Take Care of Your Labrador Retriever

Take Care of Your Labrador Retriever

by Steffy Alen

Labrador retrievers are a healthy canine breed and make loyal pets. Because of their cheerful spirit, above-average intelligence, and gentle disposition, adults, kids, and other pets get along well with Labs. A Labrador retriever dog has natural protective instincts and an amiable temperament; hence is a welcome addition to any family.

American labs are tall and lanky, while their English counterparts look short and stocky. Labrador retrievers can be brown, blonde, or black. They love fetching the ball, and their average lifespan extends between 11 and 13 years. 

Training Guidelines

Labs make excellent therapy dogs and even assist blind people. Follow these practices to train your pet canine effectively:

Encourage Socializing

When you bring home a Labrador, introduce them to new faces early on. Create a positive environment to facilitate such social interactions as it reinforces your Lab’s natural friendly tendency. Laying clear interaction ground rules helps your pet understand acceptable behavior better. 

Chalk Out an Exercise Routine 

Your Labrador retriever dog needs to devote an hour or more each day to physical activity. Since they are highly active dogs, it helps channel their energy to prevent destructive behavior. 

A sufficient dose of daily exercising via long walks and fetch games helps burn your Lab’s excess energy. Use a loose leash while taking them on a walk as they tend to pull on it. Labs have a natural tendency for retrieving, which you can develop further by playing fetch.

Reward Promising Behavior

When your Lab displays behavior worth rewarding, offer them a small treat or a warm cuddle. Doing so motivates your Lab to earn more brownie points from you. Considering this breed tends to become overweight, limit your treats to small ones. To compensate for treats, you can either lengthen the exercising or cut down on food served at mealtimes. 

Taking Care of Labrador Retrievers

As a canine owner, you focus on doing everything possible to make life comfortable for your pet. Fortunately, Labs are not high on maintenance and are generally a healthy breed. 

Listed below are essential steps you must undertake to care for your Lab properly:

• Feed them daily on a nutritious and balanced diet in moderate quantities.
• Engage your Lab in some form of physical activity as daily exercising keeps their weight in check.
• Each week dedicate time for grooming, inclusive of ears, teeth, and nail care.
• Regularly take your Lab to a vet for a physical examination and fix a canine dentist appointment every six months.
• Bathe your pet only when smelly or dirty, roughly thrice a year—frequent baths strip Labs of their natural oils.
• Keep your Lab away from sharp objects, trash, electrical wiring, toxic plants, and backyard pools.
• Vaccinate your adult Labrador annually. Puppies demand initial jabs till 18-weeks old, followed by a rabies shot when six months of age.
• Convert a crate into a dog bed but ensure the surface is soft and comfy for your Lab to rest upon.

If you follow the steps above, you should be able to adequately care for your labrador retriever. You can also look for more guidance online, as there are many bloggers who specialize in writing about Labradors and other dog breeds.