Obedient, smart, loyal companion, a great hunter - all these words refer to dogs of breed Labrador - one of the most popular and in demand at the moment. In addition, to describe the breed Labrador retriever (this is the legal name of the breed), you can add friendliness and balance of character. Labradors, unlike dogs of some other breeds, are absolutely not inherent in the manifestation of jealousy and aggression, that is why they are entertained with pleasure even in families where there are small children. To have at least a general idea of labradors - a small overview of the characteristics of the breed.
Labrador - breed standards
Labradors can be considered a relatively young breed - for the first time standards were established at the end of the 19th century and, interestingly, only black dogs were considered pedigree breeds. By the way, one of the versions considers the appearance of the name of the breed from the name "labradorite", a rock with a deep black color. But by the end of the 20th century the fawn, and later the brown (chocolate) color of dogs became acceptable. Labradors are covered with short, straight and smooth hair, with a thick undercoat. The dog has a strong physique. The muzzle is quite heavy with a wide, well developed lobe of the nose. The ears are hanging, snug against the head. Tail - pay attention to this feature of the breed - never bends to the back.
For exhibition dogs, the following physical parameters are acceptable:
- male - height at the withers of 56-57 cm; weight 27-40 kg;
- female - height (height at withers) 54-56 cm; weight 27-35 kg.
Another distinguishing feature for Labrador breed dogs is their very calm nature . In some countries (for example, in Sweden or England), to receive the title of a champion at the exhibition, even special testing of applicants for compliance with behavioral and mental standards is conducted - in all situations they should not be aggressive, but at the same time they should not be timid (understand - cowardly).
Thanks to their cleverness and ease of training, labradors are widely used as service dogs. Often they are involved in search and rescue operations, they are excellent at coping with the role of the guide dog. Another special property of the breed is an excellent scent. This quality of Labradors is used, for example, at customs offices when checking cargo for the presence of explosive or narcotic substances. And also during the hunt, especially the waterfowl. / In this regard, a small addition - Labrador Retriever referred to a group of water dogs. They are passionate lovers of swimming. In addition, Labradors in the "hunting" environment received another name - "soft mouth". While holding the prey, they squeeze it so carefully that they do not cause any damage at all. They can even transfer a raw egg to the mouth without crushing it.
Labrador - the pros and cons of the breed
What else can you say about Labrador? Behavioral characteristics of retrievers are often used even for medical purposes, for example, for depression therapy - the dog is able to recognize the emotional state of a person. All without exception, representatives of this breed are very playful and mobile. The disadvantages of the breed include a tendency to gain weight quickly. But, rather, it can be attributed to errors in the content. Like all dogs, Labradors molt - there may be problems for allergies. And many breeders complain that the retrievers are