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Labradors
by Faith Hughes, DVM
Labrador retrievers (labs) are one of the most common breeds in the
country. If you know a Labrador, then you know why they are so
popular. They are friendly, loving, energetic, smart, and good family
pets.
If you are planning to get a lab, you'll choose from 3 colors...yellow, black,
or chocolate. Everyone has their favorite, but I have a soft spot for yellow
labs. Chocolates are usually a little harder to come by. Because of the
popularity of the breed, you'll always be able to adopt a labrador from a shelter.
Expect to pay several hundred to buy a puppy from a breeder.
Labs love to chew, so provide them with plenty of safe chew toys. If they
don't have a chew toy, they'll chew on things like shoes, furniture, and wood
doors. I prefer toys made of a tough rubber. Kong is one brand of toys
that are safe and come in many different shapes and sizes. Some toys are
hollow and you can fill then with treats, then the dogs learns that chewing on
the rubber part is fun. The great thing about these toys is that they are
safe for the pet's teeth and too big for them to swallow (get bigger sizes for
your big dogs). Tennis balls have a very rough surface that will grind
the dog's teeth down.
Labs also love to retrieve, that's what they were bred to do. My lab,
Rocky, would retrieve until he passed out! Try sticks, frisbees, or toys.
These dogs have so much energy, retrieving is a great way to wear them out.
Swimming comes naturally to labs. We are lucky to have plenty of beaches, rivers and sink holes.
It's important to do some obedience training with labradors. They have so
much energy and are so big that you have to be able to control them. Just
learning the basics with  help
tremendously....sit, stay, "no jump", and
leash training. You can find tips on obedience training in books
and on-line. Puppy classes and private trainers are great, too.
Man has learned to put this intelligence, energy, and desire to please to good
work. Labradors are used by hunters to retrieve ducks, dove, and
quail. They are trained as assistance dogs for handicapped people.
Law enforcement uses them to sniff out drugs and to find missing people.
A recent ABC news report showed the Italian Coast Guard using labs to perform water
rescue. Labradors love to have a job, what better then to swim then retrieve
a person.
If you are buying a puppy from a breeder, find out if the pups parents have
good hips. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) will review Xrays
of dogs hips and issue certificates for pet's with no hip dysplasia.
Puppies are too young to have their hips certified, but if both parents have
good hips then the pups has less chance of developing hip dysplasia.
If you are considering a new dog, consider a labrador. I've always said that
there's no better dog than a sweet old lab.
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