Big dog automatically = unhealthy

[Bootlipkiller]

So true I said it twice

[Rick]

There is an axiom among gun doggers that BD (big dog) = BD (break down). But how much of that relates more to body condition than size, I couldn't say.

I've only known one truly fit Lab over 100lbs, and he was a lanky 110-pounder that was going strong until apparent heart failure or an aneurism got him at 10 or 11. By the same token one of my 96lb Chessies was diagnosed with moderate CHD in one hip as a youngster and still managed 10 1/2 seasons of daily work back when we were mostly running high volume goose hunts, albeit not without obvious discomfort the last season or so, which prompted his retirement. (The other big one suffered degenerative mylopothy, a genetic, rather than size, related disorder and was put down at 10.)

But it's certainly appeared to me that smaller breed dogs live appreciably longer than larger breeds. (Little Brittany laying by my chair is pushing 17.)

[Redbeard]

Good info Ron but I think the final word will be whatever Eric has to say.

haha

[RonE]

Good info Ron but I think the final word will be whatever Eric has to say.

I can't deny that, someone please tell Eric to speak the fuck up!

[ea oneal]

this guy is way to fat work him much and he starts huffing n puffing .but he got that way because after his eye had to be removed the lady of the house( aka the one who thinks she is boss)was giving him treats hand over fist .poor baby !!! he is a big dog and in hunting trim 65lbs now fatboy pushing 80 and you can its a bad deal

IMG_0360.JPG

thats tough to see

I started him on a low cal food and were taking a 30 min walk late in day .as for the eye old boy don't let it bug him .I see him turn his head to see, hits his marks ,hes just a happy guy .I must say I myself like a taller dog not so much big but taller we hunt marsh and thay seem to bog down less

you gonna continue to hunt him?

some, eye wont be a big deal he is past that and he loves to go and is a go getter just at9 + I don't want to hurt him .shallow water and short timber he my boy worken a pup now lab/chesse mix good pup buuttt hardheaded man you have no clue but has a lot o go and smart

[Flightstopper]

And why did you capitalize "chalked?" Were you trying to emphasize it?

Got to accent the big words for the highway cops.

oooooh no you didn't go there.

Coming from the guy whose phone's auto correct is WORN OUT

It deserves a metal Hahahaha

Medal, medal you Duck dick!

[Bootlipkiller]

And why did you capitalize "chalked?" Were you trying to emphasize it?

Got to accent the big words for the highway cops.

oooooh no you didn't go there.

Coming from the guy whose phone's auto correct is WORN OUT

It deserves a metal Hahahaha

Medal, medal you Duck dick!

Thanks for catching that, I don't know what I would have done if you didn't point that out.

[Flightstopper]

[quote="Redbeard"]And why did you capitalize "chalked?" Were you trying to emphasize it?

Got to accent the big words for the highway cops.

oooooh no you didn't go there.

Coming from the guy whose phone's auto correct is WORN OUT

It deserves a metal Hahahaha

Medal, medal you Duck dick!

Thanks for catching that, I don't know what I would have done if you didn't point that out.[/quote]

That's what were here for.

[Eric Haynes]

Good info Ron but I think the final word will be whatever Eric has to say.

I got what I wanted already! If I keep going do I get another award?

[Redbeard]

And why did you capitalize "chalked?" Were you trying to emphasize it?

Got to accent the big words for the highway cops.

oooooh no you didn't go there.

Coming from the guy whose phone's auto correct is WORN OUT

It deserves a metal Hahahaha

Medal, medal you Duck dick!

Ha I didn't catch that

[3legged_lab]

[quote="Bootlipkiller"][quote="Redbeard"]And why did you capitalize "chalked?" Were you trying to emphasize it?

Got to accent the big words for the highway cops.

oooooh no you didn't go there.

Coming from the guy whose phone's auto correct is WORN OUT

It deserves a metal Hahahaha

Medal, medal you Duck dick!

Thanks for catching that, I don't know what I would have done if you didn't point that out.[/quote]

That's what were here for.[/quote]
We're, we're you duck dick!

[aunt betty]

If I were to champion one or the other side of the debate I'd prefer to call it tall versus short.
Having never seen that floatant shit but have dealt with icy waters I prefer tall.
Fat? No. I try to keep my pups lean to avoid the problems overweight dogs have. Have had a medium, small, and now a large Lab and so far so good. Should note that my second dog "Buddy" was possibly killed by the dog food scare in 2008-09. Liver failure.
My dogs have all hunted their asses off hard and died at ten years. I'm babying this one. No upland at all. Strictly ducks in timber where the retrieves are fairly easy. He's done some days in pits and made some really long retrieves in rice fields. That's pretty hard on a dog.

