[nagdu] Why Labradors?

Tue Sep 17 03:18:41 UTC 2013

Yeah, I think the puppy-like behavior is what bothers me. If I wanted
a puppy, I would get one. That insane behavior and getting into things
is exactly what I'm referring to when I say they are high-strung,
goofy,and quirky. The running in circles, barking or growling--that's
a little nuts. Going after everything on the floor, or jumping up to
grab things that are on counters or high up--that's a nuisance.
I just don't think a labrador would ever be for me. I prefer a more
laid-back, mature, and well-mannered golden. I like a dog that's
perfectly fine with working all day from 9 to 9, but also okay with
sitting around the apartment all day with a couple play sessions
thrown in. I just don't need a dog with high energy requirements.
There's other reasons why I wouldn't get a lab, but the ones above are
big contributing factors.

On 9/16/13, Darla Rogers <djrogers0628 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Debbie,
> 	Leone sounds really cute, though I haven't always experienced, with
> my labs, the puppyish behavior until 5.  Huck still has some, but he never
> bothers anything in the house though he is much happier working and going
> places.
> 	The puppy part, if it isn't destructive, is one of the things I love
> about labs; they enjoy life!!!!  They usually enjoy their work, too, and
> they are seldom in a bad mood.
> Darla & HANDSOME Huck
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Debbie Cole
> Sent: Monday, September 16, 2013 5:43 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Why Labradors?
>
> Labradores... they always have the minds and hearts of a puppy.  they just
> never seem to grow up.  We need to baby proof our house.  No socks or
> objects left where she can get to them.  Coffee Tables must be cleaned.
> Remote controls up high.
>
> My Leone she gets this playful behavior mostly in the evenings after her
> 2nd
> to last walk.  (we're in an apartment with no yard) If i'm at the computer
> she will look at me from 5 feet away then start barking and running around
> the living room.  this means let's play.  she's 5.
> Still a puppy.  So I get her bone or a tug toy and i play tug with her or
> throw her kongs.  Until she's tired.
>
> Once a Lab always a puppy.
>
> Debbie & Leone
>
> On 9/16/13, Sherry Gomes <sherriola at gmail.com> wrote:
>> My Bianca has had horrible house behavior, but I attribute that to her
>> intelligence. Her mind was always looking for something to do. I
>> learned dog proofing to a level I'd never needed before. Now she's
>> nearly thirteen, she can't physically get into the mischief she used
>> to do. But since nobody, dog or human is perfect, I accept the
>> negative side of their personalities. On the other hand, Olga, my
>> current working dog, would no more get into trouble in the house than
>> I would jump off a bridge! But though she's smart and a solid steady
>> worker, she doesn't have that edge and absolute brilliance Bianca has.
>> But she is the dog I need for my life as it is now. I work from home
>> now, and when Bianca was working, she'd have gone crazy with that kind
>> of schedule.
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Raven
>> Tolliver
>> Sent: Monday, September 16, 2013 11:58 AM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Why Labradors?
>>
>> I meant to put more of a focus on a lab's quirkiness than their
>> goofiness. I've definitely trained labradors that didn't goof off
>> during the session unless there was a toy involved, of course.
>> by work ethic, I guess I'm referring to the dog's concentration on and
>> sincerity during work. I hear too many stories about labs being
>> stubborn in harness about sniffing, scavenging, and snatching up
>> people's food, being far too high-strung, getting easily excited and
>> wild about little things, and having inappropriate house manners when
>> out of harness. It's very possible that this is the case because there
>> are more labs in the field than any other breed. Also, I know that
>> dogs are creatures of opportunity and it rests more on the handler to
>> maintain consistent control of their  dog than it rests on the dog to
>> restrain itself. despite having a lax handler. It may be true as well
>> that some of these behaviors are prominent because schools are giving
>> out adolescent dogs, and the inappropriate behaviors probably fade
>> with age.
