Have you ever been filmed in your entire life? Believe it or not, a certain Labrador retriever has been filmed almost 350 times by different crews of several countries. A year of this Labrador’s life was even in production. The dog’s name is Endal, and he is the “Dog of the Millennium”.
The perfect man’s best friend- this is what a Labrador retriever is usually described as. A male Labrador has a height range of 57-62 cm and weight range of 29-36 kg while a female Labrador can grow 55-60 cm and weigh 25-32 kg and is considered to be more independent than male.
A Labrador’s hair is simply short, straight and dense. Their coat can be black, yellow or chocolate and are famous for being water-resistant. Their kind and expressive eyes, usually brown and hazel, conflict with their strong and powerful jaws. Another popular feature of Labrador is its strong otter-like tail and webbed toes.
Being loving and compassionate, it is no wonder
that the Labrador retriever is considered the true man’s best friend. The Labrador’s temperament is amazingly well-balanced and versatile. They are silent and friendly creatures that are not like other dogs that are territorial. They are even-tempered and are great family dogs. And just as
their name shows, they’re an excellent retriever. Aside from being even-tempered, a Labrador retriever is easy going yet too trusting even with strangers. This will make it difficult to leave him anywhere without proper training.
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Training a Labrador should start early on. It will be easier to train a Labrador while still a pup because of the enthusiasm. If you train them when they‘re older, it may be more difficult to handle and to discipline. Dogs of this breed are intelligent with the good working ethics. They are a lot easier to train than other breeds due to its cleverness. Aside from their high intelligence, the Labrador’s initiative and self-direction are also amazing. They seem like they can decide on their own and that their instincts are usually right. This is also the reason why Labradors are good for hunting, search and rescue, detection and therapy work.
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Health Issues and Care of Labs
One of the things that should also be emphasized aside from the
Labrador’s training is the list of their health problems. Parts of this
list are Exercised Induced Collapse, Hip and Elbow Dysplasia, Knee and
Eye Problems, Osteoarthritis, Ear Infections, Autoimmune Diseases and
Deafness and Obesity.
Exercised Induced Collapse is a combination of hyperthermia, weakness, collapse and disorientation after some workout. Hip and elbow dysplasia usually happens to larger dogs. Hip scores and joint supplements are recommended to correct this problem. Knee Problem such as luxating patella and eye problems like cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, corneal dystrophy, and retinal dysplasia may also hit Labradors. Osteoarthritis or the abnormalities in joints may hit older and overweight Labradors. Other health problems are ear infections; autoimmune diseases and deafness are probable to hit the dogs. Moreover, the most common health problem for Labradors is Obesity, which may spring from the dog’s persuasive and persistent manner of asking food and the lack of activity for the dog.
With these health problems come the proper grooming and health management for prevention. It is important to never forget the basics of cleanliness for goods health and health problems prevention.
Labrador retriever does not need too much pampering or grooming. All they need are the basics like brushing the coat weekly which also needs shampooing in a lightly manner to avoid damaging the waterproof coat. Furthermore, just like basics, regular brushing and bathing are important. Ears should be cleaned and inspected for parasites and infections. And since Labradors shed hair twice annually; it would be advised to take note of this occurrence for additional care treatment.
