Labrador is a fairly popular breed that is kept in many families. She is also the companion of many of the powers that be. The general opinion of the owners is that a better breed - more faithful and kind - and not worth it. In this article we’ll talk about what kind of dog is this Labrador, how to keep and feed it.
Historical facts
The birthplace of the Labradors is the Canadian island of Newfoundland. Together with the fishermen, the dogs went on boats in the sea, helping people pull out nets and get fish that had fallen off the hook. There are no exact historical data on the breed, but it is believed that it was introduced to Europe at the beginning of the nineteenth century, and after a while it was called “Labrador”, which means “hard worker”. Such an interpretation is fully consistent with these dogs, because their hard work can be envied.
But this is by no means the only version. According to some reports, the dog breed Labrador is named after the village of Castro Laboreiro, which is located in Portugal - in this area there are a large number of similar animals. It is also believed that this breed is named after the Labradorite stone found in abundance in the rocky ground of Newfoundland.
Today, these dogs are perhaps the most popular in the world - both pets and helpers in the service.
General characteristics of the breed
Labrador dog belongs to the group of girlfriends and has the following features:
- differs in a stable psyche and balanced character;
- has a good temperament in the complete absence of aggression;
- can perform various service tasks;
- possesses webbed feet, therefore it quickly and easily moves in water;
- has a strong physique and jumps well;
- differs by soft grip of a mouth (does not press down a burden);
- the tail wide at the base serves as a rudder during swimming;
- the wool is layered and adapted for swimming;
- representatives of the breed are distinguished by obedience and a desire to interact with a person;
- generally in good health, but possible damage to the joints and eyes.
Labrador dogs are distinguished by a love of both games and work. They are called sprinters for their ability to move very fast and swim at high speed.
Owners need to consider that this breed needs a constant load - the dog will gladly accept any game. The dog is friendly and sociable, affectionate and intelligent. For this reason, can not be a guard - even greets strangers.
Reviews of many owners suggest that this breed is perfect even for beginners who have never kept dogs in the house. In addition, animals are wonderful babysitters and fun friends for children.
Given the positive qualities, Labradors are used as:
- companions - to the elderly and disabled;
- guides - to the blind.
Out of these dogs wonderful rescuers and search engines for illicit substances are obtained.
Life expectancy is about fifteen years.
Labrador dog: description of the breed, standard
According to the characteristics established by dog organizations, the breed has the following standards:
- Labrador is a rather strong and powerful dog with a deep wide chest and rounded ribs, the top has a straight line, the lower back is short and wide.
- Extremities - straight and parallel, with rounded paws collected in a lump and well-developed pads. Loin - wide with a flat, without tilt, croup.
- Movement - light, loose, slightly springy. If there is a stilt walk with a wobble of the back or a short step, then this indicates the existing anatomical shortcomings. This will prevent the dog, if necessary, from working for a long time on uneven terrain.
- An ideal height is considered to be a height at the withers of about fifty-seven centimeters in dogs of Labrador boys and fifty-five in females.
- The skull is wide, the muzzle is large, of medium density, with a pronounced transition from the forehead to the nose. Eyes are smart, medium sized and brown in color. Jaws - Strong, with a scissor bite.
- Hanging triangular ears are adjacent to the head, not heavy. A medium-length straight tail, thick at the base (resembles the tail of an otter), never bends toward the back.
- The following colors of Labrador dogs are allowed for exhibitions: black, fawn (various shades), chocolate.
- Short, stiff and thick two-layer wool with a soft undercoat, has water repellent properties.
- According to FCI standard No. 122, the breed belongs to group 8 - “Retrievers, Spaniels, Water Dogs”.
The price of a Labrador dog depends on pedigree qualities: a show class is priced from one thousand dollars, a brid from six hundred to nine hundred, pets cost from two hundred to four hundred dollars.
Advantages and disadvantages of Labradors
Those who first encounter this breed must definitely know its pros and cons.
The benefits include the following:
- the breed was bred for work and to this day retains excellent physical shape;
- these are strong and hardy dogs with good health - they tolerate ice water, cold and cold;
- easily adapt to living in a hot climate;
- do not require laborious care;
- quickly learn teams, easily trained, effective in agility;
- have an exceptional memory - remember various places for a long time;
- do not spoil items carried in the mouth, thanks to a soft grip;
- very devoted to the family, recognize the primacy of man.
