There are many different breeds of labrador retrievers, and many people who are interested in labrador retriever puppies will purchase from a pet store or breeder. Adopting from places such as this runs the risk of the lab puppy coming from a breeder, or puppy mill, where they may not have been treated ethically or cared for to the standards required for them to live a long, healthy life. The first few days and weeks of an animals health paint their long-term health picture so it’s essential to know that the puppy you adopt is coming from a reputable source. And if you choose to adopt your lab puppy from a pet store, in addition to making sure that you aren’t making an impulse buy (we all know that baby animals are irresistibly cute – especially labrador retriever puppies!) it’s essential that you research where the pet store is supplying their puppies from and even go so far as to contact the breeder and do online research about said breeder to ensure that they have amply cared for your labrador so that you can feel most certain that a healthy, active life is in your labrador puppy’s future.
In addition to the most popular yellow labrador, black labrador and chocolate labrador there are other variations coming into popularity. The English labrador retriever breed differs from their American counterpart mainly in size and shape, with the English lab being smaller / medium sized and a less energetic, calmer disposition. Due to their build the English labrador is generally the breed used in dog shows, whereas the American labrador retriever is more of a family dog. Note that even though the English labrador is bred to have a smaller build, this doesn’t make it acceptable, normal or expected if you get an English lab from a breeder and it comes with smaller or skinnier physical traits than their American counterpart this is likely due to poor-breeding (either genetically or malnourishment) rather than being characteristic of a ‘different’ breed. Some signs to specifically look for when adopting an English lab from a breeder are an unusual-looking thin tail, long, skinny legs, unhealthy/thin coat or a snout that has a ‘pointy’ look to it. And even if the dog appears to be bigger, this does NOT equate to healthiness in the puppy and in fact it can be a very bad sign for what you can expect for the puppy’s future health with such problems such hip displasia and cataracts.
White labrador retrievers are another show breed that are bought from breeders and require the same care in both choosing and caring for. Unless they are completely white they are usually unable to be shown as their conformance standard is firstly the fact that they are of uniform color. Other characteristics are also considered before the White labrador can be shown, just as is the case with all show dogs. Proper height, weight, ears, stature, walk, tongue / mouth marks are just some of the qualifying factors for this show breed. Even if you are purchasing from a registered breeder it is possible that these characteristics may not be up to par. Again, the early days of the dog’s life will determine long-term health (for instance, if they weren’t provided proper nutrition early-on this could result in hip problems which in turn would disqualify them from being able to be shown). On a personal level, owning a White labrador retriever can pose grooming challenges as labs are water-lovers and this can make the upkeep of their white coat a time-consuming consideration.
Another breed of labrador retriever if the Red lab. The Fox Red labrador is actually a type of Yellow lab, in fact they were the original Yellow labrador retriever! Considering this relation, the Red labrador will share the same disposition, pet nutrition / lifestyle and health upkeep requirements as it’s Yellow lab counterpart. One observed difference between the very popular Yellow lab and the Red lab is that the Red labrador retriever tends to be ‘clingier’ to it’s owner and more apt to bark. This means that the Red lab requires much more attention, and if you aren’t going to be able to provide accompaniment to the Red lab you may experience problems with barking and nervousness, more than you would with the Yellow or other more popular labrador retriever breeds such as Chocolate labs or Black labs. If you are planning to breed your Red lab it is essential that you have a genetic test done to determine whether it’s carrying the PRA gene which will effect eye health.
With all labrador retriever breeds, the consideration of health and nutrition is essential to calculate into their costs of upbringing. Failure to do so can equate to unsuspecting costs both dietary and in the impact that not providing these essentials to your pet can wreak on their health. Taking the time to research how to best care for your labrador retriever at all stages in life can help ensure that costly vet bills will not be an issue down the line. Pet supplements can also be considered to ensure longevity of your pet’s vitality. In short, whether you choose a Brown / Chocolate lab, a Yellow lab, a Red lab, an English Lab, a Black lab or any breed of dog for that matter, be sure to inform yourself of the best care suited for your dog at every life stage.
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