The Labrador Retriever is one of the most popular dog breeds in the world, considering the number of registered specimens. It is also known as Labrador Retriever, Labrador Retriever, or Labrador Retriever. It is a breed native to Newfoundland, today's Canada. It is a noble, beautiful and very intelligent dog, suitable for all types of families.
If you are thinking of adopting a Labrador Retriever dog, it is very important that you first pay attention to the characteristics and character of this animal to carry out the education, training and care it needs, because It is a particularly intelligent and active dog.
Although we generally speak of a kind, docile and very patient dog, we must know that he is also a tireless friend who will need long hours of exercise and games to keep fit and avoid becoming overweight, a common problem in this breed.
Discover in this breed file on our site the characteristics, character and care of the Labrador Retriever, one of the most loved dogs in the world. world.
Origin of the Labrador Retriever
Despite its name, which refers to the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the International Cinological Federation (FCI) recognizes the origin of the Labrador Retriever in Great BritainHowever, the history of this popular breed is related to the island of Newfoundland and, more precisely, to the Canadian city of Saint John.
It is likely that the Saint John's dog, the direct ancestor of the Labrador Retriever, was descended from British Water Dogs. These water dogs would have been brought to the island of Newfoundland by English fishermen. On the island, the San Juan dog would have developed, which was used by fishermen to help in fishing activities, dragging lines of fishing nets to the shore.
The Labrador Retriever, therefore, had to be hardy, hard-working and good swimmers. They also needed to have thick fur to protect them from the frigid waters of the north and thick tails to serve as rudders. The smaller variety of San Juan dogs would have given rise to different breeds of retrievers, among which is the Labrador Retriever.
In the mid-19th century, some San Juan dogs were exported to England, where they were employed by a handful of breeders to obtain the "perfect" retriever. It was thus that, after several generations and a meticulous selection, the Labrador Retriever dog was born in England. In the first two decades of the 20th century, the morphological foundations of the breed, as we know it today, were established in England. At that time there were already several retrievers registered with the Kennel Club in England.
Labradors were imported into the United States during World War I. World War II had disastrous consequences for this breed, as it did for all other breeds, and dog breeding was relegated to a less than secondary role.
After World War II, the Labrador Retriever became popular. Little by little he was demonstrating his great qualities as a hunting dog, but what earned him the greatest popularity was his good character added to his pleasant appearance.
Today the Labrador Retriever excels in many activities. It is one of the preferred dogs for K-SAR groups (search and rescue dogs), as a guide for the blind, assistance dog, therapy dog and the most popular canine pet in the world.
Characteristics of the Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever is a medium-sized dog, with a muscular, strong and compact body For males, the height at the withers is between 56 and 57 centimeters For females, the height at the withers is Between 54 and 56 centimeters The weight of males must be between 27 and 34 kilogramsThe weight of females must be between 25 and 32 kilograms The main characteristics of your body are as follows:
- Broad and deep chest.
- Straight back.
- Slightly longer than tall.
- Broadhead.
- Long and wide snout.
- Stop pronounced.
- Scissor bite.
- Strong Jaws.
- Ears are medium-sized and hang to the sides of the head.
- Eyes with a lively and intelligent expression.
- The tail, characteristic of this breed, is thick at the base and ends in a point.
Labrador retriever colors
The Labrador Retriever is the color Brown or Chestnut. It has abundant fur that gives it a rounded appearance, which is why it is called "otter tail". It should never be curved on the back.
The Labrador Retriever's coat is short, dense and undulatingThis breed has a double coat. The inner layer is soft and waterproof. The outer mantle is harder and helps maintain impermeability. The accepted colors for the Labrador are black, chocolate and yellow The latter ranges from light cream to reddish tones. Small white spots on the Labrador Retriever's chest are acceptable.
What is the Labrador Retriever puppy like?
The Labrador Retriever is usually very friendly with people and with dogs, but it must be properly socialized when it is still a puppy. A properly socialized Labrador Retriever is often an excellent companion for children.
It is important to educate him from puppyhood to avoid problems of excessive attention seeking and separation anxiety. Also, Labradors tend to have a prolonged adolescence, so they are not the best pets for people who prefer a sedentary life. They are a good option for those who enjoy physical activities outdoors.
