Sep 27 2008
My Bad Experience – A Lab Chow Mix
A labrador retriever and chow mixed breed dog.
I have always wanted to get a chow but never could afford one. Yes I had heard how finicky the breed can be, but I foolishly ignored those and sought one out anyway. I could not find one, but I was able to find a lab chow mix at the local SPCA. I immediately adopted the lab chow mix and named him Buddy. What happened after that was more my fault than his, but still I will never be able to get a lab chow mix again.
The Story Of Buddy And Me – A Lab Chow Mix Gone Wrong
It all started when he was he a puppy and things just never got better. I know that puppies chew and bite, and that lab chow mixes can sometimes do this more then other breeds so I thought I was aware what I was in for. Little did I know how much he would end up biting and chewing or else I would have never got him. Most of my furniture was ruined within a couple months and it seemed like I always had band aids on my hands. This was only the beginning however.
In addition to chewing up my furniture and biting me, Buddy was becoming more and more mean to those around me. It became harder and harder to invite friends over and I felt like I was under siege from this little lab chow mix. Maybe it was my fault because I did not discipline him properly, but I truly had thought that I could handle it. It became harder and harder as Buddy became more and more demanding and then more and more hostile to people I had over.
The worst of it came when I decided to have a dinner party one evening just before Buddy turned one. I invited all my friends and at first everything was fine. As more people started to come by I noticed Buddy becoming more and more agitated. I decided it would be best if I took away from the situation and placed him into my bedroom. Looking back this whole thing was a mistake and at this point I wished I had got a golden retriever lab mix or anything more manageable. Well, one of my friends later that night decided to put his coat in my bedroom not knowing that Buddy was in there. When he when in, Buddy lunged at and bit him.
My friend thankfully was not seriously injured, but I had enough. I decided at the point to surrender Buddy, and to this day I do not blame him. All I can say is think long and hard before you get a lab chow mix because you want to be sure that you can handle it.
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I totally understand where you’re coming from. I adopted a staffordshire terrier/chow mix puppy at 10 weeks from a rescue organization. It was my first dog and he bit me unmercifully for weeks. One day he even ran over to my mother and bit a chunk out of the back of her leg for no reason. I remember once I was sitting on the couch trapped by this 12lb. bundle of teeth and aggression.
After biting my mom I was ready to give him back but I called the rescue person and a dog trainer that they use that works at PetSmart and got a lot of advice. I dressed in heavy clothes and suede work gloves and then proceeded to wrestle my dog down to his back and pin him for 20 minutes at a time. 12lbs of dog doesn’t sound like much but it wasn’t easy. I did this for repeatedly for days/weeks. I then also took 3 sessions of dog training…almost 9 months of it!! I used treat training in a fist with ‘no bite’ commands and it finally worked. Cooper wasn’t an easy puppy but eventually he became a great dog. He’s still really high maintenance in that he demands attention but I can lay on him, stand over him, remove his food from his mouth, and he wouldn’ dream of laying on his teeth anymore. The only one thing is that he doesn’t really like men with black hats/glasses…he barks at that quite stridently.
Funny thing was I always thought it was the pitbull side of him that caused the biting but this sounds so like us I just had to respond.
Luckily I was single when I got Coop, I’ve got a 4yr old now and the amount of time and effort I put into my dawg back then would never happen now. I think you did the right thing in surrendering your dog. That all being said I think next time I’ll go for a golden retriever…way less maintenance and they just want to be loved, lol.
Not all Chow mix breeds are bad. I grew up near Atlanta and when the Olympics came in 1996 my neighborhood went down hill with crime. My family moved down south into a less populated farm area. My parents bought a house with some farm equipment and with it came the former families dog. Yep you guessed it a lab and a chow mix named lucky. He didnt quite like people that were not in the family that lived in the house. The man who owned him before us spent 32 years in the military and handled dogs. He was trained to attack if given the order and not to let anyone in the yard of 6 acres. I remember everyday for atleast 3 months getting off the school bus and having to spilt up with my brother and run around the house to get him to get off the door step and chase one of us while the other opens it up. Yes he even bit me twice and drew blood. But I was persistant with him everyday I would spend hours with him trying to pet him and get close to him without getting bitten. after 6 months he no longer chased me or my brother and he no longer bit anyone in our family. He had finally accepted us. He was still protective of the family and property from people visiting. But he never bothered anyone while we were around. He was the best and intelligent dog I have ever had. Sadly he died while I was in iraq. I probably never have any other type of dog. But I know that I no two dogs are alike.
