labrador retrievers!

labrador retrievers!

their predominant traits: labradors are considered one of America's favorite dog breeds, most likely due to how friendly. high energy, smart, and affectionate they are. due to their outgoing nature, labs do well with families and other dogs. they absolutely love swimming, and have a double, water-repelling coat designed specifically for this. they can be black, yellow, or chocolate covered, and labradors shed a moderate to heavy amount.

common health concerns: their lifespan is 10-13 years, and the following are some common health issues to look out for with this breed...

• Progressive Retinal Atrophy
• elbow and hip dysplasia
• Tricuspid Valve Dysplasia (TVD)
• hereditary myopathy
• hypothyroidism
• their large, droopy ears can cause ear infections, especially because they like to swim
• bloat
• Centronuclear Myopathy
• Hemangiosarcoma
• exercise induced collapse (EIC)

grooming and maintenance:

• they need to be brushed 2-3 times a week due to their shedding and double coat.
• trim a labrador's nails once a month.
• due to their love for swimming and their large, floppy ears, special attention must be paid to their ears, cleaning them about 2 or 3 times a week.
• because they are pretty active, they need 1-2 hours of exercise a day.
• it is recommended to brush their teeth 2-3 times a week.

(all images are not mine, the rights go their original creators!)