The Labrador Retriever, commonly called the “lab”, is considered to be the most popular breed of dog in the United States. This breed of dog is originally from the island of Newfoundland and the dogs used to be the aides of fishermen; pulling in fish nets and catching fish that might happen to escape from the fishing lines.
The Labrador Retriever is also known as a guide dog for the blind; as well as working with law enforcement agencies to help in the aid of narcotic detection. They are also great for working with the search and rescue teams as they are excellent hunting dogs with great sense of smell.
The Lab’s Appearance
A male Labrador can weigh as much as 90 pounds and a female can weigh as much as 70. Their coats are black, brown (chocolate), or yellow (ranges from light yellow to white). Their life expectancy is 11-13 years.
They are equipped with webbed toes which makes them wonderful swimmers.
The webbing between the Labrador’s toes can also be a snowshoe in cold climates, keeping the Labrador from getting snow caught up in between their toes.
The Labrador’s coat is also waterproof so that the fur does not retain water easily and does not get cold when swimming in the winter time. Their coat is short and frequently sheds.
Labradors Make Great Family Dogs
The Labrador Retriever is a family-friendly breed of dog and they have great reputations with children and also around other pets.
They are a very versatile breed of dog and can perform a wide range of different commands. Labrador’s make very good pets and they are excellent retrievers, as they love to carry something in their mouths.
Puppies
They love to chew on things when they are puppies, but this can be prevented with simple training. It is recommended to leash train this breed of dog as a puppy to prevent the dog from wanting to pull away and tug at the leash when it gets older.
Personality
Labrador Retrievers are a gentle breed of dog and usually not aggressive at all. This breed of dog is known for their soft mouth and also their ability to handle something that they do pick up with their mouth as gently as can be.
Although they are quite intelligent, the Labrador does not usually make a good guard dog, but they might bark if they hear a strange noise or sound.
The Labrador Retriever’s temperament is mostly all tail wagging and gentle, and they are easy going and sociable with anyone that they might come in contact with.
So Much Energy
The Labrador will continually play ball with someone as long as the person is willing to play and they tend to have lots of energy.
The Labrador Retriever cannot get enough exercise and can be trained to do many different things, like catching a Frisbee, a stick, or even retrieving the morning newspaper.
