There is a reason why Labrador Retrievers are consistently at No. 1 in the American Kennel Club’s Annual Most Popular Dog Breeds list since 1991. It is primarily because of the breed’s reputation as great canine companions for the entire family. However, despite their stellar reputation, Labradors are No. 3 in the list of Most Common Breeds Found in Shelters. Among the reasons that have been cited by previous owners in abandoning these poor dogs include the high cost of feeding them and health care, and their inability to cope with the dog’s exuberant behavior.
It must be emphasized. Yes, Labradors CAN be good family dogs. BUT, as the owner of a Lab, you need to be responsible for the growth and development, care, and training of the dog so that it MATCHES your family.
Labrador Qualities That Make Them Good Family Dogs
The Labrador Retriever is abundant in positive characteristics that make them the ideal dogs for the entire family. These qualities are enumerated below:
- Labradors are noted for theirlow levels of aggression.
- They have an enthusiastic, take-it-in-stride attitude toward life.
- They are friendly, cheerful, always smiling and tail-wagging dogs.
- They are intelligent dogs, thus are very responsive to dog training and behavior management.
- They are very trusting, sociable dogs who’ll greet everyone with a smile and a joyful bark. (However, it is not protective and will not make a good guard dog. In fact, they may even greet a burglar rather than chase him away.)
- They have a very steady and patient temperament. Because of this, they are great dogs for children because they can put up with being cuddled, hugged, poked, and prodded.
- They are very tolerant and peaceful toward other animals, including other dogs (regardless of breed), cats, rabbits, hamsters, ferrets, and even livestock.
With all of these qualities, you would think that Labradors can fit into all family lifestyles and circumstances, but this is not the case.
When Labradors May Not Be A Good Family Match
Labrador Retrievers have three characteristics that may not make it a good match for certain family lifestyles.
First of all, Labradors are noted for their high energy levels. This characteristic is attributed to their working dog origins because of the physically demanding activities that they fulfilled for their owners. Labs, especially unsupervised puppies, need to release all that pent up energy or else they will become agitated and engage in nuisance behaviors, such as chewing, digging, barking, and howling.
Second, also related to the Lab’s energy levels above, Labrador experts noted differences in energy levels and temperaments among the “types” of this breed. When they say “type”, it may mean the main colors of the dog’s coat or whether it is a field line or show line dog.
Among the three main coat colors, Chocolate Labradors are very energetic and would match families with active lifestyles. Black Labs are just as energetic as Chocolates, but this energy is best released in competitive dog sports and field trials. They are also considered to be more intelligent than Chocolates and thus easier to train. Chocolate Labs make better family pets than Blacks, but they need mental stimulation through games or other fun activities or else they get easily agitated if left alone or ignored. For those with more laidback lifestyles, Yellow Labs are the ideal choice because of their mellower temperament.
Field line dogs obviously require lots of activity for energy release, so they need daily exercise and gameplay. Black Labs more often compete in field trials than Yellows. Chocolate Labs are show line dogs, but because they are less intelligent, they require greater mental stimulation through a variety of games and activities. Yellows Labs can be both field line and show line dogs. However, while they need the exercise, they are not as energetic or rambunctious as their darker colored counterparts.
Second, because of their natural enthusiasm and exuberance, Labradors have the tendency to jump on people. This is a greeting behavior for Labs that is especially noted at one year old. They jump and/or stand on their hind legs because they want to look at you and lick your face. While done for good intentions, because of their size, Labs can end up hurting babies, toddlers, and infirm adults.
Third, Labrador Retrievers are year-round shedders, with the heavy shedding occurring during spring and fall. Because Labs are not hypoallergenic, they are not good pets for individuals with allergies or other respiratory ailments.
What To Do If You Still Want a Labrador
Now, let’s say you, your wife, and kids still want a Labrador even if your family may not be the best match for such a bouncy, enthusiastic dog. What can you do to make your home a happy one for both human and dog?
Labrador puppies should undergo training and socialization early. Training and/or Behavior Management can help control undesirable behaviors, such as jumping and mouthing. If you and your family are at work or in school for most of the day, you may consider Crate Training your dog, so that it will be relaxed even if left alone.
A Labrador’s high energy levels can best be managed by establishing a daily exercise routine as early as puppyhood. Setting a consistent time is key here. By taking your dog out for a walk or run early in the morning and evening, your Lab will anticipate these periods as exercise times, so that they will be less rambunctious or excitable for the rest of the day. It is also important to rotate the responsibilities of taking the dog out to pee/poop. If you already trained your Lab to do its business in a spot in your backyard, a dog door is a more convenient point of exit. Another option is to train your dog to use newspapers in a particular, easy-to-clean location inside the home.
People with allergies learned to live with their Labradors, and they don’t even need to take antiallergy pills regularly. Instead, they bathe and brush their Labs more frequently so that it is a lot easier to get the loose hairs and dander out. Daily vacuuming is a must. Air purifiers with allergen/dander filters can help keep the air clean, even with the dog shedding heavily.
In Conclusion
The many positive characteristics of a Labrador Retriever far overshadow its flaws. Labs can make good family dogs if families are willing to make solid commitments to train them and make minor changes in their homes and lifestyles.
SOURCES:
1) Labrador Retriever https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/labrador-retriever/
2) AKC Most Popular Dog Breeds https://www.akc.org/most-popular-breeds/
3) Labrador Retrievers: What’s Good About ‘Em, What’s Bad About ‘Em https://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/labradorretrievers.html
4) Are Labs Good Family Dogs? https://www.thelabradorsite.com/are-labs-good-family-dogs/
5) Labrador Retriever Dog Breed Information and Personality Traits https://www.hillspet.com/dog-care/dog-breeds/labrador-retriever
6) Are Labrador Retrievers Good Family Dogs? https://canna-pet.com/labrador-retrievers-good-family-dogs/
7) Most Common Breeds Found In Shelters https://barkpost.com/good/most-common-breeds-in-shelters-2015/
8) Breed Differences in Canine Aggression https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168159108001147
9) Labrador Retriever https://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/labrador-retriever#/slide/1
10) No More Jumping Up: How to Stop Your Labrador Leaping on People https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168159108001147
11) Labrador Shedding Problems and Solutions https://labrador-central.com/labrador-retriever-shedding/
12) Are Labradors Hypoallergenic? https://www.lovingyourlab.com/are-labs-hypoallergenic/
13) Dog Behavior Management vs Dog Training https://www.thesprucepets.com/dog-behavior-management-versus-dog-training-1118236
14) How Do I Stop My Dog from Mouthing People? http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/how-do-i-stop-my-dog-from-mouthing-people
15) How to Crate Train Your Dog or Puppy https://www.thesprucepets.com/how-to-crate-train-your-dog-11182
