Labrador Retrievers Make Great Family Pets

By Toby Le Rock

The Labrador Retriever, affectionately known as a Lab, or a Labby by their owners, was originally bred as a hunting or gun dog but are now considered by many to be the perfect family pet. Lovable and excitable by nature the Lab is highly dependable, extremely obedient and of course gifted with a multitude of doggy talents.

Labrador retrievers are statistically one of the most popular dog breeds in the world with a huge proportion of dog owners having a lab at home. Its friendly, placid, bright, and bouncy good nature makes it a wonderfully delightful companion as well as being perfectly suited for other tasks outside the home such as police work.

The Labs friendly nature and desire to please their human masters makes them ideal assistance dogs for the disabled or the deaf and they often used as therapeutic aids for people suffering from all manner of both physical and mental ailments.

Labs are tremendous swimmers and fittingly have an otter-like tail. Their coat is grown in an interweave pattern, making them ideally suited to spending time in the water.

And, as their name suggests, Labradors are excellent retrievers and one of their surprisingly pleasant attributes is the fact that they have extremely soft mouths. Apparently, a Lab is able to carry an egg in its mouth without breaking it though I have to say if my Labs got an egg in their mouth they would simply eat it. They have capricious appetites!

Generally Labradors dont have the same problems of aggression and temperament that can surface in some other breeds and are well known for the laid back nature.

The Labs playful nature makes them ideal playmates for children and will be more than a match for even the most energetic of children. They love to chase, and of course retrieve, and throwing a ball for them to run after will give Labs amused for hours. They also love being around humans and enjoying receiving as much as giving affection.

Because of their natural intelligence Labrador retrievers can be very successfully trained to perform even the most complicated of tasks though they can certainly be stubborn and mischievous when they want to be.

Labs are also very curious creatures and they will happily investigate any new surroundings with great glee. If something attracts their attention, particularly the scent of food, they will determinedly seek it out. Similarly they will happily trot after a person they havent met before simply to check them out.

Because of their friendly nature and tendency to roam they can often go missing or, worse, be tempted away from their homes. It is highly recommended therefore that Lab owners arrange for their dogs to be micro-chipped or, at the very least, to have the owners contact details on their collars.

Labs are basically a healthy breed, though they are highly prone to becoming overweight as they have a tremendous talent for begging or finding food. But, like all dog breeds, Labs are susceptible to certain conditions and they can be prone to hip dysplasia, osteoarthritis and other joint problems as well as suffering from diabetes.

Thankfully, most Labs will not encounter any health problems and will prove to be the perfect companion for all members of the family from the youngest to the eldest. - 31825

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