I have two wonderful chocolate lab-chow mixes that are absolutely the best dogs in the world. They are bright, loving, playful, gentle and absolutely obedient. They are second-generation lab-chow mixes (both parents were lab-chows) and I think they are 1/8th Australian shepherd. We saved them from a bad situation and do not regret them in the least. They are an absolute blessing in our lives, and when they are taken away from us some day, we know we will be devastated. It is sad to hear other stories about mean dogs. Please know that they are all not bad dogs.
I can not believe what I have read. We had a totally different experience. We took in a stray who the vet identified as a lab/chow mix. If there ever was an angel dog, this was it! She spent her first two years with us as an outside dog. We grew to love her so much that we had to bring her inside all the time. She walked in the house and acted like she had always been an inside dog. She never chewed anything. She never even knocked anything over with her tail. She went to the door when she needed to go out. We set th timer on seven minutes and she would be at the door ready to come inide. She loved to run outside but never ran inside. She was so friendly that we were constantly being told that if we ever wanted to get rid of her that they would like to be first in line to have her. ( We would have given away our children about as quickly.) She died a month ago and we are still grieving. The more we read the more we realize that she was a one in a million animal.
I have a 2 yr old lab/chow mix that we adopted @ the shelter. They informed us that he was all lab, later to find out that he was lab/chow mix from the vet. He is the most loving dog that I ever had. He loves the human attention. He is great with our young relatives that visit often. He loves his toys…he goes thru them quick, but its worth seeing the joy he gets from them. He loves affection!!! He is one of the best dogs we ever had. But I must admit that he does not seem to get along with other dogs. After a few weeks of being at our home he did he get very protective of us. His hair on his back stands up when he see’s another dog. That is the only problem we have with him. He is so smart and I would recommend this type of dog to anyone. He is great!! The most loving,caring dog ever. He is simply wonderfull
I have 2 lab/chow mixes that have both turned 1yr’s old in january and i can understand some of the things that you just said. My dogs are both kind of wary of other dogs and people that they are not familiar with, but they have never bit anyone. Other than that, thats probably there only problem but they are still great dogs. They are the most loving dogs ever.
Hello–
We adopted a lab/chow mix that is great– but we’re having trouble introducing her to our cat… Would anyone like to adopt her? Cali is 6 1/2 yrs old, spayed female. Loves other dogs, absolutely house trained and crate trained, large at about 24″ high, 85 lbs (overweight, actually). Likes kids. Loves walks and riding in the car. Probably more lab temperament than chow. Beautiful thick black shiny coat, light brown very intelligent eyes. Sits for petting and feeding.
I’ll watch this site for a while! We’re in the Atlanta area.
hello.
I just got a 5 month old lab/chow mix…and he’s name is Oreo…he is a great puppy….but OMG…he is Huge!…..he does fine inside…never ever used the bathroom inside the house when we finally trained him……he doesn’t chew on anything unless it’s right in his face…I love him…now at 9months old and on campus with a large dog…i realized that he is a heck of a jumper and humper….idk what to do so he could stop…he bites my hands…rolls on his back when i try to “dominate” and bites my legs….it hurts but not crazy crazy hurt…
I have had my lab/chow mix for 10 years now. We adopted her from a shelter. She came from a family of 10 pups. We were in the process of adopting a Sheltie, when on the 3rd day of us acclimating ourselves to the Sheltie, ( she was the last of the pups) my husband was standing by her kennel and she started speaking to him. Needless to say, we took her home too. She has not stopped “talking” to us since. She can say I love You, out, hungry and just talks. She hardly ever barks, is very loyal and loves children and is very tolerant of their poking and climbing. The kids in the neighborhood use to come to the door and ask if Roxy could come out to play! She is a little leary of big dogs but tolerates smaller breeds very well. She tolerates her cats very well but will chase off any that do not belong to her. Roxy is always at my side (sometimes showing a needy side) and is definetly a denning dog, she loves small places to place her 85 pound body. I would definetly do another one of this mixed breed if ever given the oppurunity.
