The Labrador Retriever, originally from Newfoundland, Canada, is classified by the AKC as a sporting dog. According to its ancestors, the Labrador Retriever was trained by local fishermen to pull nets and carry work, and then trained as a shotgun dog when it was introduced to England in the 19th century, and is now mostly trained as a guide dog and guard dog to detect drugs and explosives. The Labrador Retriever consistently ranks among the top dogs in terms of intelligence, and is by far the most popular and trusted family dog.
Latin scientific name: labrador retriever
Alias: Labrador, Labrador, Newfoundland dog
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Subphylum Vertebrata
Phylum: Mammalia
Subclass: Subclass True Animal
Order: Carnivora
Sub: Order Caniformes
Family: Canidae
Subfamily: Canidae
Genus: Canis lupus
Species：Single hound
Distribution area: Newfoundland, Canada
Body type classification: medium-sized dogs
Individual height: male 56-62cm, female 54-59cm
General weight: 25-34kg
Suitable dog food: natural food
Nickname: Lala
Origin: Canada
English name: Labrador
- Feeding Essentials
A healthy Labrador Retriever must have an owner who is responsible for him. Taking care of a big, sweet and simple dog with no temperament. It is a matter of pride for the breeder. Only those who have bred Labradors know the habits of the dog and its diet. Here are some of the key points about feeding a Labrador puppy.
Labrador puppy feeding points
In the early stages of feeding, give it plenty of portions, but do not let it eat until it is time to feed. Wash the food utensils daily and keep giving him enough clean water. When feeding a small Labrador puppy or play dog that has reached the weaning stage, the food should be softened with water before feeding. If feeding professional dry dog food or canned dog food, please follow the instructions on the product packaging.
Before 10 months little Labrador feeding attention top
1. Feeding the right amount of raw meat or fish occasionally during the Little Labrador period will help the dog’s development. However, it is important to break up the fish bones. Fish bones and fish spines should be broken up.
2. If a small Labrador eats human food, it will cause indigestion due to gastrointestinal disorders, therefore, it must be cooked into soft food
3. Do not feed only meat without rice and vegetables.
4. Biscuits with less sugar as a snack is also a way to supplement the main meal.
5. After 3 weeks, Labrador can be fed cow’s milk, goat’s milk and soup in addition to breast milk, but the soup should not contain too much fat, otherwise it will easily lead to diarrhea.
6. The little Labrador of about one month can be fed with porridge-like food cooked with minced meat, rice, corn flour, flour and vegetables together with breast milk.
7. 35 to 45 days old Labrador can be fed with a thin porridge cooked in a thick soup with appropriate amount of roughage, vegetables, fish and salt as the main food. During this period, please deworm your dog’s body.
8. Change the little Labrador’s drinking water in the morning and evening.
9. After the little Labrador grows to 4 to 5 years old, the bones will gradually grow. The food should not contain too much fat.
10. Little Labrador from 5 to 6 months, you can feed soft rice, and add the right amount of coarse grains and vegetables containing little fiber to supplement vitamins. This is a critical period of growth and development of the little Labrador, must supply adequate food nutrition.
12. When the little Labrador grows to 8 months old, the female dog begins to appear physiological phenomena, vaginal bleeding will continue for 2 to 3 weeks, and when the amount of bleeding decreases, the pubic area will swell and enter the ovulation period, which will last about 5 days. Females should only mate during this period, and it is best to keep them in captivity or on a leash to avoid proximity to males. After 5 to 6 months, it is more appropriate to mate and give birth again when the second heat occurs.
13. Calcium supplementation for small Labrador is best from 2 months of age to 6 months of age, and the dosage and time can be determined according to the development of the small Labrador.
- Conservation knowledge
Labradors, like people, will inevitably suffer injuries, illnesses, mishaps and so on as they grow up. For first-time dog owners, it can be a bit overwhelming when it comes to accidents, and many people don’t think that dogs can get sick like humans do. When it comes to emergencies we should find the cause of the disease or get it to a doctor in time for treatment.
What are the symptoms of a poisoned Labrador?
Labrador dogs can be poisoned when they eat spoiled food or medicine, especially when they eat rats that have been drugged to death. Several credentials to determine dog poisoning.
