As breeders and pet owners become more comfortable with the idea of designer dogs, there’s one designer dog breed that has been steadily gaining popularity. I’m talking about the Labrador Terrier Mix.
What is a Labrador Terrier Mix? A Labrador Terrier Mix is a designer dog breed that is a result of crossing a purebred Labrador with one of the Terrier breeds. Two Terrier breeds that are popularly crossbred with the Lab are the American Staffordshire Terrier and the American Pitbull Terrier.
Since the Lab and the Terrier are two very different breeds with very different traits, it is important to know what to expect with this breed before you decide to get one. This article will cover all the information you need to know about the Lab Terrier Mix, including their health and life span, and how to take care of these Mixes. Before getting into that, however, let’s look at how big the Lab Terrier Mix gets.
Terriers are a diverse group, with breeds like the Rat Terrier, Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Pitbull Terrier, Fox Terrier, Border Terrier, and so on. With such diversity, it is difficult to predict how big a Lab Terrier Mix puppy will get.
The size of a full grown Lab Terrier Mix will depend on the size of the Terrier that was crossbred with a Lab. For instance, mixes between the Lab and the American Pitbull Terrier can get as tall as 24 inches and weigh as much as 90 lbs.
Others, like the mix between a Lab and the miniature Rat Terrier are a lot smaller in size, weighing about 10 to 15 lbs and with a height of about 10 to 13 inches.
As it is with size, the appearance of the Lab Terrier Mix is highly dependent on the specific Terrier breed that was used to produce the Mix.
Generally, the appearance of Lab Terrier Mixes will fall along a spectrum, with the Terrier parent’s looks on one end of the spectrum, and the Lab’s looks on the other.
Whilst the Lab comes in three main colors – black, yellow, and chocolate – Terriers will come in a wide variety of colors. This means your Lab Terrier Mix puppy can take on any color, depending on the colors of the Terrier parent.
For instance, American Staffordshire Lab Mixes can be brown, black, or brindle, while American Pitbull Lab Mixes can be brown, black, white, tan, yellow, or brindle.
The life expectancy of Labs is about 12.5 years on average, while most Terrier breeds have a life expectancy of about 12 to 14 years.
Without suffering from any health conditions, a Lab Terrier Mix will live for 10 to 14 years. A few will even make it beyond 14 years.
Some of the common health problems that affect Lab Terrier Mixes include:
Most types of Terriers are very susceptible to allergies. Allergies occurs as a result of your doggie’s immune system perceiving common substances as toxins, leading to an extreme reaction. Dog allergies usually affect the respiratory system, the skin, and the digestive system.
With this condition being common among Terries, there is a possibility that the condition could get passed on to your Lab Terrier Mix as well.
Labradors are very prone to various eye problems, including cataracts and Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), which can be passed to the Lab Terrier Mix. Left untreated, conditions like PRA can eventually lead to blindness.
Labradors are also at a high risk of developing joint problems, such as patellar luxation and hip and elbow dysplasia, which could also affect your Lab Terrier Mix.
Osteochondritis Dissecans is a developmental condition that prevents some areas of cartilage in your pup’s skeleton from turning into bone. The condition is very common to Labs, leading to swollen joints and lameness, both of which will put your Lab Terrier Mix at risk.
Fortunately, many of these conditions can be prevented by having the parents screened prior to breeding.
To ensure proper growth and good health, it is important that you keep your Lab Terrier Mix on a healthy and nutritious diet.
Lab Terrier Mixes require a protein rich diet for proper muscle growth, since they are typically active dogs.
When it comes to providing highly nutritious food for your Lab Terrier Mix, I recommend Barkin’ Beef from Pet Plate. This food is highly nutritious, with lots of protein, and conforms to human-grade safety standards.
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When feeding your Lab Terrier Mix, you should stick to manufacturer-recommended portions to avoid the risk of overfeeding your canine buddy, which can lead to obesity.
You should also invest in dental water additives to help maintain your doggie’s oral health and keep bad breath away.
