Labrador Retriever: Care, Temperament and Training

Quick answer

The Labrador Retriever is a friendly, medium-to-large dog that lives to please and suits active families. A Lab needs exercise and something to think about every day, plus consistent reward-based training from puppyhood. Watch the portions closely, because Labs put on weight easily. Buy a puppy from health-tested parents to cut the risk of joint and eye problems.

Breed at a glance

Temperament

Labradors were bred to retrieve game for hunters, working alongside people for hours at a time. You can see that history in how they behave:

• Friendly and sociable with people and, usually, other dogs
• Eager to please and very food-motivated, so they train well
• Mouthy: they love carrying things, and puppies chew everything
• Energetic and playful, often staying puppyish for two to three years
• Not natural guard dogs: they may bark at strangers but usually greet them happily

Labs don't cope well with being left alone for long. A bored Labrador that doesn't get enough exercise will often chew things up, dig or bark.

Exercise

Most adult Labradors need at least an hour of activity a day, split between walks and more energetic play. Fetch and retrieving games tap straight into their natural drive. Swimming is a favourite and easy on the joints; afterwards, rinse off chlorine or dirty water and dry the ears. Scent games and puzzle feeders tire the mind as well as the body.

Puppies are different. Keep their exercise short and gentle while the joints are developing, and avoid lots of stairs, jumping down from heights and long runs on hard ground. Free play on soft ground is fine.

In hot weather, exercise early in the morning or in the evening. Between the dense coat and their enthusiasm, Labradors overheat easily; see Heatstroke in Dogs: Signs and First Aid.

Diet and weight control

Labradors are famous for always seeming hungry, and some carry a genetic variant linked to a bigger appetite. Obesity is one of the commonest problems in the breed. It makes joint disease worse and shortens life.

• Feed a complete, good-quality dog food suited to life stage. Large-breed puppy food is often recommended for Lab puppies to support steady growth.
• Weigh food rather than scooping by eye, and adjust to body condition, not just the bag's guidelines.
• Count treats, including training treats, as part of the daily ration.
• Body condition check: you should be able to feel the ribs easily under a thin layer of fat and see a waist from above.
• Avoid toxic foods, including chocolate, grapes and raisins, onions and garlic, and xylitol (a sweetener in some sugar-free products).

At check-ups, ask your vet to score your dog's body condition.

Grooming

Brush a few times a week, and daily during heavy sheds, to clear out loose undercoat. Only bathe when the dog actually needs it, since frequent baths strip the natural oils.

Ears need more attention. Floppy ears plus a love of water make Labs prone to ear infections, so check them weekly and dry them after swimming. Redness, a smell, discharge or head shaking means a trip to the vet. Trim nails every few weeks if they don't wear down on their own, and brush the teeth regularly with dog toothpaste.

Training

Labradors are among the easiest breeds to train. Their size and energy, though, mean training isn't optional.

• Start early: begin with name, sit, down, come and settle as soon as your puppy arrives.
• Use rewards: food, toys and praise. Harsh methods damage trust and are unnecessary with this breed.
• Socialise widely during puppyhood: people, sounds, vehicles, other vaccinated dogs and new places, at the puppy's pace.
• Teach loose-lead walking before your Lab is big and strong.
• Teach "drop" and "leave it". A dog that picks up everything needs both.
• Manage jumping up by rewarding all four paws on the floor and ignoring jumping.
• Give them a job: retrieving, scent work, obedience or canine sports keep a Lab content.

Keep sessions short and fun. For puppies, a few minutes several times a day is plenty.

Common health issues

Labradors are generally sturdy dogs, but the breed does have some known risks:

• Hip and elbow dysplasia: abnormal joint development that can cause arthritis and lameness.
• Eye conditions such as progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) and hereditary cataracts.
• Exercise-induced collapse (EIC): a genetic condition in some lines causing weakness after intense exercise.
• Obesity and related arthritis.
• Ear infections and skin allergies.
• Cruciate ligament injuries, especially in overweight dogs.

Responsible breeders screen both parents' hips and elbows and DNA-test for conditions such as PRA, EIC and centronuclear myopathy. Ask to see the results.

Keep vaccinations and parasite prevention up to date with your vet; see Puppy Vaccination Schedule, Week by Week.

Choosing a healthy Labrador puppy

• Meet the mother, and the father if possible; both should be friendly and relaxed.
• See the puppies in the place they were raised, clean and with the litter.
• Ask for health test results for both parents and vaccination and deworming records.
• Choose a bright, curious, playful puppy with clear eyes, clean ears and no cough or diarrhoea.
• Puppies should usually go home at around eight weeks or older.
• Be wary of sellers who will not show the mother, push you to pay a deposit quickly, or offer to deliver without a visit. See Puppy Scams: How to Buy a Puppy Safely.

In Pakistan

Labradors are popular in Pakistan as family dogs and as working dogs, security and detection work included. Heat is the big local problem. Summer temperatures regularly pass 40 °C (104 °F) across much of the country, so walk your Lab only in the early morning or late evening. During the day keep it indoors, or in deep shade with fans, and make sure there's always cool water. Poor-quality crosses are sometimes passed off as purebred Labradors, so meet the parents, ask for records and buy from a breeder or seller you can verify. Prices vary widely by city, bloodline and paperwork.

Looking for a Labrador puppy from a verified seller? Browse dogs on Paalo.