Hi, my family and myslef would love to buy a labrador, but everyone I have spoken to about this has either had, or knows someone who has had a labrador and says they are very destructive in the home and very boisterous untill about 5 years old is this true or not? Many Thanks

Hi Guest, in the right hands and under the right circumstances, Labrador Retrievers are wonderful dogs. They require a high level of mental stimulation, lots of attention and human company. Without these things, they can be destructive in the extreme. My advice would be, never leave a Labrador with time on it's hands, remember the devil makes work!

If you have an active, outdoors type of family, where the dog would be involved in almost everything you do, and there is a fit active person at home all day, then you may be OK, but be prepared for anything. As you have found out, every Lab family has a horror story, and they're all true.

I had a few Labs in my younger days and they all got up to trouble of one sort or another.

Good Luck

Dawn R.

Hi Guest, I have 7 Labradors, all living inthe house with me. Labradors are boistrous, playful, energetic, very loyal and loving, and highly intelligent requiring a lot of mental stimulation. Having 7 is the home is the extreme.

A single Labrador is all of the above. Labradors are people dogs and need an environment where they do get lots of attention and human company as Nursey has already said. Without the correct and proper training, this only needs to be 5mins perhaps 4 or 5 times a day, a Labrador puppy can, and if left there own devises, will be completely destructive.

Nursey has described perfectly the type of home and family a Labrador should be with. Most Labradors come into maturity around 2 to 3 years old, but as John (a long standing member on here) will testify some never do :D
The teenage stage,which last last anywhere between 8months and 3 years can be a nightmare.

Good training classes, consistency and the back up a good and reputable breeder can and does make owning a Labrador a joy.

Kay

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I've known labs to be boisterous till they die of old age! Like all dogs, they will be destructive if given the opportunity to get bored.

Labs are designed to be a working breed, and as such, are very active and intelligent and are easily bored...with boredome comes destruction.   Labs need to be kept active and fit and do need quality training, otherwise you will have a delinquent on your hands! :-)

However, those that are active and well-loved and trained members of the family (be it working or pet) then they are superb dogs and a pleasure to be around.

My breed is the  Labrador  they can be all the things above  and more .I also run a  labrador rescue and have done for many years.
Labradors are lovely but they can be hard word they are basically a working dog but  make a faithful companion due to their popularity  they have been exploited they are not suitable for evey family.Last year 191 labs came through my gates  ffor homing from our small sanctuary, these have all been bought as pups sometimes on a whim  not all of course as circumstances change.I am proud to say are now in loving homes.
Sadly with bad  breeders who do not know their dogs they are mass  produced to have many heriditary problems temperment  can be iffy as well which is very sad.
I would advise Anyone looking for a labrador get in touch with the breed clubs ( I have a list email me) search  out a reputable breeder,get a good book,there are many on the shelves in librarys and book stores,ask advice on here or get Dogs today ,there are many breed advisors in there who will advise you free of charge.But above all be prepered to wait ! after all you wait nine months for a human baby.and the dog will be a much loved member of your family hopefully for many years.
A reputable breeder will let you visit and see the stages of puppy hood and if you have children that will teach them and they will enjoy it and also help to choose a name then when the day comes for the pup to come home you will be armed with all the good advice a good breeder can give you.

Also Do not buy a work bred lab and expect it to sit in a kitchen all day,or any lab for that matter.
If you dont want to go through the puppy stage  and would consider an adult  register with rescue there are many dedicated rescues all over the country but!!! be prepared to be  grilled (on both sides ;) ) as to the suitability of your lifestyle.

Labradors for me are the most lovely dogs to have but  like anything you will only get out what you are prepared to put in and if you do put in the dedication you will have a loyal loving friend

Labs can be very destructive, they regularly redecorate our kennels and are excellent at paint stripping!  BUT, they are in kennels.  A happy, well balanced, not bored Lab will be only as destructive as the next dog.  Left alone, unsupervised for long periods, who could blame them for making their own fun.
Dawn.

What is a Labrador?

A Labrador is a creature that:-

Has a desire to visit his cousin in Australia but can't remember where they started the tunnel so are forced to start again.

Loves to jump and will easily clear a 4 foot fence for no other reason than "Because it's there!"

Is so strong that he simply does not notice that when he turned right you had attempted to turn left!

Loves eating and is not at all fussy about what the food is. A cupboard door or a kitchen floor is all the same to him!

Has a natural affinity to mud and water

Will happily spend two hours wandering around the fields with you and ten minutes later say, "When we going for a walk then?"

A Labrador will supply you with a new "Self coloured" carpet twice a year.

