Introducing Labradors to other dogs

Us Labrador Retrievers are very social, and will willingly engage in any activity that involves engaging interaction. However, when looking for the proper way to introduce us to other dogs, either inside our outside your home, there are many important things to keep in mind. Though we can be very friendly, it is essential to follow the proper procedures when teaching us how interact with other dogs. If done correctly, we will be able to greet other dogs with a friendly attitude, while not becoming over-excited or aggressive.

OUTSIDE DOGS

When trying to introduce your Labrador Retriever to dogs outside of your home, the most important thing is to do it gradually! The best socialization procedure involving other dogs involves introducing both dogs when they are in a neutral environment, such as a park. Introducing your dog to another dog in someone else's home could cause the strange dog to become aggressive, which will give your Labrador Retriever a negative attitude towards other dogs. Have your Labrador Retriever walk up to the strange dog slowly, being attentive to any negative signs from either of the dogs. At the first sign of aggression, such as growling, raised fur, or crouched posture, immediately turn around and walk away from the other dog. If this happens, try again, rewarding your Labrador with treats for each step they take while not displaying bad behavior. Once you reach the other dog, if all is going well, let the dogs interact briefly, though try to discourage any jumping or playful wrestling at this time. This is a socialization training exercise, and should only be used to let your dog know that other dogs are to be treated with respect.

DOGS IN YOUR HOME

Introducing your Labrador Retriever to other dogs in your home should be done with care, as they will have to live together as fellow pack members in your household. The best way to do this, is to keep your other dog(s) in a separate room, while bringing your Labrador Retriever into one room of the house. Be sure that the other dogs see you bring your Labrador inside, though quickly take your Labrador into a neutral room, such as the bedroom. Enter the room with them, and shut the door. Once inside, allow your Labrador to have some time to investigate the new sights and scents of your home. At this time, you should give your Labrador Retriever a lot of praise and affection, to help them with the transition into your home.

Once your Labrador Retriever seems to be comfortable, open the door. Go and pet your other dogs, being sure that your Labrador sees you interacting with them. Once you have your Labrador Retriever's attention, immediately go back into the room and give them praise. This will help establish the “pack” bond between your current dogs and your new Labrador, which will help greatly in preventing any battles for pack dominance.

The average growth rate of a Labrador Retriever

Having a Labrador Retriever puppy is wonderful, especially since we're so cute as puppies! We love to play, and are constantly curious about everything happening around us. However, it's important to remember that taking care of a Labrador Retriever puppy requires a large amount of responsibility, time, and patience. As puppies, we can grow incredibly fast, especially if you take good care of us. Be sure to follow the recommended feeding amount for your Labrador Retriever puppy, as this can prevent some health problems later in life.

As puppies, we keep growing until we're about 18-24 months old. However, we will usually reach our average adult size at about 14 months of age. Even if we look grown up, don't forget to keep feeding us puppy food! We still need the extra nutrients contained in puppy food to keep growing, and can be switched to adult food at about 2 years of age. We will start teething at about four months old, and will keep getting our adult teeth until we are a year old.

Early on, it is important to feed your Labrador Retriever puppy in three separate meals. This helps us to better digest our food, since it is divided into smaller portions. At this time, our digestive systems are still very sensitive, so don't forget to switch to a different puppy food brand if we aren't properly digesting our food.

While Labrador Retriever puppies are known to grow fast, it's important to watch us while we're growing up! Many health problems can develop in the transition from puppy to adult dog, and it is much easier to treat any health problems we may have when they're still in their early stages. The most common problem in puppies is joint discomfort from the joints growing too fast. Be sure to pay attention, and take us to the veterinarian if you suspect anything is wrong.

During our growing stages, we will begin to require larger portions of food. A growing puppy can have quite a healthy appetite, and it's important to adjust our daily meals accordingly. Pay attention to the feeding chart usually located on the puppy food's packaging. If we still seem hungry after meals, you can try switching to another puppy food that has a better supply of protein. Protein is important to build healthy organs and muscles, so be sure we get enough of it!

As we continue to grow, it's also important to give us a larger crate, a longer leash, or a bigger sleeping space. Once we start growing out of our puppy phase, Labrador Retrievers need to be given as much room as an adult dog. This will help us to develop normally, and will keep us much happier as well!

