Breed: Labrador Retriever Show
AppearanceLabrador Retrievers are compact, robust, strongly built dogs with a dense water resistant coat and thick undercoat. They come in black, yellow, which is a mutation of the black and a rarer chocolate brown. Male labradors stand 56-57cm (22″) and bitches stand 54-56cm (21″). They weigh about 25-34 kg (55-75lb). HistoryLabradors are from New Foundland but because there was already a breed called Newfoundland, another name was selected. They were originally known as St John Dogs or the Lesser New Foundland. Labrador is a peninsular in north-eastern North America between Hudson Bay, the Atlantic and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It contains the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland and Quebec. Labradors were developed to aid fishermen towing in nets and working in the snow and ice of the near Arctic conditions. The dogs were taken to the north of England where they were used a gun dogs and retrievers. Labrador TemperamentThe Labrador Retriever is the most popular dog breed in Australia (ANKC registration figures – 1999) and is described as an ever faithful companion. Labradors are adaptable, friendly and loving dogs. They are also intelligent and obedient and can be trained easily and are employed as guide, service and customs dogs. Vets report that some strains of Labradors have been known to bite and that an increasing number of these have been put down because of this. We recommend checking the temperament of both parents before choosing a puppy. Health and lifespanLabrador Retrievers have three main health problems to watch for: Elbow dysplasia which is a degenerative disease of the elbow joints. Hip dysplasia which is a degenerative disease of the hips. Over-eating which can lead to obesity and this can cause problems with the joints. Elbow and hip dysplasia problems can be avoided by buying dogs from parents that have been x-rayed and cleared of these conditions. Over eating can be controlled by maintaining a strict diet and giving your Labrador plenty of regular exercise. FeedingLabradors are known to be greedy eaters so breeders recommend feeding them a balanced diet of good quality dry food, vegetables and cheese or yoghurt. It is advisable to feed them no more than 0.75kg daily. It would cost about $10 – $20 a week to feed a Labrador. Breeding and costLabrador Retrievers have few whelping problems and have a litter of 7 to 8 puppies. Puppies cost around $550 to $650 and there are often waiting lists for puppies. Housepet PotentialWhen Labrador Retrievers are trained they are excellent in the house because they are obedient. But they need to know what is expected of them and they can be clumsy in the house, knocking things off low tables with their tails but if they are trained to go straight to their beds when they enter the house, problems can be minimised. Space and exerciseLabrador Retrievers need a lot of exercise and should be walked for at least 20 minutes per day. If they are not exercised regularly they can become mischievous and overweight. Ideal OwnerThe ideal owner for a Labrador Retriever is a family because they like to be part of the activities. They are versatile animals and are also good with elderly people. GroomingLabrador Retrievers are easy care dogs because of their short coats. A quick brush daily is all that is needed with a wash when they are dirty or smelly. TrainabilityLabrador Retrievers are highly trainable and owners will benefit from training these dogs from an early age. National contactsTo find up-to-date contacts for breeders, contact the following organisations. Dogs NSW Fax: (02) 9834 3872 Dogs Victoria Fax: (03) 9788 2599 Dogs ACT Phone: (02) 6241 4404 – Fax: (02) 6241 1129. Dogs West Fax: (08) 9455 1190 Dogs SA Canine Control Council of Queensland Fax: (07) 3252 3864 Tasmanian Canine Association Fax: (03) 6273 0844 Dogs NT Fax: (08) 8984 3409
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Discussion in 'Pets & Animals' started by Bella, Jul 25, 2006.
