Is it true that pure bred Labrador Retrievers are more liable to health problems?

Answer 1

it doesn't matter what pure breed you are talking of. Each breed is known for certain things. Mix breeds seem to out do each breds problems and therefore often dont' have the problems as purebreds.

Answer 2

People tend to repeat things they have heard with out doing any research. Some of these answers certainly reflect that. There are no breeds OR mutts that are safe from genetic diseases. Take a look at all the questions here on a daily basis about sick dogs and you can't tell me that most of those are purebred dogs. It is important to know pedigrees when breeding purebred dogs and all things are inherited. So if a dam is a carrier of cardiomyopathy and is bred to a dog that has cardiomyopathy. (males either have it or they don't, they don't 'carry' it as a recessive.) then you will produce puppies that will end up with the disease. It doesn't matter if it's 2 mutt dogs or 2 purebred dogs. Temperaments are the same. Bad temperaments can come from anywhere in a pedigree.
Back yard breeders of supposed purebred dogs put dogs at risk because they don't know anything about the dogs in the pedigree. It is a myth that purebred dogs are not as healthy as mutts and I think if people would open their eyes and look around at some of the questions here and hang out at the vets office as sick dogs come in all day long they won't see any more of one then the other.

Answer 3

What! Unhealthy!!!!
OK! I live next door to a Lab Breeder.
Pure Breeds are healthier as they have a cleaner line. that is why they cost more. do you think ol' Roy who was in the basket at WalMart is a pure bred dog....Uh No!
If the non-Purebred lines are healthier then why are they free to a good home.
I have a 15 year old Black Lab. and at home I have a 9 year old and a 2 year old. all healthy.....
Now the issues come in where you breed a line and make a Standard size poodle. This dog has issues with the innards as they can twist up because the breed was hand crafted.
Look into a "sturdy Breed' Dog. Like Labs. or Danes or Shepards. THey are a large dog breed.

Answer 4

The problem with purebreds is that people without a clue are breeding them from profit, so if you deal with a backyard breeder or puppmill don't expect a healthy dog

Deal with reputable breeders, and you will have one of the best dogs around even healthier than a mutt
A responsible breeder does not breed for profit their interest is betterment of the breed that also are not producing pups for the pet market they plan a breeding when they want a new pup to show in the ring so they start with the best breeding pair they have

This site explains and also talks about the health testing good breeders do to ensure they are producing healthy dogs and why it is worth buying form them
http://members.tripod.com/antique_fcr/goodbreeder.html

Answer 5

Yes and No. Purebreds purchased from responsible breeders will probably be healthier than many from unknown backgrounds. However, those purchased from backyard breeders, pet shops, and puppy mills, have a higher probability of having severe problems (like skin conditions, hip dysplasia, knee problems, etc).

Responsible breeders do full health checks BEFORE breeding a dog and breed only top quality dogs in order to make healthy and perfect dogs. This STRONGLY reduces the possibility of inherited problems.

Backyard Breeders et. al breed to make money. Chances are low that they do any health screening. They DO NOT breed to advance the breed.

The first two questions to a breeder should be "Were the parents health screened for XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX," and "Why did you breed?" The answers should be "yes, and you are welcome to call my vet and/or view the records," and "To advance the breed and make the perfect dog." Anything else is a BYB.

Multi-generation mutts may have some "hybrid vigor", but because many mutts come from unscrupulous backgrounds, this may be not always be the case.


If you want a purebred, either purchase from a responsible breeder or rescue with a no-kill rescue group who thoroughly screens their dogs. With rescue, you'll know the medical conditions that dogs have and what to expect.
http://thelabradorclub.com/

(different breed but good info) http://www.grca.org/acquiring.htm#choosingbreeder

http://www.pbrc.net/breeding3.html

http://dogplay.com/GettingDog/index.html

Answer 6

I am getting a AKC registered lab pup next weekend, and from the research I've done the breed is more susceptible to having hip trouble, and either eyesight or hearing trouble can't remember which one. But a great book to read about a lab is Marley. I found it hilarious and endearing. But it made me stop and think am I really ready for this?:) Anyway they are more prone in older age to have hip trouble. Good Luck!

Answer 7

I used to have a yellow lab. My experence is that they are just as different as people are. Yes they do have illness or ailments that are common to the breed. Every breed has them. My Lab had bad allergies and would scrach alot. Fixxed it with allergy shots and when I would wash him, I would rinse him with a water and vinager solution and it stopped.

Answer 8

A purebred dog from a responsible breeder is MUCH LESS likely to have health problems because the breeder will have genetic testing and health clearance done on all of her dogs before breeding them, ensuring that the pups are free of genetic illnesses/hip dysplasia, etc. Pups from a responsible breeder will come with a health guarantee.

Answer 9

Purebred anything are more likely to have health problems than a mixed breed is. All that inbreeding multiplies the genetic problems. Remember to look at motive when you read anything anywhere. People who make a living selling purebreed dogs sometimes say things are are simply exaggerations. Inbreeding in dogs causes the same problems it does in humans--- genetic defects. That's why certain problems follow certain breeds. Labs are more prone to dysplasia and blindness due to inbreeding. Hairless dogs have dental issues due to inbreeding. There is a horrible genetic disease going through the Cairn breed right now. Doxies are prone to back problems. Shih Tzus are prone to eye problems. Dalmatians have hearing issues many times. Goldens have hip issues. The list is endless. Whenever you take a small gene pool and repeatedly inbreed it you get genetic problems at a higher level than you would with a larger gene pool of the population. That is the scientific truth.

Answer 10

Generally speaking, any purebred dog is more likely to have health issues than a mix breed. The breeding done to promote certain traits often leads to health issues being passed on genetically. For instance, Rottweilers have a high rate for bloat. Dobermans tend to get tumors. German Shepherds have joint problems.