heya, i posted a thread a while ago about a list of breeds that i was considering to add to my family. after talking to the OH we have decided that its either going to be a labrador or an english pointer. i like the temperment in both of these breeds and they seem to be real family friendly dogs . i want either one from a show line rather than a working one because as i show my cresteds i wouldnt like to leave the other at home. i just wondered if anyone could tell me about these two breeds and if they know of any good show kennels for either breed? then i can start looking into them more and do more research. thanks, chloe.
Hi Chloe I have a Lab. He is direct cross between a show and working type (dad was a show dog that worked, mum was completely working), so I really do have the best of both worlds with him. Temperament wise, Labs are a mixed bunch. As puppies they are very full on. Bouncy, rambunctious, in your face and pretty demanding. They are very easy and willing to train once you get them focused and on your side. While they can be testing as youngsters at obeying commands (they 'suffer' from selective hearing often!), as adults, they are generally stars. Labs are notorious for being destructive as pups. Crate training is a must. They are also very mouthy and the teething stage seems never ending with them. A Lab pup loves nothing more to dig holes in the garden, uproot all your plants and put a hole in your designer sofa. They are NOT for the house proud!! They are notorious food gluttons. You MIGHT let lucky and get one that isn't obsessed by all things edible, but it is fairly unlikely. Mine takes great pleasure in raiding our bins, stealing food off the kitchen counters, scavenging, eating vast amounts of poo of every variety and begging for titbits at every opportunity. He had to be induced into vomiting at the vets once after eating a load of his dried food accidentally, and has also had an intestinal blockage that required surgery after eating a plastic toy. At the time, the vet said he could guarantee that any dog coming in with a blockage was nearly always a Lab or Lab mix. Recall problems are a VERY common issue with the breed when they are young. Labs want to be everyones best friend, regardless of what the other dog(s) and people on the receiving end of their exuberance think! many won't hesitate to bolt across a park to greet another dog or person that is speck in the distance. It can be difficult to control their natural energy and enthusiasm as youngsters, which can make walking problematic. Lead pulling is often another training issue that is a problem. Both can obviously be rectified with hard work. That is all I can think of at the moment. I'm sure I'll think of some more later.
thanks for the advice. i have heard that show lines are (i dont know how to right it without coming across wrong :? ) easier than working. not necessarily easier but more laid back than working. is this true? and also with recall being a problem, will it help going to ringcraft, as this would give them some obedience, training for the show ring. im a big fan of the clicker, and with a lab being so "hungry" all the time at least i could turn training to my advantage.any more advice would be great. thank you.
Generally I would say yes, they are easier. Any dog bred for working is probably going to be higher energy, higher drive and therefore higher maintenance then the show variety. But that doesn't mean to say that you won't get all the normal Lab 'issues' with just the working type...in fact some of the show type Labs I know are WORSE in many respects, so it is impossible to give it a definite answer. You have to take it on a dog-by-dog basis unfortunately. What I mean is, just because you go for a show type on the assumption that the pup will be easier doesn't mean to say it actually will be. That said, if you do your research and get to know the parents of your future pup and the breeders lines well, you are going to have a reasonable idea about the future temperament of your pup. Labs enjoy anything that gets them thinking. Obedience, clicker work, ring craft, agility, gundog work, whatever. They are extremely easy to train and pick up on things almost instantly. It is putting what you learn in classes and at and home to practice in the real world that is the difficult part. As I said, they tend to have selective hearing, especially as youngsters.
either way im going to have my work cut out with the my crested she was quite easy to train for ringcraft and she is really good on recall but she can be stubborn when trying to teach her things like lie down, she knows full well what you want her to do she just tries to do everything else to get the treat first could you recomend any good breeders? i was looking at sandylands the other day have you heard of them?
I know someoen who shows and breeds EP.. Are you going to Stoneleigh on Friday... if you are I will seek you out, my friend will know the people who show them.
Both great breeds whatever you decide and it sounds like you've got some good help and advice. I ended up with a Black Lab X Pointer but she's great.
my mum had sandyland labs the most beautiful, big stocky labs with large heads, lost one at 15 the other is still going strong at 9. cant help sorry just love sandylands!! good luck and loads of pics when here please!!
I agree with whats been said already. As long as you've got eyes in the back of your head, and a lot of patients, you should be fine, never a dull moment with a lab puppy. Shadow, working lines. [/URL][/IMG] Storm, mixed lines. [/URL][/IMG] Nyle, guide dog. [/URL][/IMG]
yeah i really like the look of sandylands but it looks like it could be hard getting one from there. however with some help i found another really nice kennel which im looking into not going to be for a while yet but i will post pics when he/she arrives, whether it be lab or pointer as im still undecided :? although with everyones replies on here its swinging more to labs
Ooh got to put in a word for the Pointer then!!;-) I am a first time Pointer owner have admired them for years and now we have Codee... she is one smart cookie is 9 weeks old, already half way house trained, she can sit and wait on command, am teaching her to stack atm as I might just show this one She is bright and so loving and adores my mad setters!! They do have a pointer 'shiver' that can be off putting and her dad chased shadows but they are fabulous dogs to have around!! Good luck with whatever you choose, as both lovely breeds