I have had a lab/chow mix for 3 years. Toby is the most loving and obedient dog I have ever owned. Granted I took him to “class” for over a year (once a week) and had him neutered. None the less he is a wonderful dog and I wouldn’t trade him for the world. I highly recommend taking any dog to a reputable trainer consistently and following thru with what they teach you (they really do know what they are talking about). And neutering is a gift you give to yourself and your pet-balanced and happy.
I rescued a 10 month old lab/chow mix just about six years ago. I was a first time dog owner and did zero research. He looked at me. I looked at him. And that was it. Love at first sight. In any event I guess I lucked and got the best of both Worlds. My dog is a Chow when I want him to be: he protects the house and is standoffish with strangers. That said, when he sees that I am familiar or affectionate with somebody he turns all Lab and sweetness. He’s incredibly affectionate and just wants to play, play, play. He’s also got webbed feet and LOVES the water and mud! He has great house manners and is beautifully trained.
As my mother used to say, “It’s always the parents’ fault.” Train your animals folks!
It sounds to me like a case of blame the dog instead of the dog owner who did not train this dog correctly. I have a 6 year old lab/chow mix that I adopted at 4 months old from a shelter. I had never owned a dog, but I spent a lot of time researching and was very aware of the bad stories about chows. As soon as my dog exhibited anything remotely aggressive I corrected her. She is the sweetest, gentlest dog in the world. Great with kids, other dogs, and our cats. I think any dog can be aggressive – there’s a nasty little dachshund down the street that attacks everyone – so don’t blame the dog!
I have a ten month old lab chow mix named Seamus. He is a total sweetheart. He hasn’t any dominance issues. He is very playful and full of energy. My vet tells me he has the personality of a lab, but looks more like a chow. He was a rescue and had a very difficult time until he came to us around 7 months, so this may explain him relaxing and loving our home. He has been known to nip if he gets to excited but I truly believe he thinks he is just playing. He will being going through doggy boot camp this summer but is very well behaved now. I may have just been lucky and gotten an extremely well tempered and behaved chow mix but I think they are getting a bad wrap. If you can train your chow mix and give him the attention and love they deserve you will have a wonderful dog on your hands. The funny part about Seamus is that his tongue is only part black with pink speckles around the edge.
so i got a lab chow mix recently and i couldnt even ask for a better dog. He was only 7 weeks old when we brought him home. He he has yet to pee of poop in the house. He’s extremely friendly around every person thats come to our house, even when we go out he is the most well behaved dog that i have ever seen. Even all my friends when they meet him cant believe how good he is. Maybe these people should pay more attention to there dogs and stop immediatly turning to the type of bread. Some owners just suck not the dogs… i love chows and lab mix. I would get one any day ever!!
My sister and I both adopted lab/chow mixes, mine female..hers male. They are now about 5months old and I could not be happier with my decision to bring her home. Both dogs are excellent with our young children, my lil Ella is a little protective over my son, but once she sees there is no harm she turns into that lovable puppy we know her as.
My son rescued a black lab/chow when he was about a year old. He kept him at college with him until the homeowners found out (no pets allowed) and we inherited him. We had no prior dog experience, so we winged it. Ringo has been with us for over a year now and he is the sweetest dog I have ever met. He loves everyone and every other dog he sees. We take him to a doggie day care occasionally and the people there say he loves to play with all the other dogs. We let him outside without a leash, and he’s very mindful of staying in the yard. Most people think he is older than 2 1/2 years old because he’s such a good dog and doesn’t get too rowdy as puppies and labs tend to be. He’s just a great pet!
I adopted a lab/chow mix as a puppy too. She was very aggressive in the beginning too, and I thought about getting rid of her, but I asked the vet about it and he said that everytime she got aggressive to get her on her back and hold her down. She would then see me as dominant. I felt bad doing it, but I did it a few times and that was all it took. She also liked to chew as a puppy, but she grew out of that fairly quickly. She never once got aggressive with anyone that I invited into the house, but scared the heck out of a guy that I motioned from the window to come in. She took a firm stance between him and me and showed her teeth, until I told her it was okay and then she was friendly as ever. Also, a strange guy came into my backyard one day when I was home alone. It scared the heck out of me and not thinking I opened up the door to ask him what he wanted. She must have sensed my fear, because she went at him full speed. I knew she would have took him down, but he yelled “Electric Company” and I told her to stop and just like that she did.
That dog was by my side for 14 years. I loved her with everything I had in me. Sadly, I had to put her to sleep on Monday and I am absolutely heartbroken. I would get another lab/chow mix in a heartbeat.
