The Labs are absolutely unsurpassed at hunting out hidden stuff. My oldest dog, a small (38#) and demure Chocolate Lab, will find you a downed cock pheasant in the middle of an overgrown 3 acre field, no problem. She'll wind it before she gets off the road. She once found a duck nobody else could locate -- it was in the middle of a 20 foot long 18" drainage culvert. She DOVE into the culvert, flushed the duck out the other end, whoa'ed on command while it was shot, then retrieved it.
And Labs are bred to WANT to find hidden stuff in the worst way. You just direct it to pheasants, or mallard ducks, or explosives.
On the other hand, while they are not attack dogs, they will defend when the chips are down. My Choc once stared down a stray dog that was stalking us . . . and she has gotten between me and what she perceived as a threat many times. And those long jaws built to hold mallards and Canadas are just chock full of sharp teeth . . . .
Not saying anything against the Malinois and Shepherds, which (when well bred) are superb at patrol and guard work. But the Labs are best at what they do.
38#? That’s not a Lab, that’s a lap puppy! LOL How’d you get a purebred Lab that small? Did you withhold food?
I know that you have fine, fine dogs. I’ve seen the pictures and read their exploits. But I did not know that your Chocolate was so small.
Having been blessed with may fine dogs in my almost 70 years, I can say this. Breed is important, but more important is the breeder.
In the GSD line, most USA GSDs have been ruined by the AKC breeders who breed for looks alone. These poor dogs have been bred to have a sloping backline, and some of them are practically walking on their hocks, and aren’t suited for serious work. Police, etc. have been forced to go to Europe to get good GSDs suitably built for work.
Going to United Kennel Club shows is a better way to get well-bred dogs, because they have higher standards than the AKC, and the dogs are individually evaluated on areas beyond “beauty”, such as working ability specific to the breed, etc. Each dog is given a written evaluation, which a good breeder will show you. UKC shows are an excellent place to find good breeders.
Therefore, the BSD (Belgian Shepherd (Malinois) has been a very good choice. More smarts than the GSD, a much harder work drive, very easy to train, and a wonderful personality.
These two working dogs, if bred from good lines, can be trained for all kinds of work. The GSD is usually larger and heavier than the BSD, which is an advantage in some situations, and problematic in others.
GSDs, generally, will shut down/quit when they are fatigued and hot. BSDs will work until they drop dead. GSDs, generally, will tolerate endlessly boring training sessions with no reward, but BSDs figure you are just being anal, and will do the doggie equivalent of “flipping the bird” when subjected to overly long and boring training sessions. They won’t put up more than 5 minutes of training, once they know that you know that they know how to do it right.
I have been blessed to have been owned by both in my life, and I love both breeds. These are not aggressive dogs, and will not bite unless trained to do so. They are protective of farm and family, and both properly bred dogs will do a natural “bark and hold” against true threats.
A natural “bark and hold” means they will bark nastily at an intruder, making vicious growls, showing very sharp canine teeth. But, they will not actually bite unless provoked. What they will do is a very quick “air-snap” on either side of the intruder, in an effort to convince the same that they do mean business.
Usually the intruder, being canine, coyote, or two-legged, gets the message, and backs up, leaving with tail between legs.
Both the GSD and the BSD have to be carefully trained to be an aggressive biter. It really doesn’t come naturally to them. They have excellent noses, and can be trained for scent work, and I doubt that Labs have any advantage in that area of work.
Labs are wonderful gentle dogs, and very good for families in suburban neighborhoods. GSDs and BSDs, because of their strong instinct to protect the farm, it’s animals, and property lines, not really suited to the average ‘burban household, with all the comings and going of kids, other pets, and visiting church ladies.
But, if you want a good dog who will keep all varmints away from your kitchen garden, scare off the crows, protect your livestock from predators, and scare the pants off any local ne’er do wells, I would suggest a well-bred BSD, and not a Lab.
Just my opinion, based on my years of experience. Can you tell I love dogs?
You have to decide what you need your dog to do for you, and choose the breed very carefully. Then, you really have to do your homework on picking the right breeder.
One who is breeding for the traits you have selected, not just a backyard type (although some wonderful dogs have come from that situation, but it is a crap-shoot)
Then, you must be prepared to spend some quality time with your puppy, and that means “quantity” time. These dogs need socialization, and lots of hours spent with you. Once old enough, and past the “fear-stage”, they need some serious commitment from you in training.
I personally think a qualified trainer who will come to your property and train you to train your dog, is way better than the classes that everyone drags their dogs to, exposing them to whatever idiots show up, with whatever nutcases they drag in on the other end of the leash.
He or she is going to be your sidekick for many years, and you will never regret the time you put in to these early months and years of their lives. It takes real work and devotion to get a dog that is a joy to have by your side.
It doesn’t happen by wishing it so.