Look at some of the other breeds, what do you think the Lab people would say if the AKC banned participation in Retriever trials?.

Sorry, this is a bit off topic, but I feel a need to comment. My gripe with the AKC regarding Labradors is that show Labs do not have to demonstrate any working ability, and that field bred Labs (those who participate in trials and hunt tests) do not have to conform to the breed standard. Because of this, there is a very distinct split between types of Labs. For example, this is partly where the idea that Labs are hyper comes from. The true Lab temperament is not hyper, but a lot of the field bred Labs are, because they are bred more for drive than for correct temperament.

Carry on.

....and of course that doesn't happen in any other breeds (Mal, GSD, Pointers, or the other herding breeds)!!!

OK, so maybe it wasn't so off topic. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Of course it happens with other breeds, like Dobermans, for instance! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> If someone asked my opinion on choosing a Lab, whether as a pet or a working dog, I'd try to steer them toward a dual purpose breeder, or at least a breeder who breeds for working ability, but does not ignore the breed standard.

I certainly don't advocate unknowledgeable people owning large powerful dogs. The irony of how I feel is that I adopted my first large dog, a rottweiler, at 7-9 mos. (I had only owned a maltese prior) he was shy at the time, which turned into some fear aggression as he matured. I dedicated myself to working with this dog and learning what it would take to be responsible for him, and have never regretted a moment of it. He has taught me life long lessons about responsible dog ownership, and has been a wonderful companion.

It is because of his issues and the amount of work and self education that he has taken that I feel such a strong urge to acquire a rott with a correct temperment and REALLY get to work. I've got the bug for competition and it's only because of the experience of owning this dog that I feel that way! So, I didn't start out in the way most experienced, working dog owners would recommend, but it's worked out great for me, my 10 yo daughter and my dog.

I opened this thread up and couldn't believe my own eyes. I had to check the date about 5 times.

I kept saying to myself, "this can't be right, I swear this is an old, tired, stale, boring discussion that we talked to death a few months ago."

It is clearly apparent to me that Pauline ISN'T as happy with her dog as she could be, purely because of our opinions about his breeding.

Cry me a -F-ing river.

I've got a 200 piece symphony of violins doing their thing here in the backround for ya.

Raising working line dogs, bred to have the confindence and courage to do what the breed was intended to do, takes just about the exact same amount of work and training that ANY well cared for house pet requires. All dogs should be raised responsibly, with care, and with training.

You want to go ahead and train your working line housepet in Schutzhund, thats where the experience will be necessary.

A good dog with a good temperament and working ability can be made into almost anything, a crap show dog can only ever be a pet or a show dog. No chance for better, they don't have it in them.

I AM happy with the dog - that is why I have a hard time understanding where ya'll are coming from. But I'm getting there....

Hi there once again my faveret topick.

Fact 1 In Australia the most dog bites come from The australian Cattle dog wich most pet owners chose to buy, as a small frandly breed.

Fact 2 Even in show lines you can get a dominant and nasty dog (no garanties that if you buy a shol line dog he will be placit.

Fact 3 I resent the enphasis on "agresive" (because its a working stock) Working dog breeders the responcible ones anyway DONT WANT AN AGRESIVE DOG.
What they do want is a dog that is CONFIDANT has STRONG TEMPERAMENT, STRONG NERVES, HIGH FIGHT DRIVE (FOR GARD WORK, HIGH PREY DRIVE, but most of all ITS A SOCIAL DOG, no responcible person wants an 'AGRESIVE' dog.
Fact 4 I have had some of the tufest working GSD in the comunist run POLAND and they were all brought up as familly dogs. They new the pecking order in the familly and they fitted just fine.
Strangers were on the best behaviour.

Final coment if I may once you have a working dog and you get over your feere and your perseption of the working dog. you will never look beck.

Ps. once again apology for speling
Adam

OK, I started out posting nicely- enough of the sugar coating. You don't deserve our politeness.
Sorry, but Pauline is a troll, plain and simple.
I've looked back at her past posts and almost all of them are a repeat of this theme about " Why don't you all accept that my pet dog is OK?"
Pauline, frankly, we don't care. This is a working dog board- this has been explained to you at least seven times by my counting. Either you are just posting to cause arguements, or you simply are incapable of understanding a simple concept. Is english your native language?

Here, here Will.

No need to waste anymore of Ed's webboard on this.