Labs are stupid?

[Sowa]

I was at my dads today with Clover. Dad was getting the chimney cleaned.

The chimney guy comes over to see Clo and is like "Oh, a Lab. They're known to be stupid dogs you know. I have one too."

I was like :rolleyes:

My dad said "I guess she's not well off then since she's blond too. :rolleyes:"

I've never heard anyone refer to Labs as stupid before. Anyone run into people who just don't know what they're talking about?

[sana]

Labs are stupid? Really? I didn't think so. They seem friendly and intelligent. :) About the chimney man and your dad, maybe they gotta research before they speak... And if labs are stupid, then, why does the chimney man have one? Seems like he's an even more stupid person.

[tokolosh]

I've never heard anyone refer to Labs as stupid before. Anyone run into people who just don't know what they're talking about?

We had a black Lab through my whole childhood who was . . . well, did you ever see that Monty Python sketch about the Upper-Class Twit of the Year? He had a pedigree that stretched round the block, so I tended to blame it on that more than his specific breed. I figured all the brains had been bred out of him by accident.

He did kind of colour my perception of them. But Labs are extremely popular around my city and I seem to encounter a lot of them. It's obvious many of them are dogs even a non-dog person like me can respect. Sometimes shallow people mistake good-heartedness for stupidity. Maybe it's that.

** I'm going to use this excuse to tell a Lab/kid story :D My son isn't interested in dogs either - doesn't dislike them, they just leave him cold. But the only dog that's ever shaken him out of indifference and into admiration was a Labrador. We were on a beach on vacation and a whole family in kayaks went past my son in single file, Lab cheerfully bringing up the rear. My son stops dead in what he's doing and just watched them go by, waist-deep in water with sand dripping forgotten between his fingers. And once they've gone past and are a few feet away he exclaims 'Hey! What a neat dog - it floats!'

[Karen]

They are not stupid. That guy was either just ignorant, or basing his assessment of a whole breed on one dog he met. In fact they rank #7 on the list of the smartest breeds. If Labs were stupid, then why would they be used so often as guide dogs for the blind, bomb-sniffing dogs, etc.?

Here's the list http://www.petmedsonline.org/top-10-smartest-dogs-in-the-world.html and of course, in every breed there are smart and not-so-bright dogs, but this is the generalization.

[dab_20]

My experience with Labs tells me they are very intelligent dogs. Not only does this feature make them good assistance dogs, but also their willingness to please.

I think every dog is intelligent in its own way. It all depends on how well a dog solves problems, willingness to learn, ease of training, etc. What is intelligence actually based on?
Would I consider Springen a highly intelligent dog? Not exactly. He learns commands extremely easily and is easy to train, but, problem solving wise, not so much. lol His goofball personality makes him seem even less intelligent than he really is. He's smart and wants to please, but I wouldn't consider him close to a breed like a Border Collie.
Both of my cocker spaniels have been incredibly hard to train. They want to keep you happy, yes, but things just don't "click" easily in their minds. I know they aren't easy to potty train, proven by both of my dogs. However, it says they are a smart breed and learn commands fairly easily. My experience doesn't show that. Or maybe I'm just horrible at training my dogs? lol Doesn't matter though, because they really want to please and don't get in much trouble with or without training.
Molli is just like her breed says. Poodles are smart dogs! I haven't taught her many tricks, but you can tell she's very smart.

[chocolatepuppy]

It's obvious many of them are dogs even a non-dog person like me can respect. Sometimes shallow people mistake good-heartedness for stupidity. Maybe it's that.

I tend to agree with this.;)

[Freedom]

Never heard that. Have heard that, like many large breeds, they are slower to mature, keep that happy puppy playtime attitude a bit longer than most. So training needs to be in shot 10 minute sessions multiple times a day until they are about age 2. Where as some other breeds can go to half hour training once a day at 14 months.

Now, boxers, they have short attention spans for a long time -- like a 4 year old human child -- so they need the short, multiple training sessions as well, but for a different reason.

