Labrador Retriever Information
About Labrador Retrievers:
The Labrador Retrievers' origins date back to the 1800s in Newfoundland where a breed of dogs were developed to assist fishermen retrieve their fishing nets off the side of boats. The breed was further developed in the United Kingdom and were used primarily as gun dogs who retrieved ducks out over the water and marshlands. Their size, temperament, coat type, otter tail and conformation were key factors for a successful gun dog who could work all day at a steady pace, swim effortlessly in the water and who had a coat designed to repel water and keep the dog warm in cold conditions. Their temperament was that of a biddable and friendly dog with a high desire to please and retrieve.
Over time the breed has become a very popular family pet and service dog due to their soft and happy appearance, their general sound and adaptable temperament and their willingness to work for not much return. Labrador Retrievers are also recognised by the general public as 'Guide Dogs' due to the large number of Labrador Retrievers who work as primary mobility aids for people living with vision impairments. They are also popular as scent detection dogs and are commonly found in other service fields such as hearing, assistance/therapy and alert dogs.
Confusions:
Labrador Retriever, Labrador or Lab?
The breed of dog called the Labrador Retriever is a specific breed with specific breed characteristics and is a recognised and registered Pedigree pure breed of dog with the Australian National Kennel Association (and with respective Kennel Associations around the world). It is a separate breed to Golden Retrievers, Flat Coat Retrievers, and other types of Retriever breeds. They are a member of the Group of Pedigree pure bred dogs called Gun Dogs. Other Gun Dog breeds could include Cocker Spaniels, German Shorthaired Pointers, Irish Setters, Pointers, Weimaraners etc etc. Abbreviations of the name are Labrador, or to their friends: Labs or Labby's.
Yellow or Gold?
Most definitely yellow! Labrador Retrievers come in three distinct colours which are Black, Chocolate/Liver and Yellow. Yellows and chocolates can vary in the lightness and darkness of their coat, but the name of the colour remains the same. Breeders talking about Golden coloured puppies should be given caution as they are demonstrating very limited knowledge of their chosen breed.
Who is best suited to a Labrador Retriever:
Labrador Retrievers are a versatile breed who adapt well to all sorts of family situations. They are a social dog and therefore like the company of a group, but also develop close bonds with single person families. A growing Labrador Retriever requires attention and moderate exercise to keep him stimulated and from forming nuisance behaviours. Labrador Retrievers are an intelligent and willing breed of dogs who respond very well to positive training. They thrive at Obedience and trick training and are fast learners. They can be described as 'word dogs' meaning they learn many human words and phrases. Intelligent dogs make great pets but also require frequent training sessions to keep them interested and learning. A bored Labrador Retriever will make his own fun - and it is usually what annoys the human family most!
Labrador Retrievers are renowned for their fun loving and happy-go-lucky personalities. Some can be over-excitable, especially if not given the right amount of attention when they are puppies. While Labrador Retrievers make great family pets, it is a common misconception that they are naturally well-behaved or placid like the "old Labby who lives next door". Fundamentally they are a working breed in that their purpose is to swim, run and retrieve. That means they need exercise, need tasks and most definitely need rules! A young Labrador Retriever requires supervision around small children as they can be boisterous and over-keen to play. They are not dainty on their feet and as their tails wag the whole dog one happy wiggle can knock little children over or frighten them. Labrador Retrievers are also adequate guard dogs. They are territorial of their homes and cars and give an authentic alert bark. It is not common for a Labrador Retriever to do more to a stranger other than bark, but they are still 'a dog' and there is never a 100% guarantee on any breed.
Health:
Labrador Retrievers are generally a healthy breed of dog. They do have several hereditary diseases that could impact significantly on their life span and quality of life. This includes Hip and Elbow Dysplasia and Progressive Retinal Atrophy and Exercise Induced Collapse. The greatest benefit of purchasing a Pedigree Registered Labrador Retriever is that all breeding stock are tested and should have scores and information on each breeding animal available when requested. While tested genetic conditions can be easily navigated to ensure puppies will not be affected by the conditions there still remains no way of eradicating the prevalence of hip and elbow conditions. Breeding suitably scored parents is beneficial, as is ensuring the puppy is not impacted by environmental factors such as diet, weight management, exercise and trauma/injury (excessive jumping, climbing stairs, heavy impact play). Owning a growing Labrador Retriever is also making an informed commitment to ensure the puppy is managed carefully.
