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:
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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:
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.
: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
: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
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.
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. :)
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.
Well that is with any dog. No dog is perfect.
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.
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!"
Next time, use that as an opportunity to educate the child. Fears can be conquered, education is the key.
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.
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.
Labs are cool! :cool:
Labs aren't stupid; some just have stupid owners. That does not make the dog stupid. :D
Watch out for this vicious attack dog ok?
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x...r/clover47.jpg