Rehoming Labradors

[Clodagh]

Perhaps labradors were particularly popular in that area during lockdown - and maybe that was due to easy availability? And that could mean dodgy breeding?

A few leaps of imagination there, mainly because I'm also surprised that labradors would be the one breed to end up in rescue. Up here in Yorkshire it is more rare to find that breed in rescue. Mind you, the only chocolate ones I knew were all thuggish juggernauts.

If you think many keepers on the big shoots have maybe 20 dogs and live on minimum wage you can see the chance of cashing in being of interest.
Then you also have the people like the man who had Red who was already set up as a factory farm and just upped the output.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Just had a look on my local rehiring centre site and no labs, I don’t think I have ever seen any on there, but I did see an 18 year old chihuahua. The site does not say what his story is, but how very sad.

That's so sad, I'd take in anything old like that just to let it lie on the sofa and eat for the rest of its life if we had a quiet house. Poor little mite


There's a 10 month golden retriever at mine Sounds a bit of a hand full- new owners must agree to work alongside current trainers and programme.

 

[teacups]

I just checked too: none at the local dogstrust, but the South Lincs branch of Jerrygreen rescue has two (one of which is described as VERY strong on the lead), and the Notts branch has a sweet looking 10 year old labrador. The one we rehomed was 10 and is still fit and active at 12...just saying...

OP, when we looked that was all we found too in the main: lurchers, staffies and crosses involving them, as well as collie crosses. Usually a terrier or two too - which we were not looking for ; )
Love the photo you posted.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I just checked too: none at the local dogstrust, but the South Lincs branch of Jerrygreen rescue has two (one of which is described as VERY strong on the lead), and the Notts branch has a sweet looking 10 year old labrador. The one we rehomed was 10 and is still fit and active at 12...just saying...

OP, when we looked that was all we found too in the main: lurchers, staffies and crosses involving them, as well as collie crosses. Usually a terrier or two too - which we were not looking for ; )
Love the photo you posted.

Our old one is very strong, I mean he was just never trained on a lead. He spent the first 8 years ish out loose on the farm with OH.
He now stays at home with me but I can’t lead walk him, even though he’s pretty old now. Maybe I could alone but I usually just take him around the farm loose.
He’s the one I couldn’t live with in a normal house/area I don’t think. The loveliest cuddliest dog with us but I guess he did the bulk of his life as a farm dog rather than pet.

 

[Glitter's fun]

Traditionally bred Labs have always had a tendency to "positive defence reflex" - in other words if they are frightened they are likely to go towards the thing they fear to chase/scare it off, rather than run away or submit. It isn't usually a problem because they also tend to be very quick and easy to socialise , so mostly they don't get scared in the first place.
If you do fail to socialise a lab they can be very problematic indeed.

Maybe indiscriminate breeding is resulting in temperament change but it could be due to Covid & less interaction.

 

[Clodagh]

Traditionally bred Labs have always had a tendency to "positive defence reflex" - in other words if they are frightened they are likely to go towards the thing they fear to chase/scare it off, rather than run away or submit. It isn't usually a problem because they also tend to be very quick and easy to socialise , so mostly they don't get scared in the first place.
If you do fail to socialise a lab they can be very problematic indeed.

Maybe indiscriminate breeding is resulting in temperament change but it could be due to Covid & less interaction.

That’s interesting. I agree mine approach anything they deem as a threat. I hadn’t thought of it that way.
A threat to them is something like when they bale the haylage and the bales weren’t there the day before

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I’ve never had a difficult one, and my grandpa and mum both had and worked them. Ffee is neurotic, which can be tiring but it’s not a new thing, mum had one years ago who was the same.

Our brown one is very exuberant but lives to be good. The hardest work have been the brightest. We had one when I was a teenager whose hobby was escapology. Even as an old lady, she disappeared one day, we set off around the village looking for her, only to return about an hour later, to hear a thumping noise from upstairs. When investigated that proved to be her wagging her tail in utter joy because we hadn't found her hiding under the bed.
Daycare Dog is almost her equal, although not bothered about escaping, fortunately. She has a real sense of humour. She grabs boots/shoes to chew here but ignores those at home while she likes tea-towels to play with at home. Her owner decided to sacrifice one, rather than washing a million each week

There didn't used to be chocolates either did there? I'm sure when we had our first it was black or yellow. The only chocolates i have personally known have been a bit nuts, all nice natures just crazy, i have no idea if that's a regular thing?

