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Labrador's Loyalty

27K views 44 replies 24 participants last post by  Ruby No! 
#1 ·
Hey guys!

I've done plenty of research of the labradors and have concluded that they are one of the top choices for my lifestyle. However, the thing I have noticed is that they are friendly to everyone (which is a good thing). I am also kind of looking for a companion that is loyal, essentially like a GSD?

Does anyone know if a lab is loyal? Or generally friendly to anyone with a treat?

Thanks guys!
 
#3 ·
They are loyal and loving and wonderful. I would feel like my life was incomplete without my labby. She is not my first. Most lab owners get more labs after having their first one. They can be difficult as puppies, and take some work, but are more than worth it. They make wonderful companions.
 
#4 ·
whoever feeds them owns them.

you have to remember what they were bred for. they are a gentlemen's hunting dog. if you and I were hunting buddies and I couldn't go hunting with you this weekend, I could still send my dog with you since that's the way they are.
 
#5 ·
Our Sophie would go with someone else, but she would want to come home. She will get so sad when one of my son's hasn't been here in awhile, and if me or my husband leaves for a few hours, she watches out the window and after awile will sit by the door and grumble about it. When we get home, all we have to say is "Sophie, daddy's home" and she will fly in from even the back yard and head to the door. We can also say, "Sophie go look out the window" and like a flash she is in her chair looking out to see who's here.
 
#6 ·
I find them very loyal, they may be very friendly with almost everyone but they are also very smart. They know when someone or something is not right. They may follow a stranger for something tasty but want to come back to their family. I wouldn't not have a Lab!
 
#9 ·
They know who "their people" are and bond more strongly - but i agree they would also walk away with someone happily at the same time, expecting you to be there when they get back.

they are not known to be protective but some bark if something is "off" (someone walking in your yard at night) or bark if someone comes to the door but that's about it.
 
#44 ·
Ha that's funny.

With ruby it's either sleeping or

"RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW"

Especially with people that come into our office,
We put her in the lab behind a baby gate.

She's 2
 
#11 ·
Mine are both more territorial and vigilant than I expected them to be - but the older one grew up with a hyper-vigilant Dutch Shepherd and learned from her. And Blaise learned from him. I would suspect that if Blaise was never around a dog that barked when there was a noise outdoors, he would never notice noises or care if the doorbell rang.
 
#12 ·
My current black lab female,ade rwo, in a string of four, alerts me when someone comes to the house and then is beside herself in wanting to greet and celebrate whomever it is - a touch of protection there. We have had landscapers in the backyard doing some construction for the past three weeks. When I let her out she enthusiastically greets each of them, checks for crumbs on the ground but after a little bit, comes back into the house with me when I call her. Yes, she knows who feeds her. Also sits on my lounge chair or my granddaughter's only when we are out by the pool. Maybe that is a sign of loyalty. Wonderful dogs.
 
#15 ·
What do you want in a dog? Is this a pet or do you want to do some sort of work with the dog. What level of experience do you have? Personally,I think if you are a first time dog owner, GSDs can be a handful. They are not hard to train, but they can be hard to handle unless you are a strong leader. They are also very inclined towards orthopedic problems (more than Labs) and many I have known have been picky eaters with touchy stomachs.

Its a bad idea to make a decision about a dog based on looks and generalized personality traits alone.
 
#14 ·
Labs are very loyal. Mine would happily go with someone but would be expecting me to go too. Now all of our labs have had great temperments. Not a mean bone in their bodies. But on two occasions I saw a protective side. Our first lab was a real sweetie & very gentle. Well my BIL was picking up our granddaughter & you know how little kids squeal when you hold them up in the air. Well Shadow got up & went over to them & just let out a very low growl. We all looked, we were so surprised. He quickly put her down. When he went to sit on the couch, Shadow went over to him & put her head on his knee. So I guess she thought he might have been hurting Lauren.

The other time we were at the beach. the kids & grandkids were with us. Molly (our lab) was on the beach with us. There was a GSD walking with the owner. Now Molly loved kids, dogs, cats...everyone. But I am not sure why but she went and stood between the GSD & the kids. The hair was up all down her back. I never saw that before. She would not move. She stood like that until they were quite a way down the beach.

So maybe, in certain situations, they are protective. We just rarely see that side.
 
#17 · (Edited)
I'm curious -- if you want a dog with the characteristics of a GSD, why not get one? Is there anything you do NOT like about the GSD?

ETA: There are "breed characteristics" but there are also the effects of early experiences which are extremely important in the formation of any individual's later characteristics & tendencies. Please google "imprinting" (the link below too briefly discusses some of these effects). The descriptions I give below of 2 dogs of the same breed are examples of how strongly those different early experiences twist and reshape the core's various genetic breed characteristics.

Imprinting (psychology) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I've had 2 AKC registered Labs, both females, both runts (their birth weights much less than their sibs), one from an AKC Lab bench line, one from an AKC Lab HT&FT line.

Bess we got (1967) when she was far too young (5 weeks old) and when we didn't know any better. Bess was never around other dogs until much later in her life and I'm convinced that her identity was with people--she never seemed to consider herself a dog (never happily wanting to meet & greet another dog--as my present Lab, Puff, always does; that Bess reserved for people). While Bess was primarily devoted to my wife and me, she seemed to view herself as the facilitator to make all humans feel well-loved and welcomed. As for security? -- any intruder who was allergic to dog saliva from being licked would be terrified of her.