>>
>>
>>
>> On 9/16/13, Sherry Gomes <sherriola at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> I have to agree. My labs aren't goofy in their work, and I like the
>>> silly side in their off work hours. My retired Bianca, a black lab,
>>> I'd
>> challenge
>>> against any breed with a stronger work ethic. I have pretty
>>> specialized needs in my guide. I need a dog that is 100 percent easy
>>> to manage, but at the same time, the dog has to be smart with great
>>> initiative. I can fall over a tiny crack in a sidewalk, for instance.
>>> And I must be a route traveler, because the longer I am on my feet,
>>> the more pain and time for recovering I might have to have. So, I
>>> need my dogs to be smart, to learn what I need to have done, where to
>>> be cautious, to be able to walk at a slow pace without getting
>>> distracted and not to have the sort of initiative
>> that
>>> makes them want to explore a little. During training, Bianca picked
>>> up everything I needed. She'd slow or even stop at dips for driveways
>>> on a sidewalk, or hesitate at the top of a wheel chair ramp as we
>>> approached a corner. She instinctively seemed to know what could trip
>>> me up and she'd look for the smoothest part of the area. She would
>>> remember a place we'd been to after one visit. When I worked at GDB,
>>> I had a nightmarish
>> crossing
>>> on my way to work, the sort of crossing I dread and avoid at all costs.
>>> There was no way to avoid it, and Bianca got me through it
>>> confidently, wagging her tail. I heard lots of people say labs and
>>> goldens don't have a strong work ethic and I think that's as wrong as
>>> someone else saying all shepherds are too hyper or can't handle
>>> stressful work, or any of the
>> other
>>> generalizations people make about breeds. There are good dogs and not
>> great
>>> dogs in all breeds, and not all individual dogs make great guides.
>>> I've seen guides from breeds I wouldn't have expected that were
>>> amazing, and I've seen horrible labs. I've had labs that didn't work
>>> out who weren't made to be guides. I've only ever worked labs and
>>> goldens, and I'd give a lot to have another golden, but the reasons I
>>> say that would probably have my golden from 15 years ago career
>>> changed now. She was very much a one-person dog who took a long time
>>> to turn over to her trainer and then to me and had severe separation
>>> anxiety. In the world of cookie cutter training and dogs, I don't
>>> think they'd give her the time she needed today. But man, was she
>>> ever one devoted and bonded dog. She have worked across the fires of
>>> hell for me if I'd asked her to. And yet, most people think goldens
>>> are silly. So it all comes down to that I think labs are predominant
>>> because they adjust well
>> to
>>> the changes in their lives, they are healthy, intelligent and
>>> friendly. A dog that can work and live in most any environment.
>>>
>>> Sherry
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tracy
>>> Carcione
>>> Sent: Monday, September 16, 2013 10:27 AM
>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Why Labradors?
>>>
>>> I hear people talk about labrador goofiness, but none of my 5 labs
>>> have been what I'd call goofy, certainly not in harness.  Some have
>>> been quite playful out of harness, but very serious as soon as the
> harness went on.
>>> And, as for work ethic, they don't have the intensity of a shepherd,
>>> but they do take their work seriously.
>>> I guess I'm not real clear on what you mean by "work ethic".
>>> Tracy
>>>
>>>> Hi,
>>>> I never thought about the adjustment to a kennel environment as a
>>>> contributing factor toward what breed dominates the field, but it
>>>> makes sense. Also, coat and health maintenance seem like sensible
>>>> reasons on the surface. Obviously, we want healthy dogs, but
>>>> personally, I would look for a more serious work ethic and less
>>>> quirkiness and goofiness in a guide dog.
>>>> I just thought it would be an interesting question since there are
>>>> two US guide dog schools that only train German shepherds as guide
>>>> dogs, and now there is a school in the south that trains several
>>>> breeds for guide work, none of which are labradors.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On 9/16/13, Tracy Carcione <carcione at access.net> wrote:
>>>>> I think labradors have many excellent guide dog qualities, and that
>>>>> is why they're so dominant in the field.