One thing I will say. The Labrador puppies used in the Andrex adverts are not true to type in one important aspect. No self respecting Labrador would never pull a toilet roll out like that, he would eat it!

All of the above is completely true. Labradors are the most beautiful of dogs (To me anyway) but they do need plenty of training and plenty of patience. The picture painted is of a simple, lovable softy who is easy to train. Unfortunate, the rescue centres show a very different story!

Regards, John

Have to agree with the loo roll thing, been there, done that. :D Thanks for reminding me. :D

ha ha

yep woody, likes things, he can sink his teeth into, And tear apart in 2 seconds flat, only and only if for some reasson, you have just ignored him, or he quite simply wants a bit of attention. toilet rolls, boxes of tissues, etc, though he isnt as bad as some stories weve heard, no where near. And thats only the pup stage, weve still got the kevin bit to look forward to yet. Hee hee cant wait

Alix

Count yourself lucky Alix. Some are better than others. My first Labrador was born fully mature! I don't think she ever did any damage in her whole life, But you could never get lost with her! Take her to a strange town and go where you like but just mention going back to the car! She would retrace her steps EXACTLY and that meant crossing the roads in exactly the same places where we crossed on the way out, whether we wanted to or not! I don't think I've ever not had a digger in the family and I have twice lost my kitchen floor!

Maybe I'm mad but it's still the breed for me, but it is something I believe all potential Labrador owners should know about. They are not the easiest breed to live with.

Regards, John

John

As far as we are concerned, it is so far so good, And it does very much feel, like the calm before the storm.

But who knows, We may have hit lucky. The only thing that is a pain, is the way he sits in the kitchen, 3 hours before meal time.

And also very funny to watch is the way he goes back to his bowl 4-5 times, just to check that he has eaten everything. lol. And has a drink of water, so the water can help relieve the bowl, of any micro-scopic titbits left.

Alix
oh and by the way, the garden bit is so true, he sure does like a good dig in my containers

pps, he'll have daffs sprouting out of him in the spring

Oh the really do love their food Alix. My problem is that during the shooting season Anna needs rather more food because she runs so much weight off picking up. Then after the season finishes and her work level drops I need to cut back slightly. You should see the disgusted look I get when I cut her down! For two pins she would report me to the RSPCA!

But it is so important we keep their weight down. It might seem hard now but in years to come when they are still active and full of life we know we did the right thing. Six months before she died of cansor at nearly 14 years old my old Bethany was playing with the pups for half an hour before two hours demonstrating at gundog training and ask as soon as we got home, "When we going for a walk then?". Bethany was the Peter Pan who had absolutly no intention of ever growing up!

Regards, John

Aaah Alix, you are still in the puppy stage, Enjoy!! :D The lull before the storm. I have very little of my original house left, including walls, doors, skirting boards, door jams, and even 150 year old wooden floorboards, No carpets in house AT ALL, lino in pile of rubble 18 hours after being laid, stair spindles reshaped, bottom stair nearly removed, underwear, well we all know this one, :D  Flooded twice, Outside BT cables ripped from their core, BT charges a fortune for replacing fridge opened and contents removed, also bottom shelf on fridge door eaten, all furniture, and do you know how many feathers are in a king sized Douvet?????? No! Neither do I, I gave up at 3 million. lol :D  Yes I can still laugh, the men in white coats call it hysterics :D :D . I love my labs and wouldn't be without them, everything else is replacable (sp)

Please can I just add this to the original poster,

Even though we love our woody to bits, We spent a lot of time looking into the breed, breeders etc, before deciding to go ahead, and everytime. I come onto a place like this, I am still learning new things regarding the breed. One thing I am certain off. Is this, that we know, and are prepared, for life to not be easy, but coming on boards, like this, does offer you the opportunity to learn more and more, about your own breed, as well as others. And can help you to prepare you and your family, house, etc for the ups and as others say negatives to owning your chosen breed. Me and my husband, are not faint hearted. Please make your decision wisely. We have always both of us loved labs. But some of the stories on here are enough to put anyone off for life.

