I have a 4 year old lab. How can I find out if my lab can or can't be traind for personal protection?

Find a local Schutzhund club and ask them if their decoy will assess him. They usually charge a nominal fee (around $50 - $100) for this service.

Generally speaking, a lab is much less likely to have the character and temperament need in a true PPD. In fact, in the working German Shepherd bloodlines, where two excellent dogs are used, the litter is STILL a crapshoot when it comes to working ability. It greatly improves the odds, but by no means ensures a good strong working dog, or a good strong litter. It takes a very certain kind of dog to do PPD, and a lot of the labs history has focused on totally different traits. Right off the top of my head, labs are some of the most sociable dogs in the world, right up there with Goldens. This is not a trait that meshes well with the full picture of a Protection dog.

If you happen to have a lab that is more edgy, less prone to be social and welcoming to strangers, you have to consider the very real possibility that you could have an unbalanced dog. Labs are not SUPPOSED to behave that way, when they do, something could be wrong there.

There's a reason you don't see many labs working the beat with cops. That's not to say a lab couldn't do pretty well in Schutzhund with enough training. I mean, we've all seen Murphy the Jack Russell....but Schutzhund and PPD are pretty different things.

Hope that helps!

Haven't Labs also been bred to have a soft bite, so they don't bite through the game they are retrieving? Wouldn't that be a problem for a PPD?

Yeah, I would think so. I've seen them do marvelous jobs for the PD in search and rescue, but that's about it.

They also make wonderful odor detection dogs.

I really do not think that labs have what it takes to be a PPD. I have seen some do bitework but it is more for fun than anything. They are not a real serious biter.

Now, I have seen some Chesapeake Bay Retrievers that could possibly do some PPD work. They are honery anyway.

I wonder about the wisdom of having such an approachable looking dog be a serious biter anyway.

At least GSDs, Rotts, Mals (I guess), have a "uniform" of sorts which precedes their actual temperment.

When people err with labs, it wouldn't seem to be on the side of caution.

I don't really worry about Eich being approachable in terms of what he'll do to other people, but being black, pointy-eared and rather "alert" looking certainly plays on people's prejudices...tactically.

 Quote: steven lepic

I wonder about the wisdom of having such an approachable looking dog be a serious biter anyway.

Good point Steven. They are a "friendly" looking dog. I think any floppy eared dog would be more approachable looking than a pointy eared dog in general.

Our lab is great, however he decides who he approaches and not the other way around. He is not an overly friendly dog at all, but if someone picks up a ball....he does not care who you are...just throw the damn ball.

Interesting point, Steve. I submit that stupid people are stupid no matter what breed they're dealing with (save perhaps Dobes and Pitts, who are SO intimidating. talk about "uniform" meets "attitude"). I get so many people charging me and my GSD. "Can I pet him!?" "No." And that look of confusion as they continue to reach towards her, and I move in front of them...It comes down to my diligence. That's all. Just that, and nothing else, prevents them. I think it'd be the same with a lab.

Actually, I'm probably being too harsh. There's nothing stupid about loving dogs, and when I see a dog I've never met before it is physically difficult to restrain the desire to give it a big old hug and a scratch under the chin...but I manage. If I can do it, loving dogs as much as I do... hehe.

Yeah Carol,
I met a Chessie once that was a ppd. A very good one at that. Except for one little fault. If some one were to walk into the house or approach even threatingly and holding a gun, the dog would go stupid being friends with said gun owner. Honest, anyone could be this dogs best buddy if they had a gun with them. Follow them right to the ends of the earth. Kind of a large fault for a ppd to have. JMO.
Seems to me if someone wants to go through the effort and expense to train a ppd, starting with a breed of more promise then a lab would be a wise decision.

Oh, a hunt'n I will go.
Randy

Yeah, that's a good point Steven. Hence the reason for cropping many naturally floppy eared dogs.