Hi everyone! We are about to get our first Lab Chocolate puppy. I have an 8 yo son, who has anxiety and its only child feeling lonely and craving and begging for a dog. I have to confess I didn't know about the Chocolate Labradors "bad reputation", of being dumb and hard to train. I have chosen a Labrador because I thought that they are clever and easy to train, but apparently it is not completely true according to what I am reading here. I do LOVE dogs, It took me a lot to convince my husband to get a dog and finally agreed, but now I think I have probably exaggerated about saying that it would it be easy to train. He is gonna be busy at work and I work mostly at home. So all the training will be laying on me. I have owned dogs before...a Golden retriever, a German Shepherd and Alaskan Malamute. I didn't have much trouble with any of them...maybe the German Shepherd a bit bitty when he was a puppy, but didn't last much. I have been looking for a pen to keep the puppy safe when I have to go out, (I am a teacher doing 1 hr. private lessons), Do you think that I should withdraw and get another breed, or go for it? ...If it's Go for it...what sort of pen should I get? can you give me advice about this?...XXL with 8 panels?, I'll keep the pen inside while she is a puppy, but when it grows I'll keep the pen outside. I live in Sydney Australia and have a relatively big garden. Thank you so much...I am just getting a bit scared about Really Hard work training and Dumbness...
I always say that if you are having second thoughts that you need to listen to them. No one can tell you to get a lab or even a different breed as only you know how much time and patience you have. Lab pups can be bitey, hyper and do take a lot of work, but to me, worth it.
I definitely don’t think you’ll have any problems with the Labrador being a chocolate colour. We have loads of chocolates on this forum and they’re all wonderful - not dumb in the slightest. I personally think Labradors are the best dogs ever, but they’re hard work, bitey, demanding, hyper, tiring little demons as pups. I’ve never had any other pup so I don’t know how different they are - but if you do get a labrador, if you put the work in you’ll end up with an amazing dog.
The colour has nothing to do with it if you have chosen a good breeder who breeds for temperament as well as health - and colour last. When people breed for colour first you get issues, and that's why choccies can have a bad reputation because historically people bred for profit from the colour. My chocolate is from a long line of show dogs who work. She is very intelligent and takes well to training. Labradors are not easy puppies, but that has nothing to do with which colour you get. They are very smart and that makes training them easy, but on the other hand it means they will look to make their own entertainment if you're not doing enough. Their puppyhood also seems to last longer than with other breeds. This is a video of a training walk I did with my 20-week chocolate (she's now 19 months). I hope you'll agree, she's not dumb.
Would an older dog, rather than a puppy, be more suited? Then you would not get the biting which I'm sure your son wouldn't like and it might already be partly trained.
I've certainly never heard of the colour of a lab affecting their intelligence. For me "dumb and hard to train" is the exact opposite of a lab and the fact you've had experience raising a few other breeds makes me think you'll have no problems. That said, lab puppies are hard work, not because they're dumb, but because they crave attention and can be very bitey initially! Add to that sleep deprivation and constant trips to go potty outside and it gets very physically and mentally draining (like you, I've raised other breeds of puppy before and none even came close to how difficult it was with my lab). If you're interested, I have a thread on my experiences on raising my pup which might give you a bit of insight, although a word of warning I do get a bit melodramatic at times! https://thelabradorforum.com/threads/in-the-midst-of-the-puppy-blues.23751/ He's 4 months now and is still a lot of work but the majority of my problems are long gone now and I'm really glad I stuck with it.
Hello, labs are hard pups but not for long. They then become a wonderful family pets. I have known a few choccies...bright as buttons. I currently have a Mal and a lab, whist we love the Mal to the moon and back...the lab is much more my sons (twins age 9) pet. If you want a family dog you won’t go far wrong with a lab
I've had a Rough Collie, a Malamute and three Chocolate Labs. Malamutes are hard to train. Labs, Goldens and German Shepards are a lot more biddable and generally easier to train. Labs are really bitey puppies, but like all dogs they grow up fast and usually are easy dogs to live with. I think it is hard to go wrong with any of the Gun Dogs, but Labs are the best of the group. Great family pets, and companions, as well as being great dogs in the field, if you are a hunter.
