__crazy_canine__ Posted June 9, 2004 Share Posted June 9, 2004 ...shelters seem to always describe black dogs as black lab mixes, even when theyre obviously not??? I dont know why this bugs me so much but I really do get annoyed of it. My aunt who got a dog said she got a black lab mix puppy and I went to go see it. She looked nothing like a lab! She looks like a Stafordshire bull terrier or border collie or something. She has short fur and her markings are VERY similar to what a staffs would be plus she has small feet and short legs. Her ears dont just lay over like a labs would either, theyre kinda pittie-like. In a way she kinda looks like a short haired border collie but she doesnt act like one too much. Anyway, has anyone else experienced people who guess a mixed breed dogs dominant breed and are completely way off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imported_Cassie Posted June 9, 2004 Share Posted June 9, 2004 Actually there have been a few times I have been surprised to learn that a mixed breed actually is what they say. :o there have been a few dogs I have seen that I would never have guessed at being perhaps a lab mix or Newf mix...what ever...then come to find out that the momma living at home which actually gave birth is a Lab. I also had a border collie- Lab mix when I was younger which I adopted from a neighbor...so I knew my little girls momma, and her possible daddy...although it could have been any dog in the neighborhood . My little dog looked more like a small greyhoundish type dog with long feathering on its tail and ears and legs...she was an odd looking little thing....she didn't look like a lab at all, not in the ears, body, face...nothing. But, her momma was a Lab which got out and ran into a border collie, this is what you would call wrong time, wrong place :lol: I think alot of times at shelters the staff is over worked and under staffed and they just go by what ever the people tell them who drop them off. It is also easier to adopt out a Lab mix than perhaps a Pit mix. I can also tell you I have seen some purebred Lab's which look more like BIG Rottweilers with out the docked tail or markings. Lab's vary in shapes, sizes, head shapes etc. so do most breeds of dogs...remember, our purebreds where all mixed breeds in the beginning before they were considered purebreds. Although our Lab's are more of a natural breed than others. I had a purebred Newf in for boarding last week straight from Newfoundland which looked more like a small grey retriever than any Newf I would have recognized...I really had a hard time coming to terms with the fact it was a registered purebred Newf. it had a long face, I mean really long some what like a collie's except thicker, long ears- very unNewflike, very long legs and long body with a sleek build. I don't think any breed expert would have been able to pick that dog and guess at the proper breed. I just wanted to add that at all the dog related jobs I have (vet clinic, boarding kennel and grooming facility) we just put down on the file what ever the owner tells us to. It doesnt mean we don't know what we are looking at, but, with mixed breeds its pretty hard to tell...and what if the dog is a purebred mongrel with no purebreds in its back ground...well, then you are just going to write down which breed it most resembles so people will be able to visualize the appearance of the dog...for example if I put on a file a Labx, border collie x, or Newf x..then when I have them coming in for an appointment I can guess at appox. the size and coat of the dog. :wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
__crazy_canine__ Posted June 9, 2004 Author Share Posted June 9, 2004 Thanks for the insight and glad to hear what you think! Mixed breeds are very hard to determine but I think they should put a little more effort into it. Another thing is with my aunt's dog, even though they said she is a lab mix but most likely is a pit mix, I think its their responsibility to tell the new owner what they are getting into! I understand mixes dont really look like what they are sometimes, like with your example but sometimes you can tell if a dog DOESNT have a certain breed in them, although I guess it all depends on what theyre mixed with. I guess my main point with my story is that if a dog gets traits from a certain breed that can be a handful, the adopters have the right to know. Shelters shouldnt just put down what breed is easiest to adopt out. I completely understand that they are trying to help the animal by doing that but it gets me a little upset. Especially when the owner finds out that the dog isnt what they expected and no where near what they can handle and take it back. I do blame the owner for doing that but labeling a pit bull as a lab? They are UTTERLY different!!!!! Anyway though, I get the fact that you pointed out by saying that mixed breeds dont always look like what they are mixed with and its easy to not see that. BUT with my aunts situation it was obvious... Sorry I just kinda went on and on with that just trying to make my point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 9, 2004 Share Posted June 9, 2004 i think it's eaiser for them to put lab X have you ever noticed that dogs that are black and brown with a tail are labled as a rottie mix or a lab and rottie mix... there are other dogs out there that are brown and black not just rotties! I saw one that CLEARLY had Aussie in it due tot he fur and coloring and they labbled it as a flattie retre. and rot.. ummm it was short, stalk with aussie feet and fur and rot colloriings.. who knows.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
__crazy_canine__ Posted June 9, 2004 Author Share Posted June 9, 2004 Yeah I notive that too DAL!!! Either they say doberman or rottie. One man came into petsmart and he came by our adoption center with his dog. I was curious about what breed his dog was and he said it was a doberman mix. It had long kind of wavy fur and wasnt built at all like a dobie, it was kind of small. I guess its possible it couldve had dobie in him but it looked more collie. I think he only thought that because of its markings, if it werent for that it wouldnt have looked like a dobie one bit!!! :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imported_Kat Posted June 9, 2004 Share Posted June 9, 2004 Then you have the idiot shelters here that have pit mixes in that are described as lab x's, as pits are banned in N.Ireland. Not good when the dog is returned with problems days/weeks later :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abker17 Posted June 9, 2004 Share Posted June 9, 2004 I just saw an example of this today at my shelter. A lovely chocolate colored pit bull, was labled as a lab mix, probably because she was chocolate colored. But I took the dog out for quite awhile, and got a good look at her and there is just no way that this dog had any lab in her. So I agree, people should know what they are getting into. