To people who own Labradors - Why did you choose them? Questions

What made you choose them over any other breed?
What do you find they are like to own?
Add pics too

They're pretty lively and can get pretty big ... mine weighs over 6 stone .. he's huge !

Had one growing up
She was the loveliest,best natured,most intelligent dog I've ever known.....present company excluded of course!!

Never had one - my friend has one - a great big nuisance, but he means well! He's chocolate - I've often wondered if the different colours have different temperaments, because the yellows and blacks I've known have been quite sensible compared to my friend's one!

Lovely natured dogs I had a black Labrador called Sam He took until 6 years old to " grow up " Every one loved him He used to smile Never did manage to catch the smile Every time I got the camera out , the smile went

Grew up with a pure bred black Lab that my neighbor and us owned together. Her name was Blackie. She was a great dog, though I'm struggling to remember everything as it was a long time ago.

After she died, got a Yellow Lab mix. Named him Brownie, who then became my best dog EVER. Died earlier this year at age 15. So, so sad. But he was old and no way I'd let him suffer.

Took less than two months for me to head back to the shelter and get Nigredo, a black Lab mix (couldn't stand a yellow) and, as expected, he's a great dog, too!

I'll never, EVER go for another breed. I don't care what the Lab is mixed with, only that there's Lab in there. Once Nigredo dies (he's 8 months, so hopefully no time soon) I'll get ANOTHER Lab type. And again, and again, and again...

Nigredo is a very fluffy Lab mix. Some kind of mountain dog mixed in. Curly tail and bony double rear dewclaws on both back feet. He's a looker, though!



Brownie was a tall, muscular, athletic, statuesque Lab mix. Crossed with pit bull terrier and chow. Had a really defensive side to him, but was a great dog



Both great dogs. I have a GSD cross, too but she just kind of fell into my lap. Love her loads, of course... but would never pick anything other than a Lab mix for my own.

Lovely dogs but can be boisterous. Good impulse control training is needed to prevent them greeting everyone they see (including dogs) like a long lost friend.

Not always as greedy as people make out. Very cuddly and loyal but in a different way to say a GSD. Very trainable but equally happy with a good walk and a cuddle. However they will need good amounts of mental stimulation and physical exercise. Mine have all remained quite bouncy until they were about 8 years old!

Binky, at 10 years old, cuddling a very baby Bandit -



Binky a couple of days before he passed away :-( -



Binky in the snow -



Flying Merlin -



10 year old, three legged Merlin -



Binky (and Bob) being stable yard dogs -



Young Binky -



Young Merlin -



My boys together -



Binky relaxing at home -



Old Binky again -



Sorry for the photo overload. I love my old labs. I had intended my next dog to be a lab as I miss having them in my life but this pesky young collie thing is still hanging around

I've owned three labs, they are the breed I grew up with. They are fun loving and sweet. I had a black lab, Merlin, from working lines who did take more work than Binky who came from show stock. Merlin was smaller at 30kg (27kg when he was minus a leg!) and Binky was 35kg. Neither was fat, just muscle.

Hope this helps.

Strangely, all the dogs I met on the dog walk today were labs - all black ones. Three were young, and instead of walking down the bank and into the water, just hurled themselves in, repeatedly. Then shook themselves all over me.

The other was one I see a lot, quite old now. I think he has killed something almost every day of his life. When we first moved here six years ago I'd see him every day walking along with a dead rabbit. Now there's no way he can catch a rabbit, so he digs up moles instead. To people - and other dogs - he is the gentlest thing imaginable. But to little furry things, he is a killing machine.

The wife.

Had Labradors when growing up and are such good natured dogs as others have said

Some GREAT pics there Wyrekin. I especially love the last two.

And Shane I love your siggie line

Thanks T. I miss my labs so much

Lovely natured dogs. Gentle but greedy dustbins.

In terms of working them - I always say Labs come ready for you to program whilst Springers come pre-programed.

I think I only meet the ones that the owners didn't bother to program at all! Total nutcases, knock you sideways or flat on your back with their paws on your shoulders jobs!

I don't know how true this might be because I didn't test it out, but, when my boys were tiddlers, I was told not to get a lab if you have young kids, because the kids will make the dog worse crazy and the dog will make the kids worse crazy!

I was brought up with Labs as both my parents and grandparents owned one and Flossie and Brce were my pals when I was a child.

When my own boys were small my parents owned a large golden Lab called Sorrel whose job it was to "baby sit" whenever we went to visit. That dog had SO much patience with my two monsters and allowed them to whatever they wanted to her. One day they persuaded her to go into a crate my father had bought home and left in the garden and then the little horrors NAILED HER IN!

She must have sat in there for hours because no one realised she was missing until my mum called the boys and her in for dinner and only the boys appeared. After searching all over for her my father finally found her sitting quietly in the crate waiting to be let out!

I have three Labradors, two half sisters and a daughter of one of them, all three are chocolate.

Tau, the bitch I had a litter from, had all three colours in there, so the myth that chocolates are somehow nuttier, is completely disproven, she's chocolate carrying yellow, mated to a black carrying chocolate and yellow stud dog. All three in one litter, with the same genes.

The only problem you do get, is that because chocolate is the most popular colour for pet owners to buy, there are a lot of byb and puppy farmed Labs of this colour. And then you do get pups/dogs that aren't bred for temperament.

Tau (middle one, mother of pup) was the water test dog yesterday for NEFRA (North Eastern Flat Coated Retriever Association) - she was there to test the distance and retrieve to hand, and also to retrieve any dummies the dogs didn't go in for. She got a couple of retrieves, and sat steady the rest of the time. So there goes the nutty theory.

I have had four Labradors over the years. All have been yellow but Amber my present one her grandparents were chocolate and you can see the odd brown hair in her. Her ears too have a touch of the chocolate colour to them being that much darker than her natural yellow colour. She is very laid back and I think it is true that they take after their owner for character and pace of life. Like all four of them they have all had different characters but have all been laid back and I have loved them all so much.

Amazing dogs, my lab is working type so is of the more lean variety, he does well in Flyball, obedience and agility. has the most lovely nature, does like his food....A LOT!! Does not conform to the norm in liking water though. He walks around puddles and does not swim!

That is funny you should say that Labradored as Amber my 4th Lab walks round puddles and does not like water at all and yet the previous three loved mud and water and lakes could never keep them away from it. Amber's grandfather came from Devon and was a chocolate champion one. Cannot remember without looking up her pedigree again whether he was show or working dog champion.

My awesome lab!