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Author
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Topic: Labradors
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Ralph McFly
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posted June 22, 2004 08:37 AM
Can someone tell me if this is normal for labradors
My in laws labrador is completely food obsessed - he is 9 now, so sleeps a lot, and with no exaggeration spends all his time upstairs in his bed....until he hears someone eating. Then he charges downstairs and parks himself infront of the person with the food. This could be at the dining table or on their lap in the sitting room. Please note if it is in the living room he tries licking the food on their plate while they are eating, then he sits drooling on their legs until they've finished. I cannot blame him because the idiots DO feed him. He eats any old rubbish. When we were snowed in this winter he ran out of dog food - so they said "oh he can have some weetabix (do you have weetabix in the states?) Anyway - he was given 3 weetabix, with a pint of milk and 2 dessert spoons of sugar - SUGAR!!!
At night before bed he gets 2 slices of white toast with butter and jam on, and a cup of coffee (2 sugars)
Is this normal?? I know lab owners are a bit eccentric but these foods cannot be good for a dog???
And as for the licking their plates while they are eating - I'm sorry but if my Border Collie ever did anything like that He'd be going out for a walk on 3 legs.
![[Flaming Mad]](graemlins/flamingmad.gif)
(nb - I wouldnt really cut my dogs leg off)
Posts: 7 | From: Bamford, England | Registered: Jun 2004
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weimlover0816
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posted June 22, 2004 10:18 AM
I think that you may be being a little too critical of the entire breed, based on your perception of one animal. labs are great dogs, they are dependable, friendly, and all around great family dogs. Now, your in-laws lab may be food obsessed and all, but that is how they "trained" him. If he begs,drolls, etc. that is their fault, not the dog's fault.
anyway, I hope you meet a lab someday that you like ![[Smile]](smile.gif) they are great dogs.
And welcome to the forum
ps.... it seems to me, from reading your other posts, that you may have more of an inner issue with your in-laws and may be taking it out on their dog..... just an oobservation, and definately none of my bees-wax ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
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"My Weimaraner is smarter than your honors student!"
Posts: 221 | From: USA-Maine | Registered: Apr 2004
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GretaJack
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posted June 22, 2004 11:09 AM
Labs are very food motivated dogs but that should be used to help train the dog, not create a trouble making begger. Like Weimlover said, this is the fault of his owners, not the dog itself. My labs get table food but are never allowed to beg. When it is dinner time the dogs must lay on there beds in the living room and they are allowed to leave only when they are called after all the food is put away. And lab owners are a bit eccentric but no more so than another breed owner. Well those who treat their dogs like their children, which I am proud to say I do!
[ June 22, 2004, 11:10 AM: Message edited by: GretaJack ]
Posts: 195 | From: Wisconsin | Registered: Dec 2003
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weimlover0816
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posted June 22, 2004 11:29 AM
GreatJack,
Dogs aren't children????? ![[Eek!]](eek.gif) LOL
Don't tell my weim that!!
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"My Weimaraner is smarter than your honors student!"
Posts: 221 | From: USA-Maine | Registered: Apr 2004
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ellierat
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posted June 22, 2004 05:27 PM
Hi Mcfly, any breed of dog or dog within it's breed is capable of the same behaviour, it is the way we train them to the ultimate outcome.
If your inlaws had a German Shepherd, or Poodle, etc. etc. it would behave exactly the same.
Any behaviour training is always either, reward or food reward motivated.
Lets face it if we wanted to modify your behaviour, basing it on a food motivation we would probably acheive some outstanding results, especially if you were reliant on someone else to feed you. I know if I am hungry, absolutely starving I say "I could eat a horse", not that I really would, but there again!!! So don't blame the dog, blame the owners!!!! ![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
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I love my labs.
Posts: 880 | From: australia | Registered: Feb 2004
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sambucca/whiskey
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posted June 22, 2004 06:48 PM
How did you train your dog to lay in another room while you eat, mine just lays beside me and gets his kibble after i eat.
Posts: 246 | Registered: May 2004
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ayl715
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posted June 22, 2004 06:59 PM
The problems is not the Lab, is your in -law ! ![[Confused]](confused.gif)
Labs are wonderfull dogs. I wish I have one.
Posts: 34 | Registered: Dec 2003
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dogluva_nz
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posted June 22, 2004 07:15 PM
All these replys are right. It wouldn't matter what breed of dog your inlaws had, chances are it would still be this way around food. My dogs are sent to their rug when we are eating. They are taught this right from the day they come home. And I'v never had problems. They soon learn to go to their spot until we have finished eating, then they know its their turn. Alot of dogs are food motivated. But with the correct training they wouldn't act like this. It is begging behaviour. Labs are wonderful dogs. And I bet even if he does have this problem, he is a great dog huh.
Posts: 41 | Registered: Mar 2004
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DaxAriel's toy
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posted June 22, 2004 07:24 PM
Coffee? with sugar? I hope you're exagreating - might as well give a pace maker while their at it.
They are killing thier dog - slowly but surely. I wouldn't leave my dog with them. How does your spouse feel about it. Is she sneaking your guy food on the sly?
Posts: 748 | From: Edmonton AB Canada | Registered: Mar 2004
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ellierat
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posted June 22, 2004 07:32 PM
Your right there Doglover, I would give this dog a few meagre years with that kind of diet, I would hate to see the size of him, and his teeth.
I think next birthday or christmas the best present Mcfly could give to his inlaws is a book on how to feed and train Labradors.....
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I love my labs.
Posts: 880 | From: australia | Registered: Feb 2004
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weimlover0816
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posted June 22, 2004 07:34 PM
I know that human food is not the best for dogs, but Roslynd gets food from "our plates" quite a bit
but she doesn't beg and drool
she'll lie next to my chair at the table or sit by me on the couch and wait until it is offered.
we didn't feed her people food until she was like 6 months old.
she is spoiled, I know, but she certainly doesn't get toast and jam and coffee before bed!!!!
[ June 22, 2004, 07:35 PM: Message edited by: weimlover0816 ]
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"My Weimaraner is smarter than your honors student!"
Posts: 221 | From: USA-Maine | Registered: Apr 2004
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Ralph McFly
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posted June 23, 2004 12:30 AM
Thanks everybody - as it happens, last night I went out walking my Border Collie Ralph, and bumped into a couple with two labradors, one chocolate and one black - they were both off the lead, and both completely obedient and clearly well trained. I have no doubt it is the way my in-laws have raised their dog, as opposed to the breed itself. I think I've been spoilt with Ralph too as he is strangely obedient (sometimes I think he is a little too obedient - the other week I was down at the river with Ralph and Scooter(the lab) and was shouting at Scooter to lie down (there was another dog coming) - Ralph's there in the middle of the river lying down - then getting back up to stop himself drowning!!)
Thanks for all your posts - they are greatly appreciated.
Posts: 7 | From: Bamford, England | Registered: Jun 2004
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GretaJack
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posted June 24, 2004 06:22 AM
quote:
Originally posted by sambucca/whiskey:
How did you train your dog to lay in another room while you eat, mine just lays beside me and gets his kibble after i eat.
I put them in a down stay on their dog beds that are in the living room. If I decide to eat in the living room then yes, they are in there. When they were puppies I would leave a leash on and make them lay down and step on the leash so they couldn't get up. Once they understood this, they would lay down on command. I have obedience trained all of my dogs so they understand what a down stay is and not to break their command no matter what.
Posts: 195 | From: Wisconsin | Registered: Dec 2003
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