They were known by the proper gundog colour 'liver'.

 

[poiuytrewq]

If you think many keepers on the big shoots have maybe 20 dogs and live on minimum wage you can see the chance of cashing in being of interest.
Then you also have the people like the man who had Red who was already set up as a factory farm and just upped the output.

A keeper locally, not on our farm but a friend of OH bred and sold a huge litter for a small fortune. He ended up giving several of the second litter away as towards the end of covid i guess the marked was pretty saturated.

Bertie would run away from scary things, not far but he will back away and turn to run. If he's off lead its always back to me. Doug was the same, he'd run from something. The two black ones were'nt really scared by anything but had a generally confident attitude and i imagine would approach and investigate. Although, that said Spud just had a bizarre encounter with a deer out walking! None of us knew what the heck was going on!

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Back in the late 70's when my sister took her dog to dog training she said it was always the labs she had to look out for. She got badly bitten on her calf once by a lab that flew at hers as she was leaving. They had a varied array of breeds in her classes but it was only the labs that caused her a problem. Hers was a little black terrier cross, no aggression at all.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Traditionally bred Labs have always had a tendency to "positive defence reflex" - in other words if they are frightened they are likely to go towards the thing they fear to chase/scare it off, rather than run away or submit. It isn't usually a problem because they also tend to be very quick and easy to socialise , so mostly they don't get scared in the first place.
If you do fail to socialise a lab they can be very problematic indeed.

Maybe indiscriminate breeding is resulting in temperament change but it could be due to Covid & less interaction.

There is a brown Lab Dog that walks on some of our routes. It is absolutely in charge in its household and in fact it seems that the woman has stopped walking it. Male owner doesn't have much more control, although he does have weight on his side. That blasted thing has really upset our rehome. She is still very friendly off-lead, if she gets the opportunity but much more wary of other dogs when on her lead because that one and, separately but only a few days later, a spaniel were allowed to get in her face while she was sitting waiting for them to pass.

Some people are really stupid!

 

[Goldenstar]

Pearls odd she is more confident on the lead.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I've had a few Labs and one was rather...psychotic, but none of them have been all that difficult. The most difficult thing about current Lab is that she eats poop.

She also can be a bit "simple" but it's just very "Lab like" and I think highlighted because our other dog is so sharp/smart/fast.

Edited to add: I have heard various people over the years complain that their Lab(s) would be too hyper or high energy and this was often a reason for rehoming. I've not encountered this, but we also are good about exercising our dogs, so that probably helps too.

 

[JoannaC]

The trouble a lot of people these days expect everything to be ready made and don't realise they have to put some work into it. I do wonder how many Labs are truly pure Lab as well. There are so many different types, not jus the difference between working and show. Where I walk there is a Lab x Boxer who basically looks just like a Lab but a little squarer in the face but you wouldn't guess he wasn't all Lab. There are so many Labs round our way and I honestly haven't met a single aggressive one. Some not in total control yes but totally soppy and friendly. I've certainly found my boy far more challenging than my bitch but he's still incredibly good out and about just a bit of loon at home!

 

[SDMabel]

Having worked as a dog walker for a vast number of years, I would say some of the worst behaved dogs we had were Labradors. They gained the rep of being 'easy' , in my opinion no dog is 'easy' , they are trainable- yes ... but the training must be put in. We had a lot of novice owners purchasing them, doing no training work, it was cute when they were pups and suddenly they are big strong 30-40kg unruly dogs.

I have a lab myself, she's from working lines and apart from being a grumpy so and so with other dogs that get up in her grill , she's been very easy to train but we are consistent with them from pups. It was hard to bite my tongue when owners would see Molly and say ' gosh i wish mine was that easy' she was a product of consistent training.