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kendalyn Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 It's nearly futile to guess the breeds in a mutt. The only reason it is done is to give people an idea of what the dog [i]looks[/i] like or may look like. Although that isn't even very accurate. A local rescue I know of had puppies that looked very similar to huskies come out of a dog that look like a lab mix. :o No one would have been able to guess that this dog was their mother unless they KNEW she gave birth to them. There is really no predicting how a mutt will behave. How do you know that a pit bull/collie cross will behave more like a Pit than a Collie? And in most mutts, chances are really slim that there are only 2 breeds in there. It's a better guess that there are 4 or more. It's a total jackpot. I think it might be better if rescues stopped guessing. It's totally inaccurate and can give people a wrong idea of how their mutt may act. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtnek Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 I personally think it's a "God, help us" classification. Lab's are "America's sweethearts" in the dog arena. If the dog is classified as a "Lab Mix" it's more likely to be adopted. I PERSONALLY think this is wrong. Better you know what you're getting into to. But they want to find these dogs homes, and hope for the best. Sometimes, it works... 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cairn6 Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 [quote name='courtnek']I personally think it's a "God, help us" classification. Lab's are "America's sweethearts" in the dog arena. If the dog is classified as a "Lab Mix" it's more likely to be adopted. I PERSONALLY think this is wrong. Better you know what you're getting into to. But they want to find these dogs homes, and hope for the best. Sometimes, it works... 8)[/quote] You are absolutely right that is why they do it. People are afraid when they hear Pit bull in the name. They change the name so they will get adopted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kendalyn Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 [quote]Better you know what you're getting into [/quote] The problem is that with a mutt of unknown origin it's impossible to know what you're getting into. I'd hate for someone to adopt a "lab/mix" expecting it to have traits like a lab but they get it home and it behaves like a Shepherd. I think shelters and rescues should push the point that this dog could literally have a multitude of characteristics. Labs and Goldens are so popular I would say it's a good guess that there is [i]some[/i] Lab or Golden in many mutts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtnek Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 Iagree..to a point, and this is where I think "knowing" is important. I HAVE a Lab Mix. from her characterisitics, her shape, her abilities, I have derived she also has German Shorthair Pointer, and Shepherd. She could PASS as a purebred Lab, to the unknowing. She is NOT. She does NOT like people...unless she knows them. She does NOT like small children, until introduced. and even then, doesnt like some. She does NOT like other dogs. I am dog literate, I can handle her. and make her behave. I dont believe the average unkowing dog owner could. She DOES NOT act like a Lab... the typical Lab... THIS is where there is problems listing a dog as a "Lab Mix"... 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 [quote name='kendalyn'][quote]Better you know what you're getting into [/quote] The problem is that with a mutt of unknown origin it's impossible to know what you're getting into. I'd hate for someone to adopt a "lab/mix" expecting it to have traits like a lab but they get it home and it behaves like a Shepherd. I think shelters and rescues should push the point that this dog could literally have a multitude of characteristics. Labs and Goldens are so popular I would say it's a good guess that there is [i]some[/i] Lab or Golden in many mutts.[/quote] I completely agree. When I volunteered with a local rescue we often got black short haired puppies. They were always lab mixes even when it was pointed out that they were not. I started making signs for the cages when we were at petsmart that stated that the breeds listed were our best educated guesses and we could in no way gaurantee adult size or temperment. I get very upset with rescues when they knowingly mis identify a dog. It's another thing when they don't know what they are doing. I wish Petfinder would add an option with a title such as "All American". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MajiesMom Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 LOL I think the default is: Shepherd X, Lab X or Border Collie X :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lokipups Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 I see it all the time too, part of the problem is that a lot of the shelter workers aren't very dog savvy and don't know many of the breeds. But probably the most prevelant reason for misidentifying a dog to label it a lab mix is for adoptability. Case in point, I went to do an eval on a potential client, the dog clearly had some pitbull in him, and possibly some Rhoddie. When I asked her what the dog was, she said "Oh, he's a lab mixed with terrier". When I told her the dog was probably part pitt, she looked aghast and said "but they told me he's a terrier!" Duh. That's what the T in APBT stands for :-? . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cairn6 Posted June 12, 2004 Share Posted June 12, 2004 Lokipups that is the cutest signature! How on earth did you manage to get such a nice photo with a puppy in it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lokipups Posted June 12, 2004 Share Posted June 12, 2004 :D Thanks Cairn! The pupper in the middle was a foster, he was one of the nicest, easiest, most trainable pups I've had in a loooong time. It was the third day I had him when I took that pic, he learned basic commands [i]really[/i] fast :o . He was a tough one to part with :-? . He could down pretty well too for a baby. [img]http://img21.photobucket.com/albums/v62/Lokipup/Dog%20pics/000_0100.jpg[/img] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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