Of these breeds what do you feel is the most high energy and would require the most exercise to be happy in a hone environment?

Steve, didn't you ask basically the same question in:
http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/showf...rue#Post4144274 ?

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />


Unfortuntely, most of us here don't know beans about Labs. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

I have experience with hunting labs but not working gsd's. Hunting labs are extremely driven and very one track minded. All that I've had and seen had to be kenneled outside. Way too much for house life. Without a job, they're off the wall and can be very wild. Even if they hunt they're still very high energy and best kept kenneled. Less than a working border collie, but more drivey than any other dog I've seen. JME. Not a house dog or a good pet unless you don't work and can devote every waking minute to them. JMO.

I would have to disagree that hunting line labs have to be kenneled. That’s where I started, then moved into training them for narcotics and even did Schutzhund with one before placing him with a department in OH. They are like any other dog some are high energy some are not and some are extreme. The last one I placed in OH was extreme and he lived in the house with 2 small kids. Yes you should be ready to provide an outlet for the energy a good 1-2 hrs of hard play each day but definitely manageable. As long as you set the rules in the house and follow them with a good training plan they are usually fine. One of the biggest problems is they are so popular that everyone with an AKC lab thinks they need to breed it especially around Xmas. This is truly ruining the breed. So now you get high energy with bad nerves. It's getting very hard to find a good Lab Breeder or lines that have not been mixed English/working. kelly-green seems to be in almost every pedigree at least on the east coast.

You run into problems when people buy them and think they are getting Old Yeller and think they don't have to train the dog.

I Recently started working with GSD's primarily 1 1/2 years ago and there honestly is not that much difference in a working GSD and working Lab. The kids seem to be able to tolerate both but I still wouldn’t leave them unattended with either.

I guess my point is are you willing to put in the work because if not, I wouldn't go with either one. The both require involvement.

Good luck,

Training them for narcotics and schutzhund probably made a world of difference. IME, 1 to 2 hours of hard play was not nearly enough to make a house dog of them. They were correction "hard" and simple minded, no on and off switch, they were always on. I think shopping around and talking to breeders who know their lines would help find a manageable one. The ones I've had and known were probably extreme. They were bred specifically for hunting and required little to no training to perform their jobs. It was deeply bred into them. They weren't trial dogs, they were bred by hunters who liked to work smart not hard <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />. I'm sure there are variances of lines, but shop carefully because they could be much more than anyone bargains for.

All three are about the same. I'd avoid the Drathaar and the GSD, they tend to get the most destructive when the energy isn't expended because they have more instinctive need to use their jaws on stuff.

If you want a really good house pet that is easy to raise in the home, you should get a Malinois. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

There are Lab breeders out there producing DUDS. This is a puppy with little to no drive. I have seen these dogs and worked with them in basic obedience. Their owners didn't complain about destroyed houses and such. The big thing I noticed was that the dog was getting obedience because they were looking for something for the dog to do, not my normal dog out of hand clients. Look hard and you can find these breeders.

Dont know much about the Drahthaar but a female field lab might do you ok. I had the pleasure of raising one from 8wks to 6 mo. (of course this is just one individual pup)
She was FANTASTIC. Extremely easy to train, females usually are IMO. I would put her in a down stay from about a block away and when told to come she would SPRINT while whining/growling with anticipation, she would "down" while running down stairs or retrieving her duck. Super drives and extremely controlable. Never showed any agression at all. She took over a month to create train though (mostly due to the fact that my roomate would let her out when she whined.) She was ok in the house when out of the create too. This was the most trainable, balanced dog I have ever seen. She was the perfect dog excepting protection ability.
I know this isnt much help but I thought I would share a little story. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
You still have to see each breed, so go see the breeder.

How about a Weimaraner? You can Google that one! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

 Quote:

If you want a really good house pet that is easy to raise in the home, you should get a Malinois. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> That's funny. As a Mal owner I was going to say get a GSD.... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />