Anyone ever own a lab/collie mix?

[backcountry1pr]

Thinking of getting a lab/collie mix puppy. Anyone ever own one? what were its good/bad qualities? This would be my first puppy, it seems like a good mix for a first time. Any beta would be apreciated. I would be getting it as soon as its ready to say bye to mommy.

[coreshot-tourettes]

Friend had one, border collie / lab mix. The lab half made her patient and non-neurotic and not having to run 30 miles a day, collie half made her smart. Great tempered dog.

It was weird, though - the patient+smart means that the dog would sit there attentively and quietly watching you for THIRTY FUCKING MINUTES while you were doing something. Not "pay attention to me", not "I'm hungry", just "Watching you stack firewood is interesting. I am enthralled."

Collie longhair plus lab shorthair made for a weird coat that never looked quite right, but she didn't shed.

[Cliff Huckable]

No offense, but assuming you'll have an idea of what your dog will be like because you know which breeds the parents were is crazy.

Just give her/him loads of exercise, minimum of 1 hour/day running with other dogs in a park or wherever), positive reinforcement (instead of treats), and patience, and you'll both be fine.

[Art Shirk]

I just got a lab/aussie mix. So the general breed traits may be very similar. She is smart as a whip but needs her exercise or she will chew through my living room floor to China. I think her energy is tempered a bit by her lab breed, manifesting itself in a dog that CAN be a homebody when not distracted.

As Cliff said, with any dog, give em the exercise they need and you should be fine.

[backcountry1pr]

common thats a cool looking dog

[gravitylover]

We just got a lab/border collie mix and she's nuts. This dog will just run in circles for a half hour at a time at breackneck speeds around the yard. She clears 18-20 feet just sailing two or three feet off the ground on the downhill leg. She's sweet and so good with the kids it's amazing and sometimes she leads you to believe that she's smart, usually just before doing something really dumb ( like eating the toe off my bike shoes.) She loves to chew, on anything at any time. She's a better mouser than any cat I've ever met. Like I said, she is very sweet and patient, doesn't always care to listen but that's just being a dog I think.

[Art Shirk]

common thats a cool looking dog

Thanks man. She is so amazing and sweet. Also as smart as any dog I have been around. I taught her to sit, lay down and shake within 5 minutes. Seriously.

Now I just need to find my other flip flop. The first one was found buried in a shallow grave in the backyard by my gf who was gardening.

[Crinkle]

i have a shepard/collie mix. there are quite a few issues with collies that have come up for us. My wife's best friend is a vet and that is my source for the following:

Weak stomachs, sensitive to different foods, my dog gets NO human food. We have to give him sensitive stomach treats, everything gives him gas. He had a crazy food/trash drive that we finally broke him of, by just removing his access to it. When he did get into food/trash, he shit everywhere. He is smart, he is a great hunter. Wackie personality, super loyal and protective (probably part shepard there). Unfortunately we have been dealing with a skin disorder that I can't name. It is similar to Lupus (which runs in collies) its a low percentage, but he is having an awful run of it. constant regimen of drugs, cycling on and off of steroids. He is basically having an allergic reaction on his bare skin on his nose, around his eyes and ears that makes him tear at himself. His skin has turned dark instead of the normal pinkish. It sucks seeing him go through this for the last 2 years, but we have a set up of drugs now that keep it at bay, but don't ever let it heal. We have heard stories of dogs just having this disorder go away, and also those having it for life. Due to the different mix of my dog, its tough to say any of this will occur for you. But the weak stomach thing is prevelant.

[Lunch]

Thinking of getting a lab/collie mix puppy. Anyone ever own one? what were its good/bad qualities? This would be my first puppy, it seems like a good mix for a first time. Any beta would be apreciated. I would be getting it as soon as its ready to say bye to mommy.

I have a B.C. and a McNab. Most people mistake McNabs for a B.C./lab mix but it's a specific breed. Check it out.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McNab_(dog)


Can't say enough good things about my boys. If I got to design a dog, I'd model it after my two.

[BmillsSkier]

I think I have unique exposure to this mix. My buddy owns a lab, my next buddy owns a lab/border collie mix, and I own a border collie. (None related) All three are exactly a year old, and I've seen absolutely no issues with any of them.

The lab is the dumbest of the group, very sweet, but very dumb. Loves fetch but loves to destroy anything he fetches or may be of value to my buddy's wife. Loves to hump...anything. Will run away occaisionally, I'm guessing to hump stuff. Invisible fence has nothing on him. Tough dog.

The lab/bc mix is funny. Much smarter than the lab, and very affectionate. Loves to have his tummy rubbed and is a bit more independant. Loves fetch a little more than the lab and doesn't chew from what I've seen. Plays well with other dogs. Learned off leash commands very quickly and now doesn't require the invisible fence to keep him in the yard.

My Border Collie is definately the smartest of the group. Absofuckinglutely loves fetch. Sometimes we hide his ball/frisbee so he doesn't lay there and stare at it for hours, or keeps placing it in your lap when you're trying to do something. Very affectionate, and follows my wife and I everywhere. Sometimes ignores other dogs or will stay to the outside of the group (typical herding mannerisms). Never have to worry about him running away, no need for invisible fence, showed him the border once, and he got it.

I've found breed stereotypes were little help when choosing our dog. Case in point, he does not require a job or 50 hours of exercise like most people would tell you. His job is to obey us and play with his toys, other than that he loves sleep.

Do your research on the parents of the dog, and pick the one out of the litter that is the best tempered. Wait to see which one approaches you, place the pup on its back and see if it reacts to you or lays submissively. If it freaks out and runs the minute you try and place it, get that one if you want to spend the next 15 years chasing it. Submissively, will obviously be your more lap dog type, and if it visually reacts to you when it's on it's back, yet will squirm after a minute of holding him there, I've found that this type will usually be the most trainable, and pleasantly submissive. Smart, yet playful. This was exactly how my buddy's lab/bc mix was in the litter.

