There is certainly no doubt that the Labrador belongs among the best known and most popular dog breeds. The reason is his extraordinary versatility, adaptability, intelligence and loyalty. Like the British Shorthair cat, the Labrador Retriever can be an ideal companion for almost anyone.
The ancestors of Labrador Retrievers come from Newfoundland, where the fishermen used them to bring fish and shot sea birds out of the water. Their superior ability to retrieve did not remain unnoticed for long, so at the end of the 18th century, these dogs got to the UK along with English hunters. Here, they bred the Labrador Retriever as we know him today. Originally, Labradors were bred mainly in black and yellow colour. Brown and gold individuals started to be exhibited only later, after the First World War.
Apart from love for water and excellent retrieving skills, the Labradors soon showed their other advantages and almost an incredible versatility. They’ve proven themselves to be excellent working dogs, but thanks to their mild nature and lack of aggressiveness, they have easily found their way also into our homes. That’s why they’re also suitable for families with small children. On the contrary, they won’t have a great career as security or guards of buildings. Today, in addition to being household pets, they are used also on search and rescue teams. They work as excellent tracker dogs in the police and army and as bomb or explosive search dogs. They are also great in the role of assistance and therapy dogs.
All these dog professions and popularity with the breeders is caused also by the nature of Labrador Retrievers and their high intelligence. They are courageous and persistent dogs with a friendly and mild character. They are smart and loyal to their master, they love to learn and learn easily and carry out commands great joy. Even thanks to their excellent sense of smell and swimming skills, they have a wide range of use.
Their love of water is really unusual, they hardly pass a pond, brook or even the slightest puddle without noticing it. They're simply water dogs, which only confirms their origin and the fact that the top layer of their hair is water-proof and they have membranes between their toes. This gives them a significant advantage before other dogs in water sports and rescue work.
Thanks to their characteristics and easy trainability, the Labrador Retriever is also suitable for beginners. Not even the care of the hair isn’t difficult in any way, it’s enough to comb it once a week. This also contributes to the popularity of this breed, along with their cheerful and friendly nature. However, as most dogs, they need a lot of movement. This does not mean that they would be unhappy in a small apartment, even though they are relatively large dogs that grow up to 40 kg, they only need to receive enough attention and care.
Labrador loves engaging in all the activities of the family. He will play and take care of the kids and keep you company, whether outdoors during any activity or in the evening at home on the couch watching TV. Company is really important to him and he doesn’t take well to long periods of solitude or lack of attention.
Anyone looking for the right dog companion can’t possibly make a mistake with a Labrador. He is adaptable, loyal and always in a good mood.
Doing yoga with a dog, or doga in other words (the combination of “dog” and “yoga”), has become popular in the United States of America, but it has not become so popular in the Czech Republic yet. What is it about and what benefits does this sport have...
Earlier, this heart disease was attributed only to certain pure-blood breeds. Nowadays, it can even occur in cross-breeds. Another disease which reminds us of how important regular preventive check-ups at the vet are.
Days are getting colder and it is time again to prepare our furry friends who live outdoors for winter. All cats (whether they live outdoors or only go outside occasionally) need our greater attention in this season.
A Somali cat is a long-haired version of Abyssinian cat, one of the oldest cat breeds in the world. But it does not have an interesting or long history itself. Even though it is named after an African country, first Somali cats were born in the United...
Until recently, Cairn terriers were the most popular terriers in Great Britain (until they were overtaken by Westies). It comes from Scottish island Skye and it used to hunt foxes and otters here already in the times of Mary, Queen of Scots. That’s...
A team of Swedish athletes one of whom is Mikael Lindord regularly attends one of the most difficult races in the world to challenge other teams – the Adventure Racing World Championship. When Mikael and his friends stopped in the middle of an...
Each dog is an individual and has different needs. When it comes to diet, it depends on its health condition or physically demanding activities. However, we can generalize these needs to a certain degree according to a breed, age and mainly the size of...
Adopting a dog senior might save his life. They also need stable home and love which unfortunately can never be fully provided in the shelter. Nevertheless, most people who are considering adoption as an option automatically look for a puppy or at...
The International Rabbit Day is celebrated on the fourth Saturday or Sunday in September. This year, it was 22 September. This annual celebration of a cute mammal with long ears, short tail and a velvet coat is not only meant for the million of rabbits...
Do you also follow the recent trend which encourages us to come back to our roots and mind our planet more? I am personally very happy about that. More and more households live according to zero-waste and non-toxic principles and we don’t forget about...
Cats enjoying themselves in a doll house are a hit on Iceland. Their creators probably didn’t expect so much fame and first of all, they didn’t create the whole project for money, fame and for a short-time amusement. There is a much more noble purpose...
Your furry friend might get poisoned in a minute, only a few seconds of carelessness or a slow reaction is enough, especially if your dog is similar to mine and “eats everything he finds on the way”. Fortunately, my dog hasn’t been poisoned yet but I’m...
