Labradors and in particular retrievers are renowned for their furniture destroying ability. My mum used to have boarding kennels and she always used to dread these breeds unless they were working dogs, because they always tried to tear everything apart up until the age of 3 -After that they were always easy to deal with. You just have to 'work' these dogs. Their brains have to be kept occupied, which is why they make excellent guide dogs and obviously used on 'shoots' they are invaluable.
Collies are the same. We had 2 border collies whom we taught to round up and pick out our horses in the fields, bringing them back to the stables for us. Once again they had to be channelled - When they were about 11mths old - we had an emergency call from our village dairy 'Could you please come and collect your collies -They have rounded up the milkmen and won't let them out of the cold room!' -
Bengal cats are the same -They have to be walked and walked and walked!!! Off to take Boots the Bengal out now with the dog.
I have a Phalene as well as the border collie, they arent bored, lonely, stressed, I was actually about 18 inches away when she desided to chomp a hole in the new rug. My little one, was warned as a breed, they chew wires, he chewed through the wire of a ceramic heater and hairdryer luckily, neither were "live" at the time, he outgrew it. Our last collie, (who was 17 when finnally put to sleep, Jan 15) chewed our new kitchen cupboards, then started on the plaster walls, at which point she was crated! I worked nights, Hubby days the dogs slept in our room, and were only left alone, (as from Humans) was once a week a couple of hours when we went shopping. We had a quarter acre of garden, fields at the bottom, they were walked for several hours a day. The collie before her, did a bit of "puppy" chewing, still have a wooden hair brush and dictionary she chewed, they were on the floor and I think she thought fair game as toys, then she never chewed anything else. Vet nurse |I know said dogs tend to be re-homed at about 4 months and a year because people get sick of the destruction. My daughter got 2 gorgeous kittens last year, Mum a British Blue, they have wrecked her place, ripped the leather sofa to bits, pulled down expensive wooden blinds, she lives in a victorian place, the window is really high (not to mention expensive to put blinds up) Knocked stuff of shelves broke a mirror, and play "chase" on her bed in the middle of the night, are they sweet does she love them, you bet!! Its weird because the labs and retrievers are used for guide dogs and assist dogs, so they are obviously very trainable.
To quote TV vet Mark Evans "labradors think the world is made of cake".
My fifteen year old collie/lab is the most solid, reliable, steady dog there's ever been and is insatiable in her hunt for edible things. She will check out any pocket, bag, person until she is satisfied that she can't even find one crumb!
My three year old lab is gun trained and was house trained in no time flat when I got her a year ago. She fetches things. She doesn't destroy them, although she has swallowed the odd sock, but she just keeps bringing me stuff. Any attention is good attention!
Any working breed should be channelled -They are not pets, and not happy as pets. Sorry if this upsets some. My Mum bred alsatians and bullmastiffs in the 50's and specialised in obedience training. She won Champion Obedience at Crufts with an alsatian and Best in Show with a bullmastiff , and always maintained that if you have a working breed you must work it.
I've had golden retrievers for 21years, they haven't done a lot of damage, like chewing through walls. But they never get left for too long. They've only did it when they were young. I've taught them how to retrieve, they've been to training classes. The trainer said their the worst to retrieve, but I don't agree. It's the individual dog's ability. Our first one wouldn't hold anything that I wanted him to, but he'd pick anything up that he wanted and I couldn't get it off him. So the trainer told me to put his lead on and that worked. The next 5 that we had I trained them to do it. But the 7th one isn't very good, but he comes from a show line and not a working line like the others did.Every week we go training, did all the obedience training. Also trained them to put a toy in the box and take it out and bring it to me. Or stop him in the middle of the room and drop it and leave and return to me and heal by my side. Also won trophies. But I agree with you all they have to be channelled.
All the breeds were bread for working, at first they weren't kept as pets, so you could say that they shouldn't be pets.But most people don't bother with them. That's when they end up as rescues.
I think if a dog is exercised enough they don't need to be "worked". Ours get a good long walk every day plus a huge garden to run around in and passers-by to bark at as they run along the fence plus toys to play with. Both like to "help" in the garden in their own way.
Bonzo the Lab loves football and used to do fetch but he also learns from watching his terrier pal so no longer brings back toys and ball but shakes them to death. He's also tried digging which is hilarious cos he hasn't a clue. Both dogs behave very well in class - teacher's pet - but can be stubborn at home when obedience doesn't suit their agenda.
We used to mind a rescued collie/Alsatian cross for friends. She was also nervous after being beaten as a pup and automatically rounded people up on walkies. Didn't approve when I was pregnant and wouldn't speak to me but was all over guard dog for my baby. Lovely dog.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Posts
Hi
Labradors and in particular retrievers are renowned for their furniture destroying ability. My mum used to have boarding kennels and she always used to dread these breeds unless they were working dogs, because they always tried to tear everything apart up until the age of 3 -After that they were always easy to deal with. You just have to 'work' these dogs. Their brains have to be kept occupied, which is why they make excellent guide dogs and obviously used on 'shoots' they are invaluable.
