very friendly , energetic dogs . my uncle had a blacl one .

I have a Labrador retriever, hence my picture and he is soo cute! They are very lovable and can tolerate lots of things, a little boy picked his nose once and he didn't care!

I had a Male black Lab roughly 20 years ago. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about how much I loved that dog. He would consume his 3 pounds of food in roughly 6 to 8 seconds leaving him with a protruding Belly that would last 3 hours after eating. He was a extremely hardy dog in all areas of life, and, loved us more than life itself. The sweetness, the heart, and the courage of this dog was so apparent in everything he did. A crazy seriously mentally disturbed cat came to live in our house. What did he do, he saw how scared she was so he mothered the cat. He was very sensitive to criticism so once he figured out how to please us, he became a perfect dog, and would only please us. To say that my dog was an angel of a lab would be extremely accurate in the sense that he rarely barked, never chewed on anything in the house, and was toilet trained in one day. The other things people are saying about labs are true, their obsession with water, their extremely fun loving nature; to my dog, life was a party, and he would always be looking for new and creative ways to enjoy it. When throwing a tennis ball to him, he would never, I mean never miss. He would catch it everytime without fail. He would do 360's where he spins around in a complete circle to let us know its time to play. He had a very strong hunting instinct. This instinct came out in a type of play where he would stalk us, as if he was the predator, and we, were the prey. The intensity and quietness of the stalk was identical to the stalking of any predator like a wolf or jungle cat does in the wild, with the exception, or course, was when he got too close, he would tear off as to signal "catch me if you can". He loved tug of war like most dogs. He also had a special strut that he would do sometimes so as to say "I am the champion show pony". I don't know how he knew how to show off this pride in himself. Labs, and he was no exception, are innately aware of their abilities and are anxious to show them off. If you don't overfeed them, they will beable to live up to their potential. He had an superior sense of balance who would walk on a ledge like a cat and not be worried about falling. The people who gave negative reviews did not successfully bond with their labs. Those who said labs are dumb are grossly mistaken. In our family of 6 people, 4 of us loved him, and 2 of the family members didn't care for him. He knew who loved him and who didn't, and he artfully stayed clear of the 2 members of the family that didn't care for him. Fortunately, with 4 people in absolute admiration of him, he lived an extremely charmed and happy life. He was a pure bred from champion English Stock so that would make him a pedagree lab, I guess. He was a little shorter than most labs but exactly bred to the most stringest of labrador retriever traits. We never trained him because we didn't want to ruin his beautiful personality. He ended up training himself and molded himself to our likes. He was sensitve and intelligent enough to do that. The part that most impressed me about him was his nature. People come from monkeys, if you trace it back millions of years. If you watch monkeys, you will notice how mean and selfish they can be. If you watch people, you will notice how mean and selfish they can be. He was the exact opposite of a Bully. A bully is the purist form of a coward because they will only attack and take advantage of the weaknesses of other people. He was the exact opposite of a bully because he was nice and sweet to all the smaller and weaker animals than himself. The only animals that he would fight viciously with were dogs that were meaner and bigger than he was. That's what I mean by sweetness, heart, and courage. God I miss him.

The Pros and Cons of Having A Labrador Retreiver:

Mom to:

Mia - Female Black Lab 3 yrs old.
Izzy - Female Yellow Lab 2 yrs old.

Pros:

1.) Great family dogs. Love children and other pets in the family.

2.) Great dogs if you like camping, hiking, the outdoors etc. They have lots of stamina and love exercise. I think there is a saying that goes, "A happy Labrador Retreiver is a TIRED Labrador Retriever."

2.) Beautiful dogs. I think Labs are very beautiful in all three colors, yellow, black and chocolate.

3.) They love to retrieve. Most Labs naturally know how to retrieve and love doing it. It makes for lots of fun play time, and makes it easier on you because they do all the work and you can sit back and be a lazy bum hehe.

4.) Good size dog, not too large or big.

5.) Very intelligent breed.


