Labrador Retriever

They were originally bred to retrieve nets for fisherman and then game and fowl for hunters. Their gentleness and desire to please means they make excellent assistance dogs as well as loving family pets.

One to two hours per day. This doesn’t necessarily have to be just walking – you could try running, scent detection practice, recall training and other enriching activities.

They are a high-energy breed, and love to retrieve and hunt for items when out and about. They also tend to have a keen love of water and swimming.

Generally, Labradors are known for their laid-back temperament. However, if they don’t get enough exercise, this can lead to destructive behaviour such as chewing furniture.

Labradors are generally known as an easy-to-train breed. They have an aim to please attitude and are adaptable when it comes to learning new skills. They often do well in canine sports, such as agility, obedience and tracking.

Ideally, Labradors should be trained from puppy age. Puppy training will teach them the basics such as lead walking, recall, being in their crate and how to sit, lie down and wait.

If you’re rehoming an older Labrador, there’s still time to teach an old dog new tricks. Labradors are intelligent dogs and tend to pick up new skills easily and quickly.

They can be fed dry or wet food diets.

It’s worth noting that typically, Labradors are very food focused and can easily over-indulge, if given the opportunity. Therefore, it’s best to keep a track of their daily meal allowance and ensure you’re factoring any treats or chews into the daily total.

Typically, Labradors can weigh anywhere between 25kg and 36kg. It’s worth checking their weight regularly to make sure they’re not losing or gaining more than usual fluctuations.

Check out our dog's diet, nutrition and health guide for information about what and how often to feed your dog, and how to determine if your dog is overweight.

If you’re concerned about your dog’s weight, seek advice from your vet.

Try to keep treats as healthy as possible, such as using 100% meat, and certain fruits and vegetables. But be sure not to feed your dog foods which are toxic to them such as onions, grapes, raisins and avocado.

Avoiding treats that have high rice or wheat content can help with weight-control.

Labradors do shed their coats, so prepare yourself for regular brushing routines. Typically, they shed their undercoats twice a year in spring and autumn, but they will have general malting year-round. Brushing them one to three times a week is usually enough to prevent matting and reduce any build-up of head hair.

Labradors have an almost-waterproof undercoat, and therefore excessive bathing is not recommended. They should only be fully bathed with shampoo products when necessary, or on average once a month, to protect their coat. Usually, washing them with a drop of water is adequate to remove any dirt or mud.

It’s wise to check teeth regularly for plaque build up from their food. If you notice build up, speak to your vet who can recommend products to protect your Labrador’s teeth.

As Labradors exercise frequently, their nails can be ground down naturally from walking on tarmac. However, it’s best to keep an eye on your dogs’ nails for overgrowth, and if they’re looking long, to get them cut. They also have a dew claw (part way up their inner arm) which can grow faster than their other nails, and this may require more frequent cutting. It’s important not to try and cut your dog's nails with no experience, as this can cause injury. If you’re unsure, speak to your vet who can offer advice on nail cutting.