[Supahfly]

Hi,

We are a family of 4 with 2 children. My daughter is 6 years old and my boy is 2.5 years old.
We live in a house with a small garden that is 50 meters from a forest.
We live in Israel where the temperature are about 30 degrees Celsius in the summer and a very cold 10 degrees Celsius in the winter.
There is no one home between 9 am till 4:30 pm.
We like to walk a lot in the week end. and i ride a bike in the evening every 2 days (10-20 kms).
My wife and I would like to adopt a labrador retriver.

Why a labrador?
Labradors are gentle to kids and playful. They are family dogs.
My daughter like very much the labrador of a friend of her. Of course we know that we will have to take care of him because the kids won't.
It's not a small dog (we don't want a small dog).

I don't want to adopt a dog that will be sad alone at home till we come back.

Are our conditions good enough for him to be a happy dog?
The last thing i want is to adopt a dog and make his life miserable.

 

[KiraOllie]

okay, i just wrote a really long reply but it deleted itself so i will make it shorter.

labradors are very friendly and i have never come across a bad tempered labrador. they will get hoot but they will find shade or get water. they will get cold, but nothing to worry about as they will get a thicker layer of hair. when my dogs are cold they sit infront of our fire.

They will not get lonely as there is children, and they will get very attached to eachother.
you will have to walk your dog as your garden isnt that big but yeah

hope this helps.
KiraOllie

 

[patronizingrabbits]

They have a lot more energy than people think and maintain it well into their adult years. As long as you're prepared for that, it shouldn't be a problem. I've known far too many people who get a lab for the family only to keep it kenelled, outside, or otherwise isolated from their family because they discovered it had more energy than they bargained for.

 

[HersheyBear]

okay, i just wrote a really long reply but it deleted itself so i will make it shorter.

labradors are very friendly and i have never come across a bad tempered labrador. they will get hoot but they will find shade or get water. they will get cold, but nothing to worry about as they will get a thicker layer of hair. when my dogs are cold they sit infront of our fire.

They will not get lonely as there is children, and they will get very attached to eachother.
you will have to walk your dog as your garden isnt that big but yeah

hope this helps.
KiraOllie

Actually.
Over the last ten years, more recently within the last 5, I have come across a large number of "bad tempered labradors". With the breed as popular as they are, they have been virtually bred into the ground. I've met human aggressive Labs, food aggressive Labs, and most commonly, high-strung bordering on unruly Labs.

Labradors on the whole tend to be very active and very high strung, and I've known a lot of families with kids where the dog's overexuberance knocks the child over. If you are insistant on a purebred Labrador, make sure to find a reputable breeder, with adults that are temperamentally sound as well as having been OFA screened. Goldens are pretty much the same as Labs, at least the ones I've met.

(I have a friend that was bitten in the face. By a purebred Labrador. There's no such thing as a 100% "bomb-proof" breed.)

 

[LaylaBird]

Agree completely. The labs I know are incredibly high energy dogs. They need at least a few hours of off-leash running every day from what I've seen. I walk with five labs, and they just go, and go, and go. They can knock an adult over no problem, so kids definitely need to be watched - and those tails are just the height of a kid's face.

The American style labs tend to be taller, leggier and my hyper compared to the UK style labs - which are harder to find in North America.

I also have a neighbour with a lab who's about 100 lbs and absolutely out of control. I think it's a combination of predisposition and their apparent lack of willingness to spend the time training, socializing and (I think) exercising their dog. The result is that he's a puppy in personality, maturity, energy and social skills, but in a powerful 100 lbs-of-pure-muscle body. A horrible combination lol. They definitely went for the wrong breed.

The other thing about labs in family settings is that they are gluttonous, and tall enough to reach counters easily. It can be tough to keep them from stealing food off of tables or out of kids hands. They are just incredibly, incredibly food-oriented. I've seen labs swallow plastic bags in the park (in fact I was the one that had to pull the damn bag out of this dog's gullet - this was my ex's mom's dog, years ago). From what I've seen in houses with kids, there tends to be a lot of food, shoes, and just random "swallowable" stuff everywhere. Lab-proofing a home is no small task.