The list of qualities of the breed of dog Labrador, which should be treated with due attention:
- friendly with everyone, even with outsiders - there are completely no watchdog qualities;
- require constant physical activity and activity;
- if the dog is bored, property damage is inevitable;
- the breed is distinguished by slow growing up - up to the age of three puppy behavior and episodic disobedience is manifested;
- the pet is ready to make a swim even in a dirty puddle;
- the labrador is not moderate in food - he tries to eat everything that comes across, even in a landfill on the street;
- He loves to play with his relatives - on the street he is active in all dogs, regardless of size.
If you show interest in the dog and engage in its upbringing, most of the problems can be avoided.
Labrador character
The main characteristics of a Labrador dog are its mind, kindness and energy. This creature can charge everyone around with its activity. Such a stormy temperament necessarily needs appropriate control without undue punishment.
They are sensitive, therefore they well recognize the mood of the owner. Seeing that it is bad, the pet will not bother the owner.
The unanimous reviews of the owners of this breed agree that, in addition to good nature and optimism, it has qualities such as loyalty, reliability, high intelligence, and great ability to work.
The best companions, Labradors are happy to communicate with a person, which is manifested by the active wagging of their tail. If nearby there are loose objects that are not heavy - they will be on the floor. By the age of three, a degree comes to the pet.
An adult labrador dog, like a puppy of this breed, runs, swims and just walks next to the owner, looking at him adoringly. She will never throw aggression at a stranger, unless she wants to play. With great desire brings various objects, just remembering the places of their fall, quickly mastering new teams.
The pet expresses joy with a loud bark (this is not at all a watch sign in the case of a Labrador), welcoming everyone: adults, children, other dogs and even cats. An exception can be birds - instincts sometimes wake up in the hunter.
Labrador Care
The breed is distinguished by cleanliness - dogs do an excellent job of caring for their own hair. The owner can only clean it once a week with a special double-sided paper clip, brush or mitt. You can use a furminator, but you should not get carried away with this device, since it cuts off the wool.
Hair falling out during molting is cleaned with a damp cloth.
Frequent washing for dogs is contraindicated, an exception may be hyperactive puppies of a Labrador dog, which during a walk can measure all puddles. Smooth-haired individuals generally bathe very rarely. But if, nevertheless, the procedure is inevitably needed (the dog is dirty or smells bad), then it is performed using a special shampoo for animals.
Dogs of light colors can be successfully cleaned with talcum powder, that is, dry bathing. The product perfectly absorbs dirt particles, after such a bath the coat shines and looks well-groomed. Dry cleaning with talcum powder is performed only in fresh air, making sure that the animal does not breathe substance. After thorough rubbing, the hair is combed well, removing unnecessary particles.
Daily care is necessary for the eyes and ears. To do this, use special fluids - they wipe their eyes with a damp cotton swab, clean their ears with damp cotton swabs, not trying to get it too deep. If discharge appears, consult a veterinarian immediately.
Claws should be trimmed as they grow back, otherwise they will begin to interfere and cause the animal inconvenience and pain. This is done with special nippers so as not to capture the blood vessels - they can be easily seen by looking at the claws opposite the light source.
After the walk, the pet's paws are subject to mandatory inspection, as the fingers on the paws are tightly pressed and debris may get stuck between them.
Physical activity
A labrador was born for hunting, so the need for movement is genetic. Moreover, the owner must be nearby - the contact is important for the dog.
The peculiarity of the breed is that just walking on a leash for a dog of a Labrador Retriever is not enough, it must be active - this helps maintain the health of the animal. If there are no other pets nearby for the games, then the owner needs to take on the role of a gaming partner.
But the load must be dosed. You can not exhaust the puppy to exhaustion, the load must be increased gradually with the growth and development of the dog. The ideal thing for the pet is swimming - this is work for almost all muscle groups, and even weak joints strain slightly. In summer, it is useful to run in a pond in shallow water, and in winter - in snowdrifts or deep snow.
