Care and training of the Labrador Retriever (by Teresa Maro)
Labradors are so calm.
I can't COUNT how many people think that because MY dogs are well
behaved, that Labradors are NATURALLY well behaved and calm dogs. Even at dog
shows people stand on the sidelines and say "Oh, what calm dogs! I want
one!". This is a MAJOR misconception, and couldn't be further from the
truth. Most Labradors are hyper,, some even VERY hyper. They have more energy
than you could imagine. Field bred dogs tend to be more hyper than show type
dogs, but again, even this isn't always true. Labradors ARE calm, and sweet
dogs.. When they are TEN! Actually, I noticed a major change in my 2 older dogs
when they each reached between the ages of 2 and 4. But my now 10 yr old dog is
STILL able to keep up with our new puppy who is now 5 months old. Labs are
notoriously destructive if left to their own devices, because of excess energy.
They are able to demolish an entire couch in just an hour, or dig crevices to
China in the back yard! They are also full of "puppy crazies" or
"Butt tucking". Events where the dog SEEMS to be completely out of
control, running all thru the
house as fast as they can. This can continue up until 8 years of age in some of
them. So unless you plan to play fetch for hours each day, or get involved in
obedience, and/or agility/flyball, then you need to think of another breed.
Labradors are so behaved.
Again, this is a major misconception. Labradors are NOT naturally
well behaved. They MUST be trained to behave, and because they are usually so
hyper, a lot of training. With labs, as with most dogs, an ounce of prevention
is worth a pound of cure, so before you get a lab, please, research
obedience methods, by reading. If that pup learns the first week not to steal
your shoes, then you don't have to worry about being 5 years, still trying to
break that bad habit. If you can prevent some of the more common pitfalls of
owning dogs, then you can have a well behaved pup MUCH sooner!
Labradors are hunting dogs, so they are great
outside dogs.
Nothing could be further from the truth! Yes, labs are great
hunting dogs. They LOVE to retrieve the birds, to track the birds, and to flush
the birds. They can swim in the iciest waters with no side affects, but that
doesn't mean they are outdoor dogs. If you leave a lab outside all the time, you
will have a dog that barks continuously or destroys your yard and home. Labs are
EXTREMELY people oriented. Probably more so than most hunting dogs, and
even more so than most "lap" dogs. Your lab will only be happy if you
plan to let them sleep at your feet when you are on the computer, or cuddled up
watching TV. They should ALWAYS be supervised until they are trustworthy (about
4 years of age).
Labradors are a dime a dozen, so they are cheaper.
Well, part of this is true. They ARE a dime a dozen right now.
But they are NOT cheaper. If you purchase a backyard bred dog, you will end up
paying with health problems. In order to get a GOOD quality lab, you must find
someone willing to guarantee the health of their pups. When you get this
included guarantee, you are looking at prices from $500-$700. Sure, you can look
in the paper and find a litter of lab pups for $100 or so, but trust me, you
will end up spending 10X that much at the vet throughout that dog's life. If
purchasing a pet store pup, you will not only pay the $500-$700 price, but you
COULD end up paying for many of the same health problems that occur in back yard
bred pups.
Labradors have short hair so they won't shed much.
Wow. This one is a biggie. If you are a neat freak (and I use
this term lovingly), and don't like dog hair, this isn't the dog for you. Labs
shed year round, a lot, year round. Then twice a year they "Blow
Coat". The Labrador has two layers of coat, an outside hard, almost wirey
coat, and an underneath, downy, soft coat. When Labs blow coat, their downy,
soft coat comes out in CLUMPS. You need to invest in a good vacuum cleaner, and
not mind picking hair out of food if you have Labradors!
Labradors are not good watch dogs.
I hear this a lot, where people think because labs are big
"goofs" that they don't make good watch dogs, so are good in locations
where a lot of people go "in and out". Labs make EXCELLENT watch dogs,
but develop this talent a bit late, usually around 2 years of age. At this point
the dog takes it's responsibilities VERY seriously, and will not only WARN of
intruders, but can ATTACK if in the right conditions, i.e., the person acts like
they are afraid. Ask the gas man, ask the neighbors, chances are, your dog has
shown some major aggressive tendencies when they startle them! Because of this,
it's not recommended your Labrador be left outside unattended when you are not
home. No need to worry about a lawsuit because the gas man had to read the
meter!
Labradors are great with kids.
Well, this is true, but it's another one of those things labs
must be TAUGHT to do. Most labs ADORE children, but in most cases, have no CLUE
how "breakable" kids really are. I'll never forget the screams of the
child who opened my door to play with my dog (she was 4 yrs old) and Beauty
flattened her. The more the child screamed, the more my dog licked. Beauty at
that age did not realize that knocking a child down was unacceptable. She had to
be TAUGHT!
Labradors love their owners, so they won't wander.
Yikes, what a scary misconception. Labs are notorious for
wandering their neighborhoods. I knew one who would jump a 7 foot fence just to
say she did it! Another who would wander for miles if given the opportunity.
Training and supervision are the only corrections for this behavior!
Labradors are a clean dog.
Not really true. While their coat makes them naturally able to
clean themselves, their love of water and MUD make them a rather messy dog. You
can't bathe them every time they get dirty, or their hair would eventually fall
out from dry skin. So you need to just towel them dry, tolerate the smell or
dirt for about a day, and the next day they look, feel, and smell better. But
until then, you must just learn to tolerate it. Many try to keep their labs off
of furniture because of this problem. Either that, or lots of vacuuming is a
must. Neat Freaks and these dogs do NOT go hand in hand!
Labradors are Medium Sized Dog
Well, they are CLASSED as Medium sized dog. But when in good
physical shape, a Labrador weighs in at 75-90lbs. They are SOLID, making them
hard to handle if you are not prepared. Obedience training is a MUST or these
dogs will walk YOU instead of you walking them. Just recently I handled an
untrained 4 yr old FEMALE. I nearly lost my arm, as this solid dog yanked me
from one place to another!
I'll just get an electric fence to contain the dog.
Well, one of the things about Labradors is they have a HIGH
threshold for pain. Most of the people who have Labradors and use these
electric/invisible fences later become frustrated by their dog's determination
to run through ANYWAY if something of interest passes by. Labradors are very
driven, and if a squirrel, bird, or other dog comes by, they WILL go through
electric fencing with ease! A yard
fully fenced with such things as HURRICANE fencing, is a MUST. Please remember,
this is JUST my opinion. Someone emailed me after reading this, insisting their
lab is doing fine with invisible fencing. But, having seen MOST labs break
through it, I stand by my decision that it's not good. But, will specify that
it's ONLY my opinion.