Lab question

Why would someone want a british lab. What are you getting that anyother lab doesn’t have?

Smaller body size typically.

There are other reasons out there that I guess I’m not sold on or believe quite yet.

They claim that they are alot more calmer while not hunting and more trainable. Just what I’ve heard.

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They claim that they are alot more calmer while not hunting and more trainable. Just what I’ve heard.

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There are other reasons out there that I guess I’m not sold on or believe quite yet. That be the ones!

I agree with lip

I had one, and I can say that the “calmer” part in the house was not accurate with her. She was an incredible upland dog with extreme high drive and would point quite often (no formal training for that). She was shorter and very stocky. However, she never really calmed down and acclimated to the house, even after rigorous training sessions. After knocking down my girls in the house for 3-4 years I finally kept her outside most of the time. I don’t know if they are all like that, but my experience doesn’t support some of the “qualities” breeders claim.

Todd Ritter

RR I hear what you are saying but it is hard to compare a single dog to another and let that be gospel and the way it always is. I really think it depends on the particular dog, their bloodlines, their genetics, parents, and how they are raised. It don’t matter what type of dog it is.

Ever meet my American Lab? I taught him myself without knowing squat (he is my first dog). He is and always has been a mellow guy and just happy to be in the room with you. Get him int he field he is all business. Excellent nose and hunter and has pointing skills when he is exposed to enough birds or when he hunts with other pointers. Never taught just learned that on his own. I believe it all has to do more with genetics and how they are raised. His parents were the exact same way he is. As far as train ability, we have developed a bond and communication where he knows what I want from him and his desire to please is what makes him the dog he is. He is the typical big block head/paw Male but that is what I wanted and could not have dreamed a better dog. My case is not the only one I have seen with American Labs. I have a list of buddies that have had the same results. Corey Waller from IDO being one of them, his American Lab Maddy is unreal. I have another buddy Jason that has an American Female Lab Maggie that is 45-50 lbs and a lil spitfire full of energy in the field.

I have hunted behind some of “THE BETTER” British Dogs around here and they have nothing on some of the Americans I have hunted behind! They are both great dogs, I just think some people get sucked into the “HYPE” that they are new and better. For anyone looking at getting any dog, I suggest that you do some homework and look at the pedigree and observe the Parents of the pup. This will tell you a lot about what your pup will most likely turn out like. Get pups that are registered and from parents that are at least Hip Certified. Do your research and look at the parents and you will find most likely what your Dog will be like in both size & demeanor. When you bring the pup home work and bond with your pup a lot and the sky is the limit if you have great bloodlines to work with IMO.

Again, Just my opinion!

once again I agree with Lip. but here is my take. I believe as the alpha male in my house all of my labs have learned what is acceptable behavior in the house and what is not. now some have had to learn the hard way and some have just followed the rules from start. my opinion is some people judge dogs a bit to soon, they make a determination about a dogs trainability or or how crazy they are in the house when the dogs are just to young. its almost like you have to get the kid out of the dog first. then they mellow out and settle right in and know their place in the family structure of the house but that time frame is going to take a year or two. Im also a firm believer in kennel training a dog, that also is a big part of good manners in the house and in the field. I guess what im trying to say is that its training that makes a dog great regardless of weather or not its come from brittish or american stock. the best way to gadge drive, desire, and trainability is look at the parents.
just my .02

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once again I agree with Lip. but here is my take. I believe as the alpha male in my house all of my labs have learned what is acceptable behavior in the house and what is not. now some have had to learn the hard way and some have just followed the rules from start. my opinion is some people judge dogs a bit to soon, they make a determination about a dogs trainability or or how crazy they are in the house when the dogs are just to young. its almost like you have to get the kid out of the dog first. then they mellow out and settle right in and know their place in the family structure of the house but that time frame is going to take a year or two. Im also a firm believer in kennel training a dog, that also is a big part of good manners in the house and in the field. I guess what im trying to say is that its training that makes a dog great regardless of weather or not its come from brittish or american stock. the best way to gadge drive, desire, and trainability is look at the parents.
just my .02

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Nicely put Corey!

If “British Labs” were so superior (like their breeders state they are) why do we not see British lines dominating, let alone contending for the AKC NFC title each year?

if you want a small, calm dog, then search for that breeding, do not fall into the false reality that a British dog is automatically that.

The owner of WildRose kennels tried telling me at DU Fest one year, that his British Labs are not trained to be force fetched – they are bred with that trait!

