Labrador attacks.

Ello all.
In the last few weeks I have been very worried about the number of Labrador attacks I have been made aware of. Tonight was the 3rd phonne call I have had in as many weeks seeking breed advice from people who have suffered attacks from this breed. One little girl was bitten severely, one dog turned on its owner after it was pulled away from killing a small dog whilst being exercised (little dog died.) Thirdly a food possessive dog bit its owners face while she bent down to pick up a packet of unopened cheese she had dropped.

I was also gobsmacked to hear that the French lady who recieved the first face transplant had her own face ripped off by her own pet Labrador!

Doing Lab rescue I became aware of poor temperaments and in the main attributed some of it to bad breeding etc... but two of these dogs were bred by long standing exhibtors, what is going on? We still see it a lot in the kennels too, unpredictability and bad temper with people and dogs. Its a wicked shame for this to be happening. Concerned I am.
Dawn.

Wow, that's really suprised me, I know my breed are absolute fools over people and I thought that Labs were like that too. Its scary to think that this could be happening to this wonderful breed, lets hope that something can be done to eliminate it.

I have met some great Labs with fab temperaments but there is always a rogue one or two out there I admit to being surprised though at the amount you have heard about Dawn - and the apparent ferocity of the attacks. I would have suggested irresponsible breeding of dogs with bad temperaments, apart from it sounds as though that has been discounted in some cases. So I am stumped Very sad though to hear that a breed so often recommended for families may not be so suitable after all.

Do you know if the attacks were black/yellow/chocolate Labs or a mix? Working or show strain?

Very sad whatever.

This has really suprised me, I grew up with a black Labrador Retirever, Barney, he was the softest thing in the world.
He had a lovely tempriment and boundless patience, with the amount of kids playing with him and tugging his ears etc he needed it.

I have never known a aggressive labrador in my life, and I have known quite a few...

Is this quality a recent thing with the breed?

Can we put it down to owner incompitence, or bad breeders?

Alot of the time a dog gets blamed when it has not been trained correctly, and I think thats wrong.

we had an aggressive rescue lab when I was a child a *cough* few years ago.
Someone told me once (I don't know how reliable a source they were though) that the army wouldn't use labs as their temprament was uneven...don't know how true it is though.

The labs I have met through guide dogs have ALL had a fantastic even temprament though...with no exceptions at all.

Two of them were show bred, by exhibitors that have showed for years, the dog that killed the other dog, I dont know about. I only know the dog that bit the little girl was black, I never asked about colour if I am honest. The ferocious attack on that French woman prompted me to post, I saw the program with it on and was truly horrified.

I have known plenty of dodgy tempered Labs, and some downright evil ones, but the majority are typical, happy go lucky dogs without a care in the world. Its been several years since I did Lab rescue, we had our fair share of serious biters too, but as I said you try to defend the dogs actions and find out "why" these attacks occur, but given recent events and the same several years ago, i wonder if mass production could again be one of the problems? I.E Rott/Dobe attacks, breed the soppy lab instead as there is a market for them. just a theory. it would not explain the well bred dogs though.

Its often on here too, Labs are a bit of a problem when out, several people have commented that their dogs have been attacked by Labs, and more notably black ones. The first 12yrs of my life was shared with a black Lab, a more perfect dog you wouldnt find, in every sense of the word, I also had a rescue Lab she was great too. Worrying times.

I don't know much about Labs but I remember reading about Isabel Dinoire, the French woman who had the face transplant. Apparently, it was her pet Lab that mauled her face but this was because she was supposed to have fallen unconscious and it's believed the dog was trying to rouse her and injured her in the process.

As far as I know that was never proved, and their was no evidence to support the "unconscious" theory, many said she was sleeping, like everything else we will never know the truth, but such a dreadful attack ripping her face away like that I doubt it was accidental (IMO) and I KNOW if it was a Rott, it would certainly of been on purpose!! Dogs wake poeple from dangerous situations all the time, they dont attack them.

When all the Rottie attacks were going on my vet told me that statistically Border Collies, Yorkies and Labradors were the ones most Euthanised for aggression, but then again statistically they are three of the most popular breeds so if you go by the law of averages it's probably correct.

Maybe because labs are "the perfect family pet", they are going to the wrong people? Although, I wouldn't have thought it could go that drastically wrong?

There are a lot of labs being worked on shoots and I have to say, it's always the male, black labs that cause problems. You can have up to 10 springers in the back of a beaters wagon and 3 labs. If a fight starts, more often than not, it's started by a black lab. I've never seen any agression towards people though. Most of the dogs I see on shoots are entire so I've always put it down to that really.

Helen