Does anyone have a springer x lab - what are they like?

J

JVB

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 October 2009
Messages
1,342
Location
Chester, Cheshire
Visit site
As title really, know of a wonderful springer that is being put with a choc lab at the farm in the hope of puppies and just wondered what they look like/ personality etc?

Thanks
 
The singlemost, crazy, high octane, insane, completely bonkers, loving beautiful dog I have ever had the pleasure to meet.

My Holly was from a working springer bitch to a working lab. She would have been the best working dog ever had she been trained. Instead she came to us as a pet. She was my best friend and sister growing up, always gentle (we used to playfight and she'd drag me round by my arms and hair - but never hurt me!) an amazing hideandgoseek pal (my mum used to hold the dogs outside the woods, I'd hide and she'd find me - always!) and loyal protector.

My favourite story about Holly is when my mum took me down to see my pony Skippy. He was awfully bargey and nasty with food and while my mum was mixing up the buckets I decided it was a good idea to take one to him. He saw me from the other end of the field and came galloping down - I was 6! Unbeknown to me he was almost certainly going to knock me down! My mum looked up and realised but couldn't get out of the yard quick enough. My darling Holly cleared the gate in one and jumped up and bit him, turning him away from me. Which was when my mum got me and pinked my arse!! lol.

We used to sing to her, the tune from Old Yeller:

Here Holly, come back Holly - best dog on dog in the west.

You can tell I loved her eh? :D Get one, they are bundles of love and energy and if you can handle that - you'll never regret it.

RIP Hollydog.
 
Aww she sounds like an amazing dog, just done quick search on previous posts and fair bit of info on them. We already have one dog, proper heinz57 rescue who is the sweetest thing, total darling but can be quite timid with other dogs when out walking so would have to think carefully.

But the spaniel at the farm is a total sweetie and I always said I would have a pup from her if she ever had any, although last I heard the lab wasn't showing much interest in her so it may not happen that quickly anyway!

Thanks for post, lovely to hear how pets can do so much for us - wouldn't be without them!
 
IMGP0826.jpg

allsorts023.jpg


This is my Springerxlab, Otto. He is a rescue dog - we have had him for 3 years. He has an amazing temperament, is happy & bouncy. Unfortunately, we discovered after rehoming him that he has hip dysplasia (apparently both springers & labs are prone) although this does not bother him too much. He has also recently started having seizures, which are being investigated. Saying that, wouldn't change him for the world!
We don't know for sure but think the lab may have been chocolate as he has the same hazel eyes & his colouring is quite dark. The other springer x labs I have known have looked more like short-legged labs with short coats. Haven't met another that looks more springer-like, but I guess you never know quite what you will get.
He has some of the attributes of both breeds - v eager to please & loves retrieving but with some of the springer excitability.
I think some of the fire/rescue services use them as search dogs but they're like springers in that they do need their energy chanelling in the right direction.
 
My OH has two, they look like small chocolate brown labs with bits of white on their chests and paws. They are absolutely mental and gorgeous. A great mix!!!
 
No one else has asked has so I will -Why?

If the springer is a good one and worth breeding from she should be mated to a proven springer male. If not she should not be bred from at all.

I see a lot of springer crosses and lab crosses and many are horrors.

Accidental mutts are one thing - planned mutts are just wrong!
 
planned mutts are wrong?
bizarre thing to say.
I'm all for mixes, I doubt I'll ever have anything other than mutts for the rest of my life!
 
Well my point about dysplasia was, not in so many words - people think that by crossing or outcrossing, you get rid of hereditary problems - that's a myth - I would like to see any labrador used as a stud or brood, hip and elbow scored, the reason there is dysplasia in the GSD and why the scoring scheme was set up, is because generations of people 'put' a dog to a bitch and hoped for the best because they were both nice dogs, not knowing what was behind the lines. Then the products of those matings went on to breed, and so on and so forth, and a few generations later, bang.

(Takes off Angel of Doom hat)
 
breeding a mix isn't adding to the shelter problem, it is daft saying that, how do you think many breeds came about? by MIXING!
I'm talking about responsible breeding. Not chucking two dogs together and shoving the pups on gumtree.
 
stargirl88 said:
I'm talking about responsible breeding. Not chucking two dogs together and shoving the pups on gumtree.
Click to expand...

Exactly which this appears to not be which will in turn add to the shelter problem.