Ways to keep your Labrador Retriever busy

Labrador Retrievers are known for being a very energetic breed, and as such, we do require constant exercise! As well as physical stimulation, it is also important to occupy our attention span as well. Giving us a number of exciting interactive toys and treats can help keep us happy, while helping to deter negative doggy habits (such as chewing on your shoes or furniture!). Even with a lot of toys, however, us Labrador Retrievers still need to interact with you, our owners. Try to make time to play with us at least three times per day.

VARIETY
The best way to keep your Labrador Retriever busy is to give us a constant variety of different toys! You can rotate a new toy into our toy collection every week, or introduce the new toy during playtime as a surprise. Above all, we will love any toy that you give us, as it presents an exciting new opportunity for interaction.

LONG-LASTING TREATS
The best kind of treat to keep our attention is a treat that will last for a long time. Treats that aren't consumed immediately will become very interesting, as it represents an interactive puzzle for us to solve. The best long-lasting treats can come in the form of pig ears, rawhide toy bones, animal hooves, and flavored meat-filled bones. Us Labrador Retrievers love any type of food, and will be more than willing to spend time consuming a long-lasting treat! This can also help us to cope with being left alone for a period of time, as it serves as a good distraction. Having a lot of available chew toys can help us to better deal with separation anxiety about being left alone.

CHEW TOYS
Many dogs are known to be constantly chewing on things, and Labrador Retrievers are no different. Us Labradors actually have a breed-based oral fixation, which is one of the main reasons why we make such excellent retrievers. However, this also means that we need constant acceptable objects to occupy our chewing needs! Having a variety of chew toys can help prevent us from chewing on wires, shoes, or other household items. This can also help prevent bouts of destructive chewing, as we will sometimes want to chew on objects when we are feeling depressed or lonely. Try to always have chew toys available for us Labradors.

INTERACTIVE TOYS
Aside from being active, Labrador Retrievers are also very smart. We are very curious, and are always exploring for new and exciting things to learn about. As such, it is important to give us interactive toys to help occupy our attention! The best interactive toys for us are toys that make noise, have lights or bells, and toys that present a puzzle for us to solve. Some chew toys are now made with squeaking noises, and there are durable electric toys that are made specifically for dogs. A good puzzle toy is a rubber chew toy that has a treat on the inside, since this will help us to utilize problem-solving skills.

Labrador Retriever and Guard Dogs

Labrador Retrievers are very loyal, and we are well known for our dedication to our owners. This is one of the reason that there are so many K-9 police units that use Labrador Retrievers for their partners! Even so, we are not the best type of dog to use for attacking intruders. Since we love people, we are not overly inclined to attack anyone. We can be protective of our owners, but being a guard dog isn't what we're best at.

Since we're so gentle and affectionate, we're usually adopted by families or by people looking for companionship. Even though we're wonderful companion dogs, us Labrador Retrievers aren't very aggressive. This is one of the reasons why we are such a popular breed, but it also means that we're not the best dog to choose when looking for a breed that will be an aggressive guard dog. We were specifically bred over many years for our loyalty and companionship, not for use as a guard dog.

Though we're not usually aggressive, there are times when there are reports of aggressive Labrador Retrievers. This is usually because we were trained from a very early age to be aggressive, or we were raised with physical abuse. Also, in very rare cases, an aggressive Labrador Retriever can result from a breed-based defect in temperament. Most people don't see aggressiveness in a dog to be a good trait for a pet, but a certain level of aggression is needed for a dog to make a good guard dog.

If you are looking for a family guard dog, however, us Labrador Retrievers can meet some of your needs. We are able to display a certain measure of aggressive behavior if we feel that any of our family members are being threatened, since they are fellow members of our “pack”. This is different from typical aggressiveness, though, since protecting fellow pack members is an instinctual trait shared by most dogs.

Though we're not very aggressive, us Labrador Retrievers can make good “alarm” dogs! This allows us to help protect your home, without becoming aggressive. The best way to help us understand to protect your home is to spend a lot of time bonding with us. This is best done by putting our dog bed in your bedroom, frequently spending time with us during the day, and giving us a lot of attention.