 

[Goldenstar]

Having worked as a dog walker for a vast number of years, I would say some of the worst behaved dogs we had were Labradors. They gained the rep of being 'easy' , in my opinion no dog is 'easy' , they are trainable- yes ... but the training must be put in. We had a lot of novice owners purchasing them, doing no training work, it was cute when they were pups and suddenly they are big strong 30-40kg unruly dogs.

I have a lab myself, she's from working lines and apart from being a grumpy so and so with other dogs that get up in her grill , she's been very easy to train but we are consistent with them from pups. It was hard to bite my tongue when owners would see Molly and say ' gosh i wish mine was that easy' she was a product of consistent training.

I hear the same all the time ,you are so lucky your labs are so good ,like they born that way.
Some People genuinely don’t get the hours spent from day one when they come into your home into making dogs calm and obedient and confident adults.
They don’t get you have give up stuff to do dogs properly for example popping out with friends after work a dog works best when it’s central to what a family / people do walking , going and doing activities like agility as a family .
Too many dogs spend too much time alone and while you can manage that if you dedicated and organised and prepared to give up other stuff too many people don’t get that .
The People who really grate on me are the ones that give the impression they are doing the dog a favour by having it.
On Labradors in particular people need to watch a lab work when they think of getting one . They are working dogs that can trained to run straight for or a kilometre or more the turn to search off a whistle.
Labs can be trained alert people in advance of the person fitting they can be trained to fill the washer ( that would go badly in our house) ,take money out of cash point .
I trained one of mine to fill the log box we had to give up on that as he taught himself to empty it and then fill in again .
They are not dogs who should left alone a lot as adolescents that’s where problems really get going.

 

[JoannaC]

I hear the same all the time ,you are so lucky your labs are so good ,like they born that way.
Some People genuinely don’t get the hours spent from day one when they come into your home into making dogs calm and obedient and confident adults.
They don’t get you have give up stuff to do dogs properly for example popping out with friends after work a dog works best when it’s central to what a family / people do walking , going and doing activities like agility as a family .
Too many dogs spend too much time alone and while you can manage that if you dedicated and organised and prepared to give up other stuff too many people don’t get that .
The People who really grate on me are the ones that give the impression they are doing the dog a favour by having it.
On Labradors in particular people need to watch a lab work when they think of getting one . They are working dogs that can trained to run straight for or a kilometre or more the turn to search off a whistle.
Labs can be trained alert people in advance of the person fitting they can be trained to fill the washer ( that would go badly in our house) ,take money out of cash point .
I trained one of mine to fill the log box we had to give up on that as he taught himself to empty it and then fill in again .
They are not dogs who should left alone a lot as adolescents that’s where problems really get going.

I think the adolescent phase comes as a shock to people as well. Both mine as pups were so good at everything and then they hit adolescents and it all goes out the window! I get it can be a bit soul destroying but this seems to be the time when people give up on them without realising it's short lived and when you come out the other side hopefully you'll have a calmer obedient companion, assuming you did the training in the first place of course!

 

[Morwenna]

Labradors have a reputation for being easy to train but so many people think that means they come ready trained and don’t realise that that still means you have to put the time and effort in. Mine was so easy as a puppy but then everything started to fall apart in terms of behaviour and training when she hit adolescence and I had to go right back to basics and build it all up again incredibly slowly. I still do multiple, short training sessions with her every day in the house, garden, on walks etc. etc. I was walking her yesterday and someone commented that they wished their dog would come back to them that easily and I was lucky. No. Her recall is the result of months of no offlead privileges and literal blood, sweat and tears.

 

[Goldenstar]

I still don’t get why people who don’t enjoy training things get a dog .
They need a cat .
I have trained my cats to come to come when I sing the kitty cat song ( don’t ask ) .
They however have trained me to loads of things for example ,
Change water , slightly cross glance .
Feed, piteous yowl
Open door , insistent yowl
Open door quickly ( Bob cat only ) insistent yowl teamed with a hiss .
Human to make dogs sit before opening front door ,pause and pointed glance at dogs .
Enter after persistent yowl missed by human ,hang from glass in a starfish shape.
It just goes on .