Cons:

1.) Obsessed with all of the above:

a.) Water in all it's forms, that being a lake, slough, pool, the water in their dish, a bathtub etc. They love water to almost the point of insanity. It is very hard to keep a Labrador out of the water especially in the summer time. I had a male Labdrador previous to the one's I have now who would stick his nose in his water bowl and blow bubbles in the water. He was a complete dork.

2.) Tennis balls. I think I go through about on average 20 tennis balls per week. Needless to say I buy the cheap kind from the Dollar Store...
Labradors will do anything to play, fetch, or as I say to my dogs that sends them into fits of hysteria "Do you want to play outside??!!" And then the craziness turns on. They bark, do spins and jump up and down until I throw the damn ball, only to be repeated again and again. That is to say, they love to fetch.

3.) Pulling when walking. It took me a very long time to finally teach my dogs to walk good on a leash but that was after many failed attempts and new products ie: Lupi harness, gentle leader etc. These dogs, when they want something can almost literally pull your arm out of it's socket, so training to walk on a leash is KEY, or else you will never enjoy walking your dog.

4.) Barking. Especially when excited, my two dogs bark enough to make you want to scream. Especially my black Lab who screeches more than barks, it is VERY ANNOYING. Needless to say we are "working" on this issue.

5.) They can be somewhat "dense" even though they are very smart and are used as guide dogs, etc, they can sometimes not have very good common sense, as opposed to high trainability with tricks, commands etc.

6.) Love of food. My male Labrador loved food so much we had to put a big rock in his food dish so that he would have to eat around it. He just inhaled his food. This can also get them into a lot of trouble as Labs don't have really good taste buds. My male Labrador that I had, ate a brush, face cloth, sock, and numerous other objects during his lifetime. He just ate whatever was on the floor. All dogs are not the same, these are just my experiences living with Labrador Retrievers.

7.) Can be very destructive. This goes with lots of exercise. We learned the hard way when we had our male puppy, he was bored and so he decided to eat through our drywall, then for lunch he decided to nibble on our banisters on our railing. These dogs need exercise period. If you aren't willing to give them a good run or walk, such behaviours as these CAN happen.

However, in closing Labs are great dogs, we have had them all my life growing up. They are definetly not for an owner who isn't active and willing to take the time to keep them stimulated both mentally and physically or they can become destructive. They are great with kids, but because some can tend to be really hyper can knock over small children and hurt them. Which isn't the dog's fault, but sometimes Labs can be too hyper for their own good.

Hope this review helps for anyone considering getting a Labdrador Retriever, while their are more cons to pros about Labrador Retrievers, knowing the breed well helps, as well as willing to work with their slight bad traits. In doing that, Labradors are a breed that are very loving and are great friends to the very end.

I have a yellow lab and he is the best dog!!!
We get him from an animal shelter and he is so sweet and loves to plays with dogs his size or smaller.I also have a toy chihuahua and they are best buddies!

I work in a Doggy Day Campand I have many Labs that come there every day. I have mixed feelings about these dogs. By themselves, they are OK..aside from the jumping. They are very friendly and loving, no doubt about it. In a group setting...YIKES!!! They have to be the most ill-mannered breed ever. They jump on every dog and don't catch on to the signals when a dog doesn't want to play. Also in a group, they bark non stop at eachother and other dogs. They tend to get on everyone's nerves. Because of this, I will never get one now. I have yet to meet one with manners, sadly.

Labs are pretty cool dogs. We have a 90lb Lab that was given to us as a pup. He's goregous, well built, big bear head and heavy, muscular body...a STUD when you look at him...has a pro football player look to him haha Most people say.."omg he's huge!" "He's scary looking" "Look how big he is," etc. But if you were to get to know him......COMPLETE DORK! He's a ball crazy, drooling, baby balluca, doofusie dog!! Learned the basic sit, speak commands and loves to eat! This is my first lab and he's pretty aggresive towards people and unkown dogs. Altho with time he learns to accept new additions but we really have to keep an eye on him with new pups or small animals. We have 6 dogs and he's the "muscle" in the pack. My Springer is the alfa and if my Springer barks at someone or something whom he does not like....my lab is the on them like white on rice! He's not fixed and tends to be aggressive towards other males when breeding. Be very careful with these dogs since they're big and when busy playing fetch can ignore anyone standing by and easily knock them over! My black lab (Shadow) has knocked my grandmother over as well as my younger sister when playing fetch or chasing something. Good dogs for Lab lovers but not my favorite breed of all.

