Lab-Border Mix

1134 Views 15 Replies 10 Participants Last post by tirluc, Apr 13, 2009

Independent George

Discussion Starter · Apr 12, 2009

When I first started looking at dogs, I noticed a lot of Lab-Border Collie mixes in the shelters - I assume because this particular mix would possibly produce the highest-energy dog in history. It was sad because they were absolutely gorgeous, but I knew consciously that I couldn't handle one in a million years (and those two facts probably explain why there were so many).

Anybody have any experience with this mix? Are they as nuts as I imagine them? I would guess that they're exceptionally smart & friendly, but can only imagine what it'd be like to live with one in a small house or an apartment.

1 - 16 of 16 Posts

RonE

· #2 · Apr 12, 2009

No way to know for sure but we believe that my son's dog, Duke, is lab/border collie.

He has a fabulous disposition, but tends to be needy and demanding. Luckily we have a couple high-energy dogs that tag-team him, so he generally sleeps pretty well when he's with us.

He's been with us for five weeks and is going home to Minnesota in about an hour.

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silverphoenix69

· #3 · Apr 12, 2009

Max was a Border Collie Lab. I got him when I was 4, so I don't remember his really crazy stage but he was a very hyper dog when he was younger. There was one time that he decided to herd a car and jumped on it (she was just coming out from parking thank god!) He also found out how to get out of our house and would walk himself to the park when he was 3-4. We had to get a special lock for our screen door.

This was him at 9 years old
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/SilverPhoenix69/DSCF0073_1.jpg

And this was him at 14 (He was playing with the cat's shirt..so I wanted to see if he would let me put it on him, it only stayed on for the picture)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/SilverPhoenix69/DSCF0068.jpg

He quieted a lot from 9 years to 15. I miss my pup. I wouldn't mind getting a lab/border collie from shelter in a few years or so again. Maybe longer than that.

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Dan The Man

· #4 · Apr 13, 2009

I think a lot of dogs probably get misidentified as lab-border mix because of black fur with a white blaze on their chest, which I was told was a common coloring for many types of mutt. People just associate a white chest with a border collie.

sheltiemom

· #5 · Apr 13, 2009

Dan The Man said:
I think a lot of dogs probably get misidentified as lab-border mix because of black fur with a white blaze on their chest, which I was told was a common coloring for many types of mutt. People just associate a white chest with a border collie.

That's just what I was going to say...anything black and white but bigger and/or less fluffy than a border collie will get tagged lab/bc. Most of these dogs are probably mixes of 10 different breeds and it would be impossible to say what type of personality they would have, but I think it's safe to say most would make fine pets....I wouldn't let the lab/bc label scare you off, because it's just a guess and probably an incorrect one.

Independent George

Discussion Starter · #6 · Apr 13, 2009

That's a really good point, which I didn't think of back when I was looking. Still... This has become a kind of game for me - what's the worst possible breed combination for a pet? Lab-Border seems like it'd be a great dog, but a scary high-maintenance pet.

Lab + Huskie? (Lab Energy + Husky Endurance)
Komondor + American Eskimo? (Komondor Length + Eskimo Shedding)
Border Collie + Pit? (Border craziness + Pit size/strength)
Border Collie + Jack Russell? (Border craziness + Jack Russell Craziness)

upendi'smommy

· #7 · Apr 13, 2009

I don't think there is a worst breed combination. It all comes down to be willing to exercise and train.

sheltiemom

· #8 · Apr 13, 2009

Yeah, it would depend on what traits you personally don't like in a dog...for me, escape artistry, stubbornness, follow your nose-ness, so a hound x husky would be a bad mix for me.

ThoseWordsAtBest

· #9 · Apr 13, 2009

sheltiemom said:
Yeah, it would depend on what traits you personally don't like in a dog...for me, escape artistry, stubbornness, follow your nose-ness, so a hound x husky would be a bad mix for me.

I met a Catahoula x Basset hound, and man, bless whoever adopts her. She was so full of energy AND stubborn as hell.

tirluc

· #10 · Apr 13, 2009

i have known 3 Border/Lab's (that we were positive as such since both parents were known) and i, personally, will stay w/ the pure BC....i have found that when you combine a lot of different breeds w/ the BC you have problems...BC intelligence w/ the other dogs traits just don't seem to go over to well.....the Border/Jacks are great if you're into Flyball (they even tend to be harder on the agility course due to Jack stubbornness, at least that's what i've heard and if anyone here has a B/J that is a great dog i apologize).....i've known 4 Border/Aussie's and, i don't know if it was the owners fault or what, but each one was extremely aggressively unpredictable....

i'm sure there are plenty of each combo out there that are good or bad depending on how they are raised, but you never know what combination of traits you'll get w/ any mix....