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I have a one and she is calmer than my previous American yellow. She is smaller which is what I wanted -only 48lbs- and she is an unbelievable learner. I trained her myself and was very quick to pick things up in her training. I have also heard and read that Brits noses are better than their American counterparts but that has yet to be determined even though she has done some amazing things in the field in her young life. I know that drug enforcement is using them as their new breed die to the trainability and nose if that meNs anything. She has yet to run out of my yard which my first lab did all the time! I will say one thing negative though. She will absolutly shut Down when yelled At during training or hunting. You gotta hit these dogs with “kid gloves” during time in the field that is for sure. Overall I am very happy with her but…she will never replace my first lab. A special place in my heart for her…rr

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so, your dog does not deal with pressure? that is not trainability…

if you were to try and succeed at a high level with that dog, it would more then likely fail.

now, by no means am i saying your dog is bad – do not take it that way please. it is perfect for what you need it to do, and that is all you need. but its tough to say that dog is better for training if it cannot deal with pressure. a HUGE part of training a lab to the higher levels is teaching the dog to deal and respond to pressure appropriately.

and the other things, like running out of the yard, or some of the things she’s done in the field, that has more to do with you, and less with being a “British Lab”.

I took rr’s statement a little different. He said the dog shut down if yelled at. Not uncommon, I have seen highly motivated-run all day type of labs cower like little whipped pups when yelling is involved, even when the yelling was not directed at them.
There are many forms of pressure so I say that a dog that shuts down to yelling is not shutting to all pressure in general.
train through attrition and train the dog how to avoid pressure.

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If “British Labs” were so superior (like their breeders state they are) why do we not see British lines dominating, let alone contending for the AKC NFC title each year?

if you want a small, calm dog, then search for that breeding, do not fall into the false reality that a British dog is automatically that.

The owner of WildRose kennels tried telling me at DU Fest one year, that his British Labs are not trained to be force fetched – they are bred with that trait!

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If American labs were so superior to British then why are they not in the UK dominating???
Apples to oranges my friend

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If “British Labs” were so superior (like their breeders state they are) why do we not see British lines dominating, let alone contending for the AKC NFC title each year?

if you want a small, calm dog, then search for that breeding, do not fall into the false reality that a British dog is automatically that.

The owner of WildRose kennels tried telling me at DU Fest one year, that his British Labs are not trained to be force fetched – they are bred with that trait!

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If American labs were so superior to British then why are they not in the UK dominating???
Apples to oranges my friend

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how is it apples to oranges? American bred labs are not shipped to the UK, and advertised, like the latter breed is. I find it hilarious that 99% of “British Lab” breeders state that their dogs are superior to the American lab breeder down the street, yet when asked why they do not compete in AKC FT/HT, they always seem to respond that they are not “bred for that”.

yet they charge as much as someone who is breeding a FC sire with a SH/MH [censored].

My nitpick, is that the British lab breeders show absolutely in no way, how their dog compares to an American breeding. other then “word of mouth”.

if i’m spending 1000+ on a pup, i want some titles with the parents, not just the breeder telling me the parents are GREAT in the field.

And in all reality, a Lab is still only one breed. Find a breeding that you like, and get a pup out of it. don’t pay so much attention to what “nationality” it is.

How is it apples to oranges?? Its obvious you have never seen a UK field trial. The main and only reason you dont see american labs in the uk is they will not allow them. On top of that if trained here in the states on our systom and trialed over there you would fail. A hunt test over there is an actual hunt test not lets see how far your dog can travel in a straight line. A field trial dog here needs to run a straight line and not “hunt” for what it needs to find. A uk dog needs to hunt for what it has to find hence apples to oranges. A properlly bread british will have many titles behind its name but most all will be from over seas titles. Along with that most will have trial champions through out the pedagreee as where here breeders of our american labs breed with less champions on there pedagree.
Now I am in no way saying my breed is better than yours but what I am saying there is a differance. I also agree getting a dog british, american of any breed for that matter one should get it from a reputable breeder. As far as british goes there are very few in the states. As far as american the breeders I thought were supose to be good turned out poor dogs in my opinion.
I no I wont be able to convince you or change your mind but I am just trying to educate you on the breed, from what I can see you probally have very little experiance with the british line that goes with most that say a lab is a lab.
If you want a field trial dog the british can do it but in most cases wont have the sucess an american will