Labrador Retriever
Labrador Retrievers are the most popular breed of dog in the United States today, and for good reason. They are playful, loving, and hardworking. They are well known as a true friend that can be counted on anytime, and anyplace. Their gentle, loving disposition makes them one of the best family dogs available.
Labs are gentle and make good pets for everyone, especially children and seniors, although as pups they can be quite energetic. They make good watchdogs, but not guard dogs. They have a formidable bark, and they will use it to keep an intruder at bay. But if that intruder should enter your home, most Labs would prefer to hold their flashlight and guide their way to actually biting them.
Labrador Retrievers are highly intelligent, and highly respected for their prowess at the great many jobs they perform. Labs can often be found working as guide dogs for the blind; service dogs for the disabled, search-and-rescue dogs for just about all agencies involved in such work, and as narcotics detection dogs. Labs are also outstanding obedience and field trial competitors.
Labrador Retrievers are really "Jacks of All Trades". In addition to making excellent service animals, they also enjoy hunting, tracking, retrieving, sledding, carting, agility, and competitive obedience. They enjoy doing pretty much anything and everything that their human partners do. Labs crave human companionship, and they enjoy doing just about anything you do, as long as you are doing it with them.
Labrador Retrievers will do "okay" living in an apartment - if properly exercised. But an average sized yard is certainly a better way to keep a Lab entertained. Labs are moderately active indoors, and if you forget to exercise your Lab puppy, he'll remind you by eating everything you own. No piece of furniture is too small for a Lab puppy to completely consume while you are at work.
Labs love to play in the water. And they love to swim. If you have property on or near water, you'll have a happy Lab.
Labrador Retrievers have smooth, shorthaired, double coats that are easy to groom. Comb and brush regularly with a firm, bristle brush, paying attention to the undercoat. Bathe or dry shampoo only when necessary. Labs are average shedders, which means you'll be seeing plenty of your dogs hair around the house. If you have an aversion to shedding, this may not be the dog for you.
The Labrador Retriever is a big dog, with an average adult weight of about 55-75 pounds, though some have been known to grow as large as 100 pounds. So obedience training, at a young age, is a must. Labs also have strong necks. So if you fail to leash train your Lab at a young age, you'll spend the rest of your Labs life wishing that you did.
Labs are a bit more dominant, and more independent than the Golden Retriever.
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Posted by Michael Worth at 07:35 PM on June 11, 2004 | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
I was unable to find the Australian Shepherd on your site, via search or a change in the url (address). I'm hoping that you will have time to add it in the future.
Posted by: Darcie at February 16, 2006 07:20 AM(I also apologize for posting this on the Golden Retriever board)
Your information on the Golden Retriever was very handy for my friend, whom I sent the site to. She bought her puppy last week.
Posted by: Darcie at February 16, 2006 07:21 AMI thank puppylabs are cool. I mean who don`t
Posted by: corey m aleksines at March 13, 2006 04:01 PM