For the last four weeks we’ve been watching this stray dog in our neighborhool. Looked sick, but wouldn’t[ eat the food we offered at first. Then we saw him a week or so later, he was looking worse, skinnier, but wouldn’t let us get close. We kept offering food and water and he finally ate and let us get close enough to see that he had a collar with a tag. Called the vet’s office, he had belonged to a homeless man who they had not seen in at least 6 weeks. Finally last Thursday it was like he finally decided to give us a chance. We had put out some food and water, which he ate quickly, then he came up and just laid his head on my son’s leg. We got a leash, and were a little worried that he would bolt when he clipped it onto his collar, but he didn’t care. His hair was all patchy, skin looked bad. We let our other dogs in the house, and then our new friend was more than happy to go into our back hard. He was very friendly. I was afraid that he would be gone from the back yard (it’s fenced, but what if he was a climber?). He was there the next morning, just happy to see us.
We took him to the vet where his rabies tag was from. I was wondering how he would do trying to get him into the car, but it was no big deal. I opened the back, then patted the carpet there and he hopped right in. Seemed to like riding.
The vet checked him out. He was current on his shots (the vet had been helping out the homeless guy), heartworms were negative. He does have scarcoptic mange, but we’ve started treatment for that. For at least two weeks we have to keep him physically separate from our other animals. So we’re managing that. Sometimes he’s outside and the other dogs are in, sometimes we reverse them, keep our other dogs off his bedding, vaccuum a lot. The cats are not a problem, they’re very interested in seeing who’s here, but they don’t get real close.
So far, everything about this dog has been a pleasant surprise. The vet says he’s 17 months old. Since he’s been getting steady, good food, he’s acting more like a puppy, running and jumping and playing. Today, not thinking, I patted my lap, and in a leap he was in my lap. So far, when he’s in the house, he has not made any attempt to use the bathroom in the house. He goes and walks around by the back door. He doesn’t try to get snacks from the cat boxes, and only tries out their food when he’s hungry, we give him dog food, he doesn’t want theirs.
The only thing that I am watching is that he is a little mouthy. He just likes to put his mouth on our hands or arms, no pressure. We’re watching that. Mostly seems to be when he is wanting attention or to play.
It’s nice to see him laid out on his side sleeping away. He was snoring today. Makes me wonder how long it’s been since he could really sleep and feel safe while he was doing it.
Right now he’s spending the nights outside on the patio. He hates the kennel (that’s what my other dogs do with no problem), but Max (my son named him Maximum Overdrive) looks like he’s insulted when he put him in the kennel. Since that time, we have not done that again, but there really hasn’t seemed to be a reason to. We’re working on that slowly, so it won’t be traumatic for him.
So anyway, the moral of this story is that I think we have a really great dog who has decided to take a chance on us.
Jan, Alex and Max
Oh yeah, the reason he is spending the nights on the patio is the mange…after the third injection treatment for that, we don’t have to keep him separated from our other pets and we’ll see what happens. I don’t think he’ll be outside any more, LOL, since we con’t stand to leave him there…also, he hasn’t barked outside at all except for when a neighbor got close to our fence and he saw someone walking down the street when he was sitting next to us. Can you tell how this dog is already part of our family?
Jan
I am thinking about getting a lab/chow pup. 8 wks old. I work from home so I will have lots of time to devote to the pup. Please offer me some advice.
I hate to hear that. I have had two chow mixs and they have been the greatest dogs ever. This is a breed that likes a calm leader. You have to let them know you are in charge from a young age however they don’t do well with loud disipline. They are very smart and I found it work out great to cage train them for at least a year. I get a bad rap but I do belive they best for a little older person with a lot of patience.
I have a wonderful 1.5 year-old lab/chow mix, and I understand that they are difficult to train, but you have to be persistent and patient. Training MUST start within the first few months and owners MUST continue training on a regular basis (daily is best). If you’re not willing to put in the time and effort, there’s a good chance that you’ll end up with a dog like the author. So, you can’t be lazy if you’re going to own a chow or a chow mix!
Let’s face it, chow’s are tough… They’re not extremely intelligent and their fear can play out in the form of defensive aggression. So, you cannot tolerate aggression if you’re going to own a chow or else your animal will default to aggression during times of distress.
