Labrador Retriever puppies

About the Labrador Retriever

The Labrador Retriever was built in Britain from the water dogs that came off the Newfoundland fishing boats, and they have been the standard gundog for picking up shot game ever since. This is a solid, medium to large dog of 24.9 to 36.3 kg standing 55 to 62 cm, with a short water repellent double coat, webbed feet and a thick tapering tail. They score at the top of the scale for getting on with children and other animals, which is why they fill so much guide, assistance and detection work.

The energy rating is very high and the breed is not decorative: an hour or more a day, and retrieving or swimming rather than a plod round the block. A Lab that is short of exercise finds destructive ways to spend it. Grooming is easy, though they shed all year and heavily in season. Adolescence is mouthy and lasts a while. Supervision and socialisation still apply with children. Be strict about food. Labradors are greedy and gain weight fast, which is the last thing a breed prone to joint disease needs.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Labrador Retriever puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A large breed puppy at eight weeks looks deceptively normal sized and will roughly double every few weeks for a while. Keep exercise short and low impact, the growth plates are wide open. This is a very high energy breed. The mistake owners make is trying to tire them out physically. Training, scentwork and puzzles will do more than distance ever will. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Hip dysplasia, which breeding stock should be hip scored by x-ray before mating
• Elbow dysplasia, which breeding stock should be elbow graded by x-ray before mating
• Progressive retinal atrophy (prcd-PRA), detectable by DNA test on both parents
• Exercise induced collapse (EIC), detectable by DNA test on both parents

Your Labrador Retriever puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Large for a Labrador Retriever.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 24.9 to 36.3 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Kit sizes: crate 42 inch (42 x 28 x 30 in, 107 x 71 x 76 cm) for an adult of up to 36.3 kg; chew toys made for large breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other large breeds

More on the Labrador Retriever

Previous: Labradoodle · Next: Lagotto Romagnolo

Sources

• akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
• fci.be for country of origin
• Health notes from Labrador Retriever breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/labrador-retriever/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Photo: IDS.photos from Tiverton, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.