The history of the Labrador, the appearance of the dog, the nature of the animal and health problems. Councils for care and training. Buying a Labrador puppy. These dogs, like any other breed, have their own merits and demerits. But for those people who really like these dogs, such small flaws do not cause difficulties. Despite some breed difficulties, these pets are just great. They are gentle, gentle to children, benevolent in relation to other living beings. Dogs embody many positive traits. We can say about them: reliable, intelligent, constant, supportive, and versatile dogs. But, in addition, they have excellent working qualities, which, unfortunately, are forgotten by many breeders.
The history of the breed Labrador
Their historical roots begin in the 20th century in Canada, on the island of Newfoundland. In those days, they say that a small variety of the Newfoundland species existed there, and many experts are inclined to believe that it was these dogs that formed the basis of the Labrador. But they were also mixed with the blood of curly-haired retrievers and setters.
There are several assumptions about the origin of the name of these dogs. According to the first, all specimens of the breed were black as stone - labradorite. According to the second, the Portuguese word "labrador" means a hard worker. And according to the third, the early representatives of the breed did not originate in Canada, on the island of Newfoundland, but on the Labrador Peninsula. Basically, in those days, Labradors were used by sailors plying between these islands.
There is a different opinion, experts and breeders. They believe that pure black individuals with hunting abilities cannot be bred by accidental crossing. Researchers argue that sailors did not have time to engage in targeted breeding, and Labradors are descended from the working dogs of peasants in coastal areas of northern Portugal. They are known as the Castro Laboreiro dogs that still live today.
The distant history of Labradors is blurry. But, based on close data, it is known that the first breeder and popularizer of the breed was an Englishman, Lord Mulsbury. The original standard for the species was recognized in 1884 and changed in 1903. Then the British argued that these dogs could be exclusively black. But in the 20th century, fawn and chocolate Labradors appeared. Like all retrievers, the Labrador is an excellent gun dog. It shows wonderful results when hunting duck, migratory bird, as well as field, swamp-meadow and upland game. With a quiet, unhurried search, they are well-suited for leisurely, solid hunters who want to enjoy being with nature rather than chasing a dog through a field or swamp. This is an excellent apporter who loves water and is not afraid of the cold.
The main breed representatives appeared in Russia at the end of the 60s of the last century. Hunting with retrievers was described by the outstanding Russian zoologist Leonid Pavlovich Saboneev in his book "Hunting Dogs and Pointers", which was published in 1896. In the Russian state, this type of dog is only gaining popularity among hunters.
Due to their search data and complaisance, dogs are wonderfully suitable for forest hunting. And Labradors are also good because they can be comfortably kept in a city environment. Pets have an excellent non-aggressive character. They have the ability to get along with other pets. Many people start hunting waterfowl because they have a Labrador in their home, not the other way around.
This type of canine has more advantages for the local landscape than those dogs that do similar work. Their advantage is the physical strength and endurance of the breed, bred in the northern regions. Some species of canines that hunt waterfowl find it difficult to overcome the local terrain. It is difficult for them to push the reeds or reeds apart. Often in our area there are flooded bushes through which physically weak dogs "will not get through."
Description of external data of the Labrador
The Labrador is a sturdy dog, compact, very active, with a voluminous head, a wide and deep chest, and ribs, wide and strong hind legs. She has a wonderful character, she is agile and hardy, with an excellent sense of smell. Her movements are free, parallel and rectilinear to the front and rear limbs. The height at the withers ranges from 56 to 57 cm for males and from 54 to 56 cm for females. Weight in males varies from 28 to 32 kg, in bitches - from 26 to 30 kg.
- The head is of good volume, with a wide and voluminous frontal part.
- Muzzle not sharp, moderate in length. The stop is pronounced, but at the same time smooth. They flew without signs of sagging. The jaws are monumental, the lips are soft. Has a full row of strong teeth that form a scissor bite. The canines are perpendicular to the jaws.
- Nose large, black, nostrils open wide. Its color can also be in tone with the color, for example, brown or pink-flesh-colored.
- Eyes oval, slightly smaller than average, good fit. The irises of the eye are brown or almost black. Their gaze radiates kindness and extraordinary intelligence.
