Labrador Retriever breed was founded in Canada and they got their name in the year 1820. In Canada, these dogs were trained and bred to help fisherman. During those days, the fisherman was hunting fishes and this dog breed would dive and swim into the pond to catch out those fishes which were hunted by the fisherman. Initially named as the St. John’s dog, later the capital city of Newfoundland,
Because of their good sensing abilities, Labradors were also used in military forces to sense bombs and explosives and can be trained for various commands like doing small household chores or removing food from the vending machines, etc.
The life span of Labrador: 11 to 14 years
Appearance:
Colour: They are mostly seen in 3 colours, Dark Brown, Black, and white.
Height: 55 to 58 cm
Weight: 25 to 30kgs
Grooming:
As they have less density of hair on their coat, they can easily swim in the water and their body gets dried up easily. The owner can bathe them after 10 days. If the dog is not bathed for 1 to 2 months then he might face problems related to skin irritation and itching.
Daily their body is to be brushed with a hair brusher in a downward direction twice a day.
Brushing their teeth and jaws at least 2 to 3 times a week to eradicate tartar accumulation and the bacteria that loiter inside it. Everyday brushing is even better if you want to avoid gum sickness and bad smell.
Cut their nails 1-2 times per month. If you can hear them squeezing on the floor, they’re too long. Short, precisely cut nails keep the feet in a good manner and stop your legs from getting injured when your Lab actively jumps up to hail you.
Clean their ears at regular intervals of time with a cotton cloth and some water.
Training and commands:
They can be trained easily like, handshake, sit down, stand up, etc. They are more adaptable to learning and get trained very easily.
They are medium-sized dogs and need good exercise and walks daily. Daily 30 minutes of walk is advisable to maintain their energy level.
Characteristics:
They are the most adorable and trustworthy kind dogs. Apart from being the most favoured, they are friendly dogs and can easily mix with other breed dogs and strangers. They can not be classified as guard dogs as they are friendly with strangers and other animals.
Sometimes, people dislike this behaviour of becoming more friendly but less of being a guard dog and some owners love them because of their more friendly nature. That varies from person to person.
So, if someone is looking for a guard dog, it is preferable if they fo for a German shepherd, Bulldogs, Pitbulls, etc.
Can adapt to all the environment, whether it is Summer, Winter, or Rains, they can easily adapt to all the atmosphere and are more suitable to stay in Indian atmosphere and environment.
Family and Children friendly:
Labradors are family and children-friendly dogs and one can easily rely on them for the safety and security of their house and family. They are the most kind and caring towards small babies and children of 11 to 15 years of age can also easily mix up and play along with the dog.
Labrador price in India:
Their price ranges between INR 12,000 to 15,000 (approximate).
Food and nutrition:
During their puppyhood, it is advisable to feed them cerelac or basic dog food. Once they start entering adulthood, home food can be given to them like mashed eggs, chicken, boiled carrots, etc. But avoid giving them home food that includes, spicy and oily meals which can affect their health and body.
A labrador is to be given meal 4 times a day.
Morning: 7:00 am to 7:30pm
Afternoon: 12:00 pm to 12:30pm
Evening: 4:00pm to 4:30 pm
Night: Arround 9pm
Their monthly expense of packaged food will cost up to Rs 2.5k to 3.5k per month. After entering into adulthood, expenses of 5k to 7k can be incurred.
Reasons why you should prefer Labrador over other dog breeds?
- They are the most friendly and faithful dog breed and children are safer with them.
- Can be trained easily by the owners and no need of keeping them in any training school or institutes but can be trained well at home.
- Less maintenance cost and are budget-friendly dogs. It is not necessary that they will demand non-vegetarian meals all the time, but are more comfortable in eating home-cooked food.
- Are comfortable with small babies.
- If the owner’s house is medium-sized with 2-3 bhk then they can easily and comfortable stay there. But regular walking and exercising are necessary.
- One good point of keeping Labrador along with you is that they, help is stopping the fight in the house if 2 people are quarreling with each other. They usually bark and stop them from fighting and tries to maintain a peaceful atmosphere.
- From a young age, they can be habituated with potty training and how to eat food from the bowl, how to behave if any guest comes, when to bark and when not to bark, etc all such training is to be given at their young age to make them more habituated in their adulthood.
- Fewer health issues. Unlike other dogs they don’t fall ill easily
Problems of Labrador dog breed:
- Excessive hair falls from their body. Their hair fall also depends on when there is a change in weather from winter to summer and vice versa.
- If they are offered food several times a day without any exercise or walks then there are chances of them becoming overweight and obese and can cause more health issues.
- If the owner’s house has very small space and not big enough for them to roam here and there then it might create a problem for them making them feel uncomfortable as they grow larger in size day by day.
- They can’t stay in isolation and they always need a companion with them to play. If left alone for a longer period than they might get into depression or anxiety-related issues.
- During the summer season, they need a cool atmosphere and many owners have to keep them in air-conditioned rooms or have to install a cooling fan for their shelter.
- If not given proper training during their childhood, they might disobey the orders and will not follow them and try socializing them during their puppyhood.