 

[KiraOllie]

Actually.
Over the last ten years, more recently within the last 5, I have come across a large number of "bad tempered labradors". With the breed as popular as they are, they have been virtually bred into the ground. I've met human aggressive Labs, food aggressive Labs, and most commonly, high-strung bordering on unruly Labs.

Labradors on the whole tend to be very active and very high strung, and I've known a lot of families with kids where the dog's overexuberance knocks the child over. If you are insistant on a purebred Labrador, make sure to find a reputable breeder, with adults that are temperamentally sound as well as having been OFA screened. Goldens are pretty much the same as Labs, at least the ones I've met.

(I have a friend that was bitten in the face. By a purebred Labrador. There's no such thing as a 100% "bomb-proof" breed.)

okay, but i have never come across a bad one, thats all i was trying to say

 

[Supahfly]

Thanks for the answers

Thanks for all your answers.
The thing I am really worried about is that I will leave the dog alone for about 8 hours every days except week end. Will it make his life miserable?

 

[Supahfly]

Actually.
Over the last ten years, more recently within the last 5, I have come across a large number of "bad tempered labradors". With the breed as popular as they are, they have been virtually bred into the ground. I've met human aggressive Labs, food aggressive Labs, and most commonly, high-strung bordering on unruly Labs.

Labradors on the whole tend to be very active and very high strung, and I've known a lot of families with kids where the dog's overexuberance knocks the child over. If you are insistant on a purebred Labrador, make sure to find a reputable breeder, with adults that are temperamentally sound as well as having been OFA screened. Goldens are pretty much the same as Labs, at least the ones I've met.

(I have a friend that was bitten in the face. By a purebred Labrador. There's no such thing as a 100% "bomb-proof" breed.)

How can you know that the lab you are going to take will be human or food aggressive?
I am pretty sure that a 2 month old lab can be very energetic but aggressive?

 

[cookieface]

Thanks for all your answers.
The thing I am really worried about is that I will leave the dog alone for about 8 hours every days except week end. Will it make his life miserable?

Many people with dogs work and their dogs are fine. The key is making the time you do spend with your dog worthwhile. Our dog gets a walk or play time in the yard with my husband in the morning and a walk and training time with me in the evening. She seems happy.

If you are concerned, is there a way for you to hire a dog walker? That would break up the day and allow for a potty break.

If you are getting a puppy, you will have a more difficult time as they need more frequent potty breaks than an adult. Also, a larger breed puppy shouldn't run (as in next to a bike) until they've finished growing.

How can you know that the lab you are going to take will be human or food aggressive?
I am pretty sure that a 2 month old lab can be very energetic but aggressive?

There are temperament tests that some breeders do on young puppies, but generally, you can't really know. Some dogs are fine as puppies, but can develop issues as they mature (or have unpleasant experiences).

If you plan to get your dog from a breeder, do lots of research, talk to other people who have gotten dogs from the breeder, ask questions about the temperaments of other dogs the breeder has bred. Meet as many labs as you can and ask the owners where their dogs are from (even if you don't like the temperament, that can help steer you away from someone). If you get an older dog from a rescue, you can often get a better sense of the mature dog's temperament.

 

[SusanLynn]

Have you considered adopting a slightly older lab that's maybe 3 or 4 years old? By that age, the dog will probably have matured and mellowed quite a bit. Sometimes, there are wonderful family dogs that have to be rehomed when their owner's circumstances change (moving away, job loss, etc.)

 

[4horses]

I would not recommend a lab for your situation. A small/medium dog would be better. A cat would probably do best in that type of situation.

You will absolutely need a dog walker if you are gone that long. Unless you are leaving the dog outside?

Look at it this way. The dog has nothing to do and is by itself for 7 1/2 hours, if it is crated it will be miserable. If you leave it out of the crate, it is going to look for something to destroy because it is lonely (separation anxiety) or because it is bored.