1. Abnormal behavior: Labrador dog appears trembling, body tilting unable to maintain balance, mental anxiety, Labrador dog salivating incessantly, seizure, or even losing consciousness.
2. Bleeding: The drug for exterminating rats will inhibit the blood clotting function of the animal. Therefore, a Labrador dog that has mistakenly consumed rat poison will keep bleeding from its eyes, ears, nose and mouth.
3. Labrador dogs will show symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, breathlessness or open mouth breathing.
When you find that your dog has symptoms of poisoning, it is best to take a look at what is missing in the house and what suspicious items are not around the Labrador so that you can initially know the cause of the poisoning and take the Labrador to the hospital so that you can tell the doctor and make the right medicine.
We love our pets, although at the beginning, we may not like Labrador very much, perhaps at the beginning, we like the Pomeranian, is a Bichon Frise, but as long as we get along for a while we will find that, in fact, Labrador is also very cute, and we also want to be able to raise it healthy and strong. If he gets sick or has an accident, we will be very sad.
When a Labrador dog has cramps, the owner must not panic and calm down himself first in order to help the Labrador through the emergency moment.
Performance: Labrador dog keeps twitching, body is stiff, mouth opens and closes, tongue falls out.
Treatment: Don’t touch the Labrador’s body first, and at the first opportunity, remove the objects beside the Labrador to avoid the Labrador from accidentally hitting other things in the process of cramping.
At this time, while confirming whether the Labrador’s breathing is normal, wait for the Labrador to calm down; when it regains its calmness, immediately take off the dog’s collar and collar, and rush to the animal hospital, and describe in detail to the veterinarian the process and phenomenon of the dog’s convulsions at that time.
What should I do if my baby Labrador gets carsick?
Motion sickness cannot be considered a disease, and the consequences are not serious. When a Labrador dog vomits while riding in a car it may be motion sickness. Let it calm down and rest for a while and it will get used to it. Some dogs will never get carsick again after a few car sicknesses. If your Labrador Retriever also has motion sickness, do not let him eat or drink before the trip, and take medicine for motion sickness.
For allergic reactions to insect bites, which mainly manifest as hives, Labrador dogs may have difficulty breathing. A veterinarian should be contacted immediately.
Wasp bites: Its venom is alkaline, so a weak acid should be used to flush the wound, such as vinegar. Bee bite: Try to remove the aoebic needle with tweezers, it looks like short black hair. Bee bites are acidic and can be rinsed with soapy water.
Mite and lice bites: can cause skin disease, immediate treatment, shaving, medicated baths, and deworming are generally not much of a problem.
- Personality traits
Labradors are not unlike Goldens in temperament and are absolutely notorious for being good-tempered. Before you decide to live with a Labrador dog, you need to understand its personality, if it is a dog with incompatible personality and you live together, you will go crazy. Here’s how to test a Labrador dog’s personality with me.
First of all, this Labrador must be friendly to humans, when you sit or crouch down to call it, it should act happy to see you and come to you. If he ignores you completely, it is not a good sign; and if he comes up to you as soon as he sees you, it shows that he is too enthusiastic about humans, and then he will be interested in all kinds of pedestrians when you take him out in the future, so you will have a lot of trouble.
Secondly, look at the trainability of Labrador, holding a toy or old socks etc. and dragging it on the ground, it should be attracted to it and even chase it, and eventually the whole litter may run over to chase it, which is a good sign. A dog with no interest at all means it is difficult to be trained in the future.
Third, test the Labrador boldness, put the dog on the hard ground and then tease it, when it is very concentrated in playing, you suddenly at a distance of about 1.5 meters will be stainless steel bowl or other objects that can make a large sound thrown to the ground, see if the sound will scare it, good performance is the puppy will check the source of the sound, or after prodding and still continue to play. If the puppy is scared and refuses to continue playing, it is too sensitive to be a family pet.
Fourth, this is similar to the second, when playing with a dog alone, roll a tennis ball in front of it, see if it will chase the ball, and then when you call it will bring it back to you. If it comes back, it will be easier to play Frisbee with it later; if not, it is hard to expect it to learn to play more complicated games like Frisbee with you later.