When training us to be an alarm dog, it's important that you establish early on which people are allowed into the home. It wouldn't be very useful for us to always be barking at visiting friends! The best way to do this is to socialize us with as many other people as possible, especially people who frequently visit your home. Labrador Retrievers are a very intelligent breed, and if you train us enough, we will become familiar with what is defined as “good” human behavior. If you can take the time to teach us, we can help to protect you and your family to the best of our ability.

Do we make good apartment dogs

Us Labrador Retrievers have one of the best temperaments for interacting with people on a regular basis. We are very loyal, and always seeking to please our owners. We are also very attentive, and eager to learn new things! A lot of exercise is best for us, to keep us in good shape. As long as you exercise us regularly, we can be happy to share your apartment with you. However, there are some important things that you have to keep in mind when bringing us into an apartment.

The first thing that you should check on before you bring us into your apartment is that there should be enough space for us to be comfortable. If you need a more precise guideline, try to count us as an extra person in your home, and be sure that we are able to have as much space as a human would need. If your apartment is particularly small, we may become unhappy, and develop behavior problems. Just like people, we need to have our own special space where we can relax. This special space can be a crate, a dog bed, or a small corner of a room where we can rest undisturbed. We will do best if our space also has a few of our favorite toys, which will help us to be more comfortable.

The next most important thing to think about is making sure that you can give us enough exercise! We are very energetic, and will need to be walked outside several times per day. A small private outdoor yard works well, as we are able to run freely without a leash. However, even if you don't have your own yard, we can still get our exercise as long as you take us for regular walks. Since we love to play, try to incorporate outdoor playtime into daily walks. This can be done at a park, a designated play area, or a fenced-in space that lets us run without a leash.

Just like humans, we need to go to the bathroom too! When you're sharing your apartment with us, this becomes a very important consideration. If we aren't able to go outside by ourselves, it's necessary for you to bring us to a spot outdoors where we will be allowed to go to the bathroom. Don't forget to pick up after us! Since we can't dispose of our own waste, it's better if you bring a small scoop and plastic bag to properly dispose of waste. It's illegal in some places to leave our waste behind, so don't forget to check with your community's rules!

Teaching us Labradors Retrievers to Roll Over

Labrador Retrievers are very intelligent, and we love any opportunity to learn a new trick! We are also very eager to please, and will try our best to learn commands that you teach us. When trying to teach us the “roll over” command, there are a few methods that will help us to best understand and learn this command. It's recommended to start basic training commands before using the “roll over” command, as this will help us to understand your role as our teacher.

METHOD #1

This method involves the association of the “roll over” command with a previously learned trick, in this case, the “down” or “lie down” command. It's fairly easy for a dog to go from the “down” position to the “roll over” position. The best way to do this is to entice us with a treat, as we will respond eagerly to any training method that has a resulting food-based reward.

Begin by kneeling down, while also holding a yummy treat to the side of your dog's head. Treats with a strong aroma work well for this trick. This method works especially well if your dog is laying with their legs to one side, similar to a resting position. Start moving the treat around your dog's head, on the same side that their legs are leaning away from. Slowly move the treat from the side of your dog's head around to the back. Your Labrador will attempt to keep the treat within seeing distance, and will turn their head to follow the hand with the treat. This will cause them to roll over onto their back. Since this is the “Roll over” command and not the “Play dead” command, continue rotating the treat until your dog makes one complete rotation and is once again in the “lie down” position. During this, remember to repeat the command “Roll over” to reinforce the action with the spoken command. Once your dog has completed this process, be sure to give them the treat as a reward.

METHOD #2

This method involves manually aiding your dog in obeying the “roll over” command, until they eventually are able to accomplish it on their own. Approach your dog with a treat, while they are lying down (usually best done indoors). Try not to show them the treat until you kneel down to their level, to prevent them from standing up. This will cause your dog to give you their full attention! Manually reach over and grasp your dog's legs, while rubbing their tummy in the process. We love having our tummy rubbed! This means that your dog will naturally roll over on its back during the tummy rubbing. Continue rotating your dog's legs until your dog is laying on the opposite side that you started on. Repeat the “Roll Over” command, then stand up. Your dog wil stand up as well, at which point, you can offer them their reward, for successful completion of this trick! This method should be repeated several times, and will eventually allow your Labradors to do this trick on their own.