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Toby4Life

· #11 · Apr 13, 2009

I tend to think Toby is a lab/border mix but I'm exactly like others have stated, basing this mainly on the black w/ white chest; I really have no idea. He could be any number of breeds so this may not be a depiction of the mix, but Toby is a GREAT dog. He is definitely HIGH energy and my uncle's BC is the only dog we've found that can keep up with him, but he is also more than willing to lay around all day on occasion. I've never met a better dog and if he is a lab/border mix than I can't think of a better combination!

Laurelin

· #12 · Apr 13, 2009

Yeah, anything black and white and sorta lab looking gets labeled a lab/bc. Both breeds are common here so I bet some are and then some aren't. It'd be impossible to tell which dogs would inherit which traits.

The worst combination for me would have to be hound x terrier or maybe hound x northern breed. Yikes...

RonE

· #13 · Apr 13, 2009

But wait!

Haven't you heard that when you combine two breeds you ALWAYS get the BEST of both breeds, and not the WORST?

Come on. I've read that on dogforums many times, so it MUST be true.

My personal experience is that you can combine a lab with a wolverine and end up with a good family dog.

Independent George

Discussion Starter · #14 · Apr 13, 2009

I've been fascinated by (some would say obsessed with) Border Collies ever since I first heard of the USBCC vs AKC battle a decade ago. The thing I love about them is that the particular set of traits that makes them uniquely great herding dogs is precisely what makes them such awful pets (and precisely what scared me away from adopting one).

I'm on the side of the USBCC on this one - I expect that within a few generations, the show dogs will either be an entirely different breed from the working dogs, or we'll have a ton of BCs abandoned to shelters by families who can't handle them, or we'll have a ton of herding dogs that can't herd, or both.

I've already seen a lot of BCs at local rescue shelters, left by well-meaning families who didn't know what they were getting into. We're already at the point where we've got several times more BCs than we've got farms that can employ them. It wouldn't shock me to discover puppy mills producing poorly conditioned, fluffy black & white pups that can neither herd sheep nor live in cities/suburbs.

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Laurelin

· #15 · Apr 13, 2009

I don't think border collies are awful pets, they just take an understanding owner. I'm on a border collie specific forum and there are plenty of non working collies and owners there, there are many that don't do anything formal with their dogs. There are some that even live in apartments.

I live in an apartment now and my next dog is probably going to be another herding breed. I just love them. I want a bc but my family prefers Aussies. We're having a battle of the wills right now, lol. We'll see and of course that's assuming another papillon doesn't worm it's way into our hearts. Border collie specific rescues are great about labeling the dog's energy level and intensity. I have been watching the rescues a while and there are quite a few that come in that are described as being lower energy.

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tirluc

· #16 · Apr 13, 2009

Independent George said:
I've been fascinated by (some would say obsessed with) Border Collies ever since I first heard of the USBCC vs AKC battle a decade ago. The thing I love about them is that the particular set of traits that makes them uniquely great herding dogs is precisely what makes them such awful pets (and precisely what scared me away from adopting one).

I'm on the side of the USBCC on this one - I expect that within a few generations, the show dogs will either be an entirely different breed from the working dogs, or we'll have a ton of BCs abandoned to shelters by families who can't handle them, or we'll have a ton of herding dogs that can't herd, or both.

I've already seen a lot of BCs at local rescue shelters, left by well-meaning families who didn't know what they were getting into. We're already at the point where we've got several times more BCs than we've got farms that can employ them. It wouldn't shock me to discover puppy mills producing poorly conditioned, fluffy black & white pups that can neither herd sheep nor live in cities/suburbs.

the thing on that is that the working BC doesn't have to have a farm to live on and livestock to herd....the same things that make them great herding dogs also makes them great sports dogs....every one of mine is from working stock (well, Saoirse i'm not sure on as she is a rescue) and not one of them is unmanageable....we do a lot of outside time w/ ball play, we do goosing during the "on" seasons (that helps for their instincts to really be taken care of), we do agility--right now it's just fun but we're getting ready for comp soon, and we do a lot of mind work (finding things, learning new objects, etc)....what is happening w/ the show BC's (and i know that there are many out there that will argue this) is you're getting pretty dogs that don't have the same intensity/drive/instinct that the working dogs do....they are losing the herding instinct (yeah, they still do herding trials but in these they "fetch" 4-5 sheep, bring them up, drive them thru gates, pen them, etc. but let's see them out doing that on a farm w/ 350 head and not only bringing them in but cutting out ones, holding off the ones that aren't happy about what's happening--mama--etc)....so, in essence, they are creating a whole different breed of dog...they don't even look like the working Borders, they're more "rounded", more coat (bad for field work), "proper" ear set/carriage, etc.....i'll take the working BC any day, and that includes the intensity that goes w/ it....

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