>>>>> They're intelligent, but don't have to second-guess every single
>>>>> thing their partner asks them to do.
>>>>> They're adaptable to a wide variety of environments and a wide
>>>>> variety of handlers.  Labs can work well with everything from the
>>>>> busy college student to the elderly person who may not get out
>>>>> every single day.
>>>>> They have an easy-care coat, which does not go through big shedding
>>>>> periods, and doesn't tend to get matted.
>>>>> They are generally healthy--not particularly prone to allergies,
>>>>> digestive complaints, or other medical issues.
>>>>> These two things make them easy keepers, even for inexperienced dog
>>>>> people.
>>>>> They tend to be even-tempered, not prone to snappiness or timidity.
>>>>> From what I hear, they are less likely to be upset by a kennel
>>>>> environment, which is helpful to the big schools.
>>>>>
>>>>> I've had 6 dogs, and 5 have been labs.  Shepherds are very
>>>>> handsome, but the one I had was pretty high-maintenance.  I'd be
>>>>> open to a different breed next time, but I won't be the least upset
>>>>> if I get another lab.
>>>>> I
>>>>> think they're one of the finest breeds around.
>>>>> Tracy
>>>>>
>>>>>> There are certainly other breeds besides labs that make good guide
>>>>>> dogs and other types of service dogs, but I have also seen certain
>>>>>> breeds, such as collies, which, JMHO, should not be service dogs.
>>>>>> Some breeds are smart, but do not have the want-to-please
>>>>>> mentality  found in some of the breeds more commonly used for
>>>>>> guide dogs.
>>>>>> As for goldens, I think that they may be a little more laid back
>>>>>> than labs.
>>>>>> I do not know if German Shepherds are more sensative to
>>>>>> corrections, but I do know that they are more likely to not eat or
>>>>>> get slightly sick when adjusting to change or in stressful
>>>>>> situations, such as traveling.
>>>>>> Also,
>>>>>> they are more likely to have medical or aggression problems, which
>>>>>> is partiallywhy, sadly, GDB no longer trains German Shepherds.
>>>>>> I have not interacted much with dobermen pinchers, but, from what
>>>>>> other people have said, I'm not quite sure why they are not used
>>>>>> more. I guess that, once schools find breeds that work, they are
>>>>>> less likely to try something new.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Nicole
>>>>>>
>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Raven
>>>>>> Tolliver
>>>>>> Sent: Sunday, September 15, 2013 9:22 AM
>>>>>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>>>>> Subject: [nagdu] Why Labradors?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>> I am wondering why the majority of dogs trained in most guide dog
>>>>>> programs are labrador retrievers. What is it about that breed that
>>>>>> makes them dominate in the guide dog field?
>>>>>> I notice that in other service dog areas, this breed is not used
>>>>>> as often.
>>>>>> And when people train their own guide dogs or have them privately
>>>>>> trained, it seems that labradors are rarely chosen. What advantage
>>>>>> do guide dog programs feel labradors have over other breeds like
>>>>>> the golden retriever, German shepherd, doberman pinscher, or even
>>>>>> the Australian shepherd.
>>>>>> When I asked a GEB instructor why they didn't pass more goldens
>>>>>> through, they said it was because a lot of goldens (their goldens
>>>>>> anyway), didn't have the confidence it took to be a guide dog.
>>>>>> They were not confident enough to make independent or executive
>>>>>> decisions.
>>>>>> Also, I have heard that German shepherds are more sensitive to
>>>>>> corrections, and also require more of a routine. They do not adapt
>>>>>> to new environments or change as well as other breeds.
>>>>>> Do you guys find this to be true? What do you think?
>>>>>> Thanks.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> Raven
>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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>>>>>
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>>>>>
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>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Raven
>>>>
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>>
>> --
>> Raven
>>
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-- 
Raven