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  1. #1
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    Genetic study: why Labradors are so food obsessed

    Science! What makes labs so trainable also makes them prone to obesity. Cool study.

    Genetic variant may help explain why Labradors are prone to obesity | EurekAlert! Science News
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    Charlotte K. (05-03-2016)

  3. #2
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    I could have told you this without a genetic study!!!!!!!!! I mean, have you ever met a Lab that didn't look hungry!!!!!!!?????????

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    Charlotte K. (05-03-2016)

  5. #3
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    Well, sure! But I like when they study labs.
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    barry581 (05-03-2016)

  7. #4
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    Ok, so fantasy Lab study. What would YOU pick to study?

    My pick. Why do they eat the bark off of trees?????? LOL!

  8. #5
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    Interesting study. BUT the inference that the more food obsessed the dog is, the better trained it can be wouldn't be correct IMO. It would be ONE of many correlated factors -- certainly various factors in the intelligence of the dog (ability to solve problems, ability to remember things, attention, etc.) and desire to please its human, would all be significant factors.

    I had an AKC female black Lab, "Bess," who was the runt of her litter and whose adult weight I kept at 55 lbs despite her strenuous, unceasing efforts to make it 150+ lbs. Bess was very bright and easy to train and followed amazing commands (2 high short whistes = turn right; one longer lower pitched whistle = turn left, etc., etc.) IMO, much of Bess's motivation to learn came from her desire to get the retrieving object and return it to me. THAT was her reward.

    And recently my AKC female yellow Lab, "Puff," died after 14 years of almost daily retrieving. Puff was NOT EVER a glutton. As a puppy she ate as much as she wanted and left the rest in her bowl -- a trait she carried all her life. While she wasn't quite as bright as Bess, she liked to retrieve and that served as motivation to learn a variety of commands.
    Last edited by Bob Pr.; 05-03-2016 at 10:09 PM.

  9. #6
    Senior Dog Maxx&Emma's Avatar
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    I love any Lab studies as well. I think we all understand how very intelligent, loving, food/toy, people obsessed they are! How about why they like to sleep upside down and so discombobulated?
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  11. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maxx&Emma View Post
    How about why they like to sleep upside down and so discombobulated?
    Haha, sometimes they sleep upside down because it provides a better panoramic view of the kitchen. Today my dog was sleeping in total reverse in one room and I wondered why until I realized she could see me and the food preparation.

    But other times I think they know we go all smoochy when they lie in these cute and weird positions.
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  12. #8
    Senior Dog smartrock's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by barry581 View Post
    My pick. Why do they eat the bark off of trees?????? LOL!
    I have 2 candidates for that study! Two black lab shaped beavers!

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  14. #9
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    This morning on NPR I heard a news item about police or feds training Labrador Retrievers to find computer hard drives and other memory parts. They said the Labs were so hungry that they trained them by giving them food after they found those parts. I tried to find the link to the story on NPR but it wasn't listed. But in searching, I found some a couple years ago in England using GSD and another here in the USA using Labs:

    Police Use Dog To Find Memory And Hard Drives In Search : The Two-Way : NPR

    So Labs' unquenchable appetites ARE useful.
    Last edited by Bob Pr.; 05-09-2016 at 02:03 PM.

  15. #10
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    I heard that same story! When they said the labs had washed out of seeing eye dog programs because they were too high energy and food-oriented, I laughed. I think Kimber would've loved to be a search dog.
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