A Pet's View / December 2005
Top Dog
America’s favorite dog, the Labrador Retriever, comes in three main colors and two types. The English bred lab comes from English bred stock that is heavier, thicker and blockier. The American-bred Lab comes from American bred stock that is tall and lanky. Both are solid, muscular dogs, slightly longer than tall, with a short, coarse, easy-care, water-resistant double coat of solid black, yellow, or chocolate.
English Labs are slightly calmer and more laid back than Americans. All Labs have a broad head, a wide muzzle, a thick nose with a keen sense of smell and a powerful neck. They have webbed feet, for swimming and a tapering otter tail. Those loving chestnut or hazel eyes maintain an alert, intelligent expression.
Labs are loved for a host of reasons, but foremost is their temperament. They have a friendly, reliable, disposition and are superb with children and equable with other dogs. They are loving, loyal, lively dogs who are good natured and highly intelligent.
Easily trained, labs crave human attention and need to feel part of the family. Some may be reserved with strangers, but these dogs are watchdogs, not guard dogs.
They love to play, especially in water and love to swim. They are ‘people’ dogs, and can become destructive if left too much to their own devices.
Labs are a little more dominant and independent than the Golden Retriever. They are working dogs and their skills include hunting, tracking, retrieving, police work, narcotics detection, search and rescue, sledding, carting, agility, and competitive obedience. They are have a well deserved reputation for dependability and devotion as guide dogs for the blind and service dog for the disabled.
They usually weigh between 60-75 pounds but some males grow to 100 pounds. Labs are energetic dogs, happy to work and delighted to play. They need a lot of regular and moderate rations to avoid a tendency to become overweight, but their big appetite and disarming charm keep treats coming. Labs are moderately active indoors and, if exercised sufficiently, can reside in an apartment situation, but they tend to do best with at least an average-sized yard.
Labrador retrievers generally live 10-12 years, never long enough for the individuals and families that love them. They are prone to hip dysplasia, abnormal development of the hip joint where the head of the femur doesn’t fit snugly into the pelvic socket, which may result in pain and lameness.
A Labrador’s short-haired, double coat is easy to groom, and they should be bathed only when necessary. The only complaint admitted by Lab owners is that their happy charges do shed. Lab owners have been known to choose furniture based on their dogs color: neutral and beige tones for yellow labs, black and dark browns for black labs and colorful prints for chocolate labs.
Also known as St John’s Dogs and Newfoundland Water Dogs, Labrador Retrievers are obedient, sociable, affectionate, and loyal. They get along well with children, other dogs, and any household pets.
A black Lab belonging to Averell Harriman was the first dog to appear on the cover of Life Magazine in 1938 and in 1959, a famous black Lab, “King Buck” was the first dog ever to appear on a U.S. Stamp. The yellow lab, Police K9 Sirius, a bomb detection dog with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department, was the only police dog killed by the terrorists on September 11th and, perhaps, the only American police dog ever killed by international terrorists.
Labradors hit number one in AKC registrations in 1991 and remained in the top position. Over 150,000 people call these gentle dogs with the outgoing personality members of their family.
Copyright © 2005-2006 A Woman's View. All rights reserved.
Top • Home • Subscribe • Advertise • Submit • Distribution • Contact
Support Our Advertisers • Organization Resources • Women Owned Business
Designed by Livewire Studio
Send an Email About This Article