Besides that there are probably a good few of this mix in the shelters already. Why don't these people get one of those poor dogs looking for a home instead of adding to the problem.

It indiscriminate breeding, horrible.
 
I for one am glad someone bred my mutt
One man's mutt is another man's treasure (to use and abuse a common phrase) and so long as you have homes for your crossbreed pups - whats the big problem?
 
IMO it's a great way of taking two breeds who are excellent at their very different roles in the field and creating one that is average at both.
If you want a high octain dog get a Springer, if you want something that is more laid back get a Lab.
 
Kitsune said:
I for one am glad someone bred my mutt
One man's mutt is another man's treasure (to use and abuse a common phrase) and so long as you have homes for your crossbreed pups - whats the big problem?
Click to expand...

I have no issue with mutts i have one of my own but why breed more of the same thing when there are hundreds sat in shelters?

That's just selfish.
 
It isn't selfish, keeping in mind a mix would not exactly cost alot of money - therefore the breeder making no money out of it. You just cannot wag your finger at anyone who mentions says they aren't getting a dog from a shelter. Of course it is awful there are so many there, and I have always told people to go to a shelter first (successfully!) but many people want a dog from puppyhood, to share the dogs whole life with it. That isn't wrong, and you cannot jump down someones throat because they have decided to do so when the pup is going to have a long happy life with that family.
 
stargirl88 said:
It isn't selfish, keeping in mind a mix would not exactly cost alot of money - therefore the breeder making no money out of it. You just cannot wag your finger at anyone who mentions says they aren't getting a dog from a shelter. Of course it is awful there are so many there, and I have always told people to go to a shelter first (successfully!) but many people want a dog from puppyhood, to share the dogs whole life with it. That isn't wrong, and you cannot jump down someones throat because they have decided to do so when the pup is going to have a long happy life with that family.
Click to expand...
What about the other eight , nine , ten or more puppies?

It is very selfish and irresponsible and not just IMO.
Believe it or not cross breeds are selling to gullible people for stupid prices.

I have nothing against mutts but abhor indiscriminate breeding. If you want a puppy you should support responsible breeders who do proper assessments and health testing or take on a whoops cross breed.
Breed rescues often have puppies where bitches have been handed in after a misalliance.
 
katielou_houston said:
I have no issue with mutts i have one of my own but why breed more of the same thing when there are hundreds sat in shelters?

That's just selfish.
Click to expand...

Because unfortunately, the dogs sat in shelters often have issues. The people running shelters dont LET good people have dogs from there - because they work (god forbid) or don't own a big enough house. Or have kids. Or cats. Sorry, rescuing is not the answer. SHOULD be.... but isn't.
 
Whilst I agree with some of the points that have been raised here, I would like to point out that indiscriminate breeding does not just involve cross breeding - a large percentage of dogs in rescue centres are actually pedigrees, many of them with worse problems than the 'mutts,. Our other dog, the springer pictured with Otto in my earlier post, is also a rescue dog & he came with his fair share of problems - fortunately he is now about 200% better than when we got him! As mentioned previously, many dogs in rescue centres have problems, which is why they have ended up there, and need special requirements to be rehomed.
When we were looking at rehoming & were looking round some of the centres, I would estimate that about 70% of the dogs we saw were pedigrees (many of them staffies). Many of them are bred with health/temperament problems & homed by breeders into unsuitable homes where people do not understand what they are letting themselves in for.
Although I do not agree with indiscriminate breeding, whether pedigree or not, if someone happens to breed a cross bred & has suitable homes already lined up for the puppies beforehand, this in my mind is far better than breeding pedigrees & charging through the nose to homes that have not been pre-vetted.
Obviously, this is not the case with all breeders, many of whom are responsible & caring, but I don't think you can just tar everyone with the same brush, regardless of whether they are breeding cross breeds or pedigrees.
 
Blimey, don't some people get on their high horse... anyway thanks for all responses relating to what this cross is like, sounds like a good mix.

Our reasons for considering it were that we already have a rescue dog, would like another dog at some point and as we know the bitch (springer) it made sense, she is a super dog and having spent some time with the lab he seems a total softie also.

We would not be looking to get a cross of any kind from anyone else, it is purely down to knowing the farmer who owns the springer.

if it wasn't for her possibly having puppies we would just have another rescue in time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top