Canine Good Citizen Program (CGC)

[ZRabbits]

Found this, which depicts Labs to be 7th on the intelligence scale. Not to shabby in the brains catagory. So strong will comes from intelligence and if you aren't bonded to a Lab, they will rule your life with a strong will. But that's true with any dog.

THE INTELLIGENCE OF DOGS

Dogs' Intelligence On Par With Two-year-old Human, Canine Researcher Says -- ScienceDaily

Know how strong willed a two year old can be. What do they call them "terrible twos". But you learn to nurture and love on, and that takes care of that right away.

So looking forward to molding and welcoming to the Z-Tribe our new Lab pup. Get to see him next Saturday. Regarding intelligence, already experienced true intelligence in a dog with my Kuvacz and my "NJ Purebred Mutt". Both smart as a whip.

KAZ

[Maxx&Emma]

I still don't get your association of strong willed with a Lab. My Labs have always been very easy going for the most part. If I asked them to jump off a cliff they would do it. Emma, on the other hand, would check it out and figure out a way to get around a dangerous cliff. The easy going nature of a Lab makes it too easy to teach them the wrong way. They just want to make their humans happy. Making me happy is probably 4th or 5th on Emma's list but definitely 1st on Maxx's and most of the Labs I have known. It is funny to watch the difference in their personalities. I love the way Maxx trusts me to make a good decision but I also love the way Emma challenges me. Having never had a mixed breed dog before and no experience with the wonder of a Border Collie it has been an amazing, sometimes frustrating and eye opening adventure. She keeps me on my toes, for sure!

[ZRabbits]

I still don't get your association of strong willed with a Lab. My Labs have always been very easy going for the most part. If I asked them to jump off a cliff they would do it. Emma, on the other hand, would check it out and figure out a way to get around a dangerous cliff. The easy going nature of a Lab makes it too easy to teach them the wrong way. They just want to make their humans happy. Making me happy is probably 4th or 5th on Emma's list but definitely 1st on Maxx's and most of the Labs I have known. It is funny to watch the difference in their personalities. I love the way Maxx trusts me to make a good decision but I also love the way Emma challenges me. Having never had a mixed breed dog before and no experience with the wonder of a Border Collie it has been an amazing, sometimes frustrating and eye opening adventure. She keeps me on my toes, for sure!

Hi Tammy, sorry for the delay in answering, but really wanted to give you an honest answer. Thank you for your persistence in understanding what I meant by "strong willed", because it really made me look to see what I meant by it and I was way wrong using it regarding a Lab. My husband and I have been reading a lot about the breed, which we never experienced truly, and what you wrote about your experiences with Max and Emma is absolutely what we have been reading. Males can be Mama's boy's and Girls can be very independent. Not strong willed at all, but there to please you and be totally part of the family. Stubborn I should say because they can if bored create very bad habits and sometimes are tough to break because they think it's a good idea, with those big intelligent brains they have.

Thank you very much. We learned a lot with your persistence and it will help tremendously when we welcome our Male Lab at the end of July.

KAZ

[Maxx&Emma]

Just to clarify my Emma is 1/2 Lab and 1/2 Border Collie. Although the majority of Labs I have had over many years have been male I have had a few girls. I never found a difference between their "want to please" personalities. Emma has a pretty true to breed BC personality. She is an independent thinker and her intelligence is almost scary! My female Labs were just as sweet as my boys, I just prefer boys! There is nothing that would deter me if the breeder decided a female suited my lifestyle more than a male. Reputable breeders spend at least 8 weeks with the litter and know them best. Even if my heart was set on a boy I would trust their judgement explicitly. Any Lab puppy, if bored and under exercised, can become destructive. It has nothing to do with the sex.

[ZRabbits]

Just to clarify my Emma is 1/2 Lab and 1/2 Border Collie. Although the majority of Labs I have had over many years have been male I have had a few girls. I never found a difference between their "want to please" personalities. Emma has a pretty true to breed BC personality. She is an independent thinker and her intelligence is almost scary! My female Labs were just as sweet as my boys, I just prefer boys! There is nothing that would deter me if the breeder decided a female suited my lifestyle more than a male. Reputable breeders spend at least 8 weeks with the litter and know them best. Even if my heart was set on a boy I would trust their judgement explicitly. Any Lab puppy, if bored and under exercised, can become destructive. It has nothing to do with the sex.

Thanks for the clarification on your Emma. Have only truly experienced females with rabbits and they are very independent and intelligent, as they have to, as they are the ones that are responsible for reproduction. That motherly instinct can be a bear. But my does are as sweet and well mannered as my boys.

Truly prefer Male dogs. Always have, and that would be one thing I would stand strong on with a reputable breeder. The breeder would know why, as with anything new, I lean towards what I know, and that's male dogs. Now what I would ask the reputable breeder to look at, is personality, that "true" devotion that Labs show to "their" people. Color, well that's a wish. Love chocolate, but always loved the classic black. If black wasn't available in the personality that would best suit in a male Lab, a yellow male in the litter would be just fine. My husband likes Yellow anyway. He says you can really see a Lab's face. Loves their expressions.