Gunner, the chocolate lab in Willy's Agility class, is 9 months old. He makes it through half a course and then takes off, bouncing through the field, having a roll in the grass, then runs to his Dad (Mom is the one handling him) for cuddles. He knows better than to run back to Mom, she won't be giving him treats until he calms and sits, lol. :D

[pomtzu]

I can truthfully say that I have never met a stupid Lab. Can't say the same about some of the owners tho. :eek:

[IRescue452]

They are kinda dopey imo. They're often overly hyper and do a lot of clumsy things. That doesn't mean stupid as in can't learn commands, but perhaps stupid as in bull in a china shop. Labs are waaaaaaaaaaaay overbred though and of course owned by every schmo that shouldn't necessarily own a dog but wants one to keep up with the Jones' so to speak. Any time you've got people wanting a breed because they want to keep up with their buddies you're going to run into a thousand examples of poorly bred, poorly trained dogs for every one good one.

[Bonny]

My grandpuppy Max is a black lab. He is very hyper still at the age of 7. He does send conflicting messages to strangers. One day he had a stuffed Grinch in his mouth (he loves to carry stuffed toys around) & was wagging his tail but yet putting out a mean growl at a person who came to work on the house. He is protective of his family & their property.

Like someone mentioned people breeding dogs to breed dogs & not paying attention to important things like temperament?

[Taz_Zoee]

Every breed has their less-than-intelligent dogs in it. Like Zoee is that for Aussie's. But all the labs my brother has had have been fairly smart dogs.

I don't know why people insist on saying dumb things like that anyway. So what if the guy heard labs are stupid.......keep it to yourself when you are talking to the owner of a lab!!! It's just rude!

[Sowa]

About the chimney man and your dad, maybe they gotta research before they speak...

My dad was actually joking. More so making fun of the guy a little cause he felt he didn't know what he was talking about either.

My last dog was a Lab as well. She was smart, not at all dopey or clumsy. It's probably too soon to tell but I feel that Clover is intelligent too. She picks up everything I've taught her so far very quickly and often in one short session.

I just found it a little funny he'd say that when Labs are such a popular breed.

[*LabLoverKEB*]

Labradors are definitely not stupid dogs.... they may come across as they are, due to their very happy, playful disposition, but they are very intelligent dogs! I have two Labs, a yellow male and a black female. My previous yellow female (no longer have her) was a great dog, but extremely aggressive, not stupid, just aggressive and had something very wrong with her. They are great dogs, and outstanding family dogs!

[luvofallhorses]

I wouldn't say they are stupid.. most labs are smarter than their owners lol. They are VERY smart though and basically can pick up anything. They can hunt, do search and rescue, be service dogs, therapy dogs, K9s for Police K9-Units, dock diving, agility, etc.

I agree any breed can have less-than intellegent dogs though. I think Labrador Retrievers are one of the smartest dog breeds out there. There are a lot of untrained dogs in shelters and people would say they are stupid, but they really aren't. I have heard that the worst-behaved dogs are usually the smartest and that usually is true. Take Marley from Marley and Me for example. ;)

There are some dogs I have ran across that just don't get things in the shelter, it's not their fault. Dogs can be slow just like people but there's nothing wrong with it. :) We have Siete (See-et-A) a lab at the shelter. I love her so much and wish I could bring her home to work with her, she needs some manners. She is only 9 months old though, but very goofy and loving, VERY smart and has a lot of potential to do anything that someone wants her to do.

Dogs that don't get things aren't stupid, it just makes them special and unique. :) Our dog, Rudy is not that smart, but I wouldn't call him stupid if that makes sense. He is sure special though. :)

[MonicanHonda]

Maybe he's just had bad experiences with badly bred labs? They're quickly turning into the next dalmatian... luckily dalmatians are just exiting that stage of being badly overbred by people who don't have any business breeding them. That would be my guess.

[luvofallhorses]

Even poorly bred labs are smart and I say that with experience. I have come across many poorly bred labs at the shelter and they are still smart. Maybe he just doesn't like labs.. :rolleyes:

[wolf_Q]

I wouldn't say that labs are dumb but I do think they are overbred....we get a lot of labs in our salon and most are great, a lot are crazy obnoxious hyper too though. That doesn't make them dumb, just hyper. I don't think a dog bred to do a working task like hunting can be dumb...yes there are some that are not as intelligent but I would say overall they are an intelligent breed. The other day my friend said that somebody told her labs were notorious for being hard to housetrain? I've never heard that either, actually I've never heard that said about any large breed of dog only small breeds.

However, Killer, my lab/pit mix, is not the brightest bulb in the box. He's a good dog, he's just not that smart. Huskies get accused of being unintelligent because they are stubborn. They don't do things to please humans they give you the "what's in it for me" look. But they are not at all stupid. Keva is by far the smartest dog of all of mine...which makes her the naughtiest. She plans out how to do bad things and get away with it.

