Labrabull Dog Breed

Although the Labrador Retriever was bred as a hunting and retrieving partner, and the Pitbull has an extensive fighting/sporting history, the Labrabull is typically a companion dog. If trained and socialized early, they make the best matches for individuals or families that are active and have a large home and yard.

Pros

• Labrabulls are loyal and protective; they can perform as guard dogs.
• They can be playful and sweet family companions and fit in well with other dogs.
• These dogs warm up quickly to new people.
• Their coats are short, shed lightly, and are easy to groom.
• Active, athletic individuals will be an excellent match for them.

Cons

• They tend to chase cats and other small pets if not socialized and trained early.
• Labrabulls will ideally live in a house with a fenced yard.
• Owners must have time to exercise this breed daily.
• Training will take time and patience.
• This breed may be prone to aggression if not lovingly trained and socialized as a puppy.

Labrabulls, as hybrid dogs, will inherit characteristics from both parents but not always equally. We recommend prospective owners read up on the traits of both Labrador Retrievers and Pitbulls before adopting one of these guys. The following information for this breed can be supplemented by visiting our parent breed pages.

This is a fairly smart breed that is capable or being obedient. However, this will be a gradual process that will require some patience and repetition; some owners may choose to put their Labrabulls into training classes. The most important thing with large, energetic breeds is to firmly and consistently establish yourself as the pack leader. There's no need to be harsh, simply decide what you will and will not allow and implement it from day 1.

With early training and socialization, your pet can be a sweet, friendly companion that is both loyal protector and energetic playmate. With lots of love and care, they will be a patient pal for kids and warm quickly to new people. They also can exist harmoniously with other dogs but they may need extra reminders not to chase small animals such as cats. On the other hand, without love and training, they may be prone to showing aggression.

Labrabulls are known for being pretty high energy dogs that make perfect exercise buddies. They enjoy long walks, hikes, runs, bike rides, and swims. Trips to the dog park and games of frisbee and tug-o-war also make them happy. Ideally, they will have a fenced yard to spend time in daily. In general, try to give them an hour or so of daily outdoor exercise so they don't become overweight and/or bored and destructive.

The appearance of a Labrabull will vary from one puppy to the next but, in general, they will have a short, shiny coat that has a silky texture and comes with a handful of color possibilities thanks to the Pitbull genes. Their heads are typically wide, however, their muzzle tends to be longer than the Pit's. The ears are long and pointy and the nose is often black or brown, but can also be "blue" (greyish colored). These large dogs have sweet, almond-shaped eyes and long tails with very short hair covering the length.

A cross breed of PitBull and Labrador Retriever dogs can have different specifications depending on the dog's genetic makeup. Hybrid mixes are specified as F1, F1b, F2, and so on (with "F" representing "fili,' or the Latin word for "offspring"). An F1 Labrabull is the offspring of a purebred Lab and a purebred Pit Bull; an F1b Labrabull is produced by breeding an F1 Labrabull with a purebred Lab or Pit Bull (so the F1b dog's genes are 75 percent from one parent breed); an F2 is the offspring of two F1 Labrabulls, etc.

Individual Labrabulls don't see much variation in physical features. These hybrids' coats are consistent as well: short-haired and smooth, in a variety of colors.

Size can vary some in Labrabulls; they can be as small as 17 inches in height and 40 pounds in weight, up to 25 inches and 80 pounds or more. Despite these size variations, no sub-types of these hybrids (like "Miniature Labrabull" or "Giant Labrabull") exist.

The Labrabull temperament is a tricky topic. Much work is being done to improve the reputation of the Pitbull and mixes which contain Pit genes. Dogs that are trained and socialized early during the puppy stage always have a much higher chance of assimilating peacefully into a family than those that don't get these instructions. Hybrids have much greater genetic diversity than their purebred parents and also have much less predictable temperaments.

The personality of the Labrabull is said to be sweet, friendly, and loyal if this energetic dog is trained and socialized at the appropriate age. They are naturally alert and protective and, if proper care was not taken to do this, may be prone to aggressive behaviors. Obedience classes/instruction will also help bring out other amazing aspects of your puppy, such as his sweet, patient demeanor with kids and friendliness towards other pets. These dogs may develop anxiety and destructive behaviors if left alone excessively, but don't worry, they will probably bark to let you know when they are becoming bored.

Members of this breed are fairly smart and, although training will require a lot of patience and repetition, they are capable of learning and being obedient. Placing yourself as the Alpha is MUST for this large, energetic breed. Socialize them early with small pets like cats to reduce his curiosity and tendency to chase them. These guys aren't really barkers, however, once their protective instincts are turned on, they will bark to alert you of visitors, strangers or anything they consider "a threat". Once certain your visitor is a friend, your Labrabull should warm up very quickly.

Labrador and Pitbull mixes result in puppies that should be healthier than the parent breeds, especially first generation crosses. Choosing a reputable breeder, combined with routine trips to your veterinarian, can help prevent some issues. It is recommended you read up on all possible health issues of both parent breeds before adopting one of these dogs. Typically, this breed will live from 10-14 years with few problems.

Although Labrabull puppies are usually healthy and have no well documented health concerns.