 

[Clodagh]

Someone once said ‘the harder I work the luckier I get’. Funny that.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I still don’t get why people who don’t enjoy training things get a dog .
They need a cat .
I have trained my cats to come to come when I sing the kitty cat song ( don’t ask ) .
They however have trained me to loads of things for example ,
Change water , slightly cross glance .
Feed, piteous yowl
Open door , insistent yowl
Open door quickly ( Bob cat only ) insistent yowl teamed with a hiss .
Human to make dogs sit before opening front door ,pause and pointed glance at dogs .
Enter after persistent yowl missed by human ,hang from glass in a starfish shape.
It just goes on .

Laughing at the cat comment! What is the kitty song?

 

[Goldenstar]

Laughing at the cat comment! What is the kitty song?

Oh er , I sing kitty cat kitty cat pretty little kitties in silly squeaky voice and Bubble and Squeak come running or for Bob I sing Bob Bob Bob cat saying Bob aka Roman Atkinson in Blackadder.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Oh er , I sing kitty cat kitty cat pretty little kitties in silly squeaky voice and Bubble and Squeak come running or for Bob I sing Bob Bob Bob cat saying Bob aka Roman Atkinson in Blackadder.

fabulous

 

[druid]

no one actually knows that. You do get spontaneous genetic mutations that throw up new colour anomalies in all species.

It popped up in a kennel in USA that conveniently also breeds Weimeraners

 

[Clodagh]

It popped up in a kennel in USA that conveniently also breeds Weimeraners

Cynic!

 

[druid]

Cynic!

Realist

 

[ecb89]

I’ve got a red fox lab from working lines. She is our first dog and has been hard work. She’s 19 months and 21kg so fairly small.
Red fox seems to be a popular colour at the moment and I can imagine people getting a puppy for the colour and not realising that they will be getting a highly energetic working line dog.
Wouldn’t change my girl for the world. We are thinking of getting dog number 2

 

[Morwenna]

I’ve got a red fox lab from working lines. She is our first dog and has been hard work. She’s 19 months and 21kg so fairly small.
Red fox seems to be a popular colour at the moment and I can imagine people getting a puppy for the colour and not realising that they will be getting a highly energetic working line dog.
Wouldn’t change my girl for the world. We are thinking of getting dog number 2

She’s lovely. She’s like a red version of mine - they’re the same age and weight.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I’ve got a red fox lab from working lines. She is our first dog and has been hard work. She’s 19 months and 21kg so fairly small.
Red fox seems to be a popular colour at the moment and I can imagine people getting a puppy for the colour and not realising that they will be getting a highly energetic working line dog.
Wouldn’t change my girl for the world. We are thinking of getting dog number 2

You will probably find her easier when you have 2. I always think 2 are easier than 1. She looks very much like our working bred yellow (fox red) bitch.

 

[Honey08]

I’ve had three rescue labs. One of each type-
the first was a Choc show type, huge female. Strong as an ox, incredibly loving, sooo greedy and super intelligent. She could work out how to open gates, doors, stiles. She’d have made a fabulous assistance dog (as long as they didn’t go near water!). She’d run away from anything scary (but adored fireworks).
The second was gundog type, from a rescue. He’d had four homes before us and was only 14 months, but wasn’t bothered! He was hyper energetic. So athletic- won everything we ever did with him, from dock diving, gun dog dummy trials and fly ball (got banned for jumping into the next lane and getting their balks too!). So naughty but we adored him. Scared of nothing!
The third was an ex assistance dog. Came from a domestic abuse household. He’d been abused too. Was terrified of men. Gained a lot of confidence from dog 2 above. Still with us. Has relaxed a lot and is a lovely dog. Very obedient but scared of his own shadow.would always run away from danger (although he surprised me last week when two big dogs were bounding round our little dog and she was a bit overwhelmed. He ran over and stood between them and her. Then looked at me pleadingly!)

The Lab rescue we got no 2 from is always full of dogs. Often youngsters. People don’t always realise how strong and energetic labs can be. Another issue nowadays is people having to rent houses and dogs not being allowed.

I very much prefer two dogs too.

 

[ecb89]

You will probably find her easier when you have 2. I always think 2 are easier than 1. She looks very much like our working bred yellow (fox red) bitch.

My husbands theory is that they can annoy each other and play rather than annoy us