Labrador Retriever AKA “English Labrador” or “American Labrador”
Labrador retrievers are the kind fishermen of the dog world. Their breed traveled from Northern England to America when fishermen immigrated to the new world. Even though that were on a new continent, they still needed their best friends to help them get their heavy nets out of the ocean. They've been so helpful in northeast fishing communities that a black lab is one of the official mascots of Martha's vineyard.
Labrador retrievers still love to take a quick swim and their strength and enthusiasm can make them hard to reign in if an owner doesn't feel as great about a swim. Retrievers are very smart and fast to train, yet they will need obedience crash courses to keep them well behaved. Without periodic reminders they may start to value letting their hair down and going wild over their owner's praise. You can never start training a Labrador too early and owners will be well rewarded if they take the time to figure out what motivates their Labrador most effectively. Labradors need lots of space to roam around, lots of exercise, and lots of play time. The rule of thumb is: a tired Labrador is a well behaved Labrador.
Labrador Retrievers are one of the most popular choices in dogs in America and make excellent family dogs. They don’t have strong guarding instincts or prey drives, yet the breed can become high-string or destructive without exercise and engaging playtime. Labradors Retrievers have very strong chests and shoulders, therefore it’s best to train them to heel as a puppy and keep reinforcing good leash behaviors throughout their lives.
Labrador Retrievers are average shedders and easy to groom. It’s best to brush these dogs with a wire or bristle brush and make sure knots in their undercoat are being combed out.