- Ears in the Labrador they are low, not heavy, of medium size, triangular in shape. Their leading edge is adjacent to the cheekbones.
- Neck set high, strong, well muscled.
- Frame square format. The chest is wide and deep enough. The sides are round, the loin is short and strong. The belly is not lean.
- Tail is a distinctive feature of the dog. At the base, it is thick and strongly tapering towards the end. Its length is medium, there is no dewlap, it is evenly covered with densely growing, harsh hair, due to which it looks rounded. He is called "otter". When moving, the dog lifts it above the spine. It should not bend.
- Front limbs - with a developed bone. Straight along the entire length when viewed from different angles. The shoulder blades are set obliquely - long. Hind legs are very powerful, without bending in the tail. The hocks are low and the knees are flexible.
- Paws have a rounded shape with short, tightly compressed fingers in the form of a vault. The paw pads are dense and voluminous. Nails hard, black-colored.
- Coat thick and short, without waves or feathers. Tough and tight to the touch. Has a dense, waterproof undercoat.
- Color solid black, fawn, brown, liver, chocolate. A small white spot on the chest is acceptable.
Typical behavior of a Labrador dog
They are fully called the Labrador Retriever. This means - a dog bringing game. Do not forget about this feature, because it flows in their genes. To bring booty, lifestyle and passion. Don't think that this breed is only for hunters. The rifle does not bring happiness to the Labrador. For him, even a simple transfer of various objects, for example, a stick or a ball, is of great importance. And he was simply born for the water element and adores it.
To swim in any season of the year and at different times of the day, he will never refuse. The dog worships its owner. The pet will always be happy to experience with him his most joyful moments of life. To keep your four-legged friend always happy, you will have to go with him "into fire and water", and not only outdoors, but also indoors. For a Labrador, water is an active, fun holiday.
While he is small, he will not immediately understand that it is impossible to indulge in water at home, and repeatedly organizes large and small floods in the apartment. Immediately we can say about another nuance, in the behavior of the Labrador - his "active" tail. It seems that this "perpetual motion machine" exists separately from the pet. From time to time in the apartment, it causes a number of curious incidents - oh, something broke … And especially if the Labrador is still a young silly.
These dogs have no aggressiveness at all. Dogs are calm, but not shy. They are very easy to train - contact animals. But if you are going to have such a pet, know that they are active and it is better not for older people to acquire them. Pets have a very lively mind. They are not persistent, they can always give in and serve to please you.
Labrador health
In order to be calm about the health of your four-legged friend in emergency cases, you need to have a competent specialist - a veterinarian. Of course, a burnt roll or a torn shoe is an unpleasant thing, but there are specialties where marriage is too expensive, and above all in the medical field. Arriving at a veterinary hospital, you must "try on a shirt for yourself" and be able to assess the quality of service.
If they began to treat your dog immediately, without conducting any analyzes and research, here you need to think about what kind of specialist your animal is using. It is advisable to go to a clinic where doctors each work in a specific specialization: surgeon, therapist, radiologist, etc.
Of course, in most cities, general practitioners, then you need to approach the algorithm of work in humanitarian medicine, that is: an animal study, a diagnosis, and only then treatment is prescribed. If this algorithm is broken and your pet is diagnosed verbally, sometimes without even touching the belly, then you need to leave such an institution immediately. The most common diseases of the Labrador are eye and bone diseases: progressive retinal atrophy, dysplasia of the hip and elbow joints. Retinal atrophy is painless, but unfortunately leads to complete blindness. Dysplasia also causes acute pain and lameness. It is mainly treated with surgery. All these "troubles" are hereditary. In order for the risk of their occurrence to have a small percentage, only healthy representatives of the breed are selected for child reproduction, as is customary for good breeders. With chaotic reproduction, the risk of such diseases increases dramatically.
Therefore, in order to detect them at an early stage, all Labradors must regularly undergo X-ray examinations. Up to six months, puppies of this breed are deprived of active loads, because the bone apparatus fully develops only by eight to nine months. You must also lower and climb the stairs up to a certain age (5-6 months) yourself. He must communicate with his fellows under your watchful eye. Young, active dogs are not suitable for him.
