Family-friendly: | 5/5 |
Exercise needs: | 5/5 |
Easy to train: | 5/5 |
Tolerates being alone: | 2/5 |
Likes other pets: | 5/5 |
Energy level: | 5/5 |
Grooming needs: | 4/5 |
Shedding: | 5/5 |
- Dog suitable for non-experienced owners
- Extra training required
- Need to be aware of potential health issues
- Enjoys vigorous walks
- Enjoys more than two hours of walking a day
- Large dog
- Some drool
- Requires grooming once a week
- Quiet dog
- Welcomes everyone happily
- Generally friendly with other dogs
- Gets along with other pets with training
- Great family dog
- Needs a large garden
- Can live in semi-rural areas
- Can be left alone with training
As with many breeds, Labrador dogs can suffer from:
- Hip dysplasia
- Elbow dysplasia
- Progressive retinal atrophy which is an inherited disorder where part of the eye degenerates and wastes away which can result in blindness.
- Multifocal retinal dysplasia which is an inherited eye condition that can seriously affect a dogs' vision.
- Total retinal dysplasia which is a condition where the back of the eye does not develop properly, which can lead to complete blindness.
- Retinal pigment epithelial dystrophy which is where deposits form in the eye and this can result in damage to the eye and blindness in dim light.
- Hereditary cataracts which is a condition where the lens in the eye becomes cloudy and this can result in blindness.
- Laryngeal paralysis, a condition where nerve damage develops in the vocal cords and this can lead to problems breathing.
- Epilepsy¹ which is a condition where abnormal brain function can lead to seizures which damage the brain.
- Centronuclear myopathy which is a disease where a dog has insufficient muscle fibres which leads to muscle weakness.
- Exercise-induced collapse which is a condition that can cause problems with nerve communication during exercise and can result in collapse.
- Skeletal dysplasia which is a form of dwarfism where the long bones stop growing before they are fully developed.
- Hereditary nasal parakeratosis which is a condition affecting the cells in the nose which causes the nose to dry out and become inflamed.
Priority Kennel Club health schemes and testing:
- Hip dysplasia screening scheme
- Elbow dysplasia screening scheme
- Eye screening scheme
¹L. Kearsley-Fleet et al, 'Prevalence and risk factors for canine epilepsy of unknown origin in the UK', Jan 2013, Veterinary Record
Meet the Labrador!
Labrador Appearance
Labradors are large, strongly built dogs with good bone and substance. Their heads are broad with soft, intelligent looking eyes that are the perfect indicators of their friendliness and generally easy-going nature. Their tails are described as being “otter-like” and are both strong and almost constantly wagging.
The Labrador colours vary from black and yellow, to chocolate, with some dogs sporting different shades and hues.
Labrador Personality
The Labrador Retriever is an active, friendly, loving dog who thrives on human companionship, wanting nothing more than to please their owners (except perhaps eat anything and everything, and jump in any water they can find!). They are ideal pets for households with children and they get on well with other household animals.
Labradors are a very happy breed, extremely affectionate, constantly wagging their tails and always on the go. They are easily trained, being eager to learn, and to please, and can turn their paw to just about anything. They are total foodies however, which helps with their training, but not their waistlines!
The Labrador Retriever breed originated not in Labrador, but on the coast of Newfoundland, in the 17th century. They were trained to bring in the fishing-nets through the icy waters for the fishermen and, in the early 19th century, were brought to Poole Harbour in Great Britain.
They were so attractive and with such appealing personalities that the fishermen had umpteen offers from Englishmen to buy them. The breed with their working abilities was instantly successful as a gundog. The Earl of Malmesbury became fascinated by these dogs, known at that time as Saint John's Dogs, and he started breeding them, calling them Labrador Dogs. Today, Labradors are still used as working gundogs as well as being beloved family pets.
