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Labradors are
popular, aren't they?
What is the
difference between a Labrador and a Retriever?
Which kind of Labrador will make a better hunter?
Do Labradors shed?
How much grooming do
they need?
Are Labs hyper?
Do they make good guard
dogs?
How are they with
children?
Do they bark a lot?
How do I choose a puppy?
Will
a male or female Labrador make a better pet?
Help, my Lab was sprayed by a skunk!
Yes. Since 1991, they have been the top registered dog with the
AKC. At the end of 1997, the U.S. President got a chocolate Labrador. This means
that there are a lot of people out there breeding Labradors hoping to make a few
quick bucks (as opposed to improving the breed). You need to be very careful
about where you get your Labrador. Disreputable breeders are the primary source
for hyper, ill-behaved and ill-favored Labradors. With a bit of research and
care, you can find good puppies. The average price for a properly bred Labrador
puppy is about 400-600 dollars, more for a show or field trial quality puppy. If
you are asked to pay substantially more or less for a puppy without good reason
given, be wary.
Many times, it is attempted to pass off dogs as full-blood
Labradors, there are breed standards that an animal must meet to be considered
pure-bred,
Look Here!
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Retrievers are a type of dog. They are, literally, dogs that
retrieve and were originally bred to retrieve game for hunters both on land and
in the water. There are six breeds recognized as Retrievers by the AKC. They
are: Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Flat
Coated Retrievers, Curly Coated Retrievers and Irish Water Spaniels. There are
other breeds of Retrievers not currently recognized by the AKC, for example
CKC's Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever.
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Actually, they do. Labradors have what is called a double coat.
This means that they have a soft, downy undercoat and a harder guard coat. These
two types of coat help keep the dog warm and dry while swimming in cold waters
when retrieving ducks. Generally Labradors will shed their coat twice a year.
This is called "blowing" their coat. They are moderate shedders, not
enthusiastic ones such as Alaskan Malamutes or German Shepherd Dogs. There will
be a certain amount of hair loss throughout the year, especially in more
temperate climates. This varies individually; some Labradors shed less than
others.
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Most Labradors, make great hunters. Your own level of expertise
in picking out likely puppies and training them is probably as important as the
pedigree of the dog. You should consider what kind of hunting you do, how much
experience you have, and discuss all of this with the breeders you consult. If
you are specifically interested in field trials, you are advised to look for
good field trial kennels. (Just as, if you are interested in showing in
conformation, you should look for good breed ring kennels.) This split is
unfortunate, but it does occur since both field trials and conformation trials
are essentially highly specialized sports. Very few breeders have the resources
to compete seriously in both.
No matter which lines you are interested in, you should try to find the puppies
that are well balanced with correct structure and conformation as the base.
Whether you are interested in pet, show, hunting, etc., will determine the other
characteristics that you want. But an unsound dog does not make a good show dog,
hunter, obedience dog, nor pet!
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A Labrador with standard temperament is never hyperactive.
Individual dogs can be. With the steady increase of popularity of the breed in
recent years, more and more Labradors are being bred by people who have less
regard for temperament than established breeders. Some people claim that field
line Labradors are hyper and show lines are mellow. Others claim that field line
Labradors are mellow and show lines are hyper! In reality, it appears that
"backyard bred" Labradors have by far the worst temperaments. If you don't breed
for good temperaments, you won't get them except by accident. ("Backyard
breeders" refers to people with little or no knowledge of breeding dogs doing so
mostly for the money or because it seems the thing to do, or even by accident. There are plenty of small-scale, or
hobby, breeders with wonderful reputations for producing sound, good tempered,
well-balanced dogs.)
The best advice for finding a Labrador with the right temperament is to
thoroughly investigate the breeders you are considering. Ask to see their other
dogs--this should give you an idea of the energy level you can expect from their
puppies. Ask for the names of other people who have previously purchased dogs
from them -- and then contact these people and ask them whether they'd recommend
this breeder or not. Labradors with poor temperaments are often the result of
thoughtless breeding and will not appear in dogs from either show lines or field
lines that have been conscientiously bred.