Alix

Hi again Alix, Since I am the one who has probably written more about the down side of owning Labradors, I should probably tip the scales a little in their favour.  With good and consistant training, Labradors are in my mind most loyal and faithfull and a great joy to own.  A Labrador will want to be with you wherever you go, (includes trips the the loo) A Labrador will give unconditional companionship, which is probably all he asks in return (with food). A Labrador is a constant A Labrador will have you pulling your hair out and he will pull on your heartstrings, (at the same time)  He will never give you a dull moment. And although dogs have no emotions, they will love you in their own way (unconditionally).  And with their little antics and foibles, they will turn you into the best after dinner speaker EVER :D :D :D

I do sympathise. My oldest lab is the best ever - he is just such a babe and has never done any real damage to the house. HOWEVER, our younger bitch is quite another story. Like Kayc has posted, I don't even think about underwear - last week various items of underwear were fed out the cat flap!!!!! My eldest daughter is near breakdown on the issue. Gardening is a big favourite, and it is entered into with great gusto, trees and plants that stand feet high are not safe, we do not have one pair of matching socks in our house as one of most pairs has had the toes eaten out - but do we love them ?- yes. I would not swap. They are intelligent dogs that need interaction and stimulus, if you can provide that you have a friend for life.

Labs can be wonderful dogs if you are prepared to put in the time and effort training them.  They need LOTS of mental stimulation, they are definitely people dogs and yes they can be very destructive when left alone.  With lots of love time and patience though you can have the most devoted companion that would love you forever.

Michelle :)

ahh yes... skirting boards and door jambs  :D Thanks for reminding me of that too :D How can I forget so easily? :rolleyes: :D

My tess was a good puppy as far as i can remember although mum tells me different, she replaced her rose bushes twice before giving up on roses and trying jasmine instead, she left that alone and it is now taking over by the back door. Her pup Bruce on the other hand is an absolute nightmare :) he has eaten so far (this is what i can remember) several pairs of school shoes, slippers and the replacements, teddy bears, a new pack of toilet rolls, 12 litres of milk, a box of wine, steering fluid, lots and lots of bath puffers, all the christmas chocolate, the contents of the litter tray [if im not quick enough], the kitchen bin several times over, the bathroom bin, toothbrushes, hairbrushes, rose bushes, lavender bushes, conifers, his own weight in cat food, he has also run into the fence and run up an £800 vet bill, dug the rabbit out of her run, dug a hole big enough for him to disappear in (bruce is the size of an 6-8 month old dane roughly, he is a very oversized lab), this is all that i can remember but on the good side bruce is a loving dog and we have photos of my nephew riding him, bruce helping with my nephews bath, he cuddles up with the kitten and is really gentle although when we first got her he could have killed her just by stepping on her, when out with the kids they are never out of his sight and anyone goes near them they know about it :D
Labradors are the best breed (IMO) to have as long as they get enough mental stimulation they are fine

tanya

Tanya - I am soo pleased that Bruce does all this - may I say that his little sister Freya is an absolute ANGEL!!!!  :D :D :D :D

And I'm NOT letting her be influenced by the Bad Aussies!!!

Margot

well my max is now nearly 9 months and he is a chocolate labrador. he has so far destroyed the kitchen floor a school shoe a kettle a toaster 3 beds a birthday cake including ten candles and holders  numerous loaves of bread (which were in the bread bin) he has emptied the bin every single time i forgot to put it in garden before i went out oh yes 2 phone wires and 17'000 of my sons footballs however he is also the most loving friendly enthusiastic kind gentle little boy i have ever had the pleasure of knowing. he makes us laugh everyday he loves me more than anyone has ever loved me i think and he loves every second of every hour life is one big party for him. i wouldnt swop him for the world. he is hard work and has cost us a fortune but he is worth every penny.
p.s. i only work for 2 hours a day and he acheived all that in those times.

Well I also have a lab called Freya and she is certainly not an angel. She has eaten an hole in my kitchen wall, this wall was built in 1840 and has lived through many disasters before this. This was whilst I poured out some cereal for breakfast - we are talking minutes here, she regularly digs up my garden, she eats the toes out of socks to the point that we don't bother about matching socks anymore. She even ate her kennel when she stay with a friend, so she had to be banished to the Piggery as it was all concrete (not used as a piggery at present I hasten to add), and uses the kitchen bin as a snack wagon. The worst was when she raided my daughters room and found a huge ball of blue tack, that was a mess.

However, she is a loyal caring companion, and is always by my side - I love her to bits.

I think you also need a strong stomach to have a Lab.  Only this morning Molly decided to have a great game  running around crunching on a birds head with neck still half attached.  It must of been a Crow or Rook or something, its beak was masive even though it was half decomposed, yuk.  The worse bit is having finally got her to drop it and wait,  I have to wedge it into a tree branch to stop her retreiving it again.  Yesterday I pulled half a mouse out of her throat.  (good job its winter and i'm wearing gloves)   Another favourite is munching on birds wings, chomping on dead squirrels and hovering up in the fields after muck spreading.  In the summer she likes the sun-dried frogs that have been squashed on the roads.  She is also quite partial to a drop of eau de fox, carefully rubbed in around the neck and collar!

Labradors, lovely!