The Complete Owner’s Guide to the ... - labrador-secrets.com

1 TheCompleteOwner' sGuidetotheLabradorTheCompleteOwner'sGui deToTheLabrador2 SSOSPECIALABOUTALABRADOR?..112 ISALABRADORRIGHTFORYOU?..13 ISA LABRADORRIGHTFORYOUANDYOURFAMILY?.. , 'sGuideToTheLabrador3 'sGuideToTheLabrador4 'sGuideToTheLabrador5 , 'sGuideToTheLabrador6 THELABRADOR SueColvilHISTORYANDEARLYBEGINNINGSOFTHEL ABRADORTheLabradorRetrieveroriginallycam efrom Newfoundland,Canada,andwasknownasthe sDog , sNewfoundland ,or LesserNewfoundland .Althoughthereareseveraldifferentaccount softheearlyhistoryofthebreed,itismostwid elyspeculatedthattheLabrador soriginscanbetracedto , , knownbytheirhavingaclosecoatwhichturnsth ewaterofflikeoiland,aboveall,ataillikean otter. TheCompleteOwner'sGuideToTheLabrador7 ,inordertohaulthefishermen snetsintoshoreortoretrievefishthathadfal lenoffthefishermen workaholics andwereexcellentnotonlyatretrievingbirds andfish, Dory boats, , (locatedtotheNorthwestofNewfoundland)

2 BroughtthedogstoEnglandin theearly1800 s,wherethebreedcontinuedtoevolvebylearni ngthefineretrievinginstinctsforwhichLabr adorRetrieversare impressedwiththeLab sexcellenthuntingandswimmingability,anda sorganizedshootingeventsbecamemorepopula r, , ,the , ,however,the strongLabradorcharacteristicsstoodout, ,Labradorbreedersweededoutchocolateandye llowlabs, ,whenthedecisionwasmadeatthattimetogivec lassesattheKennelClubShowforLabradorsast heirown, , ,themagazineAmericanKennelGazetterananAK Carticleentitled MeettheLabradorRetriever , ,manyoftheEnglishLabradorswereimported, ,theblackLab BlindofArden wonthetopUSRetrieverhonor,andwasthefirst dogevertoappearonLifeMagazine ,afamousblackLab, KingBuck Buddy and Seamus , stwopets,andRussianPresidentVladimirPuti n s Koni .AblackLabradornamed Sadie detectedabombinAfghanistan, , , ,theAmericanKennelClubregisteredmorethan 137,000 LabradorRetrievers, 'sGuideToTheLabrador8 theearlydaysinEngland,oncetheyaretrained inhuntingandretrievingtoday , , , isabalanceddog,abletofunctionasanefficie ntretrieverofgame,diligenthunteroffowl,q ualityshowdog, smostdistinguishingcharacteristicsareits clean-cuthead, otter tail,short,water-resistantcoat,friendlye yes,powerfuljaws,expressivecharacter, TheLabrador sheightis22 to24 inchesforamale;21 to23 inchesforafemale.

3 Weightinworkingconditionis65to80poundsfo rmales;55to70poundsforfemales. Thedog slengthfromshouldertorumpisequalorslight lylongerthanitsdistancefromwitherstogrou nd. Thedistancefromelbowtogroundshouldbeone- halfofheightatthewithers. Thedog slengthshouldpermitanefficient,straights tride,butnevercausethedogtoappeartalland leggy, 'ssubstanceandboneshouldbeinproportionto hisoverallsize. Labradorsaretobewellmuscled, Labradorsshouldhaveawideskull,withthesku llandforefaceofequallengthonparallelplan es. 'sGuideToTheLabrador9 Lipsshouldcurveawaytowardthethroat,andne verbependulousorsquared-off. Thenoseshouldbeblackonyelloworbrowndogs, andshouldbebrownonchocolateLabs. Teetharetobestrongandregular,nevermisali gned. Earsshouldhangclosetothehead,andbesetfar backslightlyabovetheleveloftheeyes. Labradorsareknownfortheirkind,friendlyey es,whichshowtheirinherentlygoodtemperame nt.

