Retriever (Labrador)

The Labrador Retriever is a type of gun dog. They were once called the “Lesser Newfoundland” and had originated in the island of Newfoundland in Canada.

Labradors in general are a large athletic breed weighing around 65-90 pounds. They also serve as a good family dog because they are very obedient and love to be around children. They have a short and straight coat. On an average they shed it twice a year. Labrador Retrievers come in many a different colour coats. Black, shades of yellow, shades of brown, fox red and silver are just a few to name. It is also possible that different colour puppies are born at once from the same mother. Labradors have always been good swimmers because of their webbed feet. They enjoy playing in water and have a waterproof coat which repels water to some degree and keeps them dry once they are out of the water too.

The field bred Labradors are referred to as “American” and the show bred ones are referred to as English. The show bred dogs have a heavier build and a thicker coat. Field bred Labradors are lighter having long legs and a lighter coat. The field bred Labradors are not preferred as family pets sometimes as they are full of energy and tend to get aggressive. This can be fixed by proper training in an early age to prevent from having an uncontrolled leash pulling adult later on. Labradors mature at the age of 3 and exhibit puppyish behaviour till then, which is often misread as hyperactivity.

Labradors adapt to a variety of functions. They are also preferred because of the ease of which they can be trained to the point that they can even hold human hands or arms in their mouths with ease and gentleness. They are not suitable as guard dogs as they aren’t territorial and also considered to be a very easy going breed. Their ability to learn fast makes them the first choice for search and rescue and therapy work. Labradors have a big appetite, and some individuals may be very stubborn when it comes to food. Hence the owners must control the dog’s diet with great care from a very young age to avoid obesity and other health issues. Labradors are very intelligent and curious as a breed. They have very good concentration once they have their interest set. It is possible that sometimes under very rare conditions; they can plan a masterful exit by jumping over the fences out of boredom.

Labradors love being around and spending time with people but also have a tendency to get lost, not to mention there have been reports of them being stolen. Hence it is very advisable to the owners to microchip them with the name and house address or have them GPS tracked. Labradors do suffer from hip and elbow dysplasia. It is very common in the obese large dogs, and it can be prevented with the right diet. A study conducted by the food manufacturer over a span of 14 years showed that the Labradors with a lean body outlived their over fed counterparts by as much as 2 years.