Labradors rarely bark in life, and it is rare to hear them barking. They are very friendly with the elderly and children as well as strangers, and their steady nature does not allow them to jump on them at will. At home, a trained Labrador will also obey his owner’s commands and help pass small items, etc.
- Morphological characteristics
Labrador Retriever for short: Labrador, Lala, Lala not Lado, is a medium to large dogs, due to the natural lively, docile character, high IQ, no aggression has been successfully trained as a guide dog or other working dogs, with huskies and Golden Retriever and three non-aggressive dog categories. Many people often Labrador often mixed with Golden Retriever, in fact, Golden Retriever and Labrador are very good to distinguish, first of all, the Golden Retriever’s hair is longer than the Labrador’s, and secondly, the color of Labrador’s hair than the Golden Retriever’s color is obvious. Labrador’s standard color has three: black, yellow, chocolate.
Morphological characteristics.
The joint is slightly shorter; the body length (the distance from the shoulder joint to the end of the hip) is slightly greater than the shoulder height (the vertical distance from the horse’s shoulder rump to the ground). The distance from the elbow to the ground is equal to half the height of the shoulder. The chest extends to the elbow, but does not give a very deep impression. The body must be of sufficient length to permit a straight, free and effective pace; but he must not appear short in profile with an excessively long body or tall with long, thin legs. Physique: The body mass and bone mass are in proportion to the whole. Thin, “useless” individuals must be simply removed, as must rustic, clumsy individuals. The Labrador Retriever must show muscular (well-developed) working conditions and must not be overly obese. The ratio of body length to shoulder height is approximately 12:11.
Head.
The head is broad; very well defined but not exaggerated. The head and front face are on parallel surfaces and approximately equal in length. The stop is moderate and the eyebrows protrude slightly, so the head is not a complete straight line from the tip of the nose. The brow bone emphasizes the stop. The head is well defined, without a lot of flesh on the cheeks. The bones of the head are well defined, with a clear outline under the eyes, but the cheeks do not protrude. The head shows a slight centerline; the stifle of the mature dog is not prominent. The lips cannot be square or pendulous. However, a curve is formed toward the throat. A wedge-shaped head, or hindbrain, with a long, narrow muzzle is as wrong as a stubby head and thick cheeks. The jaw is strong but not slender, and the muzzle is neither long and narrow nor short and thick.
Nasal mirror.
The nosepiece is broad and has very well-developed nostrils. Yellow or black dogs have black nosepieces, chocolate colored dogs have brown nosepieces, and nosepieces that are faded to a light shade are not a defect. Thoroughly pink nosepiece or nosepiece lacking any pigmentation is a disqualification.
Teeth.
The teeth are strong and straight, with a clipped bite. A pincer bite is also acceptable but not ideal. A protruding bite on the upper jaw, a protruding bite on the lower jaw, or teeth that fail to align are considered serious defects. A complete dentition is most desirable; lack of molars or premolars is a serious defect.
Ears.
The ears are large, hanging, moderately close to the head, positioned rather back and slightly below the head; slightly above the level where the eyes are. The ears should not be too large or heavy, but in harmony with the proportions of the head and extending to the inside of the eyes when pulled forward.
Eyes.
Sharp, friendly eyes showing good temperament, intelligent and quick-witted are the characteristics of this breed. The eyes are medium sized and positioned apart, neither protruding nor positioned very deep. Black or yellow dogs have brown eye color and chocolate colored dogs have brown or hazel eye color. Black or yellow eyes make the expression harsh and unwanted. Small eyes, eyes positioned too close together, round and prominent eyes are not typical of the breed. The black or yellow Labrador Retriever has a black eye ring and the chocolate Labrador Retriever has a brown eye ring. Lack of pigmentation in the eye ring is out of character.
Neck.
The neck has the correct length to allow him to do retrieving work with ease. It is well muscled and free of flab. The neck rises solidly from the shoulder blades and is moderately rounded and arched. A short, thick neck or “goat neck” is wrong.
Backline.
The back is strong and the line of the back (from shoulder to hip) remains horizontal when standing or in motion. In any case, as an athletic dog, the loin clearly shows elasticity.
Body.
