Labrador Retriever Mix: A Good Bet For New Dog Owners

Getting a dog can seem like a major gamble, especially if you haven't much experience with dogs. Mongrels are great for the novice dog owner, but some mixes are more sensible and healthier than others. For example, a cross between a Chihuahua and a Chinese Crested Hairless tends to produce the world's ugliest (and sickliest) dogs. However, a Labrador Retriever mix – no matter what other breed is mixed with – tends to lead to a great pal with hybrid vigor.

Not Perfect, But Nearly

No dog is perfect – not the purebred Labrador puppy at Westminster or the Labrador Retriever mix at your local animal shelter. Then again, no person is perfect. But odds are, you still have friends, lovers and business associates – even though they are imperfect. If you go into a relationship with a Labrador Retriever mix knowing there's going to be some trouble eventually, but you and the dog can work through it, then you won’t be in for major disappointment.

Labrador Retriever mixes tend to have the high intelligence of a Lab, the massive appetite and the habit of digging. This is a tendency only – not all Labrador Retriever mixes will act like this. But you should be ready for it. Most Labrador Retriever mixes, if shy at first, will come around to persistent and patient companionship. Labrador Retriever mixes tend to have excellent memories and will never completely forget what terrified them.

Adoption Is The Best Option

Although the idea of getting an incredibly cute, pot-bellied puppy is undeniably appealing, they are a heck of a lot of work and are expensive. If you haven't had much experience with dogs, getting an eight week old puppy is the worst way to begin your life with dogs. You can get a lot of pleasure and can save a life by choosing the adoption option instead.

You won’t have to look far to find a Labrador Retriever mix that needs a home. Since Labs are the most popular breed in America, a large percentage of shelter dogs will have Lab in the mix somewhere. This writer's own dog is Labrador Retriever mix and you can’t have her. Her mother was part Lab, part collie and part Staffordshire Bull Terrier. We think her father was part Doberman and part kangaroo. She has the massive appetite, digging drive and love of tennis balls that Labs have. She is only my second dog.

Officially, Golden Labrador Retriever Purebreds Do Not Exist

If you go leafing through advertisements for dog kennels, you can't help but notice the many that loudly proclaim that they breed golden Labrador Retrievers. And they do not mean a Golden Retriever/Labrador Retriever mix (which are also known as Golden Labrador Retrievers). They mean a golden colored purebred Labrador Retriever. According to the various Labrador Breed Associations and national kennel clubs, Labs come in just three recognized colors – and golden is not one of them.

Suspected Scam

The only three recognized colors of purebred Labrador Retrievers are yellow, black and chocolate (which used to be called liver). There are many shades of yellow in yellow Labrador Retrievers. Some are so pale that they are called "white", even though their papers will call them yellow. The darkest shade of yellow is sometimes called "gold", but even the darkest golden Labrador Retriever will not compare to the luster of a Golden Retriever.

But, like PT Barnum said, "There's a sucker born every minute", and they will believe whatever they are told. If they are told that there is such a thing as a purebred golden Labrador, they will break open their wallets and buy one. Even when they can clearly see that the puppy's color is yellow, they think the "golden" label means "premium" and they will buy the so-called "golden Labrador Retriever" over the identical-looking "yellow Labrador Retriever."

Nothing Wrong With A Yellow Lab

If you do discover that your pricey "golden Labrador Retriever" is simply a yellow Lab, take heart. Your dog will still be loyal and comical and loving. Keep the dog. But by all means, complain to the Better Business Bureau about how the dog was represented. It would help if you had a copy of the original ad that lead you to the kennel and a copy of the contract. You did get a contract with your "golden Labrador Retriever", didn’t you? If not, there's ANOTHER thing to complain about.

If you go to a rescue shelter and see a dog listed as a purebred golden Labrador Retriever, the staff just made a common mistake. Don't rip into them about it – they are doing the best you can. You could write a thank you letter about how well you are getting on with your rescue dog and just casually mention that, officially, there is no such thing as a purebred golden Labrador Retriever. Once that is done, concentrate on building up a great friendship with your new Lab of whatever color.

