The Labrador retriever is one of the most popular dog breeds in the world due to its great intelligence and affectionate character with the families with which it lives. However, due to his physical condition and temperament, we must force ourselves to be responsible in order to provide him with adequate care for this noble breed.
Continue reading this post, since in it our site will tell you the care of the Labrador retriever more peremptory.
Basic and he alth care of the Labrador Retriever dog
A basic mandatory care that we must have with our Labrador retriever when adopting it, will be the unavoidable first visit to the vet to check it and apply all the corresponding vaccinationsThe veterinarian will also place the identification chip, as required by law.
It is advisable to carry out a couple of annual visits to the vet to properly monitor the dog and detect deviations in weight and relative cheers.
Feeding the Labrador Retriever
The Labrador retriever should always eat sufficiently, but frugal. This breed has a tendency to gain weight, so we must get him used to eating at certain times, and once the appropriate time has passed remove the feeder.
The vet should set the correct feeding guidelines, and in the event that the Labrador gains weight, it is likely that he will prescribe low-calorie feed. We should not give him the leftovers of human food, nor an excess of sweets.
If your Labrador Retriever is overweight, don't hesitate to visit our article on how to make your dog lose weight and the different exercises for obese dogs that you can encourage him to practice.
Exercise for labrador retrievers
Labrador Retrievers need to get enough exercise on a daily basis, since they mentally need an adequate level of activity to not fall into boredom. It is one of the most important Labrador retriever care to take into account.
We must teach him to chase and return the ball, a game that excites him and lends itself willingly to practice on a daily basis.
If we correctly follow the dietary and exercise guidelines, the Labrador retriever will be able to live with us in a small apartment. Of course, a house with a garden where the dog could run around would be ideal. He is a dog that will greatly enjoy exercising with us on a bicycle, an exercise that forces him to jog smoothly
Labrador Socialization
The Labrador Retriever needs correct socialization from puppyhoodso that he learns to relate correctly to pets and dogs. If the Labrador is properly socialized, he will become a wonderful pet with children Collaborating tirelessly and patiently in their games.
It is not a suitable breed as a guard dog, although it does have a moderate guard instinct that at a given moment will push it to defend us from any aggression.
The Labrador is a collection dog, therefore he should be taught to fetch, an activity he will greatly enjoy. He can start by bringing the ball thrown by us, to later teach him to bring the shoes, the newspaper or other utensils that he can transport without risk. He should not be taught to sew or iron
How to communicate with the Labrador retriever
The Labrador retriever is an easy dog to train due to his good nature, however he has a delicate point that we will always keep in mind: he can't stand shouting or mistreatment.
We must be a guide for the dog and get him used to obey all our commands, but with insistent patience. Because if we lose our temper and make the mistake of yelling at him, the Labrador will immediately lose confidence in us and will not obey us; being very unruly and returning to the destructive habits of his childhood
One characteristic of the Labrador puppy is that he is quite destructive during his puppyhood and "adolescence" stage. Juvenile period that is longer than among other races.
Slippers, children's toys and other objects scattered around the home must be safeguarded from the investigative habit of the farmer, whose investigation is usually reduced to a complete breakdown of the interesting element to be investigated. These repeated and conscientious shredding are often crowned with the ingestion of some piece (or all pieces) of the thing under investigation. Obviously tummy aches are common
A recipe that the vet recommended to me when my Afghan greyhound Naím in his youth ate a large wooden spoon (which apparently still had the appetizing aroma of the stews), managing to fill himself with pungent splinters the stomach, was the following:
"Prepare a dough made up of mashed potatoes and a good amount of pharmaceutical cotton in a bowl. Mix well all the dough that should be pasty, and give it to the dog in small quantities, not excessively"
The cotton filaments ripped the splinters out of the stomach and everything followed its natural course. After a couple of days, Naím was so cool, but with a huge aversion to wooden spoons.
Feeding the Labrador retriever
We have already discussed the Labrador retriever's tendency to obesity. This means that we must always supervise their diet. If the dog or bitch is neutered or sterilized, it will be necessary to feed them with specific feed for this circumstance. When it reaches old age, it will be necessary to feed it with "grandfather" dog food.
Returning to the topic of ingesting foreign or slightly toxic objects, I'll tell you about a trick that the vet recommended to me in his day after consulting him by phone. Since my ineffable Afghan greyhound Naím had gobbled up a beautiful plasticine boat that my daughter had made as a school project. The vet told me:
"Grab a handful of kitchen s alt. Open the dog's mouth. Throw the s alt down the throat. Close his mouth, preventing him from opening it for about 10 or 12 seconds. Leave the dog Calm down. Fill a bowl with water."
This action produces a kind of instant stomach flush for the dog, since it immediately vomits all the stomach contents. For a few minutes the dog is knackered, but he soon recovers. If this drastic action is not carried out immediately, the dog can become intoxicated and endanger his life. This will only be done when we detect that our dog has ingested an object very recently and the digestion process has not yet started, being able to make him vomit the ingested item. If it's been a while since eating, it's better to call the vet for advice.
Like most large breeds, Labrador Retrievers can suffer from hip dysplasia. Yet another reason not to let them get fat. Its average life is 10 to 12 years.
Labrador retriever coat care
The Labrador Retriever has a coat that is very easy to care for. A good brushing 2 or 3 times a week will keep his beautiful coat in good condition. If we brush it every day for 5 minutes, the dog will be spotless and we will also cause a very beneficial effect mentally, since they are very emotional dogs, and they need to feel about yes the care of their caregivers.
There are even Labrador retrievers that get a little heavy when requesting a high level of attention.
The bath will be done approximately monthly or when the dog is really dirty. Unlike other breeds, the Labrador has a very resistant coat that will not suffer too much from contact with water, as can happen with other breeds.
