Labrador Retriever

Labrador Retrievers are renowned for their kind and willing natures which in short means they are relatively easy to train which is why they are such a popular choice of working gundog. They excel at many canine sports and this includes obedience competitions. They are renowned guide dogs as well as hearing dogs with the added bonus being that Labrador Retrievers genuinely enjoy taking part in this type of activity.

Labs love to please they thrive on being praised and because they boast having such a high "food drive" using high value rewards makes their training that much easier. However because Labs are so prone to putting on weight far too easily it is best to keep food rewards to a minimum. They respond extremely well to positive reinforcement training but do not answer well to any sort of harsh correction of heavier handed treatment which could have an adverse effect on a dog’s confidence and nature.

The vast majority of Labradors instinctively enjoy the company of children and being in a family environment. They are tremendously loyal loving and trustworthy dogs that make for consistently dependable companions and family pets. If well socialised from a young age as puppies they get on with people of all ages and other animals. They are considered one of the best disposed and affable of dogs on the planet which is just one of the reasons why they always figure high on the list of best family pet not only in the UK but elsewhere in the world too.

The average life expectancy of a Labrador is 10 - 12 years when properly cared for and fed an appropriate good quality diet to suit their ages.

Most Labradors are known to have hearty appetites and will overeat if an owner allows them to. Because of this a dog may become overweight or obese all too easily a dilemma that can affect their overall health and shorten their life span considerably. Obesity can lead to joint problems due to the additional weight a dog carries and all sorts of heart problems.

Labradors are prone to inheriting several forms of eye disorder which includes the following:

• Hereditary Cataracts (HD) - clinical eye test can be carried out at 12 months and older
• Multifocal Retinal Dysplasia (MRD) - clinical eye test can be carried out at 12 months and older - puppies can be tested at 7 weeks
• Total Retinal Dysplasia (TRD) - clinical eye test can be carried out at 12 months and older
• Central Progressive Retinal Atrophy (CPRA) - clinical eye test can be carried out at 12 months and older
• General Progressive Retinal Atrophy (GPRA) - clinical eye test can be carried out at 12 months and older - tests need to be done annually thereafter
• General Progressive Retinal Atrophy (GPRA) - DNA test - can be carried out at any age

Other inherited disorders include the following:

• Hip Dysplasia (HD) - X-rays can be carried out at 12 months and older to establish a hip score - the lower the score the better
• Elbow Dysplasia (ED) - X-rays can be carried out at 12 months and older to establish a score - the lower the score the better
• Centronuclear Myopathy (CNM) - DNA test can be carried out at any age
• Exercise Induced Collapse (EIC) - DNA test can be carried out at any age

What about obesity problems?

As previously touched upon Labs have a high food drive and as such if a dog is overfed given too many treats and not given enough daily exercise they are at great risk of putting on too much weight which ends up with a dog being obese. An obese Lab's well-being will suffer dramatically and it would shorten their lifespans by several years. Carrying too much weight puts a Lab at greater risk of developing heart issues and because a dog would be reluctant to go out on walks getting them back into shape can prove challenging.

What about allergies?

Unfortunately Labs like many other breeds today are prone to suffering from food allergies. The problems can start when dogs are any age and when it occurs when a dog is older it could be triggered by certain foods they have been eating all their lives without ever having had a problem. Most Labs that suffer from food allergies start to scratch at their ears and skin in certain areas of their bodies which just makes their condition that much worse. They constantly lick and chew at an affected area which they do to relieve the itchiness they are experiencing.

Quite a few Labs can also develop chronic ear problems as a result of yeast infections and even when treated the problem soon recurs. Any sort of food allergy can prove challenging to diagnose because identifying the triggers takes time because it is typically a process of elimination. With this said a Lab might develop an allergy to something other than food. The trigger could well be pollen or some other environmental problem that disagrees with them. Keeping a diary of when a Lab seems to suffer an allergic reaction will help a vet when it comes to identifying the triggers but owners need to be prepared for a long haul when it comes to resolving an allergy once it flares up.

Recognising health issues in Labrador Retrievers

Because Labs are known to suffer from quite a few hereditary congenital and acquired health issues it is very important for owners to keep a close eye on their pet's health. Recognising when there may be a problem early means a condition can be treated sooner rather than later and this often makes a disorder that much easier to treat with the prognosis being better too.