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 In this article we are going to look at how to keep your dog safe and out of trouble when he’s in the back yard, by Labrador proofing your garden. Labradors are of course utterly adorable. But it has to be said, they can make quite a mess of your garden. Digging holes in the lawn, and pulling up your vegetables. Especially when they are young. And mess, is not the only problem. Your dog’s safety is an issue too. This article looks at how you can make your garden a safe place for your dog to relax and play, with minimal disruption to your family. Puppy Proofing Your GardenLabrador puppies are surprisingly agile. They can wriggle through the smallest of gaps and hedges or dilapidated fences are often insufficient to keep them safe. Re-fencing a large garden can be a very expensive exercise. During the first year of your puppy’s life, he is also likely to be quite destructive. And keeping your garden nice, and your puppy happy can be a bit difficult. For many new owners, a puppy playpen is a great way of protecting the puppy from his own curiosity, and your plants from his attentions. An alternative to purchasing a play pen, is to temporarily fence off a small section of the garden with sturdy small gauge wire netting. As you Labrador grows up, he will soon be able to jump out of his puppy pen and escape from any kind of flimsy temporary netted off area. It is important not to be taken by surprise by this new development, and to plan in advance. In urban homes most people are very conscientious about dog proofing their garden. Though some will be unaware of just exactly what will keep an adult Labrador confined. And we’ll look at that in a moment. A slightly different problem often arises amongst Labrador owners in more rural areas. Dog Proofing Rural HomesI sometimes get requests from people who live in very rural locations. They often have large, unfenced gardens. Sometimes backing onto farmland or woodland. And they want me to tell them how to ‘teach’ their dog to stay in the garden and not to wander off. They may have a friend or relative whose labrador lies happily out in the back yard all day. And understandably, they want their dog to do the same. Sadly, there is a real problem here. The imaginary boundaryThe fact is, I don’t know of a way, and I don’t know of anybody else who knows of a way, to reliably teach a dog to respect an ‘imaginary boundary’, during the extended absence of supervision. Some dogs, usually older female dogs, will lie out in an unfenced garden and not stray far from their house. But let’s be honest. These are the exception and NOT the rule. There is no way of predicting if your dog will do this. In fact the chances are that he or she won’t. What about a stay?You can teach your to lie down outside, and stay in a specific place, for a specific length of time. Building up the length of such an out of sight stay takes time and a lot of trouble. A dog that has been left ‘on a stay’ is ‘under instructions’ rather than relaxing. And so this is not really a long term solution for the problem of how to contain your dog when he is not being supervised. The fact is, many dogs will wander off eventually if left alone for too long. Female dogs on heat, and entire male dogs are particularly likely to roam. And you simply cannot take the risk. What about remote collar fences?You have probably heard of a system whereby the dog is fitted with an electric collar, and the collar is activated if the dog goes close to one of a number of special ‘posts’. These posts are inserted into the ground at intervals around the owner’s property. They give off a signal that triggers the collar. The dog is given a shock if it goes near the post, and avoids the post in the future. The Danger of Remote Collar FencesUnfortunately these posts have one huge flaw. If a dog is highly distracted or aroused he will not notice even quite high levels of pain. This is part of a dog’s normal biology. Like humans, dogs are social predators and need to be able to suppress pain awareness when hunting or fighting. So if your dog heads towards the post in hot pursuit of your neighbour’s cat, he probably won’t feel a thing. He will then be on the outside of your property, and unable to get back in! The truth is, the only way to keep your dog safe when you are not with him, is for him to be inside a secure area. And that means behind a fence he cannot get through, over, or under. Secure garden areaIf fencing off the perimeter of your property is not practical, you will need to fence off a secure area outside where your Labrador can relax when he is outdoors. To be certain of containing an adult Labrador you will need a sturdy fence. Strong wooden panels or chain link fencing will suffice, but it does need to be high enough. Most Labradors will not scale a six foot fence. But for a kennel run, where a dog may be left unsupervised for long periods of time, eight foot is better. Make sure that the dog can’t dig under the fence, and that there are no items left against the fence for the dog to use as a climbing aid. Don’t forget the gate!It is surprising how many people spend a fortune on fencing their garden securely, but forget about the gate. If you are going to leave your dog unsupervised in a large garden, and don’t want to risk your mailman and other callers letting him out, then double gates are ideal as they enable vehicles to enter and leave without giving your dog access to his ‘freedom’. Another option is to fence your property so that callers have access to the front door without breaching the fenced area. Failing that, you need a gate that is every bit as secure as the fence, and that cannot be opened without your permission. Better safe than sorryThere is no doubt that fencing is expensive. And whilst we have all seen movies with the happy dog sleeping peacefully in the back yard, whilst the family goes about their daily business. But real life just isn’t like that. Most Labradors are active, lively, curious dogs with strong hunting instincts. The chances of your Labrador just ‘hanging around’ on your unfenced property for any length of time is remote.
Secure an area that he can relax and be safe in. And you will be able to relax too, in the knowledge that he can come to no harm. More information on puppiesThe Happy Puppy Handbook covers every aspect of life with a small puppy. The book will help you prepare your home for the new arrival, and get your puppy off to a great start with potty training, socialisation and early obedience. The Happy Puppy Handbook is available worldwide.
Pippa Mattinson is the best selling author of The Happy Puppy Handbook, the Labrador Handbook, Choosing The Perfect Puppy, and Total Recall. She is also the founder of the Gundog Trust and the Dogsnet Online Training Program Pippa's online training courses were launched in 2019 and you can find the latest course dates on the Dogsnet website |
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