The labrador retriever...........by debylyn

    So you are thinking about having a Labrador,
many people are of the assumption that a Labrador is the breed of dog most suited to 'everyone' and because of this belief he is often peoples choice for a first time dog. In our opinion the Labrador is the most wonderful dog to share your life with but he needs firm but kind handling and definitely needs to know his boundaries. He is by nature an exuberant breed and extremely gregarious he should have a loveable nature, be affectionate and good with other animals and children, they are highly intelligent and willing to please, enthusiastic about life, a Labraodr should not be aggressive by nature. They love water, even smelly stagnant ponds are for Labradors to play in, thankfully he has a water resistent coat. If not trained correctly he will become wilful and out of control.They need regular exercise to be content, a bored Labrador will quickly become destructive and you will soon discover just how many things in your home are actually edible, if you work long hours a Labrador is not suitable.
They love to chew, anything on the floor is fair game to a Labrador and all things may be edible, a Labrador lives to eat. Socks are a firm favourite and will easily be swallowed whole, if your lucky it will come out the other end but if not, a mislaid sock can prove extremely costly but at worst fatal.
They are destructive without even realising it, that Otter tail looks fabulous but it can clear the contents of a coffee table in approximately two seconds, we gave up owning coffee tables several years ago. Our three children have all grown up now and we thought it was safe but I have lost count of the treasured possessions smashed by a Labrador tail and whilst I am picking up the tiny pieces of my grandmas Royal Daulton vase, the Labs are bouncing around trying to help by cleaning my face. We have realised that all things valuable must be placed on a vertical space at least 33" from the floor, along with your cup of coffee.

Because of his friendly nature it is a good idea when walking your Lab to be armed with a pocket full of his favourite treats, as although he adores his family he will abandon all loyalties in favour of someone eating a sandwich in the park.

COLOURS: Labradors come in three colours Chocolate, Black & Yellow, Yellows can vary from light cream to a fox red. It would appear that new owners are often told that 'Chocolates tend to be more crazy' In many respects this statement can be considered true and Petplan insurance will agree but in my opinion this is because, unfortunately Chocolates have become very fashionable over recent years and so many breeders are producing them just for coat colour and therefore many are bred without concern for temperament and health and in doing so Chocolates get a bad reputation because statistically more poor specimens are bred than Yellow and Blacks.
Our eldest Choc bitch Tcarlaidh was as nutty at 6 yrs old as she was at 6 months old but our three children were young when she was and probably encouraged her crazy nature. One of Tcarlaidhs puppies has gone on to be trained by Canine Partners For Independence. My other Chocolate bitch India is very calm and she passes this disposition onto her puppies.
DOG OR BITCH: Most people have a personal preference, I myself find dogs on the whole tend to be more loving and if he is laid back as a puppy he tends to stay that way. He is not more inclined to wander as is often believed, if he never discovers what his sexual anatomy is for he will never know. Bitches generally come into season at six month intervals and can become temperamental at this time. A pet bitch should always be spayed after her first season as she is at risk of Pyometra, this can be a fatal uterine infection. Pyometra means pus in the uterine cavity; if a pet is spayed the uterus and ovaries are removed so there is no chance of pyometra developing.

All dogs are individuals and all breeds of any colour have the ability to be a bad dog in the wrong hands but with good breeding, careful rearing, correct training and socialising from the beginning and firm boundaries the Labrador will captivate the heart of everyone he meets and there is no better dog to share your life with, every inch of it, he can never have enough !!

Debylyn Labradors.