Labrador Retriever Information
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In 1882 a traveler in Newfoundland reported a number of small water dogs and said the dogs were admirably trained as retrievers of fowl. The shorthaired dog is preferred because of the frosty weather since the longer coated dogs would become covered in ice when getting out of the water.
The Labrador gradually died out in Newfoundland due to the expensive dog taxes. With the English quarantine law, that practically stopped the importations into England. After that, many Labradors were interbred with other types of retrievers. Fortunately, the Labrador Retriever characteristics predominated. Finally, fanciers who desired to stop the interbreeding drew up a breed standard so they would discourage crossings with the other retrievers.
The Labrador Retriever was first recognized as a separate breed by the English Kennel Club in 1903. The first registration with the American Kennel Club came in 1917. In England, no Labrador Retriever can become a dog show champion unless he has a working certificate as well. In America, the Labrador Retriever became mainly a retriever trial and shooting dog.
They are very easy to get along with, though many can be very hyper if not properly trained when young. They are very friendly and get along great with nearly everyone, however if there is an intruder, your Labrador Retriever will be there to protect their home and family.
The Labrador Retriever can be three colors, black, yellow and chocolate. There are Silver Labrador Retrievers, however these are registered as chocolate since the breed standard allows for a variety of shades of chocolate. There is a great debate over the silver color, some believe they are not purebred Labrador Retrievers, others are adamant that they are.
Grooming a Labrador Retriever is very simple, bathing and brushing as needed as well as weekly ear cleaning and nail trimming. Labrador Retrievers are shedders. Just because they have a short coat doesn't mean that they will not shed. Labrador Retrievers are actually fairly heavy shedders, if not groomed often. It is very important to clean the Labradors ears on a regular basis. Labradors tend to get ear infections easily, and prevention is better than constant treatment. If your Labrador is one who swims or gets wet often, the ears must be cleaned after these activities to prevent an ear infection starting from the moisture in the ear.
In The United States, there are two types of Labrador Retrievers- English Labrador and American Labrador, these may also be called Show Bred and Field bred. The English bred, or show bred are heavier, thicker and blockier. The American Bred, or field bred are tall and lanky.
It is extremely important that your Labrador is lead trained at a young age. Many Labs who are not properly trained will tend to pull excessively while on-lead, making it very difficult to control them. Obedience training is recommended for Labrador Retriever owners.
They tend to gain weight very easily in adulthood, usually after age four. To help prevent hip and joint problems in your adult Labrador, be sure to watch the dogs weight closely.
Health concerns with the Labrador Retriever include Hip Dysplasia, Ectropion, Entropion and Allergies.
Sadly, Labrador Retrievers tend to be massively over bred by a great deal of people who know little to nothing about how to correctly breed dogs. Due to the over breeding, it has changed many Labrador Retrievers for the worse. Health and temperament problems are increased, and you may end up with a Labrador who is not very nice and has Hip Dysplasia at a very young age.
Select a breeder who tests their dogs for health problems prior to breeding. Ask to see the OFA/Pennhip records to show that their joints are in good condition. If the breeder does not test for this, walk away. If you cannot find a good breeder near you, try a breed rescue group or even your local human shelter. Both will most likely have plenty of Labradors of all ages for you to select from. At least by going to a shelter or rescue, the unethical breeders will not be profiting from breeding incorrectly.
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