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Labs are very active due to their working dog origins, while Terriers are generally feisty dogs. When you combine the two, you get a very energetic dog that requires lots of exercise. Most Lab Terrier Mixes will be okay with an hour of exercise every day.
If possible, engage your four legged buddy in physically intense exercises, such as playing fetch or going on hikes, rather than a leisurely walk on the beach.
Even with proper diet and lots of exercise, it is still advisable to visit the vet regularly for checkups. This way, potential health concerns will be detected early enough and treated before they become actual problems.
Your vet will also provide you with additional tips to help you take the best care of your furry buddy.
Before bringing a new pet home, it is good to know their temperament and personality. This will help you determine whether they will make a good companion for you, and helps you provide them with the kind of care they need. Here’s what you should expect with Lab Terrier Mixes.
Most Lab Terrier Mixes are very loyal and loving. This can be attributed to the Lab genes in the Mix, since Labs are well known for their affection. Their Terrier ancestry can also make them protective, which means majority of Lab Terrier Mixes will make good guard dogs.
Not surprisingly, most Lab Terriers will get along well with children. Actually, their highly energetic nature makes them good playmates for kids, since kids are equally energetic.
They are also very tolerant of kids, and are unlikely to get antagonized by kids’ overly enthusiastic play tactics. However, you should always make sure that all playtime between the fido and your kids is supervised by an adult.
Lab Terrier Mixes have a lot of energy and will require lots of physical activity. This is not the kind of dog that you can leave indoors all day. Their physical requirements mean that Lab Terrier Mixes will be most comfortable in homes with a yard where they can run around without restrictions.
It is still possible to keep a Labrador Terrier Mix even if you live in an apartment, provided you are an active person who loves the outdoors.
Most Lab Terrier Mixes are moderate to excessive shedders, which makes them a no-no if you are looking for a hypoallergenic dog.
The moderate to excessive shedding means that your Lab Terrier Mix will need daily brushing sessions. To avoid damaging your pooch’s coat and skin during brushing, use the Furminator Undercoat Tool.
Aside from being safe for your dog, you’ll also love the fact that this deshedding tool has an ergonomic handle that makes brushing your pooch easy and comfortable.
When you have a shedding dog in your house, it is totally normal to have dog hair all over the house, which is why you need a vacuum.
Based on my experience, I have found that the best vacuum for houses with pets is the iRobot Roomba i3+. In addition to keeping your home free of pet hairs, this vacuum also traps 99% of pet allergens.
Most Lab Terrier Mixes have an easy to maintain coat and do not require frequent baths. A bath every quarter is enough, unless your dear fido has really dirtied themselves while playing outside.
You should be very careful about the kind of products you use when bathing your pooch, since many of them contain chemicals that are harsh on your doggie’s skin.
I recommend the Seamus Cherry Blossom Whitening Dog Shampoo, which I personally use on my own dogs. Not only does this shampoo not contain harsh chemicals, it also has a patented Pharmasome technology that will keep your four legged buddy smelling fresh, for longer.
Do Labradors Get Along With Terriers? Labradors will get along well with Terriers, especially if they have been raised together, or if both dogs were socialized from an early age. Both the Lab and most Terriers have very high energy levels, which makes them compatible. The dogs are even more likely to get along well if they’re of similar age.
Do Terrier Mixes Like To Swim? If a Terrier Mix’s parents love to swim, it is likely that the Mix will love swimming as well. Some Terriers, such as the Kerry Blue Terrier, are great swimmers, while others like the Boston Terrier are poor swimmers. When Terriers are mixed with swimming dogs like the Lab, they will be great swimmers as well.
Are Terrier Mixes Good Family Dogs? Most Terrier Mixes are loving and playful, and will make good family dogs. There are some, however, that can get aggressive, which makes them unsuitable for families. Before bringing a Terrier Mix to your home, it is important to research on the temperament of that specific Terrier Mix to determine whether they’ll make a good family dog.
Pete Decker is the Lead Editor at The Goody Pet. He is a passionate wildlife educator and loves to share his experiences on pets. During his free time, you can find him cozying around his 2 adorable Labradors (Tobi & Kobi).
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