So please, everyone, don’t get a tough breed, or even a dog at all if you’re not going to be able to put in the time and effort to train it. Otherwise you may end up with a dog like the author’s, who, by no fault of his own, has probably been put to sleep.
Goog luck with your puppy. We had a lab/chow puppy that we loved very much for 13 and a 1/2 years until he died. When I say puppy, that is because he was just like a puppy up until the time that he died. My advice to you would be to love him with a firm voice and take him as many places with you as you can. We also had him around a lot of people, children, and animals from a very young age. If you treat him like an important part of your life you will more than not get the same in return, just 3 fold.
I adopted a lab/chow mix from my roommate who adopted her from the shelter about 3 years ago. She is about 4 years old and is very sweet. Her first owner was an older lady who could not handle her, my roommate left her at home a lot and now I have been trying to give her the puppyhood she never had. When I first got her she hated men and would bark and growl at almost anyone who wanted to pet her. She was dog aggressive and chased cats. I have been working with her by socializing her and she has become very tolerant of people, men included. She is scared of children. She is getting better with dogs but tends to try to be alpha to all dogs. I take her to the dog park and she just stands by me and watches the other dogs. She still chases cats and lunges for squirrels so I keep an eye on her one walks. She is a terrible runner when off leash but I sometimes don’t hold on to her when I go to take her out to her lead and she seems to be getting better about that too. She is such a cuddle bug and craves attention. She sleeps with me every night and does a five minute shriek/bark routine when I get home regardless if I’ve been gone 5 minutes or 5 hours. She is very protective of me, but is relaxed in social situations. I adore this dog. I think she just needed someone to treat her like a member of the family instead of just a dog… Next task teaching her how to play….
I’m sorry the person who wrote this story had this experience, but I think the fault was evident when the person said they did not discipline enough. Don’t blame the breed, blame the owner. I had a chow/lab mix for 14 years who was the love of my life. He could be very aggressive, but I had to remind him that I was the alpha and he had to back down. Once he was put in his place every so often (not with violence, by the way, though I did have to do that once…and I’m petite, so I didn’t hurt him so much as shock the heck of him) he was great. Very protective dog. Incredibly loyal. Saved my life at least once from a stranger who later went on to rape someone else in my apartment complex. I’m looking for another chow/lab mix, but I have a little dog now who doesn’t like company, so I’ll have to wait.
I have an almost 8 year old Lab/Chow mix, and he is the best dog I have ever known. Yoda is a member of the family in every sense of the word. I dread the day that he dies, and I don’t know what my 5 and almost 2 year old daughters will do without him. He is the sweetest, most gentle dog in the world. He could have his fur ripped out, he could be sat upon, his food can be taken away from him, and he just sits there.
I am not a dog trainer, and I haven’t really excelled in a lot of ways in that department. I also have an 18 month old purebred Sheltie. I learned so much more about training with her than I knew in Yoda’s first 7 years.
Any dog that is having issues should be crated. It is the owner’s fault that his friend got bitten. Often, a bedroom is viewed as a sanctuary, and even my gentle dogs might get upset with a stranger entering their sanctuary.
Yoda is extremely protective of my daughters, who are his girls. He will never be replaced, and although I’m against cloning, I would consider cloning him if I could get it perfect.
I have a lab/chow mix who’s eight years old. I got her as a puppy when i was just four and she is the sweetest most loving dog anybody has ever met. She’s timid too. She’s never bitten anybody in her life! So don’t think all lab/chow mixes are like that. You just didn’t train yours right Mister!
I.have one mix chow chow.Now2 year old he so wonderfull dog.Always he like to come on my bed sleep with. I love forever dog.be my love.
I know some can be bad but don’t let this deter you if you read it!!
I have a lab chow mix, he’s the most beautiful dog (people tell me this all day long) – and he is seriously the most behaved dog I’ve ever met and I honestly didn’t try. Every single person that meets him immediately falls in love with him and I’ve never met someone who hasn’t told me that he was the best dog they have ever met! I’m not a dog trainer by any means and I don’t know that it took a whole lot of work with him. There are always problems but don’t discount a type of dog just because some are bad!!