Labrador retriever character
One of the most remarkable characteristics of the Labrador Retriever is its character. Due to their friendly appearance and exceptionally sociable nature, this dog breed has been the most popular dog breed in the world for over a decade. In addition, the stability of character of these dogs has made them great partners of humanity, collaborating as rescue dogs, therapy dogs, assistance dogs and much more.
The Labrador Retriever is sociable, friendly, loyal, intelligent, and fun-loving. This breed is easy to train, making it a good companion if you have enough time and space.
This breed has a lot of energy and needs a lot of exercise. For this reason, although it can adapt to living in an apartment, it is necessary for it to receive long walks and be able to play with other dogs. The Labrador Retriever's fondness for water is one of its behavioral characteristics. The breed also has a remarkable predisposition to collect, so it is easy to teach them to fetch things. Despite its great qualities, the Labrador Retriever tends to ask for attention frequently.
Many Labradors tend to rush toward other dogs, and this can cause conflict with unfamiliar dogs. However, the Labrador Retriever is not fond of fights and usually avoids them, although he can get into trouble because of his drive and energy.
Labrador retriever care
The Labrador Retriever can get used to living in a small flat if given enough walks and exercise. The ideal would be to offer him about three daily walks, well distributed during the day. It will be important to look at the typical mistakes of the walk to try to avoid them. This routine should be combined with some active exercise for adult dogs, as the Labrador Retriever is a breed known for its insatiable appetite which can lead to obesity if allowed. In addition, exercise will help channel their active and restless temperament, which is very common in this breed.
The toys will be very important for the Labrador Retriever and will help us find new ways to channel all the energy that this dog carries inside. Discover on our site some intelligence toys for dogs and do not hesitate to provide them regularly. Some Labrador Retrievers get into the habit of biting everything when they are puppies. Classic teethers will help us solve this problem.
Finally we remember the importance of bathing him every month or month and a half as well as brushing him. This will help prevent the appearance of parasites and our Labrador Retriever will enjoy silky, shiny and clean hair.
Labrador retriever education
The Labrador Retriever is a dog that is relatively easy to educate and train due to its sociable nature and predisposition to affection and rewards. The ideal will be to start working from his puppy stage dog socialization, a process that we will continue working on until his adult stage. We must relate him to all kinds of people, animals and objects, thus avoiding the development of phobias and fears in his adult stage.
On the other hand, it will also be very important to learn basic obedience commands, such as sitting down, staying put or going to the call. All these commands will not only help us in the security of the dog, they will also make our relationship with him a good one and we will stimulate him mentally. Since the Labrador Retriever has excellent qualities, it will not hurt to stimulate him with games and activities of all kinds One way to keep the Labrador Retriever agile and happy, put who loves games and fun.
Labrador Retriever He alth
The Labrador Retriever has a life expectancy of 10 to 12 years It is a relatively he althy dog and long-lived, who stands out for his good physical shape and excellent he alth. However, the excessive inbreeding to which this breed has been subjected can cause genetic diseases that, unfortunately, usually appear when the dog ages. A very common example is hip dysplasia.
When the dog is a puppy we must give him his first vaccinations and we will continue with his vaccination schedule throughout his life. This will prevent you from suffering from some of the most dangerous diseases for dogs.
For our dog to enjoy an enviable state of he alth, the ideal would be to go to the vet every 6 months for a basic check-up that It will tell us if everything is going well. In the same way, we can prevent the onset of some diseases by providing good care for our Labrador Retriever dog.
Finally, it should be noted that Labrador retrievers are prone to suffering from obesity and that is because they have an affinity for sweets and if their daily exercise is not enough begin to develop this he alth problem, which also leads to the appearance of muscle and joint problems. Discover on our site how to prevent obesity in dogs.
Where to adopt a Labrador retriever?
Before adopting a Labrador Retriever you should give it walks and enough exercise, as it is a dog that needs movement. In addition, this will help you channel his active and restless temperament, as we have previously mentioned. If you think you are the right person to adopt a dog of this breed, you can look at protectors or shelters near your home.