Labradors and Labrador Retrievers are they the same?

Some people may think that calling us a “Labrador” or a “Labrador Retriever” can mean different things. However, “Labrador” is just our nickname! Some people also call us “Labs” or “Labbies”. Even though these are all different names, they all refer to us, the Labrador Retriever.

Us Labradors can come in a few different colors. Brown Labradors are called “Chocolate” Labradors, Golden-colored or light yellow Labradors are called “Yellow” Labradors, and Labradors with black fur are called “Black” Labradors. Sometimes we also come in a Silvery Gray color, but this is extremely rare. Even though we can be different colors, these are all just variations of the Labrador breed.

Labradors from different parts of the world can look slightly different as well. In England, us Labrador Retrievers look quite different from Labrador Retrievers in America! This is because our breed came from England to America, and began to evolve through different breeding practices in America. The Labrador Retrievers in England look a lot more like the original dogs of the Labrador Retriever breed, since England is the secondary origin of Labradors. Different choices by Labrador breeders have let us evolve differently in America, since we are selectively bred for characteristics best suited for American Labrador Retriever owners.

My Labrador Friends can get BIG

Us Labrador Retrievers can grow to be quite large! Even though we're only classified in the medium-large dog category, we can still take up a lot of space. Male Labradors will usually grow to about 22-24 inches, though can still grow up to 30 inches in height! Male Labrador Retrievers also tend to develop muscle sooner, and end up being a bit more muscular than female Labrador Retrievers. A male Labrador usually will grow to be much bigger than a female Labrador, both in weight and in height.

Female Labrador Retrievers tend to be a bit smaller than male Labrador Retrievers, though sometimes only by a few inches. Female Labradors are usually about 21-23 inches tall when full grown, depending on how much nutrition we get, and how old we are when we get spayed. Even though female Labrador Retrievers are smaller than males, females are much more prone to becoming overweight! This means that female Labrador Retrievers may require a bit more exercise than male Labrador Retrievers.

Since we're so big, us Labradors can develop some joint problems later in life. It's important to keep tabs on our health, so that we can enjoy a healthy life as long as possible!

How often should you groom us Labradors

Labrador Retrievers require constant grooming, and this can be a great way to spend some quality bonding time with us. We love to be touched, and we regard any physical contact as a significant bonding act with humans. However, along with being great for physical reasons, grooming is very important for our health as well. Keeping our coat well-groomed can help avoid some serious health problems, as well as keeping us content. There are many great reasons to keep your Labrador Retriever properly groomed.

Most Labrador Retrievers have a reputation for being heavy shedders, though actually, we are only in the “moderate” category of dog shedding. Despite our reputation, our shedding can be kept to a minimum with regular grooming. Our fur consists of two layers: a coarse, oily outer layer, that helps repel water, and a thick, soft inner layer, which helps to insulate us from temperature variants. We usually go through a process called “blowing the coat” twice per year, which is the complete replacement of our seasonal fur. Both layers of our coat are replaced at this time, which is probably why we have a reputation for shedding so heavily.

Labrador Retrievers shed because new hair growth pushes the old strand of fur out of the hair follicle. At this time, the old strand of hair falls out, to make room for the new fur strand. If we're not groomed on a regular basis, these old strands of hair can get caught in existing fur, preventing proper ventilation of our skin. Also, this can result in matting of the fur, which is when a dense mat of “dead” hair forms close to the skin. Dead skin cells can also become trapped along with the shed fur, which can potentially cause a number of serious skin conditions. This is where grooming your Labrador Retriever on a regular basis can prevent certain health conditions.

Many dog experts argue about the proper frequency with which to groom a Labrador Retriever. However, it is generally recommended to groom us twice per week, or three times per week for extra heavy shedding seasons. Use a gentle brush, and be sure to groom from the head to the feet, following the direction of the fur. Heavy shedding can also be a sign of nutritional deficiencies, so be sure to bring your Labrador Retriever to the veterinarian if they begin to shed severely.

