Can You Help Me I.D This Dog?

[Shelby]

its not a broad generalisation, its the way labs are bread. Working and show, you cannot break a labs temperament up by colour! Or as the Americans like to call it English and American (which is the wrong description btw).

But don't set a Lab apart by colour! I have been around working labs all my life of every colour and there seems to be a generalisation about chocolate labs being mad (btw 'spastic' isn't very PC) is not a good one to make either. I have met mad chocolates and mad yellows. I have never read anything so ridiculous!

I have obviously offended you by stating my opinion which I'm entitled to as are you. As for spastic not being very PC neither is the term "mad". If we are going to be PC we should say very energetic? I have never heard of anyone describing labs as english or american? If you have been around working labs all your life at least you know what you have most don't. Are you a breeder? Do you own all three colors?

Most people and I'm sorry to say (American) breeders do not breed for work or show when it come to labs. They breed for color. They don't know what they have. Breaking them up by color and general descriptions IMO of course is usually the easiest as when it comes to labs. Those are very general terms. There are always exceptions. I've seen black labs that have crazy drive. I've seen some chocolate labs that have no drive.

Generally speaking, in my experience in training and dealing with multiple breeds of dogs, teaching obedience and tracking, and one of my best friends owns a K9 training academy and has for 30 years, I do have an idea of what I am talking about regardless if you like my opinion or not.

I will be one of the few Americans who admit that we tend to definitely mess up breeds. Look what has happened to the GSD's when American began to breed them. Screwed up hips, sloping croups, butts on the ground stance. Sickening.

Please keep in mind, this particular post is opinions and we are all entitled to them.

 

[ian]

i know we are all entitled ect ect, and i don't mean to offend, but from someone who is 'active' in dog training, shouldn't really be distinguishing dogs through colour. Google English lab and American lab, google working lab and show lab and you'll see where i'm coming from. I also have an idea of what i'm talking about as i assist in the rehoming and training of homeless dogs. I also train gundogs, have assisted in training attack dogs for security work.

What i do agree with you on is the way the KC breeders breed there dogs to near death. Look at the King Charles Cavalier, we have bread him to have a small head, not through evolution but selective breeding and now the king charles's brain doesn't fit in there skull not all king charles, but about 60%)! I have seen labs in the field retire due to HD at the age of 18 months, this is becoming more of a problem.

oh and yes, i have owned all the colours, i only have the one Black lab left now.

 

[Shelby]

yes I know it's a bad thing to generalize by color Labs are easy to do that to especially in America the way they are bred. I did the google. Most american/english is size difference? I'm always willing to learn from a fellow dog lover! I just know what I see in the dogs around here.

Let me point out though... this will drive you nuts probably.. GSD's can be split by color too lol

red & black (different from black & tan) are usually show lines
sables & blacks are almost always working lines

I've of course never trained gundogs so you do have the advantage over me there.

Also, attack dogs bad... protection dogs good. We currently have 5 (see my sig) GSD protection dogs. Never call them attack dogs. Gives protection dogs a bad name They are all Schutzhund trained. Some hidden sleeve and civil work but it's really not needed

 

[ian]

i have a freind that does schutzhand, i'd love to give it a go. I worked with him on the sleeve when he was training. Like i say i'd love to try it. The nearest club to us is miles away and another reason is i don't have a Shepheard!

what kind of methods do you use for training? We tend to use both negative and positive techniques, as you'll know different dogs respond to different methods.

 

[Shelby]

We also use both positive and negative. Lots of positive (rewards for doing right) and negative (not getting the reward) for doing wrong. Schutzhund has really evolved over the years as more of a sport rather than what it started out. Originally it was a test for breed worthiness for the GSD. Now it is a sport all done for points. 95% of the dogs you see on a Schutzhund field are what we call "sleeve happy" and not true protection dogs.

With the evolvement a lot of the training styles have gone by the wayside also (not a bad thing). You will run into some old style trainers who still believe in the "yank & crank" method of training. I prefer to use more motivation as it is 100% better when your dog wants to work for you.

I'm not saying I won't lay a correction on my dog on the field with collar and leash because sometimes you just have to. With these dogs you have to earn their respect as 80% of Schutzhund is obedience. Everything you do on the field boils down to control Not to mention I'm a woman and prefer male dogs because they aren't as soft as bitches so I have to be willing to stand my ground and make my dog respect me.

 

[Ace Of Spades]

Can definitely see the boxer in it, I'd say Boxer cross Labrador.