Article Directory

Free Article Directory - Submit Your Articles

Understanding Labrador Retrievers: Why a Lab May Not Be the Right Dog for You



by: janey
Total views: 3
Word Count: 576

Labrador retrievers are extraordinarily people-oriented. This means that they have to be in tune with their owners in order to follow specific instructions. The key to understanding this is to look deeper at what Labs were bred to do, and that is to hunt and retrieve. Look at it this way, these dogs must be in perfect harmony with their hunter/owner in order to follow specific directions to track and fine birds that have fallen to the ground and out of sight. This need for the dog to have hand-held direction carries over to all aspects of a Labrador's life, especially at home. This is great for people who enjoy and need constant canine companionship. However, it is bad for dog owners who have a Labrador retriever but expect the animal to entertain itself with little interaction from the owner. There are some hunting dogs that were bred to be independent hunters with little interaction and instruction from humans. Examples of these types of dogs are Terriers and Hounds, which lead the way by use of their senses (by smell and sight) with the human hunter striving to keep up with the dog's pace. This is not how the Labrador is built. Labs are designed to retrieve, and in doing so they must have a connected attention link directly to the hunter. If a retriever ignores the hunter's commands then they may hit the water and swim far past where the bird has fallen, and possibly keep swimming out and away. Well trained retrievers do not make these types of mistakes because they have the innate ability to attend to and follow detailed directions from the hunter. This skill is absolutely critical to being a trustworthy retriever and is one of the reasons that these dogs make excellent service animals and obedience trainees. This Is Also the Reason Why Many Labs Do Not Do Well With Some Families: You can probably understand by now just how connected and dependent a Labrador retriever becomes to its owners. It constantly looks to people for leadership and must have human interaction. Every dog breed is sociable to some extent, some more than others, but Labs require much more attention than most dogs. They do not cope very well when left alone for long periods of time, whether indoors or outdoors. Many families who are away all day and come home to find out that their Lab has destroyed a side door or window trying to escape does not understand why this is happening. These people are understandably upset and then punish their Labs. A properly educated Lab owner will not react in this way because they know the truth. And the truth is that what causes a Lab to try to escape like this is simply wanting to search out and find its owners. They consider their "pack" missing and make an attempt to find them outside. The biggest lesson to take away from this information, especially if you have not yet decided on what type of dog to own and are considering a Labrador retriever, is to make sure that you have plenty of time to devote to your Lab, day and night. If not, then consider a more independent dog breed. Otherwise, your lovable Lab may soon become increasingly unhappy and will end up a very destructive house pet, or worse, a runaway.

About the Author

Jane Saeman loves dogs and strives to keep other dog lovers informed. A whole world awaits other dog lovers. Find out how cute the dog in your life is at http://www.PicturesofmyDogs.com


View PDF | Print View

Rating: Not yet rated

Comments
No comments posted.
Add Comment
You do not have permission to comment. If you log in, you may be able to comment.
Next Article - Controlling Dog Aggression
Previous Article - Understanding The Concept of Dog Training

More Related Articles In This Category

1: How to Deal with Dog Parvo
2: Finding a Proper Collar for Your Small Dog
3: How to Give Your Dog a Bath without the Drench
4: 3 Easy Dog Training Tips
5: Dog Care Products For The Long Haired Dog
6: Caring For Your Horse And Companion
7: Pet Obesity: Guidelines on Weight Loss and Achieving Your Pet's Ideal Body Weight
8: The Facts About Chick Sexing!
9: How to Find a Unique Collar for Your Dog
10: Types Of Small Aquarium Sharks - Two Of The Most Popular
11: Tips On Buying A Used Cat!
12: The Top Ten Count Down of the Smartest Dogs In The World!
13: A Dog Well Trained Brings Joy!
14: Understanding The Breeding Of Puggles
15: Tips for Choosing a Dog Shampoo
16: Protect Your Pets By Preventing Flea And Tick Infestation
17: Train Your Puggle To Be The Best Behaved Dog
18: Animal Rescue Organizations Save Puggles' Lifes
19: Take Care of Your Puggle The Right Way
20: The Warm Fuzzy Feeling Puggle's Offer Us
21: Preventing And Controlling Avian Flu In Poultry!
22: Dream Of Having Your Own Horse
23: Know More About Abandoned Horses
24: Learn About Dog Kennel Cough
25: Need To Know Dog Training Tips


For WebMasters


Link This Article - HTML Code -
Link This Article - BBcode -

Copy This HTML Code To Put This Article In Your Web Site.


Tags: ,
Article URL : Understanding Labrador Retrievers: Why a Lab May Not Be the Right Dog for You
Article Category : Pets and Animals
Article Author : janey


Article Directory