All About Labradors
If you’re considering a new pet, or perhaps adopting a rescue dog, then today Animal Friends is looking into the Labrador breed for your consideration. Well known for its loyalty, intelligence and boisterous enthusiasm, the Labrador breed has been a favourite for many years, with its origins as a working dog giving it a name for reliability and companionship. We’ve listed the top reasons you should consider a Labrador, and we hope you find this article helpful.
So what is a Labrador, and why keep one?
Labradors are able to be traced to Newfoundland, where their origins lie as working dogs, used by fishermen to retrieve their nets once cast. The dogs were bred by the settlers, hoping to keep their loyalty and hard-working mentality, which eventually led to the Labrador’s ancestors in terms of both looks and personality. The breed itself was established in the early 19th century when they were prized as sporting and waterfowl hunting dogs. The UK kennel club officially recognised the breed in 1903, although the name Labrador retriever was already well known in England by 1870.
Labradors have three official colours – chocolate, black and yellow. There are divergences in colour within these boundaries (such as fox-red) but these are classified under one of the three main colours; fox-red is an extreme yellow colouration, for example. The coat has a water ‘repellent’ feature, genetically inherited no doubt from the waterdog ancestry, and therefore has a dry, slightly oily feel. Despite being called the ‘Golden Retriever’ at times, the actual colour ‘gold’ is not recognised within the Labrador breed, but is classed instead as yellow.
Labradors are consistently well mannered pets, and are fantastic when brought up around children as they are very relaxed and have a temperament suited to the rough style of play that young children tend to have (including heavy patting of the head and climbing on the dog!) They are not, however, unintelligent animals – they have kept the intelligence that made them such good working dogs, and as such will need something to occupy them during the day if left alone, as they may become bored or depressed and chew as a result; this can be prevented with training, however it is easier to stop the dog having a reason to chew in the first place.
Labradors have proven their intelligence on many occasions, however the greatest sign of exactly what this breed is capable of shows when you consider that the Labrador is the most commonly chosen breed for use as a guide dog around the world. The high level of intelligence the breed has allowed it to learn its owner’s needs and fulfil those duties to the best of the dog’s abilities.
You should consider choosing a Labrador if you have places to walk nearby and the time to give attention to your dog. If you are living in a town flat, away from places to walk a dog, then perhaps the Labrador is not the one for you. When considering adopting a pet, always let the breeder/rescue centre know your living arrangements so that they can advise you further.
Finally, remember that once you do bring your furry friend home, you’ll want the best insurance for him to help pay for any accidents or illnesses he may have; with rising vet fees, now is the best time to invest in pet insurance. Call Animal Friends on 0845 55 70 300 or get in touch with us on Facebook to find out more.
