About L abr ador s

L abr ador Ret r i ever s ar e t hought t o have been f i r s t br ed i n Newf oundl and,
Canada . As t her e was al r eady a dog br eed c al l ed Newf oundl and, a new
name was needed. The name L abr ador c omes f r om t he name of t he
peni ns ul a t hat c ont ai ns t he pr ovi nc es of Newf oundl and and Quebec .
L abr ador Ret r i ever s ar e di r ec t des c endant s of t he St . J ohn s Wat er Dog.
They wer e br ed t o hel p c od - f i s her man i n r et r i ev i ng f i s h t hat es c aped f r om
net s . Thei r s hor t and dens e c oat was wel l s ui t ed t o t he c ol d and wet
c ondi t i ons , and t hei r eager nes s t o pl eas e made t hem eas y t o t r ai n and
ex t r emel y hel pf ul .
L abr ador Ret r i ever s ar e l ovi ng, af f ec t i onat e and peopl e - or i ent at ed. They
ar e happi es t when t hey ar e wi t h peopl e, but t hey al s o l ove dogs , c at s and
ot her ani mal s . They enj oy s wi mmi ng and wi l l never pas s up t he oppor t uni t y
t o s wi m. They ar e k i d- f r i endl y, and ar e ver y pat i ent and gent l e. Bei ng an
ex uber ant br eed, L abr ador s ar e not as s ui t ed t o ver y young c hi l dr en as t hey
c an knoc k over s mal l c hi l dr en i n t hei r ex c i t ement . L abr ador Ret r i ever s ar e
eas y - goi ng, pl ayf ul and s t abl e. They ar e not eas i l y ups et by muc h and ar e
mor e l i k el y t o l i c k s omeone t o deat h t han hur t t hem ( Dogz Onl i ne, 2013) .
Thei r many us es as s eei ng - eye dogs , det ec t or dogs and bomb dogs
demons t r at e t hei r s uper i or t emper ament . They t y pi c al l y l i ve about 10 - 12
year s . They ar e bes t s ui t ed t o f ami l i es wi t h c hi l dr en, or f ami l i es / c oupl es
who have anot her dog or s omeone at home as t hey get l onel y ver y qui c k l y.
L abr ador Ret r i ever s c ome i n t hr ee c ol our s : Yel l ow, Bl ac k and Choc ol at e.
Thes e ar e t he onl y t hr ee c ol our s r ec ogni z ed by t he Nat i onal L abr ador
Ret r i ever Br eed Counc i l . L abr ador Ret r i ever s t hat ar e c ol our ed Si l ver ,
Pl at i num or Char c oal ar e not r ec ogni z ed as L abr ador s as t hey do not meet
t hes e s t andar ds and ar e a c r os s br eed bet ween a L abr ador and a
Wei mar aner . L abr ador r et r i ever s have a doubl e c oat , ar e of a medi um bui l d
and ar e ex t r emel y wi l l i ng t o pl eas e ever yone. To f i nd out mor e about br eed
s t andar ds v i s i t t he L abr ado r Ret r i ever Cl ub of NSW at
ht t p: / / www. l abr ador c l ubns w. c om/ br eed - s t andar d. as p
Car e f or L abr ador s
L abr ador Ret r i ever s ar e r el at i v el y eas y t o c ar e f or , and r equi r e l i t t l e
mai nt enanc e. They hav e a s hor t , dens e c oat t hat needs onl y oc c as i onal
br us hi ng and may need br us hi ng onc e or t wi c e a week when t hey ar e
s heddi ng. The f ur t hat t hey s hed wi l l not dr op out wi t hout bei ng br us hed
and s o wi l l not f al l out al l ar ound t he yar d or your home.
As wi t h al l dogs , L abr ador Ret r i ever s need r out i ne heal t h c ar e s uc h as
wor mi ng, vac c i nat i ons , t eet h and nai l upkeep. The f ol l owi ng i s a l i s t of t he
heal t h c ar e pr oc edur es whi c h s houl d be under t aken and how of t en:
1. Vac c i nat i ons Thes e s houl d be done at 6 weeks , at 8 weeks and at 12
week s and ever y 3 year s af t er t hat . Thes e wi l l v ac c i nat e your
puppy/ dog agai ns t XXXXXXX.
2. Wor mi ng Thi s c an be done wi t h t abl et s or c hews t hat need t o be
gi ven ever y 3 mont hs . A year l y hear t wor m i nj ec t i on s houl d al s o be
gi ven by your l oc al vet er i nar i an.
3. Teet h c l eani ng To keep your L abr ador s t eet h c l ean you s houl d f eed
t hem t r eat s s uc h as dent al s t i c k s , r aw bones or whol e c ar c as s es .
L abr ador s t end t o have ver y f ew mout h pr obl ems .
4. Nai l c l i ppi ng I f your L abr ador does not have ac c es s t o r ough gr ound
t hen t hei r nai l s may not wear down pr oper l y . Nai l s c an be c l i pped by
ei t her a vet er i nar i an or a dog gr oomer . Dew c l aws , i n par t i c ul a r ,
s houl d be c hec k ed f r equent l y f or l engt h .