Ok so i read some of the stories of these lab chow mixs and alot of them remind me of mine. I got a golden lab chow mix he is about 14 years old, and yes one of a kind like all the rest. It kind of funny i read that chows have a cat like personality and it is true my dog pretty much did what he wanted, and always made it seem when he did what i wanted it was on his terms wich i really love about him it always seems like he is thinking for his self. I also read that chows are really protective over there families wich I can see that my dog would never bite a soul but he would bark his ass off no joke if some new GUY, only guys dont no why, but anyways he would bark and bark till the person left or he felt that person was worth a damn like I said it always seemed like he was thinking. Im not saying he was the smartest dog he would do the same thing to christmas packages and all my moms GREEN perses, I thought dogs were color blind. Casino thats his name was also one of the sweetest dogs i have ever had alot of my family thought he would bite little kids cuz he would play ruff with me but i always new he was chill and sure as shit we had our niebor come over with her kid was like 16 months old, my mom is telling me go put him in ur room and before u no it the kid is pullin on my dogs ear and all he did was look at me like hey man what the shit but he never bite him. He was also easyliy trained as well i place all that on the lab in him chuz the chow in his ass was stuborn. Only dog i no that would go take a nap in the snow when we got a perfecly good house. only time he did not want to go outside was when it was thunder and lightning outside or it was raining or it had just rianed. I dont no i quess he did not want his paws to get wet. he was kind of a priss like he was to good to get wet or something, but he was smart if he did not go outside he did not pee inside this dog would no joke hold it for as long as it took for good weather to show, he went 3 1/2 days one summer like it did not even bother him. now that he has gotten older hes pretty much given up on bad weather now he just dont care wich im sure he would but he cant hold as long now so he excepts it. he still barks alot but he has always been real talkative people ask me do i ever get annoyed with it and yea sometimes when he dosent seem to stop but for the most part i no it is jsut him talking like he has something really important to say. But i say to anyone looking to get a lab chow mix or have the option to take it u. They are a handful at first but when they no whos boss they will love you for ever and be one of the best dogs youll ever have i no mine is.
I have a chow/lab and he is now around 11 years old. He is a great dog and very laid back.. when he was a puppy, he was full of energy and needed lots of walks. the only thing he did when he was a puppy was bite the buttons off some of my clothes! Anyways, he is right next to me and I know that if Mo passes away, I will get another lab/chow mix. he is a great friend and loyal dog. I would def. recommend this mix!!
I have a Lab/Chow mix. Her name is Cubby. My husband & I rescued her from the pound. She was already named and respomded to it so we left it her name. I guess the pound named her that because she looked like a bear cub. She is the most very loving, mannered, trained dog we’ve every had. She never chewed things up, she never poops/pees in the house. She can go 2 days without going if she has to. That was found out by mistake, we had left and could not able to be back home same day and she never did anything in the house.
Im 15 and I have a Lab/Chow Mix. Shadow is not a bad dog at all hes just really stubborn and we discipline him properly. It really depends on how u decide to teach the dog. Shadow so far knows alot of tricks such as Shake, Sit,Drop it, Down,Stay, Up, and so on. Like i said Shadow is stubborn. But not all Lab/Chow mixes are a bad breed.
We adopted black lab/chow mix named Lucky about 8 years ago. He was shy at first, didn’t bark for a month until he felt comfortable. He needed obedience training since he pulled on the leash alot and barked at other dogs constantly, even if we passed them in the car. It was obvious to me that he just needed some guidance and confidence to get him going in the right direction. He got past that in about a year and is now the best companion anyone would want! He got the best of both breeds! At the slightest aggression toward us, we gently but firmly corrected him–that was easy to change. Pulling on the leash was difficult for him. I tried choke collars, which just made him pull more. I gave up on the choke collar and put a regular collar back on him –NO MORE PULLING! As far as barking at other dogs–I socialized him daily with other dogs at local dog parks and realized that he was trying to get the other dog’s attention to play. Another friend adopted a Lab/Chow mix and only he could relate–his wife and child did not have the temperament to handle him. Unfortunately, they put him down for biting too much.
Lots of writers with their 1st dogs having issues. I’ve had a Lab/Chow for almost 13 years. Not an easy dog to train. As a puppy she chewed furniture and niped at me……training, training, training…..best, most loving, loyal and smart dog I’ve ever been around. There is no beginners luck with dogs.
