Is lab and pit a good mix? Since I brought home this special breed, my neighbors are curious about the puppy’s lifestyle. In six months, Angie would turn to a big dog that will have a strong presence in our home.
To calm some people who live close to such a breed, here is what you should know about them.
The Pitbull Lab Mix
The Pitbull Lab Mix, which is also sometimes known as a Labrabull, a Bullador, or Picador, is the result of crossing a Pitbull with a Labrador Retriever.
These hybrid pups are known for being energetic and smart dogs and, with half of their genes from the most popular breed of dog in the United States (the Labrador), there’s no wonder this breed is popular too.
Loyal and easy to train, the Pitbull Lab mix will make an excellent addition to any family and provide great companionship. If you’re interested in reading more about this fun-loving dog, look below to learn about their history, their characteristics, and what living with one of these dogs is like.
History Story of the Pitbull Lab Mix
The Pitbull and the Labrador Retriever are historically working dogs, so it comes as no surprise that the Pitbull Lab mix likes to keep themselves busy and entertained.
They were originally bred to combine the most desirable characteristics from both parent breeds into one dog — the Labrador’s temperament and the Pitbull’s loyalty.
Such hybrid dogs are not recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC), but the Designer Breed Registry recognizes them as Labrabull.
Breed Origin
The breed origin of the Pitbull Lab mix is unknown and we cannot be sure when these dogs first appeared. However, we can look at the history of both parent breeds so you get an idea of where these pups originated from.
The Pitbull parent in the Pitbull Lab mix can be any of four types of Pitbull. These include the American Pitbull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, the American Bulldog, and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
The Pitbull was created in early 19th-century England for the popular spectator sports of bull and bear baiting. They were thought of as aggressive fighting dogs but it was also known that they were very gentle with humans and made excellent family dogs.
Later, these Pitbulls accompanied immigrants to America and began new careers as all-around farm dogs. Their jobs included hunting wild game, guarding the property against animal intruders, and providing companionship.
As we mentioned above, the Labrador is the most popular breed of dog in America. Labradors were originally bred as gun dogs in the 1800s and used to accompany hunters and retrieve animals that had been shot.
They were also used in Newfoundland to retrieve fish that came in off the trawl, which is why they love the water. Their loyal and loving nature means that they quickly became very popular family dogs and are still used today as working dogs, such as guide dogs.
Characteristics of the Pitbull Lab Mix
The Pitbull Lab Mix is not a purebred breed and it is not recognized by any kennel clubs, this means that there is no definite breed standard for these pups.
This means we cannot be sure how each litter of puppies is going to turn out. However, we can guess based on previous litters.
These dogs are normally born in litter sizes of 5 to 10 puppies, with the average being 7. It is not normally an issue which parent is the sire or the dam when breeding. Your Pitbull Lab Mix puppy should cost around $500, but always remember to buy from a reputable breeder.
Appearance
As we have said above, you can never be sure what your Pitbull Lab crossbreed will look like.
They may look more like their Pitbull parent or more like their Labrador Retriever parent. You probably won’t know which parent they take after more until they have matured at around 18 months of age.
The Pitbull Lab Mix is classed as a medium to large breed dog, and they can weigh anywhere up to 80 lbs, with females generally being smaller than males. These dogs will likely have floppy ears and will be muscular yet lean in the statue.
Coat
A Labrador Pitbull Mix will generally have a short, smooth coat and they will not require too much grooming. We will go into more detail about grooming later on.
Color
The parent breeds of the Pitbull Lab Mix dog can vary greatly in color, which means your designer dog will likely vary greatly too. A Labrador can be yellow, brown, or black and a Pitbull can be a huge range of colors — especially because this dog has four different breeds!
If you want a good indication of what your Pitbull Lab may look like color-wise, you should look at the parent breeds.
My Thoughts
I love my Pitbll Lab mix for many reasons.
While she may have traits of both strong breeds, she got her special traits that suit her. Training a dog can help her become social and more compatible with you.
If you don’t train a breed, she might become aggressive towards everyone and leave you with many issues.
FAQs
Is lab and pit a good mix?
Lab-pit bull mixes are excellent kids. They are gentle and playful and will also be highly protective of their young charges. While they will give you bark to let you know that strangers are around, they are very good with strangers as well.
What is the lifespan of a lab and pit mix?
The Lab Pit Mix has a relatively long life expectancy and can live, on average, anywhere between 10 and 14 years.
Are pit mixes aggressive?
As many as 75% of mixed breed dogs in animal shelters, including Pit Bulls and Pit Bull mixes, are misidentified as the wrong breed.
They are not inherently aggressive dogs. In fact, in temperance tests, Pit Bulls were the second most tolerant breed behind Golden Retrievers. The least tolerant was the Chihuahua. Therefore, you should be mentally and physically prepared for this breed.