L abr ador s ar e r eas onabl y ac t i ve and r equi r e a dai l y wal k f or at l eas t 20
mi nut es . They al s o need ment al s t i mul at i on wi t h ei t her ment al t oy s or
t r ai ni ng. They ar e ea s y t o t r ai n bec aus e of t hei r eager nes s t o pl eas e and
t hei r l ove f or f ood. Wi t hout pr oper t r ai ni ng L abr ador s c an bec ome
mi s c hi evous and des t r uc t i ve. L abr ador s ar e pr one t o obes i t y and s houl d not
be over f ed. They s houl d be bei ng f ed no mor e t han 0. 75k g of f ood ever y
day . Br eeder s r ec ommend a di et of dr y f ood, veget abl es and ei t her c hees e
or yoghur t . Thi s s houl d pr ov i de t hem wi t h t he nut r i ent s t hat t hey need.
L abr ador s ar e a r el at i vel y heal t hy br eed wi t h ver y f ew heal t h pr obl ems .
They r e mai n pr obl ems ar e: hi p dy s pl as i a; el bow dys pl as i a; eye pr obl ems
s uc h as Pr ogr es s i ve Ret i nal At r ophy ( PRA) ; and obes i t y. Hi p and el bow
dys pl as i a ar e degener at i ve di s eas es of t he hi ps and el bows . Thes e ar e
pr obl ems t hat c an us ual l y be pr event ed by pur c has i ng a dog whos e par ent s
have been DNA t es t ed and ar e c l ear of bot h di s eas es . Thi s c an al s o be
appl i ed t o many eye di s eas es i nc l udi ng PRA. Obes i t y c an be pr event ed by
hav i ng a bal anc ed di et and by maki ng s ur e your L abr ador get s s uf f i c i ent
ex er c i s e.


Cos t s of keepi ng a L abr ador puppy f or 1 y ear *
Food: $500
Obedi enc e Tr ai ni ng: $150
Toys and Tr eat s : $30
Vac c i nat i ons / Vet Chec ks : $70
Wor m/ Fl ea Tr eat ment : $100
Gr oomi ng: $50
Tot al Cos t f or 1 year : $900 mi ni mum
*Al l c os t s ar e appr ox i mat e and ar e onl y a r ough gui de.
Equi pment
L eas h
Col l ar
Dog Tag
Food and Wat er Bowl s
Br us hes
Har nes s
Kennel / Bed
Beddi ng
Toys ( kongs , bal l s , et c . )
Wor mi ng/ Fl ea Tr eat ment s
ACT Dog L egi s l at i on
When you ar e keepi ng a dog i n t he ACT, t her e ar e c er t ai n t hi ngs and r ul es
whi c h you mus t abi de by . Thes e ar e:
1. Mi c r o- c hi ppi ng Al l dogs i n t he ACT mus t be mi c r o c hi pped. Thi s
r equi r es t hem havi ng a c hi p ( t he s i z e of a gr ai n of r i c e) i ns er t ed i nt o
t hei r nec k . Thi s pr oc edur e c an be c ar r i ed out by Domes t i c Ani mal
Ser v i c es ( DAS) , t he RSPCA or a vet er i nar i an.
2. I dent i f i c at i on Al l dogs l i v i ng i n t he ACT, over 8 week s ol d, mus t be
r egi s t er ed and mus t wear ei t her a r egi s t r at i on t ag or dog t ag.
3. De- s ex i ng Al l dogs i n t he ACT, over 6 mont hs ol d, mus t be de - s ex ed
unl es s t he owner of t he dog hol ds a s ex ual l y ent i r e per mi t i s s ued by
DAS.
4. Out i n publ i c When your dog i s out i n publ i c , you mus t r emove al l
dr oppi ngs , keep your dog on a l eas h ex c ept i n des i gnat ed of f - l eas h
ar eas a nd not l eave your dog unat t ended. Femal e dogs on heat mus t
not be t aken out i n publ i c .
Obedi enc e Tr ai ni ng Sc hool s i n t he ACT
The f ol l owi ng i s a l i s t of Obedi enc e Sc hool s i n t he ACT:
ACT Compani on Dog Cl ub
Addr es s : J er r abomber r a Ave , Symons t on ACT
Ph: 02 6295 7764
Open Hour s : Weekdays 10am- 1pm
Bel c onnen Dog Obedi enc e Cl ub
Addr es s : Mor i s s et Rd, Mi t c hel l ACT
Ph: 02 6241 7999
Open Hour s : Thur s 6: 30 - 8: 00pm and Sun 8: 30 - 10: 30am
Tugger anong Dog Tr ai ni ng Cl ub
Addr es s : Cnr . Rowl and Rees Cr es and At hl l on Dr i ve, Gr eenway ACT
Ph: 02 6293 4122
Open Hour s : Sun 8: 00 - 10: 00am and Tues 6: 00 - 8: 00pm.
RSPCA ACT
Addr es s : 12 Ki r k pat r i c k St r eet , Wes t on ACT
Ph: 1300 477 722
Open Hour s : Weekdays 9: 00 - 5: 00pm and Week ends 9: 00 - 4. 00pm