Is a Labrador Retriever Right For You & Your Family?
By: Sharda Baker
Hello and welcome to this article
on discussing whether a Labrador
Retriever is a good choice of dog for you
and your family.
This is a very
important topic for anybody considering introducing
a Labrador into their family as some dog breeds may be
well suited to certain families and environments while some
dog breeds are not.
Please enjoy.
OK, lets get started then.
IS A LABRADOR
RETRIEVERRIGHT FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY?
EXERCISE
The Lab is a hunting dog and, as such, needs a considerable amount of exercise.
These dogs can self-exercise to a fair extent if they have a large,
fenced yard, but they are often rather more inclined to find a
comfortable spot to sleep while they are outdoors. The Lab that is kept
in a small sized yard or in a house will require one to
two long walks per day, ideally with a place to run
and play off the lead.
Since they are a very friendly dog when well socialized, Labrador
Retriever's they do well in a dog park or off leash area. Labs that do
not get enough exercise tend to have problems with excessive weight
gain and obesity as they mature (in a way, much like us humans I
guess!). Labradors will be more difficult to train when young
dogs than when slightly more mature, as they tend to be rather
rambunctious and hyperactive without enough physical exercise.
Labs will exercise themselves in a yard if they have a companion dog,
or have a family member that will come out and romp and play with them.
They are excellent retrievers and love
to play fetch for as long as their owner will keep up the
game.
LIVING SPACE
Labs need space
to stretch out and to move, as well as to investigate
their surroundings. They do
not do well in small, confined spaces
such as dog runs or kennels unless for very short periods of time.
A Lab that is placed in a confined
space during the day will often spend his or her time
figuring out how to climb, dig or chew his or her way out. In fact,
many of the common dog behavior problems stem back to the dog in
question being bored and understimulated. They can also start
barking or chewing other items as a way to show their boredom and
anxiety about being caged in too small a space. Labs can do well in a house
once they are trained,
and are usually very calm and sedate as long as they have the proper
amount of exercise.
HIGH ATTENTION NEEDS
Labs are very people oriented dogs, and potential owners should
understand that this breed needs to be actively involved with
the family. They love to be the center of attention, and
can be almost clownish in their attempts to get owners to play with
them or to spend some time petting and interacting with the dog. This
behavior doesn’t usually change too dramatically even as the
dog matures.
They will naturally come over and place their head on your knee, gazing longingly at you
until you stop what you are doing and go for a walk or throw the ball. If you cannot commit to spending
time with your dog, a Lab is definitely not the right
breed for you and your family.
BEING INVOLVED
Besides just needing attention, the Lab loves to be engaged and
involved in the day to day events in the family. They will want to
spend time in the house, in the room, and even in the car with you.
This is an excellent breed to travel with although they are large. They
will eagerly learn how to
travel (as long as you undertake a good training
regime) and also enjoy getting into boats and watercraft.
Since they have no fear of the water and love swimming, hiking and
being outdoors, these make excellent
dogs for active families that love camping and being
outside.
TRAINING
The Labrador is a training intensive breed when it is young, but once
trained they are very well behaved and love to work. They can be good
watch dogs, and will bark when strangers approach, but they are usually
not good guard dogs as they are simply too friendly. Like most dog
breeds, the Labrador does best when training is begun as early as
possible using a good dog training resouce. Older Labs can also respond
to training although results will take longer to achieve.
Most Labs that are well socialized as puppies are accepting of new dogs
and people, but occasionally males can be somewhat dog-aggressive and
very protective of their home and territory.
A Labrador is a wonderful all round breed of dog, but they do have
special requirements and a commitment from the owner. Deciding if you
can fulfill the requirements for the breed is the first step in being a
responsible dog owner, and ensuring the best possible match between
your family and your pet.
The second important step is to invest in a decent Labrador
Retriever resource such as our Insider's
Guide To The Labrador ebook and audio package.
Until next time.
All the best.
Sharda B.
Dedicated
To Making All Of Your Dog Experiences Happy Ones!
