When thinking about companion dogs, we will definitely mention Labradors. These are loyal and friendly four-legged friends who really suffer from loneliness. Obedient and smart pets, well trained, loving training. Patient, flexible and tireless service dogs.
Representatives of the breed grow, on average, up to 1 year. During this period, the owner must keep a diary of the development of his puppy - he writes down how much the pet has grown and how much weight it has gained. This is very important for Labradors - dogs are prone to obesity. It not only deprives you of the joys of a full life, but also leads to serious problems with the heart and blood vessels.
History of the breed
The breed has been known since the beginning of the 18th century. To date, there is no reliable data on the crossing, as a result of which the Labrador breed was developed. There is only a version that the Newfoundland was crossed with another breed.
At the very beginning of their appearance, Labradors helped sailors in pulling nets ashore. However, the status of a Labrador’s assistant remains relevant to this day, and Labradors provide assistance to people in a variety of areas. This dog is famous for its reliability and resistance to any difficulties in life.
Description of the breed
The photo of the Labrador Retriever shows that the breed is particularly strong and has a rather powerful build. The eyes of a Labrador are brightly defined. The paws are strong, the head is wide. The body shape resembles a square.
The Labrador's tail is not docked; it is quite dense and thick and is an extension of the back. The wool is medium length and waterproof.
The dog weighs on average from 30 to 40 centimeters, height at the withers reaches up to 55 centimeters. Due to its parameters, it may appear taller and larger than it actually is.
The Labrador is a single color. There are black, fawn and chocolate dogs.
Character of the breed
Labradors are very welcoming and friendly dogs. This characteristic of the Labrador Retriever makes the dogs treat strangers kindly.
Labradors will not bark or rush at strangers; rather, they will try to make friends faster. They are great companions. They get along well not only with children and people, but also with other animals.
Labradors are very smart and loyal. They understand people very well and are easy to train. Moreover, Labradors are very sensitive to the emotional background and sometimes even try to defuse the situation with their presence if they feel that the atmosphere is tense.
Labradors love their owners so much that when trained they are very obedient, just to please their person and bring him joy.
They treat children well and can even keep an eye on them while remaining a nanny. There are many stories of Labradors rescuing children in different situations.
Nutrition in the first 3 months
The difficulty in keeping these pets in the first months lies not only in toilet training, but also in proper feeding. The digestive system of this breed is very delicate and reacts sharply to changes in diet. Therefore, this issue must be approached with all seriousness.
For the first month, the puppy feeds on mother's milk, but if there is a deficiency of calories and nutrients in it, the puppy may lose weight. In this case, you need to help him with additional nutrition.
At the age of up to 3 months, you need to pay special attention to the frequency and timing of feeding small puppies. The interval between meals is at least 1.5 hours, duration – no more than 20 minutes. You should not force feed the animal, but you should not allow it to be distracted while eating. If feeding turns into play and pampering, you need to stop it immediately.
NOTE!
You should always make sure there is water in your dog's bowl. It should always be clean and fresh, and the pet should have unlimited access to it. If you refuse to drink or feed, you should immediately consult a doctor. This may indicate serious illness.
It is best to start feeding with liquid cereals, since the pet is not able to chew food fully (teeth simply have not developed). Gradually, you can get used to dry food, which will be soaked in kefir or yogurt before feeding. To help the growing body cope with food, it is recommended to give your puppy prebiotics. This should also be done if you have loose stools.
Breed Features
Due to their nature and size, Labradors are more suitable for home rather than apartment living. Dogs are very active, so they require a lot of time for walks and training. Physical exercise is also very beneficial for Labradors to prevent dogs from gaining excess weight.
Labradors develop physically very quickly, and by the age of six months they can reach the levels of an adult. Weight gain usually occurs before age two.
If the maintenance and training of a Labrador Retriever is not up to the mark, Labradors begin to get bored and tend to behave badly: bark, howl, dig or spoil something.
Labradors are not prone to aggression due to their good-natured nature. They easily tolerate a change of environment, getting used to new circumstances. They love to swim. This is not surprising: due to their historical origin, Labradors helped the sea, and their wool is waterproof.
Labradors make excellent guide dogs or helpers for people with disabilities. Very often this breed is involved in various rescue operations.
Labradors live approximately 12-14 years. The breed does not suffer from any health problems other than obesity. It can negatively affect the musculoskeletal system, lead to diabetes and even eye disease.
Training and education
By six months, the puppy is already familiar with most of the basic commands. During training, all the shortcomings made earlier due to his young age become obvious. Now is the time to correct them and perfect the execution of commands.
During this period, new commands are added, such as “fetch”, “voice”, “show your teeth”, “crawl” . Now the owner must demand that the puppy fulfill the command one hundred percent, showing persistence.
If the puppy shows excessive self-will, then you need to contact a specialist. Encouraging the puppy with treats and intonation is mandatory, because the pet is still a child.
For training, you need to choose a quiet place so that the puppy is not distracted by anything. It is better to alternate home and street training so that the dog gets used to obeying its owner anywhere.
You should not tire your pet by repeating the same command over and over; it is better to alternate them . For a six-month-old Labrador, the training time can already be extended to one hour.
You can do the training yourself, or you can turn to dog handlers for help.
The “fetch” command is taught after a good mastery of the “come to me” and “fu” commands . As an object to be retrieved, it is better to choose something that interests the puppy most: a ball, a favorite toy, or just a stick.
The main thing is that this item is not edible, because... The puppy definitely won’t be able to cope with the temptation! To practice, you need to choose a clearly visible area and throw the object not very far.
The command is given when throwing an object; before this, you need to make sure that the dog is interested in the object and is ready to rush after it.