The Labrador Retriever has a short joint that appears fine from the well supported ribs to the moderately broad chest. The Labrador Retriever’s chest should not be so narrow as to appear empty between the forelegs; nor should it be so wide as to appear like a bulldog’s forequarters. The correct chest configuration is slightly thinner between the front legs, allowing the front legs to move freely. A chest that is too wide or too narrow, preventing effective movement and lasting endurance, is incorrect. A flat chest is not a typical characteristic of the breed. Equally inappropriate conditions are an overly rounded rib cage or barrel chest. The lower abdominal curve of the adult dog is almost straight, or slightly uplifted. The loin is short, wide and strong, extending to a very well-developed, powerful hindquarters. When viewed from the side, the Labrador Retriever has a very well-developed, but not exaggerated, forechest.
Tail.
The tail is a unique feature of the breed. It is very thick at the root and tapers towards the tip. It is of medium length and does not extend beyond the fly joint in length. The tail has no feathering and is surrounded by a thick, short, dense coat of Labrador Retriever hair, resulting in a peculiar rounded appearance that has been described as the “otter” tail. The tail is an extension of the dorsal line at rest or during exercise. It may be carried cheerfully, but not curled behind, and a tail that is excessively short or excessively long and thin is a serious defect. The tail is quite harmonious with the Labrador Retriever as a whole, forming a flowing curve from the top of the head to the tip of the tail. A broken tail or other form of alteration to the natural length or posture of the tail is a disqualification.
Front Legs.
The front legs are straight and strong in bone when viewed from the front. Too much or too little bone is not desirable. Short legs or heavy bones are not typical of the breed. When viewed from the side, the elbow is just below the horse’s shoulder ridge, the foreleg is perpendicular to the ground, and is properly positioned under the body. The elbow is close to the rib cage and shows no signs of laxity. A protruding or “stretched out” elbow joint that prevents stretching is a serious defect. The joints are strong and short, and appear slightly angled in relation to the vertical leg.
Foot claws:
Sturdy and compact, with rounded toes and well-developed foot pads. The wolf paws can be removed. Open paws, rabbit feet, protruding joints, or paws that are bent inward or outward are considered serious defects.
Hindquarters:
The hindquarters of the Labrador Retriever are broad, muscular, well defined from the hips to the fly joint, with well turned knees and short, strong fly joints. When viewed from the rear, the hind legs are straight and parallel to each other. When viewed from the side, the angle of the hindquarters is in harmony with the forequarters. The bones and muscles of the hind legs are strong, the knee joints are moderately angled, and the thighs are strong and clear. The knee joints are strong and do not slide when moving or standing. The fly joint is strong and low and does not slide or hyperextend during movement or when standing. The knee and fly joint are angled to an optimal position to balance propulsion and traction well. When standing, the toes of the hind limbs are slightly further back than the hips. Excessive angulation, resulting in a sloping backline, is not typical of the breed.
Coat:
The Labrador Retriever has a distinctive coat. The coat is short, straight and very dense, giving the fingers a rather hard feeling when touched. The Labrador Retriever has a soft, weather resistant undercoat that provides protection in water, cold places, and in a variety of terrain conditions.
A slightly wavy coat on the back is permissible. Woolly coats, soft silky coats, or sparse, smooth coats are not characteristic of the breed and are a serious defect.
Color:
The Labrador Retriever comes in four colors: black, yellow and chocolate, and beige. Any other color or combination of colors is a disqualification. Small white patches on the chest are permissible but undesirable. White hair due to age or scarring should not be misinterpreted as spots. Black: All black, black with spots or black with brown markings are all out of order. Yellow: Yellow is allowed from fox red to light cheese, varying in color shades on the ears, back, and underbelly. Chocolate: Light chocolate to dark chocolate color is allowed. Chocolate with spots or brown markings are out of order.
Gait.
When the dog is observed from the front moving forward, there is no sign of elbow abduction, the limbs form a straight line, and all parts of the body move in the same plane; when observed from the rear, the hind limbs move in the same parallel line as the front limbs whenever possible, and the appendicular joints are flexed and flexible. Engage in each step of the movement; when observing the dog’s movement from the side, the dog shows free movement of both shoulders and the front limbs are extended forward to touch the ground.