Hip and Elbow Scores:
Each breeding animal is X-rayed by a Veterinarian in a position that puts direct pressure on the hip and elbow joints. This is done to see if the ball and socket of each joint has movement or reconstruction from movement that could lead to excessive arthritis or dislocation causing pain and lameness. Extreme cases can require surgery or even end the life of the dog. The X-rays are then sent to approved assessors who score each joint based on may factors, measurements and calculations.
The Left and Right Hip are scored out of 53 points per hip - a total of 106 points. A score of 0 per hip is perfect, a score of 53 per hip is complete dysplasia. Each breed has an average combined score of both hips. Labrador Retrievers have an average of 12. A more even score between each hip is preferable over an uneven score: for example two dogs could have a combined score of 12, but one dog could have Left Hip 9 Right Hip 3 and another could have Left Hip 6 Right Hip 6. At the end of the day, both dogs have a score of 12, are perfectly sound animals and should not concern pet buyers too much. In other breeds it is acceptable to have scores of 20:20 which also does not mean there are any signs of lameness. The aim for breeders is to use scoring to enhance their breeding programs and work towards lowering breed average scores in an attempt to eliminate the disease. However much research has indicated that the current scoring system does not prevent Hip and Elbow dysplasia occurring. Two low scoring parents can produce a litter with both low and high scoring progeny, as can higher scoring parents produce low and high scoring progeny. But using lower scoring parents does decrease the likelihood of any clinical (physical) signs of the disease being present in the next generations.
Elbows are scored on a much lower scale. 0 being perfect and 4 being elbow dysplasia. This is because elbows are scored in actual millimeters of change within the elbow joint. A dog with scores above 2 may be at much greater risk of arthritis forming in the elbow joints. It it highly recommended to not breed from parents with scores higher than 1:1.
DNA Profiling:
Every few years DNA Laboratories find more and more genetic conditions they can test using DNA samples. There are now extensive lists of conditions which can be found across different breeds of dogs. Some of these conditions have simple inheritance and others more complex. Breeders use this information to make breeding decisions when selecting the pairing of breeding dogs.
There are four results which can be provided for each genetically tested condition.
Clear - Meaning the dog has no DNA markers for the condition and will be 100% unaffected. They do not have the condition and cannot pass it on to progeny.
Carrier - Meaning the dog has one copy of the disease and can pass on one copy of the disease to 50% progeny. A carrier is 100% unaffected by the disease and therefore will never develop symptoms.
Affected - Meaning the dog has two copies of the disease and will develop symptoms. They will pass on one copy of the disease to all of their progeny.
Clear By Parentage - If both parents are tested clear of a genetic disease their progeny are 100% unaffected and will be clear of the disease due to their parentage.
There are two main genetic conditions which are tested for Labrador Retrievers.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy:
PRA is an eye condition that causes significant blindness and reduces quality of life for the dog. It usually takes until the dog is mid to late age but can at times form in a younger dog. PRA was once prevalent in the breed and therefore testing for this condition is mandatory. Due to the vigilance of breeders PRA is now mostly 'bred out' of the breed. However testing remains critical to ensure it does not return.
Exercise Induced Collapse:
This disease has been found within the breed but testing is still an option for breeders. Those that do test take precautions on selecting suitable breeding partnerships. There is debate on the mandatory testing of this disease as not enough information is known on what degree of dogs who are tested Affected actually show serious symptoms. In many cases it is not a quality of life threatening disease like Hip and Elbow Dysplasia and PRA. An affected dog is reported to shake and spasm (similar to epilepsy) on sudden exertion.
General health of Labrador Retriever is usually brilliant. Their coat requires minimal care but they do shed hair readily. This is because Labrador Retrievers have a dense waterproof undercoat that they shed and replace throughout the year. Their diets are usually broad but in some populations there are allergies to commercial / processed food and some contact allergies. A natural diet is always preferable to a commercial diet. A common misconception in the general public is that Labrador Retrievers are 'fat dogs'. Labrador Retrievers are highly motivated for food but there is no need for them to be overweight. An adult bitch should weigh 28-35kgs depending on their size and an adult male should weigh 33-38kgs also depending on height and size. Labrador Retrievers are compact for their height, have good muscle tone and some loose skin. A healthy Labrador Retriever should have a light covering of fat under the skin, but should have a noticeable waist and defined shape.
Life Span of a healthy Labrador Retriever is 11-15 years of age.