Collies are the same. We had 2 border collies whom we taught to round up and pick out our horses in the fields, bringing them back to the stables for us. Once again they had to be channelled - When they were about 11mths old - we had an emergency call from our village dairy 'Could you please come and collect your collies -They have rounded up the milkmen and won't let them out of the cold room!' -
Bengal cats are the same -They have to be walked and walked and walked!!! Off to take Boots the Bengal out now with the dog.
I have a Phalene as well as the border collie, they arent bored, lonely, stressed, I was actually about 18 inches away when she desided to chomp a hole in the new rug. My little one, was warned as a breed, they chew wires, he chewed through the wire of a ceramic heater and hairdryer luckily, neither were "live" at the time, he outgrew it. Our last collie, (who was 17 when finnally put to sleep, Jan 15) chewed our new kitchen cupboards, then started on the plaster walls, at which point she was crated! I worked nights, Hubby days the dogs slept in our room, and were only left alone, (as from Humans) was once a week a couple of hours when we went shopping. We had a quarter acre of garden, fields at the bottom, they were walked for several hours a day. The collie before her, did a bit of "puppy" chewing, still have a wooden hair brush and dictionary she chewed, they were on the floor and I think she thought fair game as toys, then she never chewed anything else. Vet nurse |I know said dogs tend to be re-homed at about 4 months and a year because people get sick of the destruction. My daughter got 2 gorgeous kittens last year, Mum a British Blue, they have wrecked her place, ripped the leather sofa to bits, pulled down expensive wooden blinds, she lives in a victorian place, the window is really high (not to mention expensive to put blinds up) Knocked stuff of shelves broke a mirror, and play "chase" on her bed in the middle of the night, are they sweet does she love them, you bet!! Its weird because the labs and retrievers are used for guide dogs and assist dogs, so they are obviously very trainable.
To quote TV vet Mark Evans "labradors think the world is made of cake".
My fifteen year old collie/lab is the most solid, reliable, steady dog there's ever been and is insatiable in her hunt for edible things. She will check out any pocket, bag, person until she is satisfied that she can't even find one crumb!
My three year old lab is gun trained and was house trained in no time flat when I got her a year ago. She fetches things. She doesn't destroy them, although she has swallowed the odd sock, but she just keeps bringing me stuff. Any attention is good attention!
Hi Plant Pauper -That's my point.
Any working breed should be channelled -They are not pets, and not happy as pets. Sorry if this upsets some. My Mum bred alsatians and bullmastiffs in the 50's and specialised in obedience training. She won Champion Obedience at Crufts with an alsatian and Best in Show with a bullmastiff , and always maintained that if you have a working breed you must work it.
I've had golden retrievers for 21years, they haven't done a lot of damage, like chewing through walls. But they never get left for too long. They've only did it when they were young. I've taught them how to retrieve, they've been to training classes. The trainer said their the worst to retrieve, but I don't agree. It's the individual dog's ability. Our first one wouldn't hold anything that I wanted him to, but he'd pick anything up that he wanted and I couldn't get it off him. So the trainer told me to put his lead on and that worked. The next 5 that we had I trained them to do it. But the 7th one isn't very good, but he comes from a show line and not a working line like the others did.Every week we go training, did all the obedience training. Also trained them to put a toy in the box and take it out and bring it to me. Or stop him in the middle of the room and drop it and leave and return to me and heal by my side. Also won trophies. But I agree with you all they have to be channelled.
Also they have lots of walks.
All the breeds were bread for working, at first they weren't kept as pets, so you could say that they shouldn't be pets.But most people don't bother with them. That's when they end up as rescues.
Last edited: 06 January 2017 19:48:04
I think if a dog is exercised enough they don't need to be "worked". Ours get a good long walk every day plus a huge garden to run around in and passers-by to bark at as they run along the fence plus toys to play with. Both like to "help" in the garden in their own way.
Bonzo the Lab loves football and used to do fetch but he also learns from watching his terrier pal so no longer brings back toys and ball but shakes them to death. He's also tried digging which is hilarious cos he hasn't a clue. Both dogs behave very well in class - teacher's pet - but can be stubborn at home when obedience doesn't suit their agenda.
We used to mind a rescued collie/Alsatian cross for friends. She was also nervous after being beaten as a pup and automatically rounded people up on walkies. Didn't approve when I was pregnant and wouldn't speak to me but was all over guard dog for my baby. Lovely dog.
Scroggin - Floss is a real Diva when it comes to having a photo taken