Officially, Golden Labrador Retriever Purebreds Do Not Exist

If you go leafing through advertisements for dog kennels, you can't help but notice the many that loudly proclaim that they breed golden Labrador Retrievers. And they do not mean a Golden Retriever/Labrador Retriever mix (which are also known as Golden Labrador Retrievers). They mean a golden colored purebred Labrador Retriever. According to the various Labrador Breed Associations and national kennel clubs, Labs come in just three recognized colors – and golden is not one of them.

Suspected Scam

The only three recognized colors of purebred Labrador Retrievers are yellow, black and chocolate (which used to be called liver). There are many shades of yellow in yellow Labrador Retrievers. Some are so pale that they are called "white", even though their papers will call them yellow. The darkest shade of yellow is sometimes called "gold", but even the darkest golden Labrador Retriever will not compare to the luster of a Golden Retriever.

But, like PT Barnum said, "There's a sucker born every minute", and they will believe whatever they are told. If they are told that there is such a thing as a purebred golden Labrador, they will break open their wallets and buy one. Even when they can clearly see that the puppy's color is yellow, they think the "golden" label means "premium" and they will buy the so-called "golden Labrador Retriever" over the identical-looking "yellow Labrador Retriever."

Nothing Wrong With A Yellow Lab

If you do discover that your pricey "golden Labrador Retriever" is simply a yellow Lab, take heart. Your dog will still be loyal and comical and loving. Keep the dog. But by all means, complain to the Better Business Bureau about how the dog was represented. It would help if you had a copy of the original ad that lead you to the kennel and a copy of the contract. You did get a contract with your "golden Labrador Retriever", didn’t you? If not, there's ANOTHER thing to complain about.

If you go to a rescue shelter and see a dog listed as a purebred golden Labrador Retriever, the staff just made a common mistake. Don't rip into them about it – they are doing the best you can. You could write a thank you letter about how well you are getting on with your rescue dog and just casually mention that, officially, there is no such thing as a purebred golden Labrador Retriever. Once that is done, concentrate on building up a great friendship with your new Lab of whatever color.

The Yellow Labrador Retriever: A Modern Day Cinderella Story

Once upon a time in the 1800's, an all-purpose hunting and companion dog breed was being developed. Eventually, this breed would be called the Labrador Retriever. At first, all of the best specimens that people adored were all black in color, or black with very tiny white spots. But every now and then, a yellow Labrador Retriever was born. Back then, it was thought that a yellow Labrador retriever was sickly. Any yellow puppies in a litter were taken from the mother and killed.

Someone Takes A Chance

We do not know the name of the first person who decided to not kill his or her Labrador Retriever puppy who decided to give it a chance to live just like its black siblings. Eventually, it was obvious to everyone that a yellow Labrador Retriever was just as healthy and intelligent as a black Labrador Retriever. Some trainers even prefer yellow Labrador Retrievers over any other color in a sort of reverse-prejudice.

And then the tide turned. Now, when the public hears the name "Labrador Retriever" it is most likely a yellow dog that they think of first. Their sunny color perfectly reflects their sunny dispositions. You'd be hard pressed not to find someone who doesn’t know a great yellow Labrador Retriever from somewhere in his or her past.

Search And Rescue

Yellow Labrador Retrievers have never taken the actions of humans to their kind and color personally. Neither do black Labrador Retrievers, chocolate Labrador Retrievers or the so-called golden Labrador Retrievers. All Labrador Retrievers (unless abused) love people. Their first love is for their own people, but they willingly extend this love to complete strangers.

This has made the yellow Labrador Retriever one of the most desired dogs in search and rescue organizations. The yellow coat makes them easier to spot in the shadows of a collapsed building or other rescue site. But rescue organizations will take on a dog of any color, as long as they have the right attitude and abilities to stay focused.

However, it is hard not to notice that many of the most awarded search and rescue dogs and other service dogs are yellow Labrador Retrievers or yellow Lab crosses. In England, a successful breeding program to train dogs for the blind uses crosses of Labrador Retrievers (of whatever color) and Golden Retrievers.

One such heroic yellow Labrador Retriever was the only dog to die in the 9/11 attacks. His name was Sirius and he was on a daily routine mission at the World Trade Center to sniff for explosives with the NY/NJ Port Authority. His body was recovered on January 22, 2002.

