Labs are stupid?

[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 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-...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.

[pomtzu]

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

[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!