The Labrador Retrievers' origins date back to the 1800s in Newfoundland where a breed of dogs were developed to assist fishermen retrieve their fishing nets off the side of boats. The breed was further developed in the United Kingdom and were used primarily as gun dogs who retrieved ducks out over the water and marshlands. Their size, temperament, coat type, otter tail and conformation were key factors for a successful gun dog who could work all day at a steady pace, swim effortlessly in the water and who had a coat designed to repel water and keep the dog warm in cold conditions. Their temperament was that of a biddable and friendly dog with a high desire to please and retrieve.
Over time the breed has become a very popular family pet and service dog due to their soft and happy appearance, their general sound and adaptable temperament and their willingness to work for not much return. Labrador Retrievers are also recognised by the general public as 'Guide Dogs' due to the large number of Labrador Retrievers who work as primary mobility aids for people living with vision impairments. They are also popular as scent detection dogs and are commonly found in other service fields such as hearing, assistance/therapy and alert dogs.
Confusions:
Labrador Retriever, Labrador or Lab?
The breed of dog called the Labrador Retriever is a specific breed with specific breed characteristics and is a recognised and registered Pedigree pure breed of dog with the Australian National Kennel Association (and with respective Kennel Associations around the world). It is a separate breed to Golden Retrievers, Flat Coat Retrievers, and other types of Retriever breeds. They are a member of the Group of Pedigree pure bred dogs called Gun Dogs. Other Gun Dog breeds could include Cocker Spaniels, German Shorthaired Pointers, Irish Setters, Pointers, Weimaraners etc etc. Abbreviations of the name are Labrador, or to their friends: Labs or Labby's.
Yellow or Gold?
Most definitely yellow! Labrador Retrievers come in three distinct colours which are Black, Chocolate/Liver and Yellow. Yellows and chocolates can vary in the lightness and darkness of their coat, but the name of the colour remains the same. Breeders talking about Golden coloured puppies should be given caution as they are demonstrating very limited knowledge of their chosen breed.
Who is best suited to a Labrador Retriever:
Labrador Retrievers are a versatile breed who adapt well to all sorts of family situations. They are a social dog and therefore like the company of a group, but also develop close bonds with single person families. A growing Labrador Retriever requires attention and moderate exercise to keep him stimulated and from forming nuisance behaviours. Labrador Retrievers are an intelligent and willing breed of dogs who respond very well to positive training. They thrive at Obedience and trick training and are fast learners. They can be described as 'word dogs' meaning they learn many human words and phrases. Intelligent dogs make great pets but also require frequent training sessions to keep them interested and learning. A bored Labrador Retriever will make his own fun - and it is usually what annoys the human family most!
Labrador Retrievers are renowned for their fun loving and happy-go-lucky personalities. Some can be over-excitable, especially if not given the right amount of attention when they are puppies. While Labrador Retrievers make great family pets, it is a common misconception that they are naturally well-behaved or placid like the "old Labby who lives next door". Fundamentally they are a working breed in that their purpose is to swim, run and retrieve. That means they need exercise, need tasks and most definitely need rules! A young Labrador Retriever requires supervision around small children as they can be boisterous and over-keen to play. They are not dainty on their feet and as their tails wag the whole dog one happy wiggle can knock little children over or frighten them. Labrador Retrievers are also adequate guard dogs. They are territorial of their homes and cars and give an authentic alert bark. It is not common for a Labrador Retriever to do more to a stranger other than bark, but they are still 'a dog' and there is never a 100% guarantee on any breed.
Health:
Labrador Retrievers are generally a healthy breed of dog. They do have several hereditary diseases that could impact significantly on their life span and quality of life. This includes Hip and Elbow Dysplasia and Progressive Retinal Atrophy and Exercise Induced Collapse. The greatest benefit of purchasing a Pedigree Registered Labrador Retriever is that all breeding stock are tested and should have scores and information on each breeding animal available when requested. While tested genetic conditions can be easily navigated to ensure puppies will not be affected by the conditions there still remains no way of eradicating the prevalence of hip and elbow conditions. Breeding suitably scored parents is beneficial, as is ensuring the puppy is not impacted by environmental factors such as diet, weight management, exercise and trauma/injury (excessive jumping, climbing stairs, heavy impact play). Owning a growing Labrador Retriever is also making an informed commitment to ensure the puppy is managed carefully.
