I have had labradors for many years and if breeding have tried to better my breed havent actually bred a litter for 7 years as I have been involved in rescue and not had a nice lab to breed from.
Whilst in rescue we occasionally take in labrador crosses and in particualer lab cross collies and recently taken in a few litters of these crosses from ireland.
Its amazing how many people want to have a lab cross collie often saying their last one lived to 16 even 18 years old no problems no arthritis nothing,My eldest lab has had arthritis since she was 7 and many more labs ive heard of whose owners come for a dog say their dogs have had various related problems yet the humble cross lab seems to defy all these problems.I have never had a lab older than 12 years .
What do others think?

One of our old "Nigger" line girls was an escape artist - she was owned by one of my SIL's sisters - and managed to get out twice whilst in season and consequently had 2 litters - one was to a lovely lab who lived in the next village, the second time, to the  local shepherd's border collie (she was speyed after the second escapade).

We would see the offspring quite regularly, and I believe that the collie-cross that they kept lived to nearly 19!   She looked very much the labrador - apart from a plumey tail.

Margot

Our neighbour had a CollieXLab. She was the only puppy of about 7 to survive & died at around 8yrs from Pyometra (stupid owner!!).

We previously had a collie x lab who lived to 14yrs,with a touch of arthritis,but no other illness through her life! she was a lovable,loyal dog. We had her from 5weeks as her mum had no milk or energy,being too young herself, to cope with a litter of 5 pups She came to us through an ad in the local newsagents.
Her siblings though did not live much beyond 8yrs and one of her brothers had numerous skin disorders and problems throughout his short 8yr life.
We fed her on a mixed diet of canned and 'human' food but she had a glossy coat,good teeth and was very healthy throughout, a small miracle really, as we did not really know enough about dogs when we got her! We have learned a lot more since then and researched a lot before bringing Spice BC home!
Jacqueline :)

My husband's old lab (pure bred)  was 15 when she died in the late 80s, and ours (pure bred) was 13. My old lab cross was 10 when he went. So in my very limited experience I'd go for the pure bred every time.
:)

My first dog (as opposed to family dogs) was a large lab cross who lived untill he was 17, my next was a Lab x collie (according to Wood Green) she looked like a large Lab (tall leggy) with a slightly long haired tail with a white tip, white toes and a white swirl onher chest - she died aged 14 from haemangiosarcoma :(  I currently have an ESS x BC who is still going strong at nearly 13 (she keeps up with my 4 year old ESS.....)

We had a collie x lab, we got her in 1980 and lost her 1995, during those 15 yrs she was the most faithful and obedient friend you could have. I loved all three of our dogs but she was my dog of a lifetime as she took me from pre-beginners to class b for the first time. The other 2 were collies and lived 12 & 10 yrs. We now have a ms called Kizzy 11 months old and very much taking her place as best family pet ever, she has a fantastic temperment and altough it has taken her longer then the other's I think she is just as smart as they were, with a real mistivous streak. Viv