However, Labradors are active dogs especially in puppyhood. And Labradors often
do not fully mature until around 2 years of age! This means you will have a dog
that is mentally a puppy (with a puppy's energy) until this age regardless of
its physical size! Often a Lab puppy is labeled hyperactive when it is simply a
normal, exuberant and bouncy puppy. If you are prepared to deal with this period
of time in their lives, and will commit to necessary basic training, you will
not have problems. It is the people caught unprepared who then label their puppy
hyperactive and incorrigible and dump it. We would like to stress that such
dogs, untrained and unexercised, WILL be a huge problem for their owners,
becoming destructive, unmanageable, and in many cases escape artists. Once under
proper discipline (which does NOT mean beating the dog!), most of these Labs
will shape up into good pets.
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Labs need to be brushed on a regular basis (about once a week)
to keep them clean. This will also help keep the shedding under control. A
"slicker" type brush, which you can buy at any pet store, works nicely. Labs,
like all dogs, need to have their toenails clipped regularly. You can get a
canine nail clipper at any pet store and your vet can demonstrate to you the
best way to clip their nails. Labs do not need to be bathed frequently. The
Labrador coat does not need constant attention. A true bath, which includes
shampooing the coat, is only necessary if the dog smells bad. Generally, if a
dog is merely dusty or muddy, you can rinse them off with plain water or wait
until they are dry and brush the dirt out to restore them to cleanliness.
Shampooing them too often is not a good idea as shampoo tends to strip the
natural oils out of their coats. A properly oily coat repels dirt and sheds
water easily. In general, Labrador coats are low-maintenance.
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Labradors are not reliable guards. Some can be protective and
most will probably bark if they hear or see something they don't like --
particularly if it is near their yard. If your main purpose in getting a dog is
to have a guard dog, a Labrador is not a good choice, but if you want an "alarm"
barker, most Labradors are fine.
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As a breed, Labradors tend to be good with children. However, as
with any dog, it is not a good idea to let puppies and children play unattended.
Both puppies and children tend to be unaware of their own size and strength and
could accidentally injure one another. Labradors aren't likely to intentionally
hurt anyone, but could knock a child over when they thought they were playing.
By the same measure, children can inadvertently hurt a puppy if they aren't
supervised. As a parent of a young child and the owner of a young Lab puppy,
realize that you will have to spend time teaching both the child and the puppy
how to behave around one another.
Note that a Labrador that is not well trained nor properly exercised is much
more of an accidental hazard to children than one who is kept firmly under
control.
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Bored Labradors can, but excessive barking is not generally
typical of the breed. Labradors often give a warning bark in response to an
unusual event that they feel needs your attention, such as "Hey, a car pulled
into the driveway!" Excessive barking is usually an indicator of other
problems.
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Most Labradors, make great hunters. Your own level of expertise
in picking out likely puppies and training them is probably as important as the
pedigree of the dog. You should consider what kind of hunting you do, how much
experience you have, and discuss all of this with the breeders you consult. Look
at our "How Do I Choose a Puppy Page". If
you are specifically interested in field trials, you are advised to look for
good field trial kennels. (Just as, if you are interested in showing in
conformation, you should look for good breed ring kennels.) This split is
unfortunate, but it does occur since both field trials and conformation trials
are essentially highly specialized sports. Very few breeders have the resources
to compete seriously in both.
No matter which lines you are interested in, you should try to find the puppies
that are well balanced with correct structure and conformation as the base.
Whether you are interested in pet, show, hunting, etc., will determine the other
characteristics that you want. But an unsound dog does not make a good show dog,
hunter, obedience dog, or pet!
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Both sexes make good pets. In general, male Labradors are more
dependent and females are somewhat independent. For example, if you are at home
working on your computer, your male Labrador will probably sleep right under
your feet while your female will probably sleep in the other room and just come
in and check on you periodically. A female will tend to be more
protective, while the male may have a tendency to wander, and to mark his
territory (lift his leg). Males are usually larger and stronger, therefore may
tolerate difficult hunting conditions better, on the other hand, a female
generally makes a better hunter..... all these comments are generalities, we are
splitting hairs when we try to say which gender makes a better pet. In opinion,
it's a toss up!
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If your retriever has an encounter with a skunk, combine in a large plastic
pail: 1 quart of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide, 1/2 cup baking soda and 3
tablespoons liquid dish soap. Wearing latex gloves, wash the dog thoroughly in
that mixture, rinse and repeat. Nothing works better.
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