Questions
Here you can find answers to some commonly asked questions. If you have a question that isn’t listed below, please contact us!
Q: How big do Labradors usually get?
A:Height:Males 22-24 inches (56-61cm.) Bitches 21-23 inches (53-58cm.)
Weight: Males 60-75 pounds (27-34kg.) Bitches 55-70 pounds (25-32kg.) *Some males can grow to 100 pounds (45kg) or more.*
Q: What living conditions do labs require?
A: Labrador Retrievers will do okay in an apartment, provided they get sufficient exercise. Labradors prefer to have an average-sized yard to run and play in and a soft place to sleep/nap.
Q: Are they easy to train?
A: Yes! In fact, Labradors are among the easiest breeds to train, they have an excellent disposition!
Q: What is their life expectancy?
A: Labradors has an average life span of 12-14 years.
Q: What’s their temperament like?
A: The ideal disposition is one of a kindly, outgoing, tractable nature; eager to please and non-aggressive towards man or animal.
Q: What are my color choices?
A: Labradors by nature are Yellow, Black, and Chocolate. Yellow can vary in magnitude, some yellows can be a deep tan, while others may be near white.
Below is the Body Condition System:
This image even though it’s a little difficult to read is a good representation of what your lab should look like. Five is the ideal size that the Labrador’s body should be. There should be a well defined waste on your lab that is observable behind the ribs when viewed from above. Also the abdomen should be tucked when viewed from the side. Lastly, there should not be excessive fat covering on the dog. As explained down below obesity is a common problem in all dog breeds but especially in the Lab. A lab is very easy to maintain when properly fed and taken care of, and they will love a long and happy life if this is done correctly.
As a Labrador breeder for many years I have given lots of advice on how to correctly feed a lab. The number one problem that most people have is that their lab has become very obese. Sometimes the owner knows it, and sometimes they do not.
Obesity in labs is a common problem seen among many vets. Obesity in dogs leads to:
Arthritis: Dogs that have too much weight on their bones will decrease in physical activity, and have bone and joint pain. Other problems include hip dysplasia, and cracks along the joints.
Diabetes: The more fat that is stored in the dogs body the more insulin will be produced. Dog’s bodies do not tolerate lots of insulin therefore causing diabetes.
Heat Tolerance: Dogs that are overweight develop fat deposits making it very hard for the dog to get rid of its body heat therefore causing a heat stroke.
Intestinal Problems: The dogs intestine becomes very irregular for many reasons. One of the largest problems is that the pancreas becomes inflamed when a dog is overweight. This can be very painful and eventually lead to death.
Respiratory Problems and other Heart Diseases: When there is more fat surrounding the chest cavity, the lungs and heart have a difficulty expanding. When the heart and lungs cannot expand they will not produce enough oxygen, and will have a problem circulating the oxygen through the body causing many heart problems.
Skin Problems: When there is excess fat on the dog, folds occur. Dirt and bacteria enjoy staying in these places eventually causing rashes, irritations, and infections.
Most Labrador owners that do have an overweight lab do not understand how their lab became so overweight. One very important part to owning a lab is to know that THEY ARE ALWAYS ACTING LIKE THEIR HUNGRY! A lab could eat all day if it was allowed to, so if your dog has had its 2 meals already, it does not need your cheeseburger from your dinner table to feel full.If you are putting food down for your lab and he just looks the other way at it, that is a great indication that you are feeding him or her too much, or your lab could be sick.
Labs are a breed that enjoy walking with you, doing errands with you, and just getting out of the house. Take them for many walks and make sure to give them lots of exercise. They enjoy playing for a little while, then coming in to your house to lay down and sleep. They are not a super active breed but they enjoy a little one on one attention. Also walking your Lab will teach your Lab leash manners and create a bond for both of you.
Another problem with feeding is the actual feeding bag. The dog food bag gives an average that you should feed your dog based on its size and weight. Remember this is just a calculation. Normally an adult lab should be fed 2-3 cups of dog food a day. That means you could feed a cup in the morning and then a cup in the evening. This can be altered based on your labs intake of extra food, such as treats. Treats should be given in moderation.
A common issue some lab owners have is that they feel their lab needs “people food” . A bag of dog food has been correctly researched, developed, and formulated so that each bite contains the exact same nutrition a dog needs to live a long and healthy life. Giving them lots of extras throws off their normal nutritional balance causing problems that may lead to obesity.
I hope that this information will help all lab owners in deciding on how to feed their lab. It is very sad to see a beautiful lab not being able to enjoy being a fun-loving retriever because they are too obese. Labs are a very easy breed to take care of and will live a very long life with you and your family when properly fed and taken care of.
