Subscribe Feed (RSS)Discover a Special Breed of Dog – The English Labrador Retriever
If you’re thinking of having a docile and loyal home companion who can be wonderful with kids, the English Labrador Retriever is a perfect choice. Relating with the Labrador can be engaging and fun, given its intelligence and sweet, loving nature. A healthy Labrador is also energetic, and can be great companions for active families who love outdoor activities, particularly water sports. Have a blind family member? The Labrador can serve as reliable guide.
Labradors also have natural protective instincts. Moreover, they are non-aggressive towards humans and other animal companions, so if you have other pets in your household, your Labrador will most likely fit in well with them. This type of dog can hunt birds. Originally called a St. John’s Dog or lesser Newfoundland dog, the dog was used by English fishermen to retrieve fish that had fallen off their hooks and to help pull fishing lines through the water. Leave it to the English Labrador Retriever to burrow its way into the bushes and get a pheasant out of a tangle of honeysuckle. The Labrador’s ability to retrieve, its courage and persistence made it an ideal hunting companion and sporting dog ages ago.
The English Labrador Retriever probably got its name when the Earl of Malmesbury back in 1887 referred to his Labrador Dogs. In 1903, Labrador Retrievers gained recognition in England as a Kennel Club breed.
Today, the Labrador Retriever is a highly favored family pet. Its handsome good looks and wonderful, obedient temperament make it a preferred dog by many. It can weigh from 55 to 80 pounds and may live up to 12 years. An outstanding pedigree is no assurance, though, that you’d get a dog with zero defects. Some Labradors may have inherited eye defects that can lead to blindness, for instance. Before buying a purebred, inquire from breeders about background information about the dog. Guard against making your English Labrador Retriever obese and keep a keen eye for lump growths and ear infections, or arthritis of the hips, knees, and elbows. Natural dog food is best for your Labrador, so have stocks of this type of dog chow. Like most other dogs, the Labrador Retriever needs to be regularly groomed. Brush and bathe your pooch and you’ll keep down the amount of hair that may endlessly collect on your floor.
Labrador Retrievers respond well to praise and positive attention, and may be at their happiest when moving around. Hence, human guardians often end up getting fit themselves when accompanying their pooches in routine exercise. Devote a minimum of 30 minutes exercising your Labrador each day. If you have a Labrador Retriever, you need to be coaxing in a gentle and consistent kind of way, especially because your pet’s puppy nature will remain until the dog’s about three years old.