Labrador care tips
- Wool comb out regularly with a furminator or slicker, especially when the pet is actively shedding. Manipulations are best done outdoors to avoid unnecessary cleaning in the house. They bathe the dog as it gets dirty. There are, of course, emergency cases when a four-legged "pig" falls out in something very smelly. Then it is washed with baking soda and vinegar diluted with water, which removes the "wonderful" smell.
- Ears they are hanging, so they are slightly less ventilated. Also, the Labrador loves to swim in various bodies of water or rivers. Therefore, after "water procedures", be sure to wipe your ears dry from excess moisture to avoid otitis media. Also, cleaning the ears with a special lotion once a week will not be superfluous.
- Eyes if urgently needed, rub towards the inner corner.
- Teeth Labrador Retrievers will be fine if you train your dog to brush them from puppyhood. Otherwise, a stone may form on them, which will lead not only to caries, but also periodontal disease.
- Claws it is necessary to cut off with a special tool - a claw cutter, as they grow back. Can be filed with a file or file. If you walk a lot with your pet on hard terrain, then its claws will grind off by themselves. You will only have to trim the claw on the dewclaw if it is not removed.
- Feeding should be well matched, as this breed tends to gain excess weight with improper nutrition. A person will face a problem if he decides to turn his “sofa on legs” into a hunting dog. He will not only have fat on his sides, but over time, his hunting instinct will dull. If you prefer ready-to-eat foods, then they should only be proven, premium or super-premium. On the back of the package there is a table according to which the amount of feed per day is indicated by the weight of the animal. When feeding with natural food, supplement with vitamins and minerals.
- Walking are held for a long time, because Labradors love movement (at least half an hour in the morning and two hours in the evening). It's great if you have a private house and there is a lot of backyard space where your pet can frolic to its heart's content. Toddlers require lengthy play and exercise. For up to five months, they are forbidden to go down or go up the stairs. In these places they are carried by hand.
Labrador training
According to the classification of the International Cynological Federation, Labradors belong to the eighth group - retrievers and spaniels. In many countries, for example, England, Finland and Sweden, in order to receive the title of champion in exterior, it is imperative to pass a test for compliance with the standard in terms of behavior and psyche - working tests.
The ideal owner always works in a pair with his four-legged friend, getting the same pleasure from it as the dog. With such closeness of communication, the Labrador will quickly understand and learn to do what is needed. And his abilities, in addition to hunting, are simply amazing. You can teach him to pick mushrooms, to find missing things in the apartment.
Purchase and price of labrador puppies
This dog is so affectionate, kind and reliable that one cannot even think badly of him. Small imperfections are not so important, because these pets are quickly gaining popularity. This phenomenon is natural, because prominent, good-natured and versatile dogs could not be ignored for a long time. Unfortunately, such popularity turns into a deterioration in the external and internal pedigree qualities. Having gained excessive attractiveness, the species may be threatened with degeneration.
The first reason is the deterioration of quality offspring. When a species becomes wildly in demand and in demand, the number of dishonest speculators-dog breeders increases dramatically. They do not care about the quality of the breed, the main thing is to “fill your pocket”. After all, real professionals have a great many years of knowledge and work experience behind them, they are rooting for the preservation of the correct exterior and health of the animal.
And others, in spite of everything, in order to cash in, "churn out" as many puppies as possible. By the time true amateurs are able to appreciate the quality of the species, it will only get worse. In cynology of animals - quantity and quality, the concepts are directly opposite.
The second risk that newfangled breeds are exposed to is that many people are attracted only by their appearance. "Oh, I want the same" fluffy "as Vasya's!" And they are not interested in either the merits or the problems that may arise when keeping a pet.
In order not to make mistakes, come to the breed club and first find out everything about Labradors: their history, diseases, behavior, use. If such a dog suits you, then decide what you need it for: hunting, love, exhibitions, breeding. The breeder, evaluating the composition of your family, conditions and lifestyle of your life, will advise what kind of dog you need. Regardless of the requirements for an animal, you must study its pedigree.
The approximate price can be from $ 200 to $ 600.
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