Black Dog Syndrome Even For Black Labrador Retrievers

Black dog syndrome is used by people who work or volunteer in animal shelters. For some reason, all black dogs, even purebred black Labrador Retrievers are almost always passed over in favor of other colored dogs. Any other color dog does better – even if they are the same breed. This also happens to black Labrador Retrievers, especially in shelters. A golden, yellow, white or chocolate Labrador Retriever will almost always be picked over black Labrador Retrievers.

Superstition

Although we claim to not believe in superstitions, our subconscious proves we do. Quite often, we pass over anything black because of the negative bias towards the color black. The only things that seem to escape this bias are diamonds and horses. However, there are a lot of myths, legends and stories about black dogs being somehow bad. One of these is that vampires can change into black wolves – or black dogs (even black Labrador Retrievers).

Probably the most famous bad black dog was the Hound of the Baskervilles, which went after the legendary Sherlock Holmes. Many scholars and psychologists think the reason why the Hound of the Baskervilles is so famous is because a large black dog fits our subconscious idea of what an evil creature looks like, even a dog with floppy ears like a black Labrador Retriever.

Hecate And Paganism

In some pre-Christian pagan religions, black dogs were seen as sacred. One of the most powerful and respected Goddesses (still worshipped by modern day Pagans) is Hecate (or Hekate), known as the Goddess of Witches. One of her symbols was the black dog. It was said that She could appear to people in the form of either a black snake, a black mare or a black dog.

Whenever Christianity overtook paganism, anything associated with the old Deities was immediately demonized. This is probably what happened to all black dogs, even in this modern day and age, causing the black dog syndrome seen today in pet rescues and animal shelters.

A Good Dog Is Never A Bad Color

If you are considering adopting a dog (and good for you), then please be sure to take a second look at all of the black dogs in the shelter. Perhaps they will look ordinary, but that's only on the outside. If you specifically want to adopt a Labrador Retriever, be sure to tell the breed rescue or animal shelter that you would accept a black Labrador Retriever. You will certainly gain not only the shelter worker's respect, but the friend of a lifetime.

The Incredible Appetite Of The Labrador Retriever

One of the reasons that Labrador Retrievers are so highly trainable is that they will do just about anything for food. If we ever figure out how to plug up the hole in the ozone layer, it will be because a Labrador Retriever was offered a triple cheese pepperoni and sausage pizza if he could fix it. However, their appetites have many Labrador retrievers into trouble.

Christmas Dinner

Usually every year out of England just after Christmas, you read about a dog who ate the family's Christmas dinner, desserts, decorations and some of the gifts. Almost without fail, the dog winds up being a Labrador Retriever. Christmas dinner in England is given even more hoopla than Thanksgiving in America. Although some Labrador Retrievers can eat such a massive amount of food with just a few belches, most just vomit it all back up. How festive.

Gucci Watches

Some dogs have incredible taste. Lulu the Labrador Retriever didn’t just eat anything in April of 2002 – she chose her owner's $1500 (US) Gucci watch. Worried for both watch and dog (and about the inevitable puns in the press), Lulu was taken immediately to the vet, who confirmed that the dog was ticking. A successful operation removed the watch but not Lulu's appetite. She has also eaten socks, dice and almost swallowed a diamond engagement ring before she was stopped.

Cat Poo

Most dogs are attracted to cat droppings, although some prefer to roll in them while others eat them. Almost all Labrador Retrievers will not pass up a chance at "kitty pate". This is because cats cannot digest all of their food, so their droppings still has meat in it. This can be dangerous to your Labrador if your cat is on medication, which can also turn up in the poop.

Poison

Labrador Retrievers are like babies in that they explore the world with their mouths. They also think many poisonous substances like slug bait and antifreeze taste good. You need to keep these out of reach or stop using them entirely. You also need child proof locks on your cupboards, because Labrador Retrievers can learn to open almost any kind of cabinet door.
Include your medications in on the list of poisons. Human medications are made to be taken by creatures that weigh a lot more than the average black Labrador Retriever. They will wind up getting a dose that may make them very sick. Call your vet immediately if you suspect your Lab has eaten human medication.