I grew up with labs and they are great dogs. Just like any dog, they need proper training. These dogs are great with kids. They also love the outdoors and do need space to run. Labs love swimming and it´s great to take them to the lake and watch them dive in with no fear! They also love sticks, and playing fetch. Labs are all around great family dogs.

I have had two labs as pets and they are by far the best dogs. I had a yellow lab years ago and currently have a black lab mix that will act like your best friend. She plays, listens well, was easy to train, loves people, and is so adorable. I recommend labradors for younger people and families that want a dog that can play around but is also well trained and good with others.

I have one.Name shadow very cute dog always find ways to play with me. Easy to handle dog.

Black labs (including mutts with a lot of lab in them) are great outdoor dogs. They're large and hearty, and seem to be quite content in cold weather. They do like to go for a swim when it gets hot, so its nice if there is a pond or creek nearby. They'll also do a reasonably good job of keeping raccoons and rabbits out of your garden. They're very friendly, but they also have a tendency to jump up when they want to play, so they may not be the best if you have really little children. I'm not sure if this is a tendency of all labs or not, but the one we had when I was little (the only dog we had that I would consider to be my dog, he was awesome) used to drag all sorts of things into the yard. Some dogs like sticks, but that dog would drag small logs into our yard.

Loyal, docile, active dogs. Among the most common breed in America.

Labradors are easy to train and I should know because I have one and it only took 4 to 6 weeks to train him.They make a great pet and are very friendly.They do need a lot of exercise,but it is still a good companion and is easy to groom for its short hair.I think they are the most popular dog in the UNIVERSE!!!!!!! (then the poodle and beagle)

My labs are the best. Well behaved, mellow, teachable, smart, loving dogs.

i think i like this :-)

my best dogs have been labs

Sorry, but everyone I know who owns a lab, and there are about six of them, complain how the lab chews up everything in the house, and is constantly stealing food off the kitchen counter. Yes Labs, trained, and walked twice per day are perfect pets. But I personally don't feel like walking my dog twice per day; and apparently most people lack dog-training ability.

i love labs, they are so sweet and funny

love them but there not for me thay are to hipper and ful of enger

They all seem to have ADHD!

labs are really good dogs to have

Never owned one myself, but I have known people that have. They are a
very friendly dog, and one that I wouldn't mind having.

a little stupid but super sweet and great with kids

I've had labs my whole life and loved them the whole time.  They are the best dog in the world.  They are docle, and are up for any play.

