_jac_
Well-Known Member
A bit of history. I have over the last 40 odd years owned many dogs, breeds and crosses.
My bc 's competed in agility and flyball, travelled all over the country and mixed with many many dogs. Now in general, they are a breed who has a 1 direction mindset. When out on exercise they are extremely easy to keep motivated, and have no intention ofgoing to play with other dogs. Hence me thinking I was first class owner and scoffing at the out of control friendly Gundog breeds ( you all know the type ;-) )
After that came my learning curve! A working bred Labrador. Sociable to a fault! Part of me honestly adored her sociable side, after the unsociable collies, but I would cringe inside and apologise regularly for her misdemeanours , ok so I could see both sides now, I know the collie types would despise her, the smalls would feel threatened etc. we worked hard on recall, and she grew out of adolescence and turned into an "old reliable "
Moving on I realised a Labrador is not for me, not enough about it after the age of 3 , and although I loved her dearly and cried buckets when she passed away, never another lab for me.
I knew of flatcoats I had seen on the agility circuit , investigated, visited breeders, did homework, waited patiently. After a year the litter I was waiting for failed to produce my bitch, luckily a bitch from a different litter became available shortly after, and Brooke entered my life.
We had enormous fun, did obedience, dabbled in Gundog work, a little showing, had successes in all.
Now, I thought the lab was social! Flatcoats are social butterflies, my local vets borrow mine for open days! They let children bandage them, they see dogs who don't like others as a challenge, they adore horses. They don't bark if the doorbell rings, they wag.
I have to be on the ball constantly, there are places they can not go due to the fact that they insist everyone loves them! I have worked hard and have 3 beautiful flats ( 2 I bred myself) who do not charge up to every dog they see, won't take a flying leap and land on a terrier etc etc.
But you know what, it takes training in those situations. A lot of training! Hundreds spent on Gundog classes, hours spent on homework, decent exercise and quality diet. But you have to expose them to the situations, you have to get them out there.
There is no lazy way to a well rounded dog, walking where there are no others teaches nothing. You need to desensitise to exciting things. With time you will reap rewards.
I see it from both sides, I have been both sides. I get the young bouncy labs run up and have no manners, I meet the unsociable all the time, the snarling grumpies who think all dogs should be on leads as mine walk to heel past theirs, I have a secret weapon in my pocket for extreme temptation ( it's small, round green and furry) ;-)
For all who made it this far, keep training, keep socialising and respect that different breeds need different training and some of those too friendly for their own good take much more training than you think. Do not use friendly as an excuse, respect that some dogs need space, be tolerant of others.
It has taken me years and I still have much to learn, but I have learnt that avoidance and keeping on a lead is not the answer.
My oldest 2 now work on a shoot all winter, my youngest will be competing in working tests very soon. When I look back and think how naughty my first FlatCoat was in her first year I cringe, but she has given me 2 adorable litters, a fantastic network of friends and makes me so proud of her, she is still a diva though!
My bc 's competed in agility and flyball, travelled all over the country and mixed with many many dogs. Now in general, they are a breed who has a 1 direction mindset. When out on exercise they are extremely easy to keep motivated, and have no intention ofgoing to play with other dogs. Hence me thinking I was first class owner and scoffing at the out of control friendly Gundog breeds ( you all know the type ;-) )
After that came my learning curve! A working bred Labrador. Sociable to a fault! Part of me honestly adored her sociable side, after the unsociable collies, but I would cringe inside and apologise regularly for her misdemeanours , ok so I could see both sides now, I know the collie types would despise her, the smalls would feel threatened etc. we worked hard on recall, and she grew out of adolescence and turned into an "old reliable "
Moving on I realised a Labrador is not for me, not enough about it after the age of 3 , and although I loved her dearly and cried buckets when she passed away, never another lab for me.
I knew of flatcoats I had seen on the agility circuit , investigated, visited breeders, did homework, waited patiently. After a year the litter I was waiting for failed to produce my bitch, luckily a bitch from a different litter became available shortly after, and Brooke entered my life.
We had enormous fun, did obedience, dabbled in Gundog work, a little showing, had successes in all.
Now, I thought the lab was social! Flatcoats are social butterflies, my local vets borrow mine for open days! They let children bandage them, they see dogs who don't like others as a challenge, they adore horses. They don't bark if the doorbell rings, they wag.
I have to be on the ball constantly, there are places they can not go due to the fact that they insist everyone loves them! I have worked hard and have 3 beautiful flats ( 2 I bred myself) who do not charge up to every dog they see, won't take a flying leap and land on a terrier etc etc.
But you know what, it takes training in those situations. A lot of training! Hundreds spent on Gundog classes, hours spent on homework, decent exercise and quality diet. But you have to expose them to the situations, you have to get them out there.
There is no lazy way to a well rounded dog, walking where there are no others teaches nothing. You need to desensitise to exciting things. With time you will reap rewards.
I see it from both sides, I have been both sides. I get the young bouncy labs run up and have no manners, I meet the unsociable all the time, the snarling grumpies who think all dogs should be on leads as mine walk to heel past theirs, I have a secret weapon in my pocket for extreme temptation ( it's small, round green and furry) ;-)
For all who made it this far, keep training, keep socialising and respect that different breeds need different training and some of those too friendly for their own good take much more training than you think. Do not use friendly as an excuse, respect that some dogs need space, be tolerant of others.
It has taken me years and I still have much to learn, but I have learnt that avoidance and keeping on a lead is not the answer.
My oldest 2 now work on a shoot all winter, my youngest will be competing in working tests very soon. When I look back and think how naughty my first FlatCoat was in her first year I cringe, but she has given me 2 adorable litters, a fantastic network of friends and makes me so proud of her, she is still a diva though!
on occasion actually standing on other dogs back 
I have a little spanner as well, such an easy boy as he has no interest in any one else. 
