Labrador Training for a Better House Pet
The time has come for you and your family to get a dog, but everybody in the home is still in a deadlock what particular breed to get. After doing research and talking to neighbors and friends about their own dogs, the problem is still unresolved. However, one breed in particular that gets mentioned again and again is the labrador retriever. And in fact, nothing can prepare you for the joy and fulfillment of a labrador home. All that this dog asks of you is unconditional love, and possibly, the good manners that training Labradors can teach.
There are many reasons that make the lab a clear and distinct favorite among dog breeds, and pets too, for that matter. Their capacity for affection and loyalty is almost endless, and they are gentle, energetic and also mellow. A lab owner need to make time for a very active puppy interested in play; this period of solid activity will be with the dog until three. As adults, labs are still after sports at heart, and will want to be the target of a garden hose, or to retrieve things for its owner. Frisbees and balls are favorite toys.
The time for Labrador training begins as soon as the dog is mature enough to comprehend basic requests. Its no problem if you don’t have the time nor expertise to personally train the dog, since you can always get your pet into an obedience school. Labs are brainy animals that will soon be at the top of their class. Their large amounts of pent-up energy and large size call for obedience so that they learn to avoid puppy behavior when they are bored. Not only do they aspire to win their master’s favor, but they also catch on to new things rather fast.
Most labs are kept as indoor dogs, and their day is made when they are able to maximize being a participative member of the family. Like all dogs, they also love attention. But their loving nature makes them not the ideal guard dogs, and often, not at all. But to give them the benefit of a doubt, they do pack a robust bark that can scare away most unwanted company. Labs from well-chosen breeders have few vices, and practically all labs are strangers to being territorial, aggressive, destructive, or possess the bad habits other breeds are prone to.
A high-capacity love for food and treats is one serious weakness in the lab however (although what is in the power of the power cannot be called a vice either!). This dog will need to stay on a steady diet to keep off obesity which can be a source of problems later on in the dog’s life. This way, it is possible to enjoy up to 14 full years with your lab.
