitate to adopt another one though.

JackieG

jenns

My sister-in-law is looking to get a yellow lab puppy in a few months.  She has 2 children, one is  age 3 and the other is 6.

 

This is such a common situation.  Family has kids (young) and kids want a dog.  Family does a little research and sees that Labs are GREAT family dogs. If she is a committed person willing to devote as much time every single day to her puppy (two to three years) as she does to her kids then she will be happy and have a good family pet.  As everyone has said Labs are very high energy dogs and despite the belief that they come out of the box knowing how to retrieve and have a naturally soft mouth and are easily trained they are one of the most common dogs to end up living out their lives alone in the back yard or in a shelter at the age of 6 to 7 months.  Within two months the puppy will be knocking the 2 year old and the 6 year old down unless taught perfect manners from the time he's brought home.  I have been involved with Labs for many years and I love the breed but it takes a committed family to make it through puppyhood to the other side. Labs are very people oriented dogs and they need time every day being taught their manners.  It is certainly not impossible but your SIL needs to understand than any dog, not just Labs, are a huge time committment and I think her kids are at an age where they require a lot of her attention and of course the kids come first.  An older dog Lab or otherwise would be a better investment for many reasons.  Health issues will hopefully be known by two years old and there are many in this breed and breeders don't always reveal all problems in their lines. Every state in the country has Lab rescues overflowing with beautiful dogs waiting for homes.  Where I live they can't even pull most of them because there are not enough foster homes and the ones in foster homes stay for years sometimes.  I had a foster for 13 months and he had no health issues and no behavior problems.  There are just so many puppies available that the adult dogs wait a long time.  I know you have said you have tried to get her to consider adopting from a shelter and there is just so much you can do but at least you can feel you did your best and hopefully help her with whatever she decides.  Look for show bred lines rather than field bred if she just has to have a Lab puppy.  Usually less intense.

Exactly.

Jack has a wonderful temperament with man and beast, but at the same time has been a challenge.  He is intensely food motivated--to the point that it is a fault, took a long time to develop an off switch (he turned two in July and only recently developed one), needs something to keep his brain active, loves very much to carry things in his mouth, and is very people oriented.  Out of the two dogs, it is usually Sally that is in her bed on the floor at night and Jack that is sprawled out over our bodies in the bed.

As far as your concern with your little dogs, I can only speak for my lab, but he does very well with small dogs.  He often startles then at first because he is *so* excited to meet them, but the truth is that he is very mindful of their size.  He has hung out with everything from mini dachshunds to shih-tzus, to mini-schnoodles and has done beautifully.  We did get him around lots of different dogs as a pup and had him in doggy day care for a while as well as having him in puppy class at 11 weeks. 

While Jack does have decent amount of energy, Sally has more so it never has really been an issue for us. 

 As for playing with your small dogs - I personally don't think it is an issue.  Bugsy has two tiny little doxie buddies and an elderly westie buddy and being to rough is not an issue.  The small dogs are usually chomping on him.  Sometimes I think humans get too worried about little dogs and big dogs playing.  Just an opinion.

As for labs it really depends on the type of lab and the breeding.  She needs to avoid field labs. Period.  I love them but they are more likely to have boundless energy that they will need significant help to harness and focus.  The English or blocky head labs are MUCH more laid back in general.  A well bred lab has a good off switch and as a breed they are great family dogs - that is why they are so popular.

Just to support my first statements my friend's lab has a chi buddy who kicks his butt.

kpwlee

As for playing with your small dogs - I personally don't think it is an issue.

I agree 100%- most everyone in my family has a lab and there are great around kids and little dogs- when the lil dog show interest in playing they all lay down and let the lil one bounce all over them and chew on them (normally the lab is the one yelping from getting a nip on the ears or something)  All the labs i have ever been around arent really that hyper- they will if you need them to be- but other than that mostly laid back-  and very smart- LOVES WATER- if there was a pond around they wouldnt stay out of it. I must say I have also never had one to jump on me- even if they were never trained not to.

JackieG

jenns

My sister-in-law is looking to get a yellow lab puppy in a few months.  She has 2 children, one is age 3 and the other is 6.

This is such a common situation.  Family has kids (young) and kids want a dog.  Family does a little research and sees that Labs are GREAT family dogs. If she is a committed person willing to devote as much time every single day to her puppy (two to three years) as she does to her kids then she will be happy and have a good family pet. 

IMO, young Labs aren't good for families with young (under 10yrs) kids. ONLY because the family is 9 times out of 10 too busy with their kids and Labs are just an extra hyper child! Labs don't come trained....and an untrained Lab is Hell!! LOL!! They shed so much, they love to chew things up, chase the kids, take their toys and play keep away......but a well trained Lab with drained energy, well, you just can't ask for a better dog.

Quick question, if your SIL is looking to get a puppy why isn't she doing the research?

jenns

My sister-in-law is looking to get a yellow lab puppy in a few months.  She has 2 children, one is  age 3 and the other is 6.  She asked me to research breeders for her, which I do plan to do.  At the same time, I want to provide her with information on the breed because I'm not so sure she understands what kind of an undertaking a lab puppy can be.

Sorry - but if your SIL doesn't have the time or inclination to do the research, an actual lab puppy is going to be WAY too much work!  Instruct her to get a goldfish!

Honestly, I do think a lab puppy is going to be too much work for her.  I've tried to tell her that but she has already committed to the idea of getting one.  The good thing is that she is not the type of person who will get rid of the dog after she realizes it's too much work.  She will do what she has to do, probably going insane in the process and complaining about it daily, but she will find the time.  I wish I lived a little closer to her because then I could help out a lot with the puppy (no one has to twist my arm to spend time with dogs!).  She's about an hour away from me.

 Good thing to know that there is as good chance the puppy will be ok with my little ones.  The reason I'm worried is because I've seen large puppies try to play with them by batting them hard with their big paws, and I can tell by Zack's body language that he gets stressed out by it, and Zoe doesn't tolerate nonsense from any dog.  I just don't want Zack to develop a fear of other dogs.

 Right now I just want to steer her in the direction of a reputable, ethical breeder.  She said her sister in law is also looking for breeders for her and who knows what she'll come up with. - probably some byb somewhere. 

If she's set on a breeder, please do you best to find one - do what I would do in that situaltion, set up an appoint ment to met the breeder and they're dogs, and meet with you sister(or SIL....I can't remember, LOL) and take her with you. She could meet a great breeder, and possible the parents of a furture puppy for her.