Labradors are friendly, sociable, playful, and make for great family dogs. They are gentle, good with children and older people, and do well in apartments too.
If you’re looking to bring home a new pet, you may ask, “Are labs good family dogs?” Well, there must be a reason Labrador Retrievers are America’s favorite.
A Labrador retriever is one of the best companion dog breeds and is famous for its calm temperament, obedience, and loyalty. All these qualities make it the perfect family dog.
Read on to find out why Labradors make good family dogs.
Labradors are gentle, gregarious, and eager to please. As a result, they are easy to train. They get along well with humans and other pets.
The Labrador continues to be a working breed. In short, it needs regular physical and mental activity. Some labs are rowdy, while others are more laidback.
The Lab is also an excellent therapy dog. They are often taken to nursing homes and hospitals to bring cheer. They are intelligent and make excellent assistance dogs for persons with disabilities.
Due to their athletic build, strong nose, and courageous nature, Labs excel as search, rescue dogs, and retriever dogs for hunters. Labrador retrievers often win agility and obedience contests.
The Lab always wants to be with its family. If left alone for a long time, it will engage in destructive behavior. As a result, a lonely and bored lab will dig, chew, or find other outlets for its energy.
Labradors need constant physical and mental activity. They need at least 30 minutes of daily walking or fetching to burn off energy. A puppy, however, should not be overworked and should only play for a few minutes at a time.
Labrador Retrievers will work themselves to exhaustion. It is up to you to decide when to stop playing and training because their energy is endless.
Some owners believe that because labs are so obedient, they do not require training. But, this is a big mistake. A lab puppy will quickly grow into a big and boisterous dog without training. Fortunately, labs respond well to training.
Because labs shed a lot, you should brush them daily. Even otherwise, it helps to get rid of the loose hair and dander. Labs need a bath every two months to keep them clean and smelling fresh. Bathing them too often will dull and dry out their gleaming coats.
Brush your lab’s teeth at least twice a week to remove plaque buildup and bacteria. If your dog’s nails do not wear down naturally, you should trim them once or twice a month.
On the other hand, ear infections are common in Labs. Check your lab’s ears every week for redness or odor. Clean out your dog’s ears after bathing, swimming, and any other time it gets wet.
Are labradors friendly? Absolutely! Given their long history of working with humans, they get along very well with people.
A good owner-pet relationship contributes to a dog’s friendliness. Dogs whose owners have neglected or abused them are generally fearful and aggressive toward humans.
Labradors are highly social dogs. Allow them to run free with other dogs in a safe environment to give them a good workout. A well-trained labrador is gentle with other dogs and smaller animals.
Yes. Labs are one of the best choices for children. But as they are huge and excitable, they may romp and jump with abandon. That means that things, and people, can fly!
If you allow your lab to jump on people, you must immediately stop this behavior. Jumping can injure people and, sometimes, your dog.
If you live with toddlers or elderly people, you might want to skip the difficult puppy and adolescent stages. Consider adopting an adult Labrador Retriever, as they have a more settled temperament.
Labradors stand at 21 to 24.5 inches tall and weigh 55 to 80 lbs so a studio-sized apartment may be too small for a lab but they do well in larger apartments with regular walks and exercise.
Apart from your apartment’s space, take a look at a few other things. Be aware of your Labrador’s surroundings because they can become overly excited and run or jump on potential friends.
In addition, raising a puppy in an apartment comes with its own set of difficulties. During the early stages of potty training, you’ll need to go in and out often. This could be dangerous for a Labrador Retriever puppy’s developing joints. For Instance, puppies may bark, whine, and howl until they learn when and where this is acceptable. You’ll also notice less of this behavior as you train and socialize your puppy.
Also Read: Are Labrador Retrievers Good Apartment Dogs?
Labradors are a very sociable and affectionate breed. They want to be around their favorite humans most of the time. While you can train them to learn to adjust to your absence for a shorter period, it is not ideal in the long run. In short, Labs tend to get anxious if you leave them alone for over a few hours.
Working families that are away from home for several hours a day can organize a pet sitter. You can also put your lab in a dog nursery. Still, at the end of the day, it would long for your company.
Labradors become the perfect family members when treated with care. Ensure you give them adequate exercise and playtime.
Socializing and training your lab from a young age can make it a great family dog.
A digital marketing expert by profession, Andrews is a gifted writer and animal lover at heart. A self-confessed "pawrent", Andrews is well-versed in all things dogs. He uses his years of experience of raising puppies into show-quality dogs to help guide first-time pet parents. He believes in spreading the joy that comes with being a dog dad and advocates more families to adopt pets.