Numerous owner reviews about Labradors say that animals of this breed, being very active, are often lost. Therefore, it is imperative that they have a collar with a tag that shows the address and nickname.
For labrador dogs at a young age, roulette leashes with harnesses are not quite suitable, they are best used from two years old when the pet begins to give in to control. The use of strict collars and noises is unacceptable. Experienced breeders are advised to use conventional ruffles with three to five welded rings in length.
On a walk, you need to carefully monitor everything that the dog pulls in its mouth - this can be not only food waste, but also small gravel, leaves and other garbage.
If the days are hot on the street, then a day's walk with the Labrador is canceled, compensating for its morning or evening. They do not tolerate heat well, in addition, in the sun, the coat of brown and red individuals fades.
In winter, before walking on roads sprinkled with reagents, the pads should be lubricated with petroleum jelly or special wax, and when you get home, wash your paws with warm water.
About health
Labrador dog, the description of the breed confirms this, is an animal with good health. To maintain it, it is necessary to fulfill the requirements for care and maintenance, regularly visit a veterinarian for preventive examinations and early detection of emerging disorders in the body.
This breed also has its own diseases, such as:
- obesity in case of systematic overeating;
- elbow dysplasia;
- hip dysplasia;
- articular osteochondrosis (usually the shoulder, knee and hock joints);
- cataract and progressive retinal atrophy;
- panosteitis - disorders in young dogs associated with rapid growth;
- lick granuloma - leg ulcers caused by idiopathic licking.
For prevention purposes, starting from the age of three months, it is necessary to treat worms once every three months and a decade before vaccination. In addition, females are stained two weeks before breeding. For the correct calculation of the dosage, it is necessary to study the instructions for the preparations and find out the exact weight of the dog.
It should be borne in mind that only healthy pets can be vaccinated, and after vaccination, monitor the condition for six hours. In case of allergic reactions, an antihistamine should be given. Schemes and terms of vaccination will tell the veterinarian.
How and what to feed
Labrador dogs need special attention, as they are extremely unintelligible in food.
For feeding pets, you can use both ready-made and natural feed. The first - already with a balanced composition containing the optimal combination of vitamins and minerals. It is best to use only premium and super premium feeds.
Ready-made diets are designed for a certain age of the dog and its individual needs. For example, overweight individuals are shown diet food, nursing or weakened animals - nutritious, puppies - for children.
When a baby is taken to the house, it is necessary to ask the breeder what they fed him and not to leave this diet for some time. If you want to replace the old nutritional scheme, you can add one new ingredient to the food every week from the new menu, gradually replacing the previous one.
The pet needs to be immediately accustomed to eating in a place designated for these purposes, and fresh water should always be there. The baby needs to be fed five times a day with a gradual transition to two meals a year at one year and older.
If the owner chooses natural food for his dog, then it is necessary to make a balanced diet and add special vitamins and mineral supplements for animals. How to make it better, the veterinarian will advise.
The weight of the dogs of the Labrador girls ranges from twenty-seven to thirty-five kilograms, and the males - from thirty to forty. Exceeding these figures is not recommended.
The list of products that can not be given to the animal is as follows:
- too hot or cold food;
- fatty, smoked, salty and spicy foods;
- sweet and flour, potatoes and beans;
- shop sausages;
- tubular bones;
- seasonings and spices.
Interesting about Labradors
A lot of interesting things can be said about this breed.
Here are some information about Labradors:
- it is the only dog breed with webbed feet;
- within three seconds they can reach speeds of up to twenty kilometers per hour;
- the dog’s speed in water exceeds the duck’s swimming speed twice and reaches five kilometers per hour;
- Labrador's sense of smell exceeds the scent of a German shepherd by twenty-five percent;
- animals have excellent memory and intelligence (they can remember not only their names) - Labrador dogs can understand up to two hundred and fifty gestures and words, reproduce up to forty-five routes (German shepherd - half as much);
- Labrador can dive to a depth of fourteen meters and swim under water twenty-five;
- the dog’s jump is eight meters in length.
According to the owners, the Labrador is the best breed to choose if you need an assistant, companion and a cheerful friend for adults and children.