I don’t think it is very fair to say that Buddy was the problem here. In my opinion, every dog has the ability to be a “good dog” and it takes the owner to bring that out of him or her. It seems like Buddy was just not socialized properly among people and had some dominance issues. These issues can easily be corrected, especially in a young dog like Buddy. If a dog is never given rules and limitations, it will take advantage of all the freedoms he or she has. I think it is very sad that you decided to give Buddy away because of his behavior issues. I have a 9 month old lab mix and she chews on anything we leave with her. We got some Bitter Apple, sprayed it on the furniture and shoes, and that took care of the chewing. It just took a little patience on our part and the problem has pretty much been solved. We knew what we were getting into with having a puppy in the house. Puppies chew! It’s part of their development.
I think it’s very sad that people adopt dogs, especially from shelters, before doing any research on what it involved in caring for one and they end up bringing it back to the shelter. This just causes more confusion for the poor animal and gives it a lesser chance of being adopted again. Do your research people!
I am sorry to hear about your experience with Buddy. I rescued a female black chow/lab mix and she’s absolutely wonderful. She did bite me when I first got her as I mistakedly dropped some food on the floor and didn’t see her there, she went for my hand.
I bought a book called “Mine” and I practiced everything in the book that involved resource guarding and possessions. Within a month all her fears and mine were gone. She never chewed anything, trained well and is a constant comfort to me.
We have two other dogs that she adores, but she really enjoys her quiet time sometime in her room watching tv with me. She’s gracious and just a pure joy to be around.
As far as guests, she’s very formidable when they come to the door. But once she sees that I’ve invited them in she quiets down and finds a comfortable spot “always near me.”
I feel that dogs are individuals, influenced by their genes, surroundings and the people around them. I always do basic training with all of my dogs so they know where I stand and where they stand.
Kat79
I find that strange because i have a labrador/chow chow, i keep him outside but he is so nice and sometimes he does break things like for example one day he broke my fence and wnet to my neighbors backyard but the neighbors said that they really like him and that if we need them to take care of him they will but he was found by us in front of a fast food resturant being hit by a broom and we immediately took him and put him in the back of my mom’s car and we went home and gave him water and we couldnt keep him at my house so we gave him to my dad but when we first found him i knew i was going to love him and i wanted to keep him but my dad kept saying that he might have to take him to the shelter cuz they had my stepmom’s dog and 2 was too much for them and so i begged and begged and finally my dad agreed to keep him soon later my stepmom’s dog and my labrador/chow chow were best friends and they loved to do everything together and my dad got kicked out of his house and we had to keep the dog at my house and his best friend stayed at my grandma’s house and they were seperated i feel so bad for both of them because they are seperated but ever since i got to keep my labrador/chow chow at my house i have treated him very well to keep him comfortable without his best friend ,i would do anything for my dog no matter how bad he is.
it’s not the breed.
I have a lab chow mix named Beckett and he’s the best, smartest, dog we’ve ever had. He would never hurt a fly. He is a lover and showers people in kisses.
He’s a little skittish around little dogs, but please don’t generalize about animals. Beckett is proof that Lab chow mixes can be amazing creatures.
We have a lab/chow, Cocoa, who is a giant marshmallow. He has never bitten, or even nipped. He is big, and he’s got a mean bark, but to prove to friends that he’s harmless, I’ll open his mouth and just hold my hand in it. Cocoa will literally sit there with your hand in his mouth and just stare at you. He is incredibly energetic, even at about 8 years old, and his intelligence is variable. Some days he’ll do some of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen a dog do, and then other days he’ll open three or four gates to get out of the yard. He’s a big sweetheart that’s petrified of thunder, and hides under anything close during rainstorms. We didn’t train him at all, though we got him when I was in HS, and so when he was a puppy I played rough with him. I would roll him around and pull his feet, ears and tail. Now, he doesn’t care what you do with him. You can play with his paws, scratch his belly, rub his ears, and he’s as docile as can be. We were wary at first when we found out he had chow in him, but he’s done everything in the world to set that bad word to bed.
