Oddly enough they work fantastically as a cross. I've met quiet a few in my life and they are very similar in build and even colouring with a white chest and white socks, with a black coat. What changes is the length of coat, because here it is often a border collie cross, so lab length coat or collie length. This is ours, 11 years old now and still outpaces all the other dogs. The cross tends to produce dogs that are cleverer than your average lab, with a far better fitness and longlivety (as a pattern, not a rule) but with the family dog-ness as a labrador with the wanting to please all the time. Makes a lovely dog. Its a very common mix down in Kent (UK) from what I've seen.

I'll do url links to the photos so not to take over.
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcd...7_30433796_5963153_n.jpg - Lab in background, collie x in forground.
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcd...7_30433845_3157870_n.jpg - you can see how narrow she is here.
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcd...7_30433819_8015483_n.jpg - Standing with my brother.

I don't think I'm crazy. I consider myself Limited Edition