4 Eyesshouldbemediuminsize,andsetwellapart withoutprotrudingorbeingdeepset. BlackandyellowLabsshouldhavebrowneyes, ALabrador sneckshouldbemuscular,withamoderatearcha ndatalengththatallowseasyretrievalofgame . Thetoplineshouldbelevelwhenstandingandmo vingandthebackstrong. TheLab Thehindquartersshouldappearpowerfulandwe lldeveloped,andtheloinswide,shortandstro ng. ALabrador s otter ,itshouldtapergraduallytothetip. sshort,densecoat. ALabradorshouldappeartohaveaflowinglinef romitsheadtothetipofitstail. ALabrador sforequartersshouldbewellcoordinatedandb alancedwithitshindquarters. 'sGuideToTheLabrador10 ALab sfrontlegsshouldappearstraightwithveryst rongbone. Legsshouldalsobewellunderthebodyandperpe ndiculartotheground. Theelbowsshouldbeclosetotheribsanddirect lyunderthewithers. Pasternsaretobeshort,strongandslightlysl opedfromtheleg. ALab sfeetshouldbecompactandstrong,havewell-d evelopedpadsandwell-archedtoes.

5 TheLabrador ALab strong,andthighsshouldbepowerfulandclear lydefined. AnotherdistinctivefeatureoftheLabradorRe trieverisitscoat. Thecoatshouldbeverydense,straightandshor t. ,andresistanttowater,coldandgroundcover. Coatcolorsareblack,chocolateandyellow. Thoughnotdesirable,asmallwhitespotonthec hestispermitted. Blacksaretobeallblack,withnobrindleortan markings. Yellowsrangefromlightcreamtofox-red,with variationsonthedog sunderparts,backandears. TheLabradorRetriever 'sGuideToTheLabrador11 Elbowsaretobeheldneatlyandclosetothebody ,withnosignofelbowsbeingoutwhenapproachi ng. Viewedfromtherear, skindtemperamentisthebreed shouldbeoutgoingandeagertoplease, , SSOSPECIALABOUTALABRADOR?TheLabradorRetr ieverisabalanced, # ,Labsmakekind, ,Labslovetoplay, fetch .Labsareaffectionateandpatient, , ,nutritionandregularhealthcare, ,dense, , ,butwillalsonapintheshade, , ,andits ottertail ,LabradorRetrieversareabletoperforma 'sGuideToTheLabrador12 ,confident,calmandhardworking.

6 Signaldogs alerttheirhearingimpairedownerstospecifi c ,turninglightsonandoff,retrievingobjects , ,andpassbehaviortestsandarespeciallytrai nedtohelpinthetreatmentofanumberofdisord ers, shospitalsandnursinghomestohaveatherapyL abonsite to , Endal , ,heplacedanunconscioushumanintherecovery position(afirst-aidtechniquetoaidpeoplew hoareunconsciousbutstillbreathing) , , ,narcotics,explosives,toxicwaste,oilorga sleaks, ,theymakeexcellentsearchandrescue SAR crew,orevena tracking , competition, , LongJump , , 'sGuideToTheLabrador13 JohannaGoodyearISALABRADORRIGHTFORYOUAND YOURFAMILY?TheLabradorisaveryactiveandhi ghlyintelligentdog,thatdoesneedtohavespa cetogetout, , ,needingtobewithhumansmorethanit ison itsown, ,aswithanybreed, , 'sGuideToTheLabrador14 ,assuch, ,fencedyard, coupleoflongwalksperday, veryfriendlydogwhenwellsocialized, , , , , , ahouseoncetheyaretrained, , , ,gazinglonginglyatyouuntilyoustopwhatyou aredoingandgoforawalkorthrowTheCompleteO wner'sGuideToTheLabrador15 , , ,intheroom, ,hikingandbeingoutdoors, , ,andwillbarkwhenstrangersapproach, , wonderfulallroundbreedofdog,buttheydohav especialrequirementsanda , (regardlessofbreed)

7 , ,itis stillimportanttoconsiderthecharacteristi csofmaleandfemaledogs,astheywill stillbepresentevenaftertheprocedure,alth oughthecharacteristics justpickthe cutest puppyorolderdog,andtrytodeterminewhichge nderwillbethebestpossiblematchforyouandT heCompleteOwner'sGuideToTheLabrador16 , ,tallerandstrongerthanfemaledogs, , toeat ,thisisamoreimportant , , , ,astheycansmellfemaledogsinheatformanymi lesandifallowed, ,eventhoughhemaybesmall!Ifyoupurchaseapa irofdogsforbreedingpurposes, , , trainthanfemaledogs, , ,afemaledogprotectingalitterofpuppiesThe CompleteOwner'sGuideToTheLabrador17 , , , ,however,becomeeasilycowedorshyiftreated harshly, , , , ,itisimportanttoconsidertheamountoftime, ,training,feeding,generalcare, , ,considerationshouldbegiventospayingorne uteringtheanimalassoonasrecommendedbyyou rveterinarian,topreventunwantedpregnanci esandpuppies.

