Labrador Retrievers Are Very Talented Dogs

Labrador Retrievers have been around since possibly the 1800′s. They have been used in hunting and their primary job was scaring up and retrieving game. Labrador Retrievers are also used for show. In other words, they are bred for temperament and conformation. The two types of Labradors’ breeders have complained about the differing breeds of Labrador claiming that the show dogs have lost hunting and retrieving abilities and that the hunting dogs have lost the correct temperament expected from the breed.

The Labrador retriever breeders will sometimes label their dogs as American bred or English bred. The English bred dogs are generally heavier and stockier than its American counterpart. The American Labrador Retriever is lanky and tall. The general description for the Labrador Retriever is that it is on average about slightly longer than its height, solid and muscular. They have a water-resistant double-coat of short hair that comes in the colors of chocolate, solid black or yellow. The English breed of Labrador is generally more laid back and calm than the American breed.

Labrador Retrievers are easy to train. It is good quality time to spend with them. They love interaction with people, so training can be fun. They are loyal and high-spirited. If they are left untrained, they may be hard to manage and keep control. If they are left alone without attention, they may become destructive. If they are not socialized, they may be a bit shy or reserved around strangers. It is important to include the Labrador Retriever in regular family activity. They require a great deal of exercise or they may put on a lot of unwanted weight. The weight can slow them down and cause related health issues.

Some of the health issues with Labrador Retrievers are elbow and hip dysplasia and eye troubles. Those are problems that specifically may crop up with this particular breed. You can ask about the heredity of it through the lines of the breeder.

Some of the talents of the retrievers are hunters, police dogs, narcotics dogs, guide for the blind, among many other jobs. Labrador retriever breeders will be able to tell if what types of talents should be used with the dogs they are breeding. They are very intelligent animals. In the home, they may be very protective of their families, but they are not attack dogs. They are generally very friendly, but may sense when to be on guard around those they love.

Labrador Retriever breeders who raise Labradors should be very responsible in their breeding and it is good to have the parents on site to see what the heritage is for the puppy you are considering.