Is a Labrador Retriever the right dog for you?
Before you start canvassing local dealers and breeders, take the time to evaluate your lifestyle and the suitability of a dog, specificlly a labrador, in your home. If you answer "yes" to a few ley questions, the process can begin:
- Is there a place in my life for a dog?
- Does everyone in the household agree to aquiring a puppy?
- Do I really want a puppy?
- Can I afford a Labrador Retriever?
- Is there a place in my life for a dog?
- Does everyone in the household agree to aquiring a puppy?
- Do I really want a puppy?
- Can I afford a Labrador Retriever?
What to Look for in a Labrador Puppy
Your puppy should be carefully evaluated for general health and essential breed characteristics. Before you inspect you potential pet, take a look at the environment it has been raised in. The kennel or lining quarters should be neat, clean and free from parasites. Try to see the litter as a whole. If possible, try to see the dam (mom) and sire (dad) as this should give you a general impression of the size from which your pup stems. Remember, however, that the dam may appear run-down due to the rigors of whelping and nursing a litter. If this is the case, ask to see a pre-pregnancy picture.
The puppy should be clean, and the eyes should be clear without discharge, and the should appear pink on the inside. The outline should appear strong, with a short back and hevy-boned legs. The puppy should be enthusiastic (except at nap time) and shouldn't shy away too easily. Timidity is not typical of a Lab.
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The puppy should be clean, and the eyes should be clear without discharge, and the should appear pink on the inside. The outline should appear strong, with a short back and hevy-boned legs. The puppy should be enthusiastic (except at nap time) and shouldn't shy away too easily. Timidity is not typical of a Lab.
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What age is Best?
Most puppies are purchased from 8-10 weeks old when they are developmentally in what is known as the 'human socialization period.' This period, which lasts until a puppy is about 12 weeks of age, is the best time in a dog's life for it to learn to live with humans.
Pet-shop puppies are sometimes taken from their litters at 6 or 7 weeks of age so they can arrive in stores at the most 'adorable' age-eight weeks. While this gets the puppies to the market at their most 'saleable' time, it can have dire effects on the normal socializatiom process.
Pet-shop puppies are sometimes taken from their litters at 6 or 7 weeks of age so they can arrive in stores at the most 'adorable' age-eight weeks. While this gets the puppies to the market at their most 'saleable' time, it can have dire effects on the normal socializatiom process.