If you leave it outside by itself it is going to dig holes and possibly dig it's way out or find a way to escape.

When you get home, the kids will need attention, you will be tired and the dog is going to be full of energy from not having any attention. This means he is going to jump on you or the kids.

Labs are a big breed that is high energy. You would probably do best with a much older dog and/or a much smaller dog.

If I was in your situation I would get a cat and be sure to teach the kids how to be gentle with it. Cats do not mind being alone and don't have to be walked every few hours to prevent accidents. A full grown lab who has an accident is going to leave a very big mess!

I do not think it is healthy to have a dog by itself for that much of the day. Maybe get 2 small dogs instead, or an older animal. Definitely not a puppy as a 3 month old puppy needs to be walked every 3 hours to prevent accidents and you will not be home which will make it really difficult to house train.

My lab who passed away was very high energy. We live on a ranch and he guarded the entire property, and patrolled the fence line. He was a working dog. He was also the most clumsy dog I have ever met. He would step on your feet and knock you down accidentally, knock you in the head with his head. So definitely not a children's dog! Even in his older years he still patrolled the yard every night. Every few hours he would check the property line. He would sleep in the middle of the day, and cat nap in between patrolling the property. This was an inbred trait. I never taught him anything. If you had livestock that needed protection a lab would be perfect for you.

Look for an older dog, or a small/medium dog. Have you seen the movie Marley and Me? That is what happens when you try to have a lab in the city while working full time.

 

[Skippersmom]

I agree with SusanLynn. Try getting a older, more mellow dog. I've known several amazing, calm labs. My family had a chocolate lab when I was a kid, and she was the most patient, good-with-kids dog. I could dress her up and ride on her and do all sorts of nonsense and she was patient through it all. I've also seen super aggressive labs that act like they will attack you as soon as they get a chance. But if you adopt an older dog, you will be able to see it's adult personality and ensure that it will be good with your kids.

 

[Grabby]

Labs are great family dogs. They do require exercise and training, as do all dogs. I owned and trained Labs for years and have quite a bit of experience with the breed.

Labs aren't any more gluttonous than any other dog. They also aren't hard wired to retrieve. I think many get the idea that a Lab will eat anything based on the fact that you hear it said about them often. You hear about Labs more because there are so many Labs out there. They have been the most registered dog in the US for many, many years. If Great Danes were as popular as Labs, you'd hear it about that breed.

The best indicator of temperament is the parents. Buying from a reputable breeder is the best way to get a Lab that fits your lifestyle. They also have quite a few genetic health problems in this country. A good breeder will screen for known problems. That doesn't mean your dog won't have a problem but it will increase the odds that you'll get a healthy dog.

I don't know that it's relevant in Israel but in the United States what we have is two types of Labs. Labs bred for Field work and Labs bred for conformation (show ring). They generally have different temperaments but I've known laid back Field bred Labs and high energy show bred Labs. They are a very popular breed and many are poorly bred in this country with no thought to temperament or breeding for the ability to do what they were bred for originally.

A young pup will need to be let out during the day as it can't go eight hours without relieving itself. Any pup you get should be raised indoors as part of the family.

 

[bigC]

Labs generally speaking do have a pleasant temperament both with humans and with other dogs. BUT that is not a free pass to not socialize a lab. They are not pre-programmed with great dispositions, rather they are predisposed to be pleasant, and do need socialization and training like any other dog. Around here, many labs are the 'bullies" and "ruffians" of the dog park, starting fights, knocking others over, excessive nipping, body slamming, etc. All because the lab's owners think "i'll just turn the dog loose at the park, he's supposed to be great with people and dogs right off the bat!"

Don't get me wrong, labs are a great breed or else there wouldn't be so many out there. But I often see lots of naughty, aggressive, overexuberant, and poorly mannered ones, because people assume they are the only dog ready to go "right out of the box."