Having worked with Labs for many years I have compiled a short list of the 10 most common Labrador Retriever Questions that people ask. The list addresses a few Labrador common problems but is not comprehensive. If you are searching for a Labrador puppy then this will give you a good base of information for this most popular breed. For our Frequently asked Questions see more here.
Are there Different Breeds of Labrador Retriever?
The short answer is no. In order to understand this it is important to know that the answer depends on the person you ask. If you are qualifying different types of Labs using one of the kennel clubs such as the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) or the American Kennel Club (AKC) in the United States, then they only recognize one Labrador Retriever breed which comes in one of three colors-Black, Yellow and Chocolate. The English Kennel Club is also on board with this classification. Other colors of Labs such as Charcoal, Red and Silver Labs are possible however the other colors are variations of one of these colors and are registered as such. There are however different looks of Labradors. American Labs are taller with longer legs, leaner bodies, longer to more easily retriever large birds, better suited for retrieving and so on. British Labs or English Labs are the show dogs also called conformation dogs. The British Labradors are bred to meet the CKC or the AKC guidelines for look and size, are a little chunkier, have shorter snouts and generally not as good in the field physically.
Where does the Labrador Retriever Breed Come From?
These dogs are a mix of smaller dogs mated with Newfoundland dogs on the Atlantic Coast of Canada at and around St. John. They have webbed toes to help them swim and were bred in the 1500’s to dive into the coastal waters and retrieve fish and also bring the nets in for their fishermen handlers. They have a thicker, oily double coat that keeps them insulated from the cold. The Labrador Retriever was then taken over to England where the breed became a hunting dog of the wealthy and later returned to America to retrieve along side of their Chesapeake Bay Retrievers.
Are Labrador Retrievers Good Pets?
If you get a Labrador Retriever puppy you just may be amazed at how well they can be trained as a family pet. In fact they are arguably the best dog breed to have as a family pet. The Labrador Breed is even tempered and very eager to please their handlers. If they are properly socialized they will welcome anyone who may come into your home, and, if you crate train from the beginning potty training should be relatively simple and be achievable within 2 to 4 weeks.
Are Labradors Easy to Train.
The Labrador Breed is a working breed. This means they have been selectively bred over the course of about 400 years to be smart dogs eager to please their handlers. This is why training and socialization should begin when the Lab puppy is only 8 weeks old. There is a training window when they are most accepting of instruction between 8 and 16 weeks. The old wives tale says to wait until they are a year old, however, we have been able to train chocolate lab puppies to sit, stay, come, down, fetch, and heel all within about 5 days. It is however, important that you take a positive reinforcement training approach. Once you are clear to them and they understand they can learn just over 200 words and the actions associated to those commands.
Do Labrador Retrievers Make Good Hunting Dogs?
Yes! Labs make excellent hunting dogs and can be taught many K9 hunting methods beyond Duck and Goose retrieving. Their specialty is diving into a lake from a boat in the cold fall weather and returning their hunter their fallen fowl. Don’t worry, the cold water is no issue for them. If looking for a Labrador dog to use for hunting retrieving look for parents who have high energy and be sure you keep your dog at a healthy weight to help avoid hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia.
Are Labs Hypo Allergenic?
The short answer is no. Labradors are better than some other breeds for allergy sufferers, but the best breeds for avoiding allergies are the Portuguese Water Dogs and Poodles. If you suffer from allergies take some time and spend it with a Labrador to see if their proteins in dogs’ skin and saliva or even dander in the fur irritate you. You just may find out that you are able to tolerate your symptoms or, you may not even have any!
How Long do Labrador Retrievers Live?
This is a complex question and most people have their own interpretation of the answers. The average age of the Labrador is between. Other than having common Labrador Health problems, they normally live between 10 and 12 years. Now, having said that I have seen them die earlier and I have also seen them live until 17 or even 18 years old. length of their lives depends on a few things, first their genetics. Once you have good genetics then what you feed them and how they exercise will determine their length and also quality of life. As in humans, if you eat fast food and don’t exercise regularly then your chances of a long healthy life are a little less. Feed your Labrador a good quality food and be sure they get regular exercise. So if your Lab is not really well taken care of then they might die at 8 or 9 which would be around 50 or 55 in human years. This is a pretty common age for some humans who drink a lot, eat fast food, are obese and don’t exercise. On the other hand, a well taken care of dog will live happily for a few more years on to about 70 or 80 in human years.
Do Labs make good Emotional Support or Comfort dogs?
Yes they do and don’t forget therapy dogs or guide dogs. Being a working breed who is eager to please their handlers they can be trained for many difference service dog tasks such as Police work, Bomb or Drug Dogs, PTSD service dogs, Diabetic dogs, Cancer sniffing dogs and more. When teaching them to become a comfort dog they are of course trained in basic obedience as well as being able to tolerate the hugs, crying and such from their handlers.
How Much Exercise Does a Lab Need?
Again, Labs are working dogs and working dogs will need to be stimulated both physically and mentally each day. No, there is no reason to believe that any color of Lab will need more exercise than the next. A black Lab for example can have all three colors of Lab so if a Black Lab can pass all colors, then the color of the fur is not linked to any specific trait. Be sure that when exercising your Lab that there are two aspects of exercise. One being intensity and the other being duration. It may be that your walks are not high enough intensity for your dog so if you find them getting into trouble get a ball and play some open yard fetch.
Do Labradors Need A Lot of Grooming?
Labs have a short top coat and a thicker undercoat. Generally they don’t need a lot of grooming but shedding is normal in the spring and fall or after a mother has a litter. Normally all you would need to do would be to give them a brush once a week unless you are in the spring or fall. At these times there may be more dead hair on one day than another. Brushing for a week or two during this time may be required each day.
And, as a bonus answer if you are wondering how to introduce your new puppy to your cat, have a read here.