[Bootlipkiller]

[quote="Redbeard"][quote="Bootlipkiller"][quote="Redbeard"]And why did you capitalize "chalked?" Were you trying to emphasize it?

Got to accent the big words for the highway cops.

oooooh no you didn't go there.

Coming from the guy whose phone's auto correct is WORN OUT

It deserves a metal Hahahaha

Medal, medal you Duck dick!

Thanks for catching that, I don't know what I would have done if you didn't point that out.[/quote]

That's what were here for.[/quote]
We're, we're you duck dick![/quote]
Bwahahahaha

[Flightstopper]

[quote="Redbeard"][quote="Bootlipkiller"][quote="Redbeard"]And why did you capitalize "chalked?" Were you trying to emphasize it?

Got to accent the big words for the highway cops.

oooooh no you didn't go there.

Coming from the guy whose phone's auto correct is WORN OUT

It deserves a metal Hahahaha

Medal, medal you Duck dick!

Thanks for catching that, I don't know what I would have done if you didn't point that out.[/quote]

That's what were here for.[/quote]
We're, we're you duck dick![/quote]

Fuck me!

[Flightstopper]

I even stopped to think on that one. I blame the shiner

[ducks~n~bucks]

I don't know too much about labs, but my dad used to breed German shorthaired pointers and one of the last 2 we had was a big 90 lbs. male (very large for his breed but he was trim) and he lived to be 16, and the dog we bred him with was 45 lbs. and she lived to be 15 so I don't see how size correlates to age. (Speaking within breed, obviously smaller breeds live longer than larger breeds.)

[one2many]

Something that hasn't come up is that Labrador Retrievers are prone to hip dysplasia and in many cases this manifests itself at ages 5 and older. Quite often people buy a Lab because it comes from a great hunting dog and a great hunting bitch and the expectation is that you will probably get a great hunting pup and in many, many cases this is true. However if the sire and dam have not been X-rayed (after they are 2 years old and their hips are fully developed) there is no way of knowing if this genetic anomaly has or will be passed on to your new pup. Suppose that you have the best retriever ever to come down the pike and you don't know that it has bad hips, all your hunting buddies are throwing dollars at you to get a pup from your dog who is three years old and dysplasia hasn't manifested itself yet. Chances are good that the pups will carry the gene and break down sooner than one would expect.

It is important to spay or neuter any dog that has poor hips and it is important to get your dog an OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) certificate before you breed your dog. Several large dog breeds are so affected, especially Labrador Retrievers and German Shepherds.

If you are paying good money for what you expect to be a good dog it is prudent to choose a dog or bitch that comes from parents that have good (certified) hips.

As Olly pointed out, bigger dogs have bigger bones but to go a step further, big bones don't necessarily mean well developed hip sockets. Just because a dog that is otherwise at the proper weight is large doesn't necessarily mean that it will break down and die at an earlier age.

i have,raise and breed many dogs(not labs i buy them) i have not ever had a dog checked out for health. i have the parents grandparents and often the great grandparents on hand. when the dogs are in their teens and have never had any of the troubles mentioned like the crap that goes on in some other bred, i nor any of my customers need or want heath certs.
im not a fly by night backyard breeder. i demand more out of my mutts then the vast majority of people. health is very important to me i just have seen the need to fuck with the hassle of it.....they are all no good bootlicking mutts anyhow...
big fat 130 pound lab no good in my book.dove season is a killer of out of shape labs. how ever some of my dogs are very lager and dont find their size to hinder them

[one2many]

There is an axiom among gun doggers that BD (big dog) = BD (break down). But how much of that relates more to body condition than size, I couldn't say.

I've only known one truly fit Lab over 100lbs, and he was a lanky 110-pounder that was going strong until apparent heart failure or an aneurism got him at 10 or 11. By the same token one of my 96lb Chessies was diagnosed with moderate CHD in one hip as a youngster and still managed 10 1/2 seasons of daily work back when we were mostly running high volume goose hunts, albeit not without obvious discomfort the last season or so, which prompted his retirement. (The other big one suffered degenerative mylopothy, a genetic, rather than size, related disorder and was put down at 10.)

But it's certainly appeared to me that smaller breed dogs live appreciably longer than larger breeds. (Little Brittany laying by my chair is pushing 17.)

rick you nailed it condition is everything. my long dogs and stags are well over 100 lbs and will run all day everyday. my Dogo cross dogs range from 110 - 150 and will jog mile after mile even in some nasty heat