GSP indoors behavior compared to a Lab

[cmanco]

I'm trying to decide between a GSP and lab. A GSP fits my hunting needs a little better, but I do not hunt much, so I'm more concerned about the companion part of the dog. I live in a townhouse but have many areas nearby that I can take my dog to daily for off leash roaming. If both dogs are given the daily exercise they need, an hour off leash at least, how to do they compare in the house?

[jarbo03]

From what I have seen, my vote would go for the lab,great dogs no matter what you will be doing with them, but it can go either way. I have seen a few GSP's that were good housedogs, but every lab I have seen has been a good housedog. Size can be another issue to think about though.

[Sharon]

I've had 2 GSPs who were no problem in the house. They got an hour of running every second day.

[GUNDOGS]

I have had labs and gsp's (i rescue) so ive had 18 labs in my home to date and they are a great dog but they also shed like no other dog ive ever seen so keep that in mind as well..anyone who knows me knows i LOVE gsp's and will always own one or more but i also have the time and that has to be considered with any puppy purchase..i have many friends with labs that hunt or dont hunt and they love the breed very much..from my personal experience i say ANY sporting dog needs training and exercise and they also need a "job" to be content and to prevent chewing your home up or barking or have any other bad habits for that matter.. what i have experienced i think gsp's need more stimulation to thrive then labs do..they are both great with kids as well but a lab tends to be more tolerant and calmer with little ones overall..if i wasnt going to hunt often or train often or didnt have a few hours a day to committ to a puppy or dog i would get a lab over a gsp..this is just my opinion from my experience and other folks might have had different experiences but one thing for sure is i wouldnt recommend getting either breed from a very high driven hunting line and expect it to be more of a pet..do research into what you are getting and expect either way to have a few hours a day for training and exercise also...good luck..ruth

[MOOSE]

We have 4 GSP's as house dogs. They are great. Setting a routine is key! Our guys know our routine and know that when in the house and we are relaxing we expect them to do the same and they just lay around. I personally had more problems with the labs I have rescued chilling out in my house than my GSP's.

[jimbo&rooster]

Depends on the lab.... Ive got 2 labs and a GSP in my house. One of my labs is a field bred lab, and the other is just a lab that my wife bought to train for a therapy dog. my field bred lab has a tendancy to be more wound up than the other lab even with nightly runs. My GSP Is a good dog in the house but he is the bigget goofball Ive ever had in the house. He never really just lays down and hangs out. Thats not to say he isnt good in the house he just is wound pretty tight.

I will say that my wife sweeps out house atleast once a day to get rid of the piles of yellow hair that the labs leave in every corner of the house. I spend about 10-15mins every other day with my lab and the furminator and she still sheds like crazy. Not that my shorthair doesnt shed but it doesnt look like tumbleweeds blowing through my house when the AC turns on.

I will probly always have a lab in the house but you just have to be willing to sweep/vaccum daily.

Jim

[Hattrick]

I have little exsperence but heres my 2cents...i have a 2 yr female GSP, my brother has a lab an my brother in law had a lab..My GSP deffently has more energy than both, but my house is the only one still in tack. Brother an brother in law have had doors, walls an anything under the sun chewed up.Brother in law got rid of his becouse of the damage. It seems that GSPs have a better switch controll to no when its time too work or when its time to be in the house. My GSP is the best house dog i ever had, if you would see her in the field you would say its no way i would let that dog in my house. Now having said this both labs are over 5yrs of age an still have the same problem .. I`ll go with the GSP hands down..Thats my 2 cents

[quanah labs]

Labs are the most popular dog in the world for a reason. So my vote would go to the Lab.

[WI_GSP_girl]

I have 3 GSP's in the house-2 females and a male. They have endless energy but we do provide them with plenty of time outside to play. We've found a tennis ball launcher is the ticket to burning off lots of energy in a short amount of time. They are well behaved in the house. We both work evenings/nights. They know that when we go in the bedroom that means it is time to sleep and they will settle down quickly and sleep as long as we do. I just wish they would allow us a little more room on the bed!

[High Voltage]

We had 2 labs in the house in the past. One was laid back and afraid of his own shadow no hunting for him. The other, well she was known as the anti-lab, ate the chair, tore up carpet etc, we learn quick she had to be watched or in her crate. This lab was a hunting dog and was trained & ran every day but she was hyper. We now have 3 GSP's in the house, all from field trial stock . They are now 8, 6 & 3 1/2. This past year,'10, I have had a lot of back problems so they have not got worked much, we didn't even get to hunt much The last time they got to run this year was the 1st of March. They do just fine in the house. They don't even really run around when we let them out in the yard, turn them lose in the field and it's another story! Get a GSP from the the right bloodline, and there are a lot of them out there, raise them right in the house and you'll be OK. Remember the the cute things they do as a pup will not be cute as a 50-60 lb dog

[QuillGordon]

I find Labs are better suited for outdoors kennels, shedding being the main concern. After owning both I would go with a GSP in the house hands down over a Lab. My GSP is pretty easy going and knows the rules for indoor play at only nine months. My last Lab was a bit of a bull in a china closet. Mostly it would fall back on the particular breeding. Though I sure have seen some high energy Labs as well.

[cmanco]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm going to stick with a GSP then. I'll just make sure to do some obedience training with it, but it sounds like I'll like them more than labs for my situation.

[GUNDOGS]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm going to stick with a GSP then. I'll just make sure to do some obedience training with it, but it sounds like I'll like them more than labs for my situation.

sounds like a great choice TRAINING AND EXERCISE!!!!!!! cant say it loud enough ...ruth

[Hattrick]

good luck!!

[MO_GSP]

got a gsp and boxer both in a small house in the city luckily i live 1/4 mile from a nice 80 acre farm/park, nice people over there they let me run my dog in the fields and occasionally sneak a dip in the pond, as for gsp in the house hes real good