Participating in health schemes

There are many breed specific health schemes that have been set up over the years which owners and breeders are advised to take part in. The schemes that are available for Labrador Retrievers are as follows:

• Hereditary Cataracts (HD) - clinical eye test can be carried out at 12 months and older
• Multifocal Retinal Dysplasia (MRD) - clinical eye test can be carried out at 12 months and older - puppies can be tested at 7 weeks
• Total Retinal Dysplasia (TRD) - clinical eye test can be carried out at 12 months and older
• Central Progressive Retinal Atrophy (CPRA) - clinical eye test can be carried out at 12 months and older
• General Progressive Retinal Atrophy (GPRA) - clinical eye test can be carried out at 12 months and older - tests need to be done annually thereafter
• General Progressive Retinal Atrophy (GPRA) - DNA test - can be carried out at any age
• Hip Dysplasia (HD) - X-rays can be carried out at 12 months and older to establish a hip score - the lower the score the better
• Elbow Dysplasia (ED) - X-rays can be carried out at 12 months and older to establish a score - the lower the score the better
• Centronuclear Myopathy (CNM) - DNA test can be carried out at any age
• Exercise Induced Collapse (EIC) - DNA test can be carried out at any age

Potential owners can check health results of a Labrador puppy or adult dog on the Kennel Club website through their Health Test Results Finder.

What about breed specific breeding restrictions?

There are breed specific breeding restrictions for Labrador Retrievers which are as follows:

The Kennel Club only accepts registering yellow Lab puppies when both parent dogs are yellow because it is only genetic possible for two yellow Labrador Retrievers to produce yellow puppies

The Kennel Club only accepts registering chocolate (liver) or yellow Lab puppies when both parent dogs are chocolate (liver) coloured because it is only genetically possible for them to be produced through this mating.

What about Assured Breeder Requirements?

Assured Breeders are required to use the following schemes and tests and it is mandatory for them to do so:

• BVA/KC Hip Dysplasia Scheme
• Eye testing

Kennel Club Assured Breeders as well as other breeders are also advised to use the following schemes:

• BVA/KC Elbow Dysplasia Scheme
• DNA test - prcd-PRA
• DNA test - CNM
• DNA test - EIC
• DNA test - SD2
• DNA test - HNPK

More information on breed specific health tests and test results for the Labrador Retriever can be found on the Kennel Club website and on Breed Club sites.

As with any other breed Labrador Retrievers need to be groomed on a regular basis to make sure their coats and skin are kept in tip-top condition. They benefit from being professionally groomed at least 3 times a year so their coats can be hand-stripped which makes keeping on top of things that much easier. They also need to be given regular daily exercise to make sure they remain fit and healthy. On top of this Labrador Retrievers need to be fed good quality diet throughout their lives to ensure all their nutritional needs are met.

Caring for a Labrador Retriever puppy

A breeder should always give a new owner a sheet detailing how much a puppy has been fed the type of food they have been given and how often a puppy has been fed in a 24-hour period. It is important for new owners to stick to this routine to avoid any digestive issues developing. The breeder should also have given a new owner all the relevant documentation for a puppy which must to include their worming programme and details of when a puppy was microchipped.

Once a puppy arrives in a new home it is important to keep worming them on a regular basis and the schedule needs to be as follows:

• Puppies should be wormed at 6 months old
• They need to be wormed again when they are 8 months old
• Puppies should be wormed when they are 10 months old
• They need to be wormed when they are 12 months old

Lab puppies are great fun to have around because they are so playful when they are awake that is. All puppies play hard but they need to take lots of naps in between bouts of playtime. Labradors as previously mentioned thrive in a home environment and tend to settle well into family life although the first few days can prove a little anxious for them having just left their mothers and their litter mates. As such it's important to time when a puppy is introduced to their new homes making sure that someone will be there to keep them company until they feel more settled.

New owners should set up a nice safe quiet area where puppy can retreat to for their naps. A nice quiet corner that's not too out of the way is the ideal because it's important for puppy to know that someone is around and owners should be able to hear a puppy and be able to keep an eye on them from a distance. In short the area should be away from a lot of traffic without being totally isolated.

Things you'll need for your new puppy

Needless to say there are certain items that new owners need to already have in the home prior to bringing a new puppy home. It's often a good idea to restrict how much space a puppy plays in more especially when you can't keep an eye on what they get up to bearing in mind that puppies are often quite boisterous which means investing in puppy gates or a large enough playpen that allows a Lab puppy the room to express themselves while keeping them safe too. The items needed are therefore as follows:

• Good quality puppy or baby gates to fit on doors
• A good well-made playpen that's large enough for a Lab puppy to play in so they can really express themselves as puppies like to do
• Lots of well-made toys which must include good quality chews suitable for puppies to gnaw on bearing in mind that a puppy will start teething anything from when they are 3 to 8 months old
• Good quality feed and water bowls which ideally should be ceramic rather than plastic or metal
• A grooming glove
• A slicker brush or soft bristle brush
• Dog specific toothpaste and a toothbrush
• Scissors with rounded ends
• Nail clippers
• Puppy shampoo and conditioner which must be specifically formulated for use on dogs
• A well-made dog collar or harness
• A couple of strong dog leads
• A well-made dog bed that's not too small or too big
• A well-made dog crate for use in the car and in the home that's large enough for a Lab puppy to move around in
• Baby blankets to put in your Lab's crate and in their beds for when they want to nap or go to sleep at night

Keeping the noise down

All puppies are sensitive to noise including Lab puppies. It's important to keep the noise levels down when a new puppy arrives in the home. TVs and music should not be played too loud which could end up stressing a small puppy out.

