There are a quiet a few different temperaments and characters in the Labrador breed these days. This is the problem all over the world. Breeders are not breeding true to the character and temperament of the standards. Lots of breeders think they know best and can not be educated (do not want to listen). What happens next is an unpredictable character... Backyard breeders do not understand ('see') or know how to judge what is temperament or character and what pups they should keep out of a litter to breed into the next generation with. One problem is that many breeders are not using thier specific breed for what it was intended for so they can not tell which pup is the pup to keep for rebreeding. A labradors correct temperament is an incrediable desire to fetch, to run, to hop up and to look in ever direction to find what ever is moving... this is very HIGH prey drive... This is an energy which is not to be squashed, it is the correct breed character. This correct bird dog behavior makes it almost impossible for anyone who has never had a dog to keep such a dog as a home body or a companion dog. This correct lab NEEDS to go bird hunting, he needs this release and to soar... as he should. Here in lies the trouble... many try to change the breed to fit into todays society, into apartments and such. That to me is the worst type of animal cruelty. If you do not want to go bird hunting or even to use your 'bird dog' in trials or in some type of fun bird game then one should think twice about getting a labrador. Those who do have labs should educate themselves as to what games could be played with such a dog. There are a variety of games that this dog would throughouly enjoy. Obedience control on such a dog is a hard thing to do, ask any true bird dog owner. such dogs are what is called 'hard headed' and stubborn. They are pushy and WILL do as they want. Labs also love food and can be taught a multitude of commands with food rewards. Once a lab knows that it can do as it pleases the owner is now in for trouble. True labs are hard headed and stubborn with that craving to retrieve. One other thing that is not being bred for and that is the soft mouth. most dont even know how to test for such a thing let alone bred for it... It is a cryn shame that lab breeders are not educated enough to realize that this breed is a BIRD DOG... It is a 'HARD' dog in that it can go through the mudd, fields, gates and fences to get at its desire... the bird. to bring the bird back to you, to crave the 'bang' and to race towards the fall .. is the reason the Lab was born . Few things are as MAJESTIC and as BEAUTIFUL as a lab on a mission of its desire... Lois Schwarz
By: lois schwarz |
09 Apr 2009