8 Ifthedogistobeusedforbreedingpurposes, 'sGuideToTheLabrador18 ,theplaceyouwillpurchasethedogfrom,if youshouldchooseamaleorfemale, ,thereareseveralquestionsyoushouldaskyou rself: Howcomfortableareyouintrainingapuppy? Howmuchtimedoyouhavetosetasidefortrainin g? Canyouspendtimewiththepuppyforthemajorit yofthedayandnight?TheCompleteOwner'sGuid eToTheLabrador19 Doyouhavepatiencetoworkwithyounganimals? , ,loveableandenergeticpersonalitiesarewon derful,andtheybringasmiletoeveryone ,tobringitupandtrainitspecificallyasthef amily , ,astheownerscanprovidepropercare,nutriti on, thelitterthattendtobemoreaggressiveandas sertivearemorelikelytobeindependent,andp otentiallymoredifficultto , , , , , tosocializethepuppytonewpeople, ,justlikechildren,gothroughdifficultstag es, , 'sGuideToTheLabrador20 ,dependingonthetypeoftraining,breedofdog , , shelterorotherpetadoptionservice, , knowthesize,appearance,temperamentandbeh aviorof , , , ,andwatchinghowtheadultdogrespondstoyoua ndyourfamilywillgiveyoucluesas , ,itwilltakesometimetore-trainthedogtobeh avein abitconfusingforthedog, ,andmayhaveaperiodofadjustmentwheretheyd onotlistenwelltonewowners,orwhereTheComp leteOwner'sGuideToTheLabrador21.

9 (ifyouwanttousethedogforbreedingorshowin gornot), , , ,besuretocheckthefollowing: 'sGuideToTheLabrador22 Makesuretheanimalhashadacompletecheck-up andthatthevaccinationsareuptodate. Askifthedoghasanybehavioralissuesorother concernssuchaseatingorbarking. Doesthedogappearhealthyandenergetic? Willtherescueshelterallowyoutospendtimew iththedogpriortotakingithome? Whatisthepolicyonspayingorneuteringthean imal? Canyoureturnthedogif,forsomereason,thead optiondoesnotworkoutasplanned?Drawbackto rescueshelterdogsTherearesomedrawbacksto gettingaLabradorfromashelter: Thedogmayhavelearnedbadornegativebehavio rsandwillhavetobere-trained. Youhavelimitedchoiceoverthebreeding,size andgenderofthedogsavailable. Youhavelittleinformationontheirlineageor medicalhistory. SheltersaremorelikelytohaveadultLabrador sthanpuppies. Mostanimalswillhavetobeneuteredbeforelea vingtheshelter, , ,however,acoupleofmajor stores,sooftenthepurebredpuppiesoffereda refrom puppymills.

10 TheCompleteOwner'sGuideToTheLabrador23 ,ratherthantryingto selectivelybreedtospecificationsandposit iveattributesof showquality, , , , , , , ,veterinariansinthearea,trainers,problem aticissueswiththebreed, , ,itis importanttoaskforinformationonthelineofd ogsthattheyarebreeding, , ; 'sGuideToTheLabrador24 , ,lawyerorteacher;therearenosettrainingor educationalrequirementsto ,temperamentandadherencetobreedstandards or ,andbreedthemresponsiblyandinthebestinte restsoftheindividualanimals ,breeders ,aswithmostthings,thereare : Peaceofmindastothemedicalbackgroundofthe puppy sparentsincurrentandpastgenerations. Qualityassurancethatthepuppythatyoupurch asewillmeetbreedstandardsandspecificatio ns. Supportinunderstandingandworkingwiththeb reedofyourchoice theLabrador. Adviceastovaccinationregimes,medicalconc ernsassociatedwiththebreed,localtrainers andhandlers, 'sGuideToTheLabrador25 sroleistocontinuetochoosedogstobreedthat willenhancethemostdesirablecharacteristi csofthebreed, ,andwillbeveryawareofthecurrenttrendsint hebreed, ,agoodbreederwillalsobeawareofthehistory andlineageofeachindividualdogthattheyhav e, , ,infact, : Doesthebreederhaveacontracttopurchasetha tclearlyoutlinestheguaranteeofhealthanda returnorrefundpolicy?