Puff came into my life (2001) when I was single and after she'd spent her first 9 weeks with her puppy siblings. Because of my experience with Bess, I made sure that, during Puff's first year of life, she had at least 3 hour-long playdates each & every week with other puppies or dogs near her age so she'd have a proper canine self-identity. (That worked; she loves meeting & greeting other dogs.) BUT, I think also, because I'm now single and, during our first 5 years together, wasn't sharing our/my life space very much with anyone else, Puff is extremely attached to me and does NOT want to be separated from me. I don't think she'd bite anyone but, when she's with me, her barks sound very threatening at any knock on our door, or anyone who passes by as she supervises my mowing our lawn. The last 2 years, I've been very involved with a widow, B.; B. sometimes refers to Puff as "our daughter." Puff does like B. very much but still, obviously, does not want to be separated from me. (Puff sometimes makes me feel uncomfortably like "her God.") Tonight B. and I were going to our usual Thursday night dance--leaving Puff at B.'s house, as usual the last couple years. Tonight, Puff did NOT want to be separated from us/me. She slipped out of the house, resisted my efforts for some time to corral her and put her back inside the house (although I'm sure she'd quite readily have hopped into the backseat of my car.). She certainly seemed to NOT want to be separated from me/us.

BUT I'm concerned about your concerns.

I VERY seriously doubt that a Labrador is the dog breed for you.

You haven't mentioned any awareness, or capabilities, of fulfilling a typical Lab's special needs, e.g., adequate amounts of exercise especially during their first two (maybe 6, 8?) years.

E.g., almost ALL Labs need daily vigorous exercise (e.g., running, swimming, fetching) for much of their lives. The generally accepted rule of thumb is 5 minutes for each month of life up to 1 year and then an hour after that. My Puff needed twice that amount/day to be comfortably docile and not chewing baseboards, computer wires, furniture, etc. So Puff got each dose about 12 hours apart.

IMO, Labs are special needs dogs.

For those who are comfortable fulfilling those special needs, the relationships that get formed are among the more/most satisfying that life offers us.

For those who are not, then those relationships will be miserable until divorced.

 
#23 ·
From my experience, their personality can be as varied as that of humans. Judy would go with anyone and takes me for granted. Mitzi and Bruno, however, are cautious of strangers. When Judy and Bruno ran off to the bank for treats, a lady there tried to get them in a car to bring them home. Judy got in the car, Bruno would not go with her. Unfortunately, they would all take food from a stranger. Only my Lab mix, Kasa (1990-2002) refused food, even bacon, from strangers.
 
#24 ·
Are you single? I ask because my 10 yo was with me - only - almost full time for the 1st 4 years of his life. He is my dog. He loves everyone - but tired, sore, sick, wants mom. Mom is mad, weepy, sick - must be with mom. Dad has food - kids show up - let's run and play...til tired and wants mom. My 8 ys little girl came to me at 2 and is different...but don't try to take her away from me. Will take the food and then looks to see where we are....if you raise a lab alone, I think the bond just might be stronger.
 
#25 ·
why not look for german sheperdrs (or mix thereof) in rescues - that way you can find one that is easier for a first time dog owner and you know their personality.

Not sure how you got from GSD to lab ;) There are many breeds in between that would be more "protective" but easier for a first time dog owner. I also know people who did get a GSD from very reputable breeders as first time dog owners. If you make sure to get one from good lines (which requires plenty of homework) that are well socialized and you train it to it's full potential then you will be fine.

also not clear on why a dog that loves people enough that they are ok if they need to leave with them is a big deal. you need a dog that can leave with a dog sitter or friend now and then, one that is independent a little rather than a dog so utterly obsessed with you and only you that they cannot manage.
 
#26 · (Edited)
I agree with the food bit, but also think they bond with people who care for them and treat them with the respect they deserve.
Ernie and Tessa happily walked away from their previous homes. I don't know if they miss them or think about them as they can't talk, but both are very loyal to me. Erns took longer to bond as he is wary of people. We are sure Tessa was kicked and yelled at most likely by the female in the house and gravitated more to men at first. Today it is me she follows and never goes far from me when we are hiking.
A friend took her for a few hours while Erns and I were kayaking. She said Tess was fine, but every time she saw a car like mine became excited.Today at the vets to keep her quite I had to sit by the door so she could see Erns in the car.
 
#27 ·
An example of my point. Molly's dad brought her to my house to spend some time. Molly jumped out of the car when he opened the car door and ran up to the porch, never looking back at dad. He remarked to his wife he was a bit hurt by Molly's attitude, but that's the way Labs are.
 
#29 ·
Labs are generally friendly with everyone. This can be both a good thing and bad thing. I have a pug and a lab and when they are off leash the pug sticks around me while my labrador goes running towards any new person who enters his field of vision. It's annoying. But at the same time, it's great that he is friendly. He's just too friendly sometimes.

There are many breeds who are more aloof than a labrador, without the aggression and suspicious nature that some shepherds have. Standard poodles, Greyhounds, Airedales and Chows for example (although chows can be aggressive if they're not from a good breeder)
 
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