Keeping vet appointments

It's very important to keep veterinary appointments so that a Lab puppy can be given all their vaccinations and taking them to the surgery when young gets them used to all those strange smells that can unnerve many dogs.

What about older Labrador Retriever when they reach their senior years?

Older Labs need lots of special care because as they reach their golden years they are more at risk of developing certain health concerns. Physically a Lab will start to have a greying muzzle but there will be other noticeable changes too which includes the following:

• Coats become coarser
• A loss of muscle tone
• Labs can either become overweight or underweight
• They have reduced strength and stamina
• Older Labs have difficulty regulating their body temperature
• They often develop arthritis
• Immune systems do not work as efficiently as they once did which means older Labs are more susceptible to infections

Older Labrador Retrievers change mentally too which means their response time tends to be slower as such they develop the following:

• They respond less to external stimuli due to impaired vision or hearing
• They tend to be a little pickier about their food
• They have a lower pain threshold
• Become intolerant of any change
• Often an older Lab can feel disorientated

Living with a Lab in their golden years means taking on a few more responsibilities but these are easily managed and should include taking a look at their diet the amount of exercise they are given how often their dog beds need changing and keeping an eye on the condition of their teeth.

Older Labs need to be fed a good quality diet that meets their needs at this stage of their lives all the while keeping a close eye on a dog's weight. A rough feeding guide for older Labradors is as follows bearing in mind they should be fed highly digestible food that does not contain any additives:

• Protein content should be anything from 14 – 21%
• Fat content should be less than 10%
• Fibre content should be less than 4%
• Calcium content should be 0.5 – 0.8%
• Phosphorous content should be 0.4 – 0.7%
• Sodium content should be 0.2 – 0.4%

Older Labs don't need to be given the same amount of daily exercise as a younger dog but they still need the right amount of physical activity to maintain muscle tone and to prevent a dog from putting on too much weight. All dogs need access to fresh clean water and this is especially true of older dogs when they reach their golden years because they are more at risk of developing kidney disorders.

Having short dense coats Labrador Retrievers need to be groomed on a weekly basis for their coats and skin to remain in good condition and to keep shedding under control. This is especially true during the Spring and the Autumn when they tend to shed the most. These dogs also benefit for being regularly bathed during the warmer summer months being careful not to over-do things. It's also essential to use dog-specific shampoos when bathing a dog otherwise it would lead to upsetting the pH balance in a dog's skin which can lead to them developing painful skin irritations and allergies.

Ideal grooming routine

Interestingly black Labs tend to shed more hair in the spring and the autumn whereas their yellow counterparts shed copious amounts of hair throughout the year and when they blow their coats they really do so quite dramatically. The tools needed for grooming a Lab are as follows:

• A wire slicker brush
• A short-haired rake
• A narrow-toothed comb
• A wide toothed comb
• Nail clippers
• A bristle brush

Labrador Retrievers should never be shaved or clipped unless they are about to undergo some form of surgery or when they have developed a hotspot that needs treating.

The rule of thumb when grooming a Lab is to brush a dead coat out in the spring and then again in the autumn which allows their new coats to grow through that much faster. The best way to do this is to bath a Lab using a dog specific shampoo and to thoroughly blow dry them afterwards before carefully running a slicker brush the coat. This will remove any dead and loose hair from a Lab's coat so that their new coats can easily grow through with the added advantage being that it keeps a dog's shed hair off the furniture and elsewhere around the home and car.

Labrador Retrievers are high energy dogs that need to be given the right amount of daily exercise to remain healthy and fit. Ideally this should be a minimum of 2 hours a day and more if possible. A Lab's daily exercise routine should include plenty of mental stimulation because without this a dog might quickly pick up some unwanted behaviours. If not given enough exercise Labs get bored and are more at risk of putting on weight which negatively impacts their well-being.

Labs do a lot better if their exercise includes other things apart from just walking more especially if they are in the prime of life and don't suffer from any health issues. Being high energy and intelligent Labs benefit from being taught to retrieve which is already in their blood. This means owners can let their dogs off their leads in a park or other safe place and throw items for their Labs to retrieve which they thoroughly enjoy.

