The energetic, ever-loving Labrador Retriever is America’s favorite dog, as proven time and again (28 times to be precise) by the breed’s top ranking on the AKC’s list of most popular dogs. It is the most readily domesticated dog, thanks to the breed’s loving nature and playfulness. People love to adopt labs to add color to their otherwise dull and monotonous lives. Known for their high energy level and eagerness to play, Labrador Retrievers are among the most loyal dog breeds in the canine world.
Aside from that, Labs are also known for their versatility as they can do multiple jobs. From being a guide or therapy dog to show dogs, Labrador Retrievers can do anything and everything they set their mind to, as long as they are not forced.
The full of life Labrador Retriever is identifiable from afar, even people who aren’t dog lovers can recognize a lab easily. However, aside from an easily recognizable appearance and jovial nature, there isn’t much that people know about the loving labs.
Labrador Retrievers have various quirks that warrant an in-depth discussion about the most popular dog breed.
To shed light on the unknown aspects of labs, we decided to put together a detailed guide so that you fall a little more in love with your lab retriever.
Here are eleven lesser-known facts about Labrador Retrievers
Labs were initially purpose-bred for hunting ducks and waterfowls until the British brought them to England in the 1800s, where they became game-hunting companions for the Brits. Today, Labrador Retrievers work in a wide variety of fields, including duck and game hunting. Moreover, they excel in Retriever Field Trials and hunting tests.
Labs were bred to hunt ducks in the water, so naturally, they LOVE water because they were made for it. Labs have a thick tail (also known as otter tail) that works as a powerful rudder, while their webbed feet help them swim, and the double, waterproof coat keeps them safe even in icy cold water.
Labrador Retrievers don’t hail from Labrador; instead, they come from a different Canadian territory, Newfoundland, where they were bred to help fishers and farmers hunt.
Labs are multitalented dogs that can do just about anything. Thanks to their intelligence, willingness to work hard, and learn new things, labs provide excellent service to people in multiple fields. They are the top choice for service dog work, search and rescue work, drug detection, and therapy dog work.
Before being bred into their current form, labradors were known as St. John’s water dog and were used as sporting dogs in Newfoundland, Canada. However, they became a universal dog breed after being bred as labs; before that, they were just a ‘landrace,’ meaning they were exclusive to a particular piece of land.
After the St. John’s water dog became extinct in the late 1980s, Labrador Retrievers were bred as labs.
Labrador Retrievers are among those dog breeds known to have exceptionally high levels of energy and require ample exercise to stay controllable; otherwise, they can lose their composure.
If you have a lab, you must already know that this celebrated dog doesn’t like to sit still. Although labs enjoy occasional lounging, they still prefer to romp around frequently to expend their pent up energy.
If you are planning to adopt a lab, be ready to sweat a ton because your fur child will not let you rest much.
Since Labrador Retrievers are supercharged most of the time, they require effective training to channel their excitement and stay presentable. If lab puppies are not given proper training and socialization skills, they might not learn the protocol of behaving in domestic settings and become disruptive. However, the good news is that labs are super easy to train, thanks to their impressive comprehension skills.
If you want to adopt a lab pup, be sure to enroll it into an obedience class if you think you will not have the time to train your fur child yourself.
Although labs are also found in silver color, their conformation colors are only three; yellow (blonde), black, and chocolate.
As already established, Labrador Retrievers love to play around, which makes them ideal for many dog sports, such as agility, rally, and obedience. Aside from those, they are also excellent at dock diving and hunting trials.
You can’t lose a pet race, if your pet is a Labrador Retriever, as this dog breed can be quite competitive and loves to win.
Like humans, Labradors love to socialize. They are super friendly and love to mingle with everyone, which makes them ideal for homes with other pets as well. In fact, labs don’t do well on their own, so if you have a lab, you should consider adopting other pets as well to provide your highly sociable fur child some company
Many self-claimed dog experts say that color is an indication of a lab’s character. That is, yellow labs are the laziest of the breed, while the white ones are the most agile. However, there is no scientific evidence to support this color/character correlation. Like every other animal and people, every Labrador is different, and every breeder trains their stock differently, making the dogs expert in specific fields only. But that doesn’t mean certain lab species are not active enough or fast enough; it all boils down to the training a dog receives. If you train your pet well, a yellow lab can also wreak havoc on an agility course just as a white Labrador. How a dog performs physically cannot be determined by its color.
Easy to train, eager to help, ever-ready to play, and always willing to learn new things, a lab has everything a pet should have. What else could you possibly need? Adopt a lab today and bring excitement into your life.
by Maria A Davidson || You can’t buy love, but you can rescue it™ .
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Here are a some adoptions for consideration: puccicafe.com/adoptions