Best Dog Breed for New England Winters

Geoff said:

I knew what the thread was about but I decided to run with the "dog bread" thing.

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yeah, that was way more fun.

Anyhow, I'm an Aussie fan. She goes everywhere, and FAST! Her thick double coat is perfect for winters too. I don't know how this dog does it out on western ranches, would seem to me that heat would be a problem.

Snow Balls:



catching snow balls:



good without snow too:

ctenidae said:

Cats are light. You can toss them pretty far.

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You can punt them further.

mondeo said:

You can punt them further.

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there are 101 things you can do with a cat, dead or alive. But this was about Dog Bread!

What you guys don't like dog bread??!?!!?!?! LOL whoops

A) Making your own gluten-free bread has some sound economics. The stuff at the store is $5 for a small loaf and not that great.

B) I have lived in New England nearly all of my life and have found that any dog that I have had seems to enjoy sleeping on the couch in the winter, regardless of the breed. So consider rescuing a dog from a shelter.

ctenidae said:

Gun dogs tend to be a little leaner, without the rolly-polly rotundness a lot of pet-quality Labs have.

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My buddy has a beautiful yellow lab and she will out run any dog! We take her mtn biking 4-5 x a week and she rocks. When she hits her cruising speed....she lowers her ass as if it were a spoiler on a car.

Like Rivercoil said, I think it has a lot to do with over-feeding and too little exercise....kind of like what's wrong with most kids in America!!

However, another buddy has a gorgeous golden retriever who also comes with us when we mtn bike. She is not as fast, needs a whole hell of a lot more water to drink. But you should see her swim and dive into the reservoir.

marcski said:

My buddy has a beautiful yellow lab and she will out run any dog! We take her mtn biking 4-5 x a week and she rocks. When she hits her cruising speed....she lowers her ass as if it were a spoiler on a car.

Like Rivercoil said, I think it has a lot to do with over-feeding and too little exercise....kind of like what's wrong with most kids in America!!

However, another buddy has a gorgeous golden retriever who also comes with us when we mtn bike. She is not as fast, needs a whole hell of a lot more water to drink. But you should see her swim and dive into the reservoir.

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Labs are great like that. The one I had was the Carl Lewis of dogs. On deserted dirt back roads of VT he used to like to jog behind the car. It was quite funny. He'd be fairly calm driving on the pavement, but once we hit back roads he'd freak until you let him out. Clocked him once going 32 mph I think he just knew that when we were on those roads, we were typically going to do something fun like swimming or hiking. At swimming holes he loved to huck off cliffs as high as 15 feet into the water. And man could he jump. I had a friend who was 6'5" and he'd hold a frisbee as high over his head as possible and Samson could still jump up and get it, probably got his nose over 8' up there and his hind legs over five feet off the ground. The dog was a solid 85 pounds of muscle his whole life.

Great dog.....I do miss him all the time, but I'm not ready to get back into the dog ownership again for reasons previously stated.

campgottagopee said:

X3 for the Lab's----I have 2 and can't begin to think of a better dog for family, companionship, hunting, and winter. Being the dog originated in Newfoundland and was trained to jump overboard in icy waters to retrieve fishermans nets I don't think a little snow is going to bother.

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AMEN. Labs are the just the best imo. I'm on my first but have been around dogs all my life. But fyi, your gonna get from a dog what you give.....they all need lots of training & exercise if you want them to be the great dog you envision. ESPECIALLY labs.

ctenidae said:

I have to be contrarion here, on two fronts. First, I don't like the housepet-bred labs. Just don't.

However, I really like labs that are bred as gun dogs. They just look and act different, more purposeful, less goofy.

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how can you not like any lab? odd.

riverc0il said:

Yes and no. Yes, good breeders use different standards for pet quality versus working quality. But rotund is not a pet quality standard used by good breeders. That is a bad breeder characteristic rather than a pet quality characteristic.

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Precisely.

ctenidae said:

Not saying that at all- I just like the demeanor of the gun dogs as pets better than the pets as pets.

Gun dogs tend to be a little leaner, without the rolly-polly rotundness a lot of pet-quality Labs have. A lot of times their noses are a little shorter, and their foreheads a little higher.

I'm sure both of yours hunt- it's in teh blood- and I can totally see the retard-till-in-the-field angle. My old German Shorthair was a moron until you put him in the back of the truck or got him out to a field.He used to drive me nuts sometimes, wantong to go out if he was in and come in if he was out, so I'd just load him into the back of the truck and leave him for a couple of hours. I'd come let him out, and he'd be all excited , thinking he went somewhere.

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What you are talking about is a English Lab (show dog) or American Lab (field dog). English bred are very muscular, "blocky" looking and the American is taller leaner. I have one of each simply because I prefer the bench or English breed and my wife prefers the American breed. They are both awesome dogs and are good at what they we're bred for---hunting and retrieving.

riverc0il said:

Most labs are rotund because they are over fed by owners that leave the ole roy out all day or don't exercise their dog. I have seen some pretty in shape labs before and they are beauties. A lot of bad breeding too due to the popularity of the dog, too. I don't think that is a "pet quality" but rather bad breeding.

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TOTALLY agree with this statement--Labs will eat themselves to death if allowed. Not only over feeding, but also feeding poor quality kibble will attribute to an overweight lab. My male is 91lbs, my female is 70lbs. They each get fed 1 cup in the A.M. and 1 cup in the P.M.---my vet is very happy with their appreance---me too!!!! Most importantly is exercise, without it your lab will drive you CRAZY!!!!

ctenidae said:

Yeah, I guess it's just that the breeding selection for dogs intending to be pet are different from those meant to be working- different concerns, standards, etc.

