Labrador Retriever

Owning a Labrador Retriever is one of the best experiences you can ever have. Labrador Retrievers, or Labs for short, are the most popular breed of dog by registered ownership in both the United Kingdom and the United States. They are an intelligent breed, friendly and energetic. They also possess a good-natured temperament and easy manners. All these characteristics make them exceptional companion and working dogs.

However, before you decide to get a Labrador Retriever, there are a few things you want to know about the breed first, starting with:

Origin

A common mistake that prospective owners of Labradors make is that the breed comes from Labrador, Canada, hence, the name. However, it is much more likely that Labrador Retrievers originated on Newfoundland, an island that is now part of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada. In fact, Labrador Retriever puppies were once called the “Lesser Newfoundland” or “St. John’s Dog.”

According to one account, Labrador Retrievers are a crossbreed between St. John’s Water Dog (now extinct) and the Newfoundland dog. This resulted in two distinct albeit closely related breeds: the Newfoundland used for hauling and the Labrador that are used for retrieval and pulling in nets from the water.

With their history of working in water, it is easy to assume that the Labrador Retriever is fond of water. Previous work includes assisting fishermen bring nets back to shore and retrieving ducks and water fowl from the water, much like other retriever type of dogs.

Now that you know how the Labrador Retriever came to be, time for you to learn how to take care of one.

Getting A Lab

Labrador Retrievers are easy to take care of. They are naturally people-oriented, which makes them highly sociable animals. You will have little trouble trying to get your Lab bond with other members of the family and even other pets.

There are three color varieties of Labs: yellow, black, and chocolate. Out of Labrador types, the most common is the Yellow Labrador Retriever, followed by black. Before their acceptance as standard Labrador types by the American Kennel Club, the Chocolate Labrador Retrievers were a lot less common.

No matter what type of Labrador Retriever you decided to get, they all have the same basic needs. Food and water, for instance, are important for your dog’s nutrition.

You’d be interested to know that Labrador Retrievers are particularly known for their appetite. Not generally choosy, most Labs will eat anything that isn’t nailed down. Just be sure not to give him too much food as this same big appetite can contribute to the Lab becoming overweight.

They are also frequently thirsty so be sure to always provide them with fresh, clean water.

With its high level of energy, the Labrador Retriever needs lots of exercise in order to help it channel all that extra energy. Otherwise, the dog may develop undesirable habits like digging. Another reason is that the Labrador may become overweight if not exercised properly. Utilizing at least 30 minutes of your time everyday for walking or running your Lab would be good. Labs love to run.

Labradors are naturally intelligent dogs so they are very easy to train. If you took yours when it was just a puppy, you might benefit from taking your dog to class for a little obedience training. Be sure to bring lots of treats, praises and love to each class. Not only will your new puppy learn to distinguish commands like “come” from “sit”, you will also have some great bonding time with your new pet. Enjoy quiet relaxing evenings with your Labrador Retriever.