When it comes time to choose a
new family pet, one that gets along well with
children and other animals, you cannot beat the
Labrador Retriever. Although the Labrador is an
excellent hunting dog, on land and in the water, it
is not related to the “Labrador” from Newfoundland.
However, Earl of Malmesbury was intrigued by the
Newfoundland Labrador and in the early part of the
19th century, imported one. Although the original
Labrador faded out, some were interbred with other
retrievers, which was the development of the
Labrador Retriever we know today.
When it comes to an intelligent, loving, faithful,
protective, comical, and gentle breed, you cannot
find one better than the Labrador Retriever. The
breed became so popular that in 1903, it became a
recognized breed with the English Kennel Club and
then with the American Kennel Club in 1917.
Currently rated as the most popular breed of dog in
both the United Kingdom and the United States, you
will find this dog to be a prized member of the
family. With the ability to learn quickly and being
such an amazing companion dog, we highly recommend
the Labrador Retriever for virtually any family.
Temperament
It is nearly impossible to find a “bad” Labrador in
that this breed is truly exceptional. The Labrador
is naturally kind, outgoing, non-aggressive, and
always eager to please its master or anyone in the
family. Although the Labrador is a large dog, it is
a great choice for families with small children,
being extremely gentle and loving. The breed is
highly versatile, meaning it makes an excellent
hunting dog or a family companion.
When puppies, the Labrador Retriever may show some
signs of digging and/or chewing but with proper
training, this can be corrected. The Labrador has
good energy without being hyperactive. Additionally,
if you want a pet to play with and train, the
Labrador naturally has an ability to fetch, often
chasing objects into the water. The nice thing about
this particular breed is that while it is mellow, if
a stranger were to approach, the Lab becomes
protective.
Again, training a Labrador is fun because of its
ability to learn so quickly. However, with a
fun-loving nature, you may need to be firm but do
not be too harsh, as this breed can get its feelings
hurt. Instead, praise and a small treat for
providing positive reinforcement, coupled with a
firm voice is all you need. The Labrador has one
goal in mind – to please its owner, loving attention
and fun.
Size and Color
This dog is strongly built with a proud and athletic
body. Because the body is well balanced, it is
incredibly skilled with retrieving. Generally, the
Labrador measures between 22.5 and 23.5 inches at
the withers. For weight, the male weighs in between
65 and 80 pounds while the female is slightly
smaller, between 50 and 70 pounds.
The Labs head is strong and well developed, the eyes
are friendly, with a look of intelligence and
alertness, and the ears should hang closely to the
head. The eye color of the Labrador Retriever ranges
from brown in the yellow and black variety while you
see brown or hazel-colored eyes in the chocolate
variety. For show and/or breeding purposes, the
Labrador should not have yellow or black eyes. In
addition, a Lab without pigmentation around the rims
would also be disqualified.
As mentioned, there are three varieties of the Lab
to include yellow, black, and chocolate. In all
cases, the coat should be short, straight, and
dense. Additionally, this breed has a soft undercoat
that is water resistant, keeping its body warm from
cold weather and water. Sometimes, a Lab will have a
slight waviness to the hair, which is acceptable.
However, a wooly, silky, or sparsely slick coat
would be penalized. For the coloring of this breed,
a small white spot on the chest would be allowed,
although it is not desirable. Other possibilities
include:
►
Black – All black is acceptable - Black with
tan or brindle markings would be a disqualification
►
Yellow – Yellow coloring can range from a fox
red to a light cream, as well as various shading
seen on the ears, under parts, and/or back
►
Chocolate – Shades of brown also vary from
light to dark – Chocolate coats with tan or brindle
markings would be disqualified
Feeding and Grooming Requirements
While most dogs love to eat, the Labrador Retriever
is without doubt one of the highest motivated
eaters. This particular breed will eat just about
anything offered although not everything is good.
Since the Labrador is prone to hip dysplasia, a
painful joint disease, it is important that you not
let your dog become overweight. While you might not
think a bite or two of table food is bad, you should
avoid this habit at all costs.
In addition, the Labrador sometimes has a sensitive
stomach, meaning poor quality dog food or people
food can cause upset stomachs, gas, vomiting, and/or
diarrhea. Therefore, we recommend you choose only
high quality food, providing your pet with
approximately four and one-half cups for a 60-pound
weight, adjusting accordingly. The best method is to
feed half of the food in the morning, and the other
half in the evening. Some people choose to feed this
breed homemade food, which if prepared properly is
an option. We also suggest you determine the brand
of food fed by the breeder and then continuing this
when you bring your new puppy home.
The most important thing when it comes to feeding
this breed is to provide adequate levels of calcium,
at least while in the growing phase. As stated, some
people choose to make food, which is fine. However,
if you go this route, make sure you feed your pet
30% lean meat to 70% cereals that would include a
good mix of minerals and vitamins. Additionally, the
food should contain 2% of calcium, an important
ingredient due to the dog’s large bone structure.
As far as grooming, a black Lab generally sheds much
less than a yellow Lab. Regardless of color, expect
to have shedding, especially in the spring and fall
when the undercoat sheds heavily. To reduce the
amount of shedding, you want to brush your Labrador
daily, using a soft-bristle, slicker, or mitten type
brush. In addition, two baths a month will help to
some degree.
While it might be tempting to shave your Lab, we
strongly discourage this since the hair helps keep
the dog warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
The goal with this breed is to remove the dead coat,
which then allows the new, less shedding coat to
come in. For some people, the shedding of a Labrador
is a problem but you need to understand this is
simply a part of the breed so expect some grooming
on a daily basis.
Exercise Needs
This breed of dog is highly energetic, loving to
play and train. Therefore, it is important that you
provide adequate exercise, while making activities
fun. Because of the need for exercise, most people
will spend time in the backyard or at a local park,
playing with a ball or Frisbee. One vital piece of
information pertaining to the Labrador Retriever is
that while your dog is still a young puppy, you do
not want to offer too much exercise, which could
cause bone damage. For this reason, keep exercise
and activity to a moderate level through the first
six months of life.