How dare you blame it on the breed! It wasnt the dog, it was his owner. I have owned a lab/chow male for almost a year now and hes the most friendly,affectionate, and loyal dog out there. Any dog can do this its not the breed its the owner that didnt know how to train it. I have seen ferocious Shitzu’s and teddy bear rotweillers. i would reccomend the lab/chow mix to everyone and anyone.
im so to hear about buddy i have a lab/chow mix and his name is jack! he is the best dog i have ever had but i totaly understand about be aggrasive to other people there are very few people that he will allow into our home! There is this one guy that i know not saying any names that for some reason he doesn’t like at all, every time he see’s him he try’s to attack him and we have no idea why? but he is a very loyal dog! we just recently had a baby boy and we were so terrified about what he would do but he has been so great with him. now sometime’s he does get a little to close for comfort but i dont ever leave him alone or in the same room with my son! but our biggest worry is once the baby start’s crawling what’s gonna happen? what if the baby try’s to grab his tail or try’s to play with him and jack try’s to bite him? I really don’t want to put him down, he is not allowed to go to a shelter to be adopted out because he is very animal aggresive and killed a neighbor’s dog it was a little chiuhua and now they say if we take him to a pound he has to be put down so if some1 could help me with this problem let me know! but overall he is a great guard dog, very loyal, and is my best friend!! Now just remember a chow chow is very well known for snapping on people including it’s owners for no reason and very unexpectedly!! i hope all is well and you have better lucky with your new fur kid’s. If you have any questions about your new animals email me my mother is a certified dog obedience trainer!!!
i have a 6 moth old lab/chow mix and hes the nicest dog you could ask for and he learned many tricks within the first few weeks. i got him when he was 9 weeks old
i have a lab/chow mix named daisy and she is the most amazing dog i’ve ever known. she loves attention and is constantly licking people and she loves hugs. sometimes she’ll put her head on my lap so i pet her. she loves being indoors and outdoors. she’s patient, easily trained and always wants to make us happy. what i love is that she doesn’t bark unless she’s alerting us to a strange person we don’t know outside. she protects us and loves us and is the best dog in the whole world : – )
I have a yellow lab/chow mix that I adopted from our local Humane Society. She was about 13 months old when I got her and I’ve had her for three months now and absolutely adore her. I did a lot of research on the lab and chow breeds so I could determine what would be necessary to having a happy dog. Bella has the intimidating bark of the chow but is friendly to every person and child she has ever encountered and she has never bitten me. I took her to obedience class where she received an award for being the most obedient dog in class. I take her to the dog park almost daily to ensure she is socialized with other dogs and people constantly and this seems to release her endless energy and teach her social skills.
When I first met Bella I almost decided not to get her because of the Chow breed, and my knowledge of how aggressive and dangerous they can be, but Bella is a better dog than almost any dog I know, but like others said here, much of her great behavior comes from very strong discipline from me. I work with her every single day on obedience commands. This is not a breed mix you can allow to get away with anything it wants. This mix of breeds absolutely requires a strong leader.
I love my chow/lab. Smartest dog I’ve ever known. Adopted him from the local animal shelter when he was 3 months old. Can be dog aggressive, depending on the breed. He’s made doggie friends with our friend’s dogs, but no matter how hard we tried to socialize him at the dog park when he was young, we just never knew which dog he’d go after, so we quit going.
When he was a puppy he liked to dig, but only chewed on things we gave him. He learns things within minutes. Understands hundreds of words. He’s just like a little kid.
I have to admit he acts aggressive towards the mailman and anyone he doesn’t know that approaches our house. He is a great watch dog, but very friendly to people in general. I have to add he is extremely gentle and doesn’t eat stuffed toys like our Malamute used to.
He is going on 7 years old and the smartest, cutest little guy ever.
Nero, my blk lab/chow mix was a gift & a rescued dog that my friends gave me for my birthday after my previous dog passed away. I was anxious at 1st since he was “gift” and I was unsure of his temperament. He was a big chewer as a puppy, even now at 6yrs old he still chews up the edges of his bed sometimes. Honestly that was the biggest problem I had with him. You just couldn’t leave things out that he’d chew up, but besides that he is the best dog I’ve EVER had. Great with other animals, people, kids, etc. he’s the sweetest, friendliest dog ever. Very sensitive to being yelled at so it doesn’t take much to discipline him. He basically just wants to be petted all day long. After I got married, my hubby & I moved away & my dad asked to keep Nero. He’s become my dad’s best friend & a constant companion to him. I think it just comes down to the individual dog, you can’t always rely on the breed.
i have a lab chow mix and he is the greatest. i think buddy was undisciplined and not socialized enough to humans as a pup. he was only under a year, and my dog is barely coming up on a year. overall chows are pretty protective and so i think he was just a puppy doing what he thought he should. good luck with the next dog. personality isn’t all based on the breed…you got to teach them.