A Labrador Retriever is America’s most popular breed. It is a medium to large-sized breed belong to the gun dog category. It is not only popular in America, but also in most parts of the world. According to American Kennel Club popularity ratings, Labrador Retriever is ranked 1st among 196 breeds.
Labrador retriever Height – Weight and Life Span
Labrador Retriever is a spectacular breed which is lovable and outgoing.
- A well-grown male Labrador Retriever grows 22.5 inches to 24.5 inches in height
- A well-grown female Labrador Retriever grows 21.5 inches to 23.5 inches in height
- A make dog shall weigh around 65 to 80 pounds while the female shall weigh between 55 to 70 pounds
- The average life span of Labrador Retriever is 10 to 12 years
Labrador Retriever – History
Labrador Retriever is mainly bred for working purposes. Their size is usually medium to large. It is a traditional waterdog. The roots of Labrador belongs to Newfoundland. It is employed as a duck retriever. Also considered as a fishermen’s mate.
The breed is expected to be existing from the 1800s. The English nobles who visited Canada saw these dog breeds in Canada and brought the best species to England. In the second half of the 19th century, they had made the breed standardized.
The temperamental traits as well as the physical dimensions of the dog well suited the working purpose. It must be said that this breed is specifically made for retrieving purpose and an apt dog for the same. The thick dense short coat typically suited the purpose of diving inside the water. If the snow crusts are attached to the fur, it can be easily removed.
The England Kennel Club recognized Labrador Retriever in the year 1903. While the American Kennel Club officially allowed this breed in the year 1917. In the year 1991, registrations for Labrador was at its peak and it remains the same.
Labrador Retriever – Appearance
It is a complete Gun dog with amazing features. It is a medium to large-sized breed with strongly built muscles. It also possesses a magnificent athletic structure that allows it to sprint faster. The excellent body and the muscles make it work for long hours without getting exhausted. It is a sheer hunt dog that can easily hunt the waterfowls.
The best aspect about the dog is the short, dense and thick weather-resistant coat. It has a clean-cut tail with a wide head. The broad back has a sturdy balance to the body. The dog has powerful jaws and has a complete friendly eyes.
The skull of the Labrador is wide. The dog comes in 3 vibrant colours. They come in
- Yellow
- Black and
- Chocolate
Labrador Retriever – Official Standards
There are wide varieties of Labrador Retriever in the world. But there are some standards that the dog must meet to be eligible for AKC shows. Let us see them one by one
- Size of the Dog: They should belong from the withers to the base. The ideal weight of the dog must be between 65 pounds to 80 pounds. While this is for the male dogs, the female dogs must be between 55 pounds to 70 pounds.
- Coat: The coat must be short and dense. It must never be wiry. The coat is completely water-resistant and that’s the best reason why it can be taken into the water. The coat is naturally dry. Also, it is oily too.
- Jaws: The jaws of the Labrador Retriever must be strong and powerful. The muzzle must never be tapered.
- Body: The body of the Labrador Retriever must be well built and muscular too
- Head: The head of the dog must be broad. It must have well-pronounced eyebrows too. At the same time, the eyes must be kind and expressive. The acceptable colours of the eyes are hazel and brown. The line that surrounds the eyes must be black. The ears must hang slightly above the eyes.
Labrador Retriever Temperament
This is the best aspect of the dog. They have an amazing temperament. They are lively at the same time patient. They are fabulously outgoing and has advanced tractable nature too. The sense of smell that the dog has is amazing. It can easily find the origin of the smell. Its patience needs to lauded here.
This is one of the reasons, this dog is used as a detection dog too. Naval, Military and the Police forces use such dogs during their investigation. Apart from all these, Labrador Retrievers are the best companion to a man. It is an amazing family dog too. It easily gets along with people and shall be very smart.
The Dog is named for its patience and liveliness. It brings in joy any moment and the big structure makes the dog look bulky and cute. Having this dog at home shall bring immense happiness.
References
- https://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/abs/10.2460/ajvr.2002.63.979
- https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0102241
Table of Contents