[happylabs]

:rolleyes: Ha...ha. Labs are not stupid! Sounds like the chimney sweep is uninformed. I have never had a stupid Lab and I have had quite a few Labs in my life. When people say things like that I just shake my head and smile. :D

My chocolate Lab Maggie was smarter than some people's children. :p

[happylabs]

:rolleyes: Ha...ha. Labs are not stupid! Sounds like the chimney sweep is uninformed. I have never had a stupid Lab and I have had quite a few Labs in my life. When people say things like that I just shake my head and smile. :D

My chocolate Lab Maggie was smarter than some people's children. :p

[MonicanHonda]

Yes, they may be smart but being badly bred usually means they're hyper as all get out and so people take their short attention span as ignorant. That's why the dalmatian is deemed a 'stupid hyper uncontrollable' dog when they're really mellow, really intelligent dogs.

[luvofallhorses]

In my experience, all labs except very few have been hyper badly bred or not because they have a lot of drive. They are retrieivers after all and in the sporting group. :)

[MonicanHonda]

With adequate exercise they shouldn't be hyper dogs. I don't think they'd get the 'family dog' role if they were. They should have the energy and capacity to do their work, but they should never be uncontrollable. Hence why they are sporting, because they can be controlled.

[luvofallhorses]

Well that is with any dog. No dog is perfect.

[K9karen]

Cody (lab mix) never really matured, but despite the goofiness, was as smart as a whip. Hey! I can be old and goofy but it doesn't mean I'm stupid either. Life's too short.

[Sowa]

Wow, so heard from yet another person today that Labs are apparently known to be stupid :/

Her young son (12 years old maybe) was terrified of dogs and wouldn't even come up to the fence to look at her. (a 3 month old pup, at that :rolleyes:) He kept saying "that dog is scary!"

[Karen]

Next time, use that as an opportunity to educate the child. Fears can be conquered, education is the key.

[Varga]

Maybe people think they are stupid because they are so human orientated and eager to please? Border Collies are also extremely eager to please and are often considered the smartest breed.... but I most certainly do not consider Taggart to be smart, lol. He's eager to please, sure. And very, very willing to learn. But he does next to zero thinking on his own and has to be guided all the way through.
Now, that might just be my silly Border collie (and he is a mix after all...) but I have also noticed the same over eagerness in other border collies, so I imagine they must be somewhat similar. *shrug*
Anyway, I've met dozens of labradors and had several at my training classes. They usually are the best students, since they naturally tend to be good at focusing on their owners (that and they are usually also very food oriented and thus glue themselves to anyone offering hotdogs! ).
That lack of independence however, is probably what makes some people think of them as stupid.

[snakemama]

I get a lot of under-exercised overstimulated labs and goldens in my store. If I didn'tg et to see the other side of the coin, I'd probably think that all labs and goldens are obnoxious, hyperactive dogs that plow ahead of their owners, eat everything in sight, and don't listen.

I also get the occasional well behaved, well trained lab whose owners actually exercise it! THOSE dogs are wonderful.

[happylabs]

Labs are cool! :cool:

Labs aren't stupid; some just have stupid owners. That does not make the dog stupid. :D

[Sowa]

Watch out for this vicious attack dog ok?

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x258/darktora07/clover/clover47.jpg

[happylabs]

Watch out for this vicious attack dog ok?

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x258/darktora07/clover/clover47.jpg

Oh my goodness...I'm scared, i'm scared, i'm scared! I think she is about to bare her teeth. Run! Hide! Oh wait, no, she is just going to lick you to death.

[Vette]

I dont think any breed of dog is stupid,, just that some dogs; regardless of breed may catch on faster then others. just like with people. nothing wrong with that.

i also dont think hair or fur color or gender determines dip-squat about a person or animals IQ either.

[kokopup]

Koko is a Lab Golden mix and she is anything but stupid. She has a tendencey to ignore me from time to time but I don't consider that as being stupid. She has never been hyper or distructive and I never hesitate taking her anywhere because she is alway a perfect lady. She understands everything that I say and percieves a lot that I don't say.

My sons lab Lucy gives the impression of being stupid because she is so hyper and out of control. She is a very smart dog but it is apparent that during her early puppy time she did not recieve the training she needed. This was no fault of my son since she just showed at his doorstep one day.