Ideal Lab owners enjoy long walks, are mud-proof and water-proof, and have the time, patience and skill to teach this breed to be a polite member of society. Although universally thought of as the ultimate, easy-going family dog (and they do generally love everyone!), without training and plenty of exercise, young Labradors can be distinctly thuggish and rude in their over-enthusiasm, so don’t fall into the trap of thinking they’re born steady and reliable! Great for active families with children who can take part in training and exercise – and who can walk this active gundog a couple of hours every day in all weathers.
Labradors will adapt to the amount of time you can allocate for their exercise, as long as they are kept active. Ideally, a couple of hours a day being a good amount for a healthy adult. They love long walks with a chance to run and play off the lead. Many Labradors, unfortunately, become overweight because they are bought by families who want them for their reputation as the perfect dog with children, without realising that this is a working dog, who needs a lot of exercise and training to stay happy and healthy.
As well as walks, a Labrador will revel in games and play with their owner, as they are highly social, and need to be involved in all family activities.
The Labrador is a large, active breed who is at heart a country dog, and so needs a good-sized living space. As the Labrador size is large and their energy is high, they will appreciate a large garden and need access to the great outdoors for long walks.
Large breed dogs, as well as having large appetites, benefit from a different balance of nutrients including minerals and vitamins compared to smaller-breed dogs. The Labrador is prone to bloating and stomach problems; smaller, more frequent meals can help minimise this risk.
Your dog's diet needs to have the right balance of all the main nutrient groups including a constant supply of fresh water. It's important to conduct regular body condition scores to ensure you keep your dog in ideal shape and remember to feed them at least twice daily and in accordance with the feeding guidelines of their particular food. Proper nutrition along with care can contribute to a Labrador lifespan reaching 14 years.
The Labrador grooming process is fairly easy as their coats are simple to maintain. Even though the Labrador size is large, their coat is thick and dense with a weather-resistant undercoat that can easily be kept clean with a simple brush through once a week, and more regular attention when moulting. However, they do love water and mud, and so they may need more regular grooming to keep them clean. Watch out for grass seeds in the summer as they tend to charge around the countryside!
Labradors are generally a joy to train as they are both clever and biddable, and love working with their owner. Despite being generally unproblematic, they do still need training as they have a need to work and to keep their busy brains occupied. Plus, they can easily get overly-boisterous, and even destructive, if not given plenty of exercise, and an outlet for their hard-wired breed behaviours.
Being a retrieving breed, it’s especially important to train them using positive, reward-based methods to happily give up any ‘prizes’ they find that they might otherwise want to keep hold of!
There is a good reason why the Labrador has a reputation as being, almost, the perfect family dog. This is a breed who loves everyone and everything. Their only drawback is that they need a lot of exercise, and so they need an active family who enjoy walking and games.
All dogs and children need to be taught to get on with and respect each other, and be safe together. Even so, dogs and young children should never be left alone together and adults should supervise all interactions between them.
Labrador Fun Facts
- Originally, Labrador Retrievers worked with fishermen and were bred to bring back fish-laden nets.
- Labradors have turned their paw to a whole host of dog careers, including: drug and explosive detection, search and rescue, and even guide dogs!
- They’re one of the most popular dog breeds in the USA and UK.
- Labradors are excellent swimmers due to their webbed toes.
- A litter can sometimes contain puppies with all three Labrador colours (black, yellow and chocolate).
- The world’s first diabetic alert dog was a Labrador called Armstrong!
- Labradors are very popular among royals, with Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Silvia of Sweden, and Prince Charles famously owning one.
FAQs
Are Labradors lazy?
Labradors are known to be highly active and outgoing, but as they get older, they might be prone to becoming lazier.
What should I know about a Labrador?
Labradors simply adore water, so you should be expecting lots of jumping in puddles and getting messy. Also, they are easily trained and are versatile workers so they can be taught to do almost anything.
Are Labradors smart?
In general, Labradors are considered very smart dogs. Given their breeding as hunters, they possess very heightened instincts and intelligence.
Do Labradors bark a lot?
The Labrador breed is not particularly chatty and they will usually keep quiet, unless they want to get someone’s attention or feel provoked.
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