Labrador Retriever Profile

Other Names:  Labrador, Lab

Country of origin: Canada

Dog Group Kennel Club:  Gundog

General appearance:

Labradors are large, sturdy breeds of dog with short coats and strong tails that prove popular as family and working dogs. They are agile, energetic and enjoy water.  They also have a good sense of smell and a soft mouth, both of which are an advantage when used for shooting. The Labrador Retriever is a double coat breed the outer coat is straight, short, very dense, and hard in texture where as th under coat is soft, weather-resistant, and protects this breed from cold, all types of ground cover, and water. The color of the coat comes in chocolate, black, and yellow. This breed is an average shedder. Their heads are broad with soft, intelligent eyes. Their tails are totally unique being 'otter' like and their movement is straight and true both front and back, covering the ground freely.

Colours:

Black, yellow and chocolate.

Size:

Bitch              55 - 56cms

Dog                56 - 57 cms

Weight:

                             Min                Max
 
Bitch             28kg (62lbs)  28kg (62lbs)
 
Dog               30kg (66lbs)  30kg (66lbs)

Temperament:

Labradors are versatile breeds of dog with an even and good natured temperament.  They are intelligent and like to please their owners. Some types bred as working dogs show particular speed and agility.  Labradors also have a reputation for appetite and will eat huge amounts of food that is not necessarily good for them! The Labrador Retriever is reliable, affectionate, and thrive on human companionship and attention. They are absolutely wonderful with children and get along exceedingly well with other dogs. They may be reserved with strangers and make good watchdogs. If this breed is left alone for extended periods of time without attention or stimulation they will become lonely, bored, and destructive

Movement:

Free, covering ground.

Care and training:

The Labrador Retriever requires regular grooming with a firm bristle brush. Special care should be given to the under coat to prevent mats and tangles. Bathing or dry shampooing should only be done when absolutely necessary.

This breed is easily trained. Early socialization and basic obedience are recommended. The Labrador Retriever is very strong and must be taught not to pull on their leash. They do not respond to harsh or heavy-handed methods. The Labrador Retriever needs fairness, firmness, consistency, reward, and respect. They excel in tracking, police work, search and rescue, agility, competitive obedience, guide for the blind, and as service dogs for the disabled.Intelligent dogs, Labradors are easily trained, making them ideal for use in field sports, obedience competitions, as search dogs, as guide dogs and as hearing dogs. These dogs take a great pleasure in any of these activities.

Overall Exercise: 2 hours per day.
These dogs will adapt quite readily to the amount of time you can allocate for their exercise but do remember they should be given quite a reasonable amount. They love fairly long walks with a chance to run and play off the lead. They adore retrieving and water, so do take care when near the latter to ensure their safety.

Feeding requirements:

Labradors are not fussy eaters and, as such, need not be expensive to feed. They are greedy dogs and therefore care must be taken to ensure they do not get the chance to raid the rubbish bin! Careful watch over their diet is a must as they are prone to obesity.

Exercise: Med  

Grooming: Low

Noise:  Low

Personal Protection: Low

Suitability As Guard Dog: Low

Level of Aggression: Low

Compatibility With Other Animals: High

Suitablity for Children: High

Often docked?  No

Average litter size:  7 - 8

Life expectancy (yrs): 10 - 14

Health issues: Usually hardy. Potential problems with hip dysplasia, epilepsy, PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy), arthritis and skin allergies.

History:  Labrador Retrievers are believed to have their origins in Greenland, from which their ancestors were used by fishermen. The current Labrador Retriever developed from the Newfoundlands, dogs called Labradors, and a breed called St. John's Dogs, all originating and named for different places in Greenland. An interesting piece of trivia is that the Labrador got its name from Greenland, for Greenland used to be called Labrador. These old type dogs from Greenland were only medium sized, had curly coats, and produced spots on the fur. From these dogs came the modern Newfoundland, Landseer, Flat Coated Retriever, Chesapeake Bay Retriever as well as the Labrador Retriever. They were then introduced into Britain in the 1800s by ships, and from there the breed was developed into what it is today. There the Labrador Retriever worked collecting fish that fell out of the nets. They were also used as a retriever for water birds.

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