[nagdu] Labs and other things

Haben Girma habnkid at aol.com
Tue Mar 3 06:30:31 UTC 2009


Jenine, what a wealth of information you've just provided! Thank you! If 
you don't mind, I would love to learn more.

The success rate for German Shepherds is lower than the success rate for 
Labs. When you consider the period from partnership to retirement, and 
not include the pre-training stages, is the success rate of German 
shepherds still lower than Labs? I'm asking since you define the term 
success rate to be from the period of the puppy's birth to partnership 
with a blind person.

Is the success rate of the Lab/golden cross higher than that of the 
standard Lab? Some schools ask students if they have a breed preference, 
and it sounds like choosing to work with a lab would increase one's 
chances of having a dog that lives and works for a longer period of time.

thanks again,
Haben

Jenine Stanley wrote:
> Haben, 
>
> Labradors are generally the most trained breed at most US schools for a
> couple reasons. 
>
> They are indeed easily trained for the most part. They have a wide range of
> sizes, within the breed standard of course, ranges of energy and activity
> level and temperaments. They also produce large litters for the most part
> over 5 puppies per litter. 
>
> Labs also are not prone to some of the health issues other breeds face,
> though this is becoming less true as their popularity continues to increase.
>
>
> There is not as much hip dysplasia, epilepsy, cancer, eye problems or
> allergies in Labs as Golden Retrievers or German Shepherds. The "success
> rate," meaning dogs who make it from puppyhood to matching with a blind
> person, is highest for Labs. 
>
> It's also another reason why they are used in several crosses, the most
> popular and successful of which is the Lab/Golden cross, but there's the LP
> and the Lab/shepherd cross that some schools have used. 
>
> As for why schools don't use more Poodles, it has to do with finding good
> stock. Standard Poodles have gained popularity since they were found to be
> one of the "smartest" breeds in some survey or other about 10 years ago or
> so. Then we got into the whole Poodle cross craze where anything crossed
> with any size Poodle was better simply for the Poodle part of it. Someone
> was actually crossing Doberman Pinchers with Standard Poodles. I simply
> can't imagine what that cross would look like. <grin> 
>
> The Poodle in general has been so overbred for pets, even the Standards,
> that finding good solid dogs with good health and appropriate temperament
> for work isn't easy.  Poodles are prone to a number of health issues from
> epilepsy to eye problems and cancer along with temperament issues like
> suspicion, aggression and noise sensitivity. Poodles at most schools who use
> them, which now I think include GDF, Guide Dogs of the Desert, Leader and
> Pilot, sorry if I missed anyone there, have a really low success rate, much
> like German shepherds if not lower. 
>
> It also takes a different way of raising and training a Poodle to assure
> success. Finding puppy raisers who have the time and conditions and
> experience to work with Poodles and Poodle crosses can be difficult. 
>
> Schools are really trying to improve their lines by working with each other
> using frozen semen and artificial insemination. This way we can utilize
> lines from Europe, Australia, etc., to add variety to our own stock and vice
> versa. 
>
> Schools are also trying other breeds in small experiments to find a variety
> for the needs of blind people. Smooth coated collies, Viszlas, Dobermans,
> Flat Coated Retrievers and crosses of these breeds, collies and flat coats,
> with Labs and shepherds and the odd other dog tossed in, like the Boxer or
> giant Schnauzer, help to meet needs but finding good healthy solid dogs of
> any breed is not easy. 
>
> Hope that helped some.
>
>  Jenine Stanley
> jeninems at wowway.com
>
>
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