When the dog grabs the thrown object, the command “come to me” is given, and when the pet approaches the owner, command “fu” and ensure that the object is placed at the feet.
You should not pull objects from the mouth of a six-month-old puppy so as not to spoil the bite.
The “voice” command is taught to a puppy who has mastered the “fu” command. For training, you can use methods of causing interest and irritation.
In the first case, the owner must sit the dog in front of him and raise a treat or favorite toy above him, teasing him.
The puppy will definitely bark, at this moment a command is given, then it is stopped. The stimulus is usually used by snapping fingers in front of a sitting dog's nose.
Dogs usually don’t like the “show your teeth” command, but it is necessary for hygiene procedures. The owner sits the dog in front of him, examines its mouth, repeating the command. Afterwards, be sure to praise and reward with treats.
Puppies who already know the commands “lie down” and “come to me” learn to crawl on command . The owner makes the dog lie down, and then calls him to him and commands him to crawl. If the dog tries to get up on its paws, the command “lie down” is given again.
NOTE!
You can also place a toy or treat in front of the lying dog and give the command to “crawl,” lightly holding the puppy’s back and preventing him from getting up on his paws.
At six months, the puppy must be taught how to behave when crossing the road, and also not to take food from strangers or from the ground and to return at the first call of the owner.
All the troubles about a four-legged friend will be more than repaid with the love and loyalty that the Labrador generously gives to its owner.
Labrador Retriever Care
From the description of the Labrador Retriever it can be understood that the dogs do not require particularly complex care. The main thing is to educate the dog from puppyhood, give it physical and mental stress.
The next point of the rules is moderation in food intake. Labradors tend to gain weight quickly, so sometimes they have to moderate their food intake. If you don’t do this and don’t give the dog physical activity, you will then have to put your Labrador on a diet.
Wool also does not require special care. During the shedding period, you need to brush your dog every day, then once a week is enough.
Wash when dirty, but not often, once every two months. If you wash your Labrador too often, he may develop allergies and irritation. Ears and teeth should be cleaned regularly to remove all dirt.
Labradors love to chew on things, so he must have some toys for this purpose, otherwise he will begin to damage furniture or other furnishings in the house.
Accustoming to neatness
Breeders usually raise puppies on bedding made of shavings or other filler that absorbs moisture well.
Therefore, the baby does not know where to recover and makes puddles and piles everywhere.
While the dog is small, you need to accustom him to walking.
If you want to learn how to train a dog to toilet outside, we recommend reading the article
Any quiet place on the street is suitable for this: rocky or covered with grass: the main thing is that it is quiet and, if possible, deserted.
Swimming together in the summer heat is a real pleasure for Labrador puppies
Important! The puppy is taken outside after sleeping, feeding or playing, and this is done in any weather. The kid must understand that you can never recover at home!
Of course, it is not always possible to keep track of the little lab, and puddles will appear again and again, but it is useless to scold and poke the baby’s nose, because he cannot yet control his body.
If you punctually adhere to the rules of teaching your dog to be neat, then within a month the dog will start asking to go to the toilet, whining at the door, for which you need to praise.
Who here isn’t afraid of tickling?
Some breeders do not advise walking the puppy until the course of vaccinations has been completed, but this process usually takes at least a month, and the baby gets used to recovering at home, which is difficult to wean him off.
To minimize the risk of catching the virus, the baby must be carried in his arms to the recovery site and carried away from there in his arms, not allowing him to play with other dogs.
A flock of small and brave Labradors are ready to conquer the sea
Feeding Labradors
An adult dog needs to be fed twice a day. Basically, dogs are fed meat, fish, porridge, milk and vegetable mixtures. Formulas are usually given in the morning, and meat products in the evening.
The serving size is determined individually. To do this, you need to watch the dog during feeding and decide whether it eats its portion or not.
Nutrition should be balanced and complete. It is prohibited to give sweet and salty foods to Labradors, including various sausages and sausages. You can buy ready-made dry or wet food and give it to your dog.
Which dry food to choose?
Several criteria for choosing the right dry food:
- the most important thing is that the puppy must like it;
- the pet should not be allergic to it or intolerant to the products present in the composition;
- availability;
- the price must be acceptable to the owner;
- quality.
It is best to avoid buying the cheapest food, as it may be of poor quality. For puppies, it is better to choose special food designed for early feeding. Royal Canin and NaturVet are considered popular dry foods.
How to train a dog
When training a dog, the key is to be patient. No need to be aggressive. Labradors are very smart dogs and quickly grasp everything on the fly, but it takes time for them to start following certain commands. It is best to alternate activities so that your Labrador does not get bored with the activity and become distracted by something else.
It is very important to socialize a Labrador so that the dog does not show anxiety around other people or animals, behaves with dignity during walks, and does not experience stress.
How much does a puppy cost?
A puppy with documents and pedigree, as a rule, costs between 25-30 thousand rubles. A dog without documents can be bought cheaper, but there is no guarantee that an adult will have all the characteristics of the breed.
Litter from exhibition champions costs 20 thousand rubles more. Puppies from titled parents can also be taken to various exhibitions.
First vaccinations
At the age of 1 month, the puppy needs to be dewormed.
The first comprehensive vaccine for dogs against distemper, infectious hepatitis, parvovirus enteritis, parainfluenza and leptospirosis is given 10 days after deworming. After 14 days, a second comprehensive vaccination is given, at this stage vaccination against rabies is also carried out. Quarantine lasts 10-14 days after the second vaccination, revaccination - once a year.
Puppies are vaccinated according to the schedule from the vaccine manufacturer. Veterinary clinics offer vaccines from domestic and imported manufacturers, for example, Biovac, Multikan, Nobivak, Vanguard, Duramun, Eurikan.