Best of luck and post pics whatever you get!



Shameless pics of my boy:
Attachment 41921

Attachment 41922

[arild]

Beautiful dogs, the lot of you have.
Myself, I´m looking for a mutt male pup someone is willing to give away in Norway. The dog would get lots of exercise, skinning trips and love.

I have a question, to all of you dog owners, not lab/collie related. Are there any breeds not recommended for single male Norwegian students? I would subject it from the start to friends of mine, their dogs, and kids, but I know of breeds (wire haired german pointers, for example) who are very protective of their human. Is this entirely genetic, or can socialising the dog from the very beginning erase some of it?

Thanks mags,
Arild.

[irul&ublo]

I have a question, to all of you dog owners, not lab/collie related. Are there any breeds not recommended for single male Norwegian students?

Get a sheep.

[Elkhound Odin]

Are there any breeds not recommended for single male Norwegian students?

What about one of these? They must be all over the place in Norway. All the elkhounds I've met in the states have nice easy going personalities.

[backcountry1pr]

Thanks for all the beta guys, this is way better than most of the stuff I have been finding on dog sites. Its all just really possitive. Guess Ill be needing to keep an eye on my shoes and other tempting chewables.

[arild]

What about one of these? They must be all over the place in Norway. All the elkhounds I've met in the states have nice easy going personalities.

Thanks Odin, I´ve considered elkhounds, they´re pretty cool dogs. I actually know an old elkhound named Odin (his human was on my paper route 9 years ago, and the dog is still alive!), used to take him for a walk from time to time when I was a teenage punk. I do think they have too much fur to worry about, and I´m not great with vacuum cleaners. I have only myself to blame..

I did ask if there were any breeds not recommended for young, single guys. I love all dogs, and dogs tend to like me, but we had to put down our wire haired german pointer 4 years ago due to overly aggressive behaviour (outside family pressure, we sure as fuck didn´t want to kill her), and I would rather not have that happen again. That said, a wire haired german pointer, or a similar griffon (like L7 has), would be excellent. Not pretty dogs, but tough,loyal and resilient dogs, love to run. Lots of personality and charm.

L7 - What´s your input? Lower 20´s human, small apartment close to nature, wired fence garden, lots of activity. I might even take him hunting.

[madmax]

I got her from a shelter, she was 2 months old, sweetest dog I ever had except for a full breed lab. Half mcnab/ half lab (borador) She is all black, slick coat, white patch on her chest. She is a medium sized dog, skinny short floppy ears. Her temperment is great in my opinion. She is pretty chill, when she wants to play she will bring me a ball or tug toy and bug the hell out of me. She plays fetch nonstop. She loves water, she likes to swim in the pool. When they are puppies, if you leave them in the crate to sleep, they get very loud so be prepared to be patient and deal with this, it will last about 2 weeks. Mine growled very deep at 3 months old when she played and loves to tug on my jeans. She tends to me mouthy when playing but will instantly stop nipping when I say "nice". Very loyal, very sweet, likes to lick the hell out of my face in the morning.

She is a lot like a lab and has a lot of shepherding qualities, very protective too.

If you like the two breeds, get one cause they are a nice balance between the two.

I love mine, they grow on you.

[madmax]

"Quoting Hubbie"


my brother and sister-in-law have a border collie lab mix. it is a very loving dog, but really neurotic. they got the dog when she was probably seven weeks old. they never beat her or hit her. however, she acts like everyone is going to beat her. when you walk up to her she hunkers down, the closer you get she lays down and then when you reach for her she rolls over on her back and tries to get her head away from you. she then pees everywhere just before you touch her. if you yell no at her for doing something wrong she goes into hiding under the deck or under the bed. one time i yelled at her when i was house sitting, and the dog went under the deck for two days.

i have another friend who has a border collie lab mix as well. this one isn't as submissive. it is actually kind of aggressive. it seems friendly, and it lets you start petting it. then when you stop, it growls and bites your hand. i gave up on trying to make friends with the dog. i just don't even pet it anymore because i don't want to get bit.

labs are great, but i've seen too many border collies and border collie mixes that are really strange acting. i would stay away from the border collie mixes if it were me. "


an exception to this is a mcnab/lab. They have more of the labbish qualities, they are a little mouthy but very mentally stable from what Ive seen. They only aggression out of mine is when I tried to take her bone (real steer knuckle) away. I broke her though, i kept taking it, telling her "nice" and she doesnt do that anymore. I think I agree with you though cause its the border collie/labs that get weird. The mcnab is in the border collire family but its way more like a lab or shep to begin with.

[liv2ski]

Thanks for all the beta guys, this is way better than most of the stuff I have been finding on dog sites. Its all just really possitive. Guess Ill be needing to keep an eye on my shoes and other tempting chewables.

I adopted my Keeshond when he was about 1 from a no kill shelter. Dude ate everyone's shoes when we first got him. Second pair of $250 dress shoes got him a major ass whipping with said shoe. Poor guy never chewed on anything again.

To Arild. On any breed, I would really recommend a person read all they can on the breeds general temperament and characteristics. I did a lot of looking at different Spitz (wolf looking) breeds prior to adopting my second Keeshond. For me, that breed has been practically perfect in every way. Smart dogs that listen really well once they get a little older (puppies just need time and training) Don't need excessive exercise to stay balanced and happy, but do need a lot of love and human contact. I work from home, so I am always around and the guy is presently sleeping beside me. Keeshonds really want to be with you all the time, so if that works, they are an awesome breed. Being a single guy, you may be busy and gone to much for any dog to be happy, as all dogs crave company.