Labs also like to express themselves by interacting with other dogs because they are incredibly social by nature especially when well socialised. Letting a Lab run free in a safe environment where there are other dogs provides a ton of mental stimulation as well as exercise. Just letting a Lab into a back garden would not be enough to keep a dog satisfied even if the space is large. Dogs like meeting other dogs so they can interact which is important for Labrador Retrievers.

The other thing to bear in mind is that Labs adore swimming and should be allowed to do so whenever possible but only in safe environments. Care should always be taken when walking a Lab anywhere near more dangerous water courses just in case they decide to jump in.

Labradors are known to like their food and are prone to putting on weight if fed the incorrect amount to suit their ages and the amount of daily exercise they are given. As such owners should carefully monitor their dog's weight and to limit the number of treats they are given during any training sessions. Labradors are not fussy eaters but they do need to be fed a good quality diet that's rich in all the right nutrients throughout their lives from puppyhood to their golden years.

Feeding guide for Labrador Retriever puppies

Once a Lab puppy is settled into their new homes which would normally take a few days it is possible to start thinking about changing their diets but this should only be done gradually over the course of 4 weeks. An ideal daily feeding guide for a Lab puppy that suits the first few months of their lives is as follows:

• 2 months old - 211 g to 237 g depending on a puppy's build
• 3 months old - 262 g to 308 g depending on a puppy's build
• 4 months old - 283 g to 339 g depending on a puppy's build
• 6 months old - 323 g to 445 g depending on a puppy's build
• 8 months old - 299 g to 418 g depending on a puppy's build
• 10 months old - 286 g to 411 g depending on a puppy's build
• 12 months old - 287 g to 401 g depending on a puppy's build
• 14 months old - 285 g to 394 g depending on a puppy's build

Feeding an adult Labrador Retriever

As a rough guideline an adult Labrador Retriever should be fed the following amounts on a daily basis making sure a dog is given the right amount of daily exercise and that food rewards are kept to a minimum:

• 400 - 560 g good quality highly nutritious food a day

If you are looking to buy a Labrador Retriever you would need to be prepared to pay anything from £350 to well over £1000 for a well-bred pedigree puppy. As a rough guide the cost of insuring a male 3-year old Labrador Retriever in northern England could be as little as £22.62 for basic cover to just over £48.38 a month for a lifetime policy (quote as of August 2017). It's worth noting that lots of things are factored into a dog's insurance premium and this includes where you live in the UK and a dog's age.

When it comes to food costs you would need to buy the best quality dog food whether wet or dry for your dog throughout their lives and to suit the different stages of their lives. This would set you back between £40-£50 per month. On top of this you would need to factor in veterinary costs if you want to share your home with a Lab and this includes their initial vaccinations neutering or spaying your dog when the time is right and then their annual health check visits all of which quickly adds up to over a £1000 a year.

As a rough guide the average cost to keep and care for a Lab would be in the region of £80 - £100 a month depending on the level of insurance cover you opt to buy but this does not include the initial cost of buying a well-bred pedigree Labrador Retriever puppy.

When visiting and buying any puppy or dog there are many important things to consider and questions to ask of the breeder/seller. You can read our generic puppy/dog advice here which includes making sure you see the puppy with its mother and to verify that the dog has been wormed and microchipped.

When buying a Labrador Retriever the size of a dog as stated by the Kennel Club Breed Standard is only a guide and is given as being the ideal for the breed. As such a Lab could be smaller or larger and may weigh slightly more or less than the given size in their breed standard.

With Labs there is specific advice questions and protocols to follow when buying a puppy which are as follows:

• Potential buyers should be aware that the Kennel Club frowns upon Labs with legs that are too short in proportion to the depth of a dog's body and to the length of their backs
• Many well-established Labrador Retriever breed clubs warn potential buyers of scams where adverts show images of beautiful Labrador Retriever puppies for sale. However these sellers ask buyers for money up front before they agree to delivering a puppy to a new home. Potential buyers should never buy a Labrador Retriever puppy unseen and should never pay a deposit to a seller before collecting a puppy from them
• Labrador Retrievers are among the most popular breeds in the UK and therefore puppies can command a lot of money. As such there are many amateur breeders/people who breed Labrador Retrievers far too often so they can make a quick profit without caring for the welfare of the puppies their dam or the breed in general. Under Kennel Club rules a dam can only produce 4 litters and she has to be between a certain age to do so. As such anyone wishing to buy a Labrador Retriever puppy should think very carefully about who they purchase their puppy from and should always ask to see the relevant paperwork pertaining to a Lab's lineage their vaccinations and their microchipping