Are Labs stinky?

[Travman]

I want a Laborator puppy. My wife says no way because they are stinky and make your hands stinky after petting. She says the oil in their fur cause this.  I've been around labs before and I don't remember them being particularly smelly. Does anyone here own a Lab?  Is there any truth to this or are Labs similar to other dogs.

[JBubble]

I own a Lab mix and the only time she smells is when she farts, rolls in something dead, or gets soaking wet (without getting shampoo'd). I have many friends with labs and, again, never had any sort of issue with them smelling.

Have you tried asking a veterinarian?

[Veloce-Fino]

Had a labrador retriever for 13 years.

JBubble is exactly right.
On your average day a lab will not smell and in reality the fur is not oily on the surface but underneath in the undercoat where they are"waterproof"

The only time my dog smelled was when:
-Farted (they will literally melt your soul with noxious gas)
-Rolled in dead animals/shit (they love this)
-Gets soaked (not just a little wet)
-Puked & Re-ate puke (bad breath)

The biggest issue with a lab is shedding. A lab CONSTANTLY sheds and you will have a LOT of hairs in your home. You could brush a lab for 24 hours straight and still get hair coming off.

If you have a lot of carpeting, get a good vacuum cleaner because it's going to get a workout. 

[orangelion03]

We had a Lab (we miss you Rusty!) and he smelled no better or worse than any other dog I ever had.  But heed the warnings about shedding from the other posters...Rusty's been gone going on four years now and his hair is STILL showing up on the furniture and our clothes 

They are such great dogs though.

[Mother]

The biggest issue with a lab is shedding. A lab CONSTANTLY sheds and you will have a LOT of hairs in your home. You could brush a lab for 24 hours straight and still get hair coming off.

If you have a lot of carpeting, get a good vacuum cleaner because it's going to get a workout. 

I wasn't aware of the truth to that fact until now

my gawd

endless hair

[SacDuc]

It's paws will smell like corn chips.   


sac

[RAT900]

It's paws will smell like corn chips.   


sac

yes the dreaded Frito Foot

was that on TOB?

[SacDuc]

yes the dreaded Frito Foot

was that on TOB?

It all blurs together. I think so.

sac

[Ddan]

+1 to all the above, especially the great dog part.  As to the shedding, when I found a dog hair behind the crystal of my watch I came the the realization that there was some unearthly power at work

[Travman]

OK thanks guys. That is very reassuring. My previous dog was a German Shorthaired pointer.  She would shed very little, but her hair wasn't very noticeable. I guess we will have to invest in a great vacuum.

It's paws will smell like corn chips.   

sac

I love miss that smell.

[pitbull]

black labs do get 'black dog' smell when they are wet. Black dogs have a very distinct odour when wet, which some people absolutely hate and some don't mind at all.

and of course, they shed like nobody's business.


my ex-wife has had a dog grooming business for over 20 years, so I don't mind the black dog smell, but if I were going to get a lab I would probably get a chocolate or yellow.

[Slide Panda]

All dogs can have frito foot. That's not a lab thing at all.

My family had a chocolate and black lab  - not more stinky than any other dog. Well both loved to get into smelly stuff... but beyond that bad habit...

[The Architect]

No smell other than shit eating breath.  His breath normally doesn't smell.  It's when he supplements his diet with dog, horse, chicken or any other animal shit then it goes nasty. 

+1 to all the above, especially the great dog part.  As to the shedding, when I found a dog hair behind the crystal of my watch I came the the realization that there was some unearthly power at work

I have a hair behind/in my laptop screen.   

It does get everywhere.  I must have eaten 1lb. of it by now. 

[JEFF_H]

labs are bred to be in the water and their skin can have more protective oils.
inside dogs kept clean wont have a smell, but outside/working dogs will.

boxers have no 'doggy' smell to their skin/fur and are the only breed worth having

[mitt]

+1 to the hair based on 12 years of living with one.  If you get a yellow, plan on throwing your black fleece clothes away.  If you get a black, do the same for white fleece clothes.

No special stink that I know of.  All large dogs have a little funk - you can typically tell as soon as you walk into someones home with one.

mitt