Hip and Elbow Scores:
Each breeding animal is X-rayed by a Veterinarian in a position that puts direct pressure on the hip and elbow joints. This is done to see if the ball and socket of each joint has movement or reconstruction from movement that could lead to excessive arthritis or dislocation causing pain and lameness. Extreme cases can require surgery or even end the life of the dog. The X-rays are then sent to approved assessors who score each joint based on may factors, measurements and calculations.
The Left and Right Hip are scored out of 53 points per hip - a total of 106 points. A score of 0 per hip is perfect, a score of 53 per hip is complete dysplasia. Each breed has an average combined score of both hips. Labrador Retrievers have an average of 12. A more even score between each hip is preferable over an uneven score: for example two dogs could have a combined score of 12, but one dog could have Left Hip 9 Right Hip 3 and another could have Left Hip 6 Right Hip 6. At the end of the day, both dogs have a score of 12, are perfectly sound animals and should not concern pet buyers too much. In other breeds it is acceptable to have scores of 20:20 which also does not mean there are any signs of lameness. The aim for breeders is to use scoring to enhance their breeding programs and work towards lowering breed average scores in an attempt to eliminate the disease. However much research has indicated that the current scoring system does not prevent Hip and Elbow dysplasia occurring. Two low scoring parents can produce a litter with both low and high scoring progeny, as can higher scoring parents produce low and high scoring progeny. But using lower scoring parents does decrease the likelihood of any clinical (physical) signs of the disease being present in the next generations.
Elbows are scored on a much lower scale. 0 being perfect and 4 being elbow dysplasia. This is because elbows are scored in actual millimeters of change within the elbow joint. A dog with scores above 2 may be at much greater risk of arthritis forming in the elbow joints. It it highly recommended to not breed from parents with scores higher than 1:1.
DNA Profiling:
Every few years DNA Laboratories find more and more genetic conditions they can test using DNA samples. There are now extensive lists of conditions which can be found across different breeds of dogs. Some of these conditions have simple inheritance and others more complex. Breeders use this information to make breeding decisions when selecting the pairing of breeding dogs.
There are four results which can be provided for each genetically tested condition.
Clear - Meaning the dog has no DNA markers for the condition and will be 100% unaffected. They do not have the condition and cannot pass it on to progeny.
Carrier - Meaning the dog has one copy of the disease and can pass on one copy of the disease to 50% progeny. A carrier is 100% unaffected by the disease and therefore will never develop symptoms.
Affected - Meaning the dog has two copies of the disease and will develop symptoms. They will pass on one copy of the disease to all of their progeny.
Clear By Parentage - If both parents are tested clear of a genetic disease their progeny are 100% unaffected and will be clear of the disease due to their parentage.
There are two main genetic conditions which are tested for Labrador Retrievers.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy:
PRA is an eye condition that causes significant blindness and reduces quality of life for the dog. It usually takes until the dog is mid to late age but can at times form in a younger dog. PRA was once prevalent in the breed and therefore testing for this condition is mandatory. Due to the vigilance of breeders PRA is now mostly 'bred out' of the breed. However testing remains critical to ensure it does not return.
Exercise Induced Collapse:
This disease has been found within the breed but testing is still an option for breeders. Those that do test take precautions on selecting suitable breeding partnerships. There is debate on the mandatory testing of this disease as not enough information is known on what degree of dogs who are tested Affected actually show serious symptoms. In many cases it is not a quality of life threatening disease like Hip and Elbow Dysplasia and PRA. An affected dog is reported to shake and spasm (similar to epilepsy) on sudden exertion.
General health of Labrador Retriever is usually brilliant. Their coat requires minimal care but they do shed hair readily. This is because Labrador Retrievers have a dense waterproof undercoat that they shed and replace throughout the year. Their diets are usually broad but in some populations there are allergies to commercial / processed food and some contact allergies. A natural diet is always preferable to a commercial diet. A common misconception in the general public is that Labrador Retrievers are 'fat dogs'. Labrador Retrievers are highly motivated for food but there is no need for them to be overweight. An adult bitch should weigh 28-35kgs depending on their size and an adult male should weigh 33-38kgs also depending on height and size. Labrador Retrievers are compact for their height, have good muscle tone and some loose skin. A healthy Labrador Retriever should have a light covering of fat under the skin, but should have a noticeable waist and defined shape.
Life Span of a healthy Labrador Retriever is 11-15 years of age.