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riverc0il said:

Yes and no. Yes, good breeders use different standards for pet quality versus working quality. But rotund is not a pet quality standard used by good breeders. That is a bad breeder characteristic rather than a pet quality characteristic.

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IMHO, there really is no such thing as "pet bred"---there are only 2 kinds of breeders----show breeders and field breeders both working to better the breed. "Pet Breeders" better known as back yard breeders friggin suck ass!!!!! They ruin the breed and produce pups that will have health issue down the road. A reputable breeder will produce a pup that comes will all kinds of clearance check and health guarantee---any money save in buyiong a BYB pup will be spent in vet bills....................hopefully Doc will see this thread and chime in----I'd like to get his take, I know he's a fan of the Lab himself.

BLESS said:

AMEN. Labs are the just the best imo. I'm on my first but have been around dogs all my life. But fyi, your gonna get from a dog what you give.....they all need lots of training & exercise if you want them to be the great dog you envision. ESPECIALLY labs.

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Ayeup--totally agree------tired lab is a happy lab

As far as lab goes, there are two distinct families of the lab breed now a days. One called "English" or show labs, and the other are know as field labs, American labs or working labs.

Englsih/show labs are bred for looks only... the breeders are trying to get the "classic characterstics" of the lab breed as perfect as possible. They tend to be blockier around the head and forequarters, they have thicker, usually shorter tails. Shorter legs. Body looks like a log.

Field labs generally have more variability in looks, they're typically bred for their trainability/insticits/intelligence/athleticism and demeanor. These, IMHO, make better pets and companions, but they are often much more athletic and consequently need much more exercise. Their intelligence also will sometimes translate into curiosity in the household if not properly trained and mentally stimulated.

If I were to buy a lab, I'd look for a breeder who's into hunting rather than one who touts the physical characteristics of their puppies and parents. If you're buying from a family, check to find out what breeder they used and any info on the breeder you can find.

And remember... labs can shed almost year round, and they have an oily coat (for water repellency). They can be known to be "mouthy" as well since they were originally bred along side Newfoundlands on the island from which their cousin breed (Newfies) take their name to retrieve fishing nets and gear in icy water. They were bred to carry things in their mouth and have a strong inborn instinct to do so.

They have a thick tail too that's used as a rudder when they swim, and they can pretty much clear a coffee table in one wag and not even notice.

You should look into

A springer spaniel. I have one that is going on nine and still going strong. He is a sport springer,I think that is it. Hes been on 15 mile bike trips. Ran so hard his pads were bleeding. Been all over the high peaks. Does not shed very much. Lots of energy. They tend to live a long time.

They swim, Hunt, run, are small enough to sit on your lap but big enough to throw around.

AND THEY ARE THE BEST LOOKING DOG BAR NONE

Marc said:

As far as lab goes, there are two distinct families of the lab breed now a days. One called "English" or show labs, and the other are know as field labs, American labs or working labs.

Englsih/show labs are bred for looks only... the breeders are trying to get the "classic characterstics" of the lab breed as perfect as possible. They tend to be blockier around the head and forequarters, they have thicker, usually shorter tails. Shorter legs. Body looks like a log.

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True, but any lab (english or american) has the natural born instict to hunt/retrieve

On the subject of Labs, I guess I'd say I prefer an Arkansas Lab to a Boston Lab.

German Shorthair Pointers are my favorite dog breed, overall. Loyal, willing, trainable, good medium range bird dogs, great energy but not "energetic." Maybe the two I've had were special (well, they were to me, anyway), but I like them a lot.

campgottagopee said:

True, but any lab (english or american) has the natural born instict to hunt/retrieve

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Not saying they don't... all I'm saying that if you buy a dog bred for looks alone, the variability in personality means the trait a pet owner should be most concerned with (personality/temperment) is a crap shoot. Better off avoiding them if you're not showing them, or planning on having them bred for profit.

Marc said:

Not saying they don't... all I'm saying that if you buy a dog bred for looks alone, the variability in personality means the trait a pet owner should be most concerned with (personality/temperment) is a crap shoot. Better off avoiding them if you're not showing them, or planning on having them bred for profit.

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I really have to dissagree---tempermant is a HUGE factor in a show dog breed--any reputable breeder will tell you that from the get go wether show/field.

I could never buy a dog or cat.... Too many out there that need home...

campgottagopee said:

TOTALLY agree with this statement--Labs will eat themselves to death if allowed.

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I thought that was true for most dogs...

campgottagopee said:

IMHO, there really is no such thing as "pet bred"---there are only 2 kinds of breeders----show breeders and field breeders both working to better the breed. "Pet Breeders" better known as back yard breeders friggin suck ass!!!!! They ruin the breed and produce pups that will have health issue down the road. A reputable breeder will produce a pup that comes will all kinds of clearance check and health guarantee---any money save in buying a BYB pup will be spent in vet bills....................hopefully Doc will see this thread and chime in----I'd like to get his take, I know he's a fan of the Lab himself

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I'd like to know what others' take is on this as well...unless a dog just has an inherently dominant personality and is just plain hard to train, wouldn't a good trainer be able to make the dog behave the right way in a show ring?

The breeder that we purchased from does not sell dogs for show, but has a full health guarantee and a "no questions asked" return policy. Since we bought our puppy, she did have one puppy from a different litter and parents returned for a health problem which was potentially genetic, and I know that she's going through the process of having all of her breeding dogs checked to make sure that they are OK.

dmc said:

I could never buy a dog or cat.... Too many out there that need home...

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I thought the same way until I started to look up rescues online and saw that in some cases the "donation" was almost as much as the purchase of a purebred puppy...

I'm sure that there are a lot of great rescues out there, but I would not look down on someone just because they decided to purchase a purebred dog...as long as they stay away from the pet stores and puppy mills.