micksmom
If you don't give a Lab an outlet for their energy and intellegence, you'll end up with a "Marley".
What an excellent point. IMO, Marley was never a problem. He was doing what he was bred to do. Find stuff and retrieve it. Investigate, track. Labs are goofballs, sometimes described as eternal kids. The problem for most people is that Labs play just like smaller breeds but they do so at 30 mph and averaging 70 to 80 lbs, and I have seen a Yellow over 100 lbs and all solid muscle. Most anytime someone makes a statement like Labs being dumb, it is a reflection on the human who said it.
Labs were originally bred in Newfoundland and the Island of Labrador, in the north Atlantic to jump into frigid waters and retrieve net buoys and even water fowl. In America, they have also been adapted to flush out prey for hunters, as well as water fowl retrieval. They are not the fastest runners and their running style is better for bounding over obstacles in the field, such as high grass or fallen trees and logs. The breed requires friendliness to humans and the ability to work in groups as there may often be several dogs on a hunting expedition. So, human and dog aggression is a defect and is not part of the breed standard.
Labs have what is called "soft mouth." They have soft lips that droop a little bit and they have pressure sensitivity which can be trained to precision. This allows them to get and retrieve objects without mangling it beyond recognition. They have a superior sense of smell and can track as well as other dogs known for tracking. I have seen Shadow track a single scent on concrete in the rain. Labs have a fairly water proof skin, which helps for being in water. A short coat that does not hold onto a lot of water, which would weigh them down. They have webbed paws which aid in swimming. Because of the waterproof hide which acts as an insulator against both hot and cold, they are adaptable to a wide range of climates. I even knew of a musher team where the lead dog was a Lab.
Labs are also known as chowhounds. They like to eat and because they are big and strong and were part of hunting, there was plenty of food and they never developed a metabolism that survives on little amounts of food. It is generally inadvisable to free feed a Lab. You must, instead, monitor their intake. Which can allow for the use of NILIF, an excellent way to socialize your pet and keep him paying attention to you. Because Labs like to eat, they are quite easily trained with food rewards. This, along with a goofy affection toward humans, makes them lousy guard dogs. If a burglar throws your Lab a steak, he has easy access to your house.
Like any dog, Labs and children should always be supervised. If your Lab is trained to run and hunt and not let anything slow him down, allowing a child to hang onto him by the ears or hide is probably not a good idea. He may or may not do something to get rid of the "barnacle." Aside from that, the only problem is that Labs can play like puppies for all of their life and now your talking about a 2 year old puppy that weighs between 65 and 100 lbs at 20-something inches to the shoulder and long (Labs have two zip codes) and can run in excess of 30 mph. DW is 5' 5.5" and Shadow can put his paws on her shoulder. Training, training, training, for both dog and kids. And then, when you're tired and have rested with a glass of tea, train some more.
Labs are extremely intelligent, solving problems on the fly. They have to in pursuit of prey. "Do I run around the log or jump over it?" Labs are not independent to the degree that Sibes are but they do need direction, or they will find one on their own. Even walking can be work. And the needs increase from puppyhood to adulthood. What could wear out a 6 month old puppy ain't nothing to a 2-year-old. Labs are adaptable to any job and you can have them pull stuff or carry stuff, which can help meet the energy demand. If you have access to water and a dock, encourage dock diving. You, the human, can conserve energy while the dog wears himself out flying.
Don't be surprised at just how smart your dog can be, in any breed. Shadow came up with his own signal for going out. He would look at the harness and leash, the doorknob, and then at me, in that order. He has since refined that to a direct cue. If in the living room, he will nudge my foot and then look at me, waiting. If near the back door, he simply stands there, waiting. It's up to me to keep up.
You don't have to walk a dog miles a day, unless that is your desire. But they need work, even if that work is training and play. They can and should live in the house, within rules. But, if possible, they should have a big yard to get some zoomies and cavorting out of their system.
They should be socialized to other pets, great and small. They have big, otter-like tails so keep breakables out of tail range, such as a coffee table.
I've heard from just about every dog breed fancier that their breed is not for beginners. True, but you've got to learn sometime. With the training and understanding, a Lab can fit into most any family.
There are a few faults with the breed. Labs as a breed are prone to Hip Displaysia. Some Yellows are prone to cancer. As a large, deep chested dog, they can get gastric torsion, where the stomach can rotate and twist in the chest cavity. Avoid exercising your Lab hard right after a meal. Fortunately, for most of them, digestion makes them sleepy and they will probably rest after a meal. Labs should be slightly lean with a visible tuck at the waist next to the hind legs. An overweight Lab could point to lack of exercise, improper diet, or both. As such, a non-working Lab can be fed a maintenance diet of 18 to 22 percent protein and around 11 to 13 percent fat. I would treat Labs as a large breed, partly because of the Hip Dysplasia problem and also the height and weight. I could recommend the food I feed because of it's stellar track record for large and giant breeds but any good food, preferrably, imo, with a meat meal first food will work.
Preferrably, Labs should be handled as puppies often. With special attention to being used to having their paws handled and groomed. Lab nails grow like weeds.
Labs make wonderful pets but like any dog, they require attention and training. The challenge of this breed over other, smaller breeds is their size and strength. AKC aside, this is a working dog with the drive and energy required of such.