We have three at varying ages. They are loving dedicated dogs that love to play and romp around even when their bodies(age) limits their fun. They seem to keep that puppy spirit into their second year and then become more laid back in their later years but always ready to go for a car ride, swim in the pool or a romp at the doggie park. This is not a pet for someone with a sedentary life style. They enjoy walks, water and food. They are food driven so very easy to train if you take the time and should be introduced at a young age to other dogs, preferably at a doggie park or training classes. Be sure to have your vaccinations up to date before they mingle' even though our youngest one caught a mild case of Kennel cough after her shots. These dogs do require a lot of attn. and exercise and can cause damage to your house and shrubs when they are young because they love to chew. You have to keep an abundance of chew toys readily accessible and your closets closed up to the age of two and after that just watch out for their ability to knock items over with their tales.
Medically, they are prone to ear infections possible due to their love of swimming. When you notice your lab start to shake his head back and forth get your pet to a vet for ear drops or he/she will break a blood vessel in their outer ear causing it to swell up with blood which will have to be lanced and stitched or drained. Be careful who you buy from. Our first one was from a private owner and the other two from pro. breeders. All three are medically sound and intelligent but the advantage of a breeders pups are that you have more of a choice in their appearance, black nose, plume tale, ect. but they cost twice as much as one you would find in the local classified adds. Breeders don't advertise, mostly word of mouth and if their litter is sold out they will recommend you to another breeder. Also, breeders have to follow strict medical guidelines with the dogs they breed. You will pay twice as much for a bred dog so be prepared to pay aprox. $1000. The lab we bought from the private owner was registered therefore you could trace his family tree back several generations. He is 12 yrs now and slowing down but is still a great pet just like our breeder bought labs. Just beware of the puppy mills. Their adds may say parents and grandparents at house. They usually have 2 or more bitches in various stages of pregnancy and move that one litter available or available soon. The dogs will be fenced in with dirt floors with the bitches that have given birth caged in large chicken type coops. Just leave before you become attached to a puppy which just enables them to continue their obscene tx. of labs. As cheap as I am I would rather pay the breeder or private owner price. When you walk into the breeders house they usually have a bedroom set aside for their litter and they keep the room spotless so the dogs benefit from great sanitary conditions and are not subjected to hot or cold weather. So if you are thinking of purchasing a lab, go the doggie park and talk to some owners of the labs at play and look how engaged the owner is to the labs activities. They will be more than willing to talk about their lab and refer you to a breeder or a trusted private owner. I grew up with poodles and beagles but because we live in Fl and enjoy water activities the lab was a no brainer. F. Batch

Ok.
They can get pretty fat.
Haha.

Most of the one's that I see at the vet's office where I work have ZERO manners. I also don't find that they are that intelligent. I think this is a breed that can make a good family pet but they need to be trained in basic obidience. I see a fair amount of aggressive ones and very nervy ones too. They are also very messy dogs (lots of shed and drool) and most that board with us always have a nasty kennel from hair, poop, and pee. Not a breed that I would own.

From reading many of the reviews-- a dog (or any thing for that matter) is a reflection and/or product of its owners.

Unattentive owners will definitely have destructive dogs...no matter what breed. These people should think long and hard about owning any sort of animal in the first place. Just like kids--they require love, food & water, nuturing, exercise, mental stimulation, and attention.

my dog is a lab. love him!

  I have a five year old yellow and a three year old chocolate both female! LOVE THEM FOREVER!

would love to get a black one they are so so sweet and just have the best personality for sure!

aww

best damn dog in the world

Awesome dogs :)

kind of looks like coal at that age

All varieties of these wonderful water dogs are the brightest, best all-around companions on earth--I know many.  No other breed can be so trusted, loyal, sweet, helpful and protective as the Labrador Retriever.  If I never know another friend, I will be happy till the end.  I do not own my yellow lab, she shares time and space with me as my best friend.

They are the best dogs. We had one for years, I miss him. They are loveable, loyal and will protect you. I love them.

Great family dogs if you can handle their size. Great hunting dogs especially for waterfowl. Good guard dogs for home. Like any dog don't tie or fence them in the backyard and ignore them. They like to work so if you don't get them some exercise they can be a problem.

The black lab, in my opinion, is the best dog ever to have as a pet! They are easy to train tricks, easily house broken, and will be your companion until the end!

SWEETEST THING EVER

u gotta love them lol

Cute faces and loving dogs. My first pup ever was a Lab. RIP JAKE!

B E A S T ! ! !

very sweet, but a little hyper too and that can be trying when the average almost 100 lbs!

awwww

gotta love a lab..

cute

These are great dogs. Love exercise, but don't get weird or bitter if they don't get it every day.

I always liked labs. Not my choice to own but they are goofy and fun and highly trainable. Hard to find an aggressive one which is a plus.

These are sweet animals that make a good family dog. They're also enormously popular.

They are a great family dog and have o.k. personalities but they are kinda stinky dogs. They don't seem to be as smart as other breeds! They over eat like crazy if you let them. They make great hunting dogs!