We are looking to get a new family dog, my lab that I had since college passed away this winter. I want a dog I can hunt with thats also good with the kids so we were thinking about another lab. However, the local humane society has a litter of american blue heelers/lab mix puppies (Labraheeler) that caught our eye. I would much rather bring a dog like that into a good home and pay the $100 adoption fee than spend $600+ from a breeder for a lab. I'm just not sure how good of bird dog that mix would be. The research i have done looks like it would have a good nose, the only flaw I can find is they like to nip at kids heels but honestly our wild and crazy kids would have fun with it. Just not sure how well it would flush/retreve birds. Appearance wise they look alot more like a lab than a heeler but I dont understand the genetics enough to know if that would translate into more of a lab behavior over a heeler.
Anyone with Labraheeler experience?
- Thread starter zach477
- Start date
I've grown up with labs and heelers.
You know how labs are...but heelers can be the SAME.
Our red heeler came to us as a 12 week old pup when our black lab was about 5.
We didn't rough house with him, we didn't let him bark (he spent the first 4 weeks barking at the cat) and we didn't play any tug o war or anything.
We just let him tag along with what we did with our female lab (who was definitely alpha).
He THINKS he's a lab. he jumps off the dock and fetches at the lake. He NEVER barks at people who come into the yard (the OPPOSITE of most farm dog heelers).
One thing, he doesn't like other dogs who come to the fence, but he's generally OK with animals that other people drive into the yard in their vehicle.
He is the coolest dog. We sure like him. He's about 8 now. Hate it when those dogs get over the hill and you have to start looking at it that way.
You know how labs are...but heelers can be the SAME.
Our red heeler came to us as a 12 week old pup when our black lab was about 5.
We didn't rough house with him, we didn't let him bark (he spent the first 4 weeks barking at the cat) and we didn't play any tug o war or anything.
We just let him tag along with what we did with our female lab (who was definitely alpha).
He THINKS he's a lab. he jumps off the dock and fetches at the lake. He NEVER barks at people who come into the yard (the OPPOSITE of most farm dog heelers).
One thing, he doesn't like other dogs who come to the fence, but he's generally OK with animals that other people drive into the yard in their vehicle.
He is the coolest dog. We sure like him. He's about 8 now. Hate it when those dogs get over the hill and you have to start looking at it that way.
I think I'd get another heeler before another lab.
I'm done with the lab puppy 2 year chewing stage.
Larzz, the heeler, NEVER chewed ANYTHING that wasn't given to him to chew.
He's just been phenominal with our kids.
When our 5 year old was born, he took to her like you can't believe (he was about 3 then). He'd spoon up to her on the floor when she was a baby and just lay with her and lick her face. He totally got it.
They are inseparable still to this day.
He's REALLY good with all people. Doesn't bite, nip or even threaten to even be territorial with people at all. He just fantastic.
I'm done with the lab puppy 2 year chewing stage.
Larzz, the heeler, NEVER chewed ANYTHING that wasn't given to him to chew.
He's just been phenominal with our kids.
When our 5 year old was born, he took to her like you can't believe (he was about 3 then). He'd spoon up to her on the floor when she was a baby and just lay with her and lick her face. He totally got it.
They are inseparable still to this day.
He's REALLY good with all people. Doesn't bite, nip or even threaten to even be territorial with people at all. He just fantastic.
M
m8braaaap
Banned
Its all how you raise a heeler.got mine at 5weeks and he has been around kids since day one.he's a great dog.very loyal and well behaved.but i have nieghbors with meen heelers that in my opinion can't be trusted around children.they are hard headed and sometimes need a whoopin to let them know who's boss
It's all how you raise any dog period. I grew up around healers, my brother has a pack of them on the ranch. They grew up with there kids, just like a member of the pack! But there are a few that I would not trust around kids, and I know the parents.
I have 3 labs now. I have gone the dog pound route and I have gone the registered route. IMO you get what you pay for. That dose not mean that you can't get some damn good dogs out of the pound, it's that unfortunately you don't know the back ground? Undesirable traits could be coming from either side?
As far as the hunting aspect goes, I think you are going to be disappointed in the condition of the birds that might get retrieved with this breeding combination? It will come down to what your priorities are?
