The Labrador Retriever

The Labrador Retriever dog has a bubbly temperament and a powerful desire to make people happy. Of course, these big, exuberant dogs aren't for everyone. Before you buy one of these roly-poly little puppies, you may want to consider some of the plusses and minuses of the breed.

This is a powerful, dependable dog. This breed weighs from 55 to 80 pounds and stand 21 to 24 inches tall at the shoulder. These dogs have quite a lot of stamina and can work or play for hours on end. The Lab is known for it's soft chocolate brown eyes and thick, rounded tail.

Their coats can be black, yellow or chocolate, with black Labs being most commonly available. The dense hair of the coat of this dog is almost waterproof.

The breed is classified as part of the American Kennel Club's Sporting Group. These dogs were bred to spend hours retrieving game from areas that hunters had trouble getting in to. These dogs generally enjoys the water, which makes them ideal boating or fishing companions.

The Labrador Retriever and People

These dogs require a great deal of exercise, especially when they are young and full of energy. They do not make good apartment dogs, as they need plenty of room to run and play. A home with a fenced yard is the ideal location for this dog. Even if he has space to play, he may need to go for a daily walk or romp in the park to burn off some energy.

Since this is a high energy dog with plenty of muscle, they eat quite a bit of food. While your puppy is growing up, you may want to feed it food that is especially formulated to help large breed dogs develop healthy bones.

If you are planning to use your labrador as a hunting dog, you will need to buy dog food that contains plenty of protein.

Most make exceptional family dogs and love being around children. Nevertheless, some Labs do not have good temperaments, so, if it is at all possible, be sure you meet both parents before buying a Labrador Retriever puppy.

If your children are still small, you may want to wait until they are steady on their feet before buying a Lab puppy. These dogs can knock toddlers over just by wagging their powerful tails.

Since this is such a big dog, it is important to start training your puppy at eight to twelve weeks of age. Be sure you work with your puppy to keep it from jumping up, as a full grown labrador can bowl people over with an enthusiastic greeting. You may want to take puppy obedience classes to socialize him and get some training help, as Labs can be a bit head strong at times.

Hip dysplasia, is a congenital disease that affects mostly large breed dogs such as the labrador and ectropion and entropion are defects that can cause abnormal exposure of the eye and be a source of severe irritation to your dog.

The breed is also prone to skin allergies and should be fed a high quality food at all times. They are also prone to ear infections, so be sure to keep their ears cleaned.

Grooming

The Labrador Retriever needs very little grooming. You should brush your dog once a week to remove loose hair and dirt. Also, you will need to trim his nails when they grow too long. Finally, you will have to check for ticks after your dog has been playing outdoors.

If you want a friendly dog who is eager to please and don't mind some occasional stubbornness, then a Labrador Retriever may very well be the perfect breed for you.

Labrador Partner Sites

What Every Golden Retriever Owner Should Know.

How to quickly and easily train your Labrador

Learn How To Care For Your Golden Retriever!

Train Your Labrador Retriever to Stop Biting, Barking and Carpet Wetting

Digestive Support

UTI-Free

Runipoo Relief