How often should you exercise us Labradors

One of the best times you can have with your Labrador Retriever is when you're bringing us outdoors to exercise! We love to participate in any outdoor activity, especially since we have such a high energy level. Labrador Retrievers do require a significant amount of exercise, especially since our breed is very prone to becoming overweight. We love anything food-related, and it may be tempting to give us a lot of treats. However, try to keep the treats to a minimum, as this will help us to enjoy better health and a more active lifestyle. Exercising with your Labrador Retriever can be a great experience for pet owners as well, as this is a great time to bond with your dog.


Begin your Labrador Retriever's exercise routine gradually. This can be done by starting with a daily low-intensity workout, while increasing the activity level each week. A good low-intensity workout is a short walk, usually about 10 to 20 minutes long. This is also a great opportunity to socialize your dog, as we need to be introduced to the fact that there is a proper way to greet other interesting canines! If you are exercising your dog in a populated area, it is also possible to socialize your dog with other people as well, since this is an important part of training your Labrador Retriever. Leash training is also important, since this will allow you to have maximum control over you dog while outdoors. The best way to always keep your dog's attention is to give them a small treat on a consistent basis. Once they figure out that you have food, they'll stay by your side without pulling on the leash, in hopes for another treat!

After the initial training and socialization procedures are finished, you can start increasing your dog's workout intensity. Start doing 20-30 minutes of light jogging, though it is important to pay attention to how well your dog handles the increased activity. This routine should be done on a daily basis, as this is the optimum exercise program for your Labrador Retriever. Unless you are training your Labrador Retriever for an organized sport, try to keep your exercise routine at a moderate pace.

If your dog is already overweight, you might have to take a slightly different approach to daily exercise. High-impact exercise, such as jogging, can cause an obese Labrador Retriever to damage their joints. This can cause a host of other problems, so it's recommended to give your Labrador a gradual, low-impact daily workout instead. Swimming is a great veterinary recommended activity for obese dogs, as this allows them to get a great aerobic workout while having minimum impact on the joints. Another good way to supplement an obese dog's exercise routine, is to switch to a “weight loss” or “weight management” type of dog food. Also, it is possible that your dog may be gaining weight because your dog food formula has a high percentage of carbohydrates. Try talking to your veterinarian about the optimal food formula to help your dog to get healthy.

Are we Labradors good with children?

Us Labrador Retrievers make great family pets. We've been the preferred type of dog for about eighteen years! Labrador Retrievers have a great reputation with the American Kennel Club as being the ideal dog for raising with children. Along with being gentle, we're also very smart, learn quickly, and can be very affectionate. Our temperament is one of the best for being a family dog, since we are very tolerant of small children when socialized properly.

Even though us Labradors are very patient, there are many other things that you have to remember when making the choice to bring a Labrador into your home. We have lots of energy! Labradors love to play, but we will also need a considerable amount of exercise to stay in good shape. This can be a great way to teach your kids responsibility, since walking us on a daily basis can be fun as well! Along with the other responsibilities of caring for us, such as grooming, regular meals, and a training program, we will be able to learn quickly.

It's important to introduce us to your children as soon as possible, ideally when we're still puppies. It's best that you don't let us wrestle or roughhouse with your children, as puppy play is not meant for small children! As Labrador puppies, we haven't learned yet how to be gentle with our playtime. We would never hurt a child intentionally, but puppies have a very high energy level, and can become quite rambunctious. Make sure to help us understand the difference between puppy play and playing with humans, so that we can learn the best way to interact with your children.

The best way to introduce us to children is to first let us have a considerable amount of exercise! If we're slightly tired, it is less likely that we'll become overly excited and try to engage in playtime during the introduction. Bring us indoors, to a room that isn't associated with playtime. Help us to remain calm, so that we can understand that interacting with children requires a certain amount of restraint. Have the child approach us from the front, without running or making any loud noises. This could cause us to get too excited!

It's best to have the child first pet us on the top of the head, gently at first. Establishing the first contact on the top of the head lets us know that children are to be treated with respect, since this is how we interact when in the wild. Touching the top of our head gives us an instinctual sign that children are to be treated as “dominant” pack members. If we start wagging our tail, you'll know that we understand! It's also advised to give us treats, especially if we seem nervous around children. Nervous dogs are more likely to become scared, and it's best that you comfort us with praise and treat rewards. Let us know that interacting with children can be a fun and rewarding experience, and we'll do our best to please you.