Any Labrador owners out there?

[Feral Fox]

Trying to talk the other half into a puppy much later in the year. Will be a good companion for our old dog. I fancy a lab. Anyone else got one?

[Northants Pie]

I've got a 4 1/2 month old lab x gsd female, and she is really really good, we were told off the vet that by crossing these two breeds together the problems that both breeds suffer from are near on eradicated due to the others areas of strength, that being the lab suffers from bad back legs and the gsd bad front ones apparently and the lab is really strong in the front likewise the gsd is strong on the back so your insurance etc is much cheaper.

 

Very easy to train and really good around other dogs, she just wants to sniff and the other dogs are scared of her for some reason maybe the gsd bit I don't know, we have a 4 & 6 year old and she adores the ground they walk on.

 

I'd recommend the 'x' breed and also a female as they aren't half as mental as a boy.

[PTID1862]

Common problem with GSD's is the hips go... I had a long haired *****, you have to be careful with the breeding line

[Fan of Big Tone]

Forgive my ignorance I'm not a dog person but curious as to what a GSD is?

[Feral Fox]

Forgive my ignorance I'm not a dog person but curious as to what a GSD is?

German Shepard

[Northants Pie]

Click on the link and scroll down the page to "Ruby", that's what my dog looks like, mine is probably a bit bigger and definitely bigger built but she came from a big lab female and a properly massive gsd male

 

***forgot the link**** ha ha

 

http://www.germanshepherdrescue.co.uk/german-shepherd-dogs-sw.html

[Chris]

Labrador's are generally really nice dogs, I never owned one but I've known many who have and they are good family pets. Good with children, loyal and exactly the type which make a good companion to all family members.

German Shepard's are also nice - @Harrys_Mummy parents have a lovely one.

Let us know what root you take HD.

[Feral Fox]

We won't be going for one until October as we're going back to skeg in the half term break and its not fair to take young dog who is still learning there or end up leaving it in the lodge for extended periods of time. Our old mut is fine there. She knows she gets the best of both. Extra long walks and beach runs etc... and extra long kip times when the kids are at the fair!
It will probably be a lab though. Even though gsd's are lovely, they're even bigger and more boisterous than labs and with us childminding we need to ensure its happy being crawled all over!

[Fan of Big Tone]

Thanks, I would have called that an Alsatian so it just shows what I know.

I had a dog when I was 16 it was a Labrador/Collie cross a really lovely dog and my best mate, sadly we didn't have him innoculated and he died of distemper, as a 16 year old I was devastated and have never had a dog since.

Mrs H is a big cat person so since we married we've always had cats, they seem a bit easier to look after as they are very independent, don't need exercise etc.

[Feral Fox]

Thanks, I would have called that an Alsatian so it just shows what I know.

I had a dog when I was 16 it was a Labrador/Collie cross a really lovely dog and my best mate, sadly we didn't have him innoculated and he died of distemper, as a 16 year old I was devastated and have never had a dog since.

Mrs H is a big cat person so since we married we've always had cats, they seem a bit easier to look after as they are very independent, don't need exercise etc.

The common name in this country is an Alsatian, but in dog circles it is a gsd.

[Northants Pie]

Thanks, I would have called that an Alsatian so it just shows what I know.

 

 

@hissingdawrf is right in that the actual breed is German Shepard but we in this country call it an alsatian

[AmericanPie]

Used to own one many moons ago, lovely dogs and nice to walk. They make great family pets!

[Super_Danny_Allsopp]

We were also on about getting a dog - not now, but when we buy our own place in a couple of years. 

Husky or German Shepard I think for us. 

[PTID1862]

I want another..... who knows.. need to work on wifey big time

[liampie]

German Shepards are ace!

[Feral Fox]

German Shepards are ace!

Agreed, but as childminders, we have to be careful of the image a gsd portrays. I love them, as does the wife, but some people tend to view them as big police dogs (which they are I suppose!) and are scary because of that! Can't have a mutt putting off customers. A lab or a golden retriever are viewed as nicer. Strange as a gsd and a lab are both very similar in temperament and caring nature.

[PTID1862]

my gsd, was by far the most loving and devoted dog I have ever come across, and we had her when my two were quite young, and also next door had a baby...

 

it had its tail pulled gawd knows how much, the baby just used to caterpillar up and get hands of fur... and she never ever batted an eyelid...

 

the most we ever got was a doleful look, as if to ask... Daddy do I have to go through this