Agree 100% about bored pups, either sex can be destructive. But to be honest, truly want another male dog, and sticking to that. A reputable breeder would be up front and let me know she felt none (males) were available in that litter so that I could look else where. I think if by 6-7 weeks, I got the message, I'd be disappointed, but just would request guidance to another breeder.

KAZ

[Maxx&Emma]

I do understand what you are saying. Having said that I think most responsible/reputable breeders do ask if you have a sex/color preference but that is often where they draw the line. For some it is difficult to give up that control but most that have spent the time researching and finding a breeder have also researched the dogs, been to shows to see the dogs, etc. At tht point most are more than willing to take the puppy they are matched with, regardless of sex or color Some are not and wait through several litters if the breeder is so inclined. Considering mos breeders have waiting lists, litters long, to just be given your choice is a red flag in my book and I think most feel pretty much the same.

[ZRabbits]

I do understand what yiy are saying. Having said that I think most responsible/reputable breeders do as if you have a sex preference but that is often where they draw the line. For some it is difficult to give up that control but most that have spent the time researching and finding a breeder have also researched the dogs, been to shows to see the dogs, etc. At that point mist are more than willing to take the puppy they are matched with, regardless of sex. Considering mist breeders have waiting lists, litters long, to just be given your choice is a red flag in my book and I think most feel pretty much the same.

Don't mean to be mean, as it seems maybe a few fingers were on the wrong keys (happens), you are saying it's a red flag for a respectable/responsible breeder to give sex preference to someone who say, hasn't been to a show, or really, really doesn't know the breed? Haven't felt that way with this experience as I was given a choice of male or female. Picked one and it seems was OK with the breeder. If she felt, after reading my LOOOOOOOONG resume, asking me questions on my views on certain subjects, she would have said something to me by now. And knowing about rabbit breeding for show, not all kits in a litter are showable. Healthy but not top notch. Great pets, IMHO.

Hope I understood. But if not, please could you clarify?

KAZ

[Maxx&Emma]

Sorry for the typos, I was on my phone! Absolutely not, did not mean that not seeing the dogs at a show would be a red flag. Just speaking in general about the lengths some go to when choosing a breeder. To me it is a red flag when **most** breeders don't have lengthy waiting list and have no issue allowing a buyer to pick their puppy, sorry for the confusion! And I did not mean to say that was your situation as I have no idea what the circumstances are between you and your breeder. Again, apologies for any misunderstandings. Just offering my experience and that of many I know.

[ZRabbits]

Sorry for the typos, I was on my phone! Absolutely not, did not mean that not seeing the dogs at a show would be a red flag. Just speaking in general about the lengths some go to when choosing a breeder. To me it is a red flag when **most** breeders don't have lengthy waiting list and have no issue allowing a buyer to pick their puppy, sorry for the confusion! And I did not mean to say that was your situation as I have no idea what the circumstances are between you and your breeder. Again, apologies for any misunderstandings. Just offering my experience and that of many I know.

Know about the phones and how "they" decide to change things. Laughed every time I heard my co-worker swear at hers trying to get work out to the guys. She finally got that dang spell check off of it.

Believe there is a waiting list, but I would think a litter would not "meet" some needs of everyone on the waiting list? Especially if breeder is really into showing, which this breeder is? Will be pups that can't be placed and having someone newbies request to be on the waiting list, referred by a friend? Got an invite to have the pup evaluated and a co-ownership. Kind of nice invite, something that would be interesting to get a glimpse of. But will always think of my breeder as a co-owner as she feels the same way about her dogs as I do. Nice to build a relationship and I do like to share how much I enjoy all her hard work to breed a sound Labrador. Truly feel lucky and grateful because this pup couldn't be coming at a better time. House is definitely too quiet.

KAZ

[Halcyon]

Actually, I think Labs are extremely intelligent and that is why they get themselves in to so much trouble. Of course they love to play and be challenged but "smarty pants" is definitely a term I would use to describe the ones I have had. To not think they are extremely intelligent will get you in to trouble, very quickly. At least in my experience.

Agreed.

I like to think of Bobby as an extremely intelligent dog who decides to use it in devious ways. By observation, Bobby has learnt how to open cupboards and we're afraid that before long, he'll master the doors! I did catch him in the act of attempting to open the fridge whilst I was talking, thinking he was sitting patiently. He has had his Kong Wobbler for a week and just yesterday, he managed to unscrew it and release the treats. He conquers treat dispensers (e.g. treat balls, Kong, supposedly "chimp tested" Gorrrilla) by making the hole bigger or banging and dropping to get the treats out. We've been training the "leave it" cue with a shoe and when the opportunity presents itself, he jams his paw into the shoe so we can't take it.

Man, I love the guy but he certainly keeps us on our toes! I don't even want to imagine the mayhem that would occur if he was left uncrated. I wouldn't be surprised to find his body jutting out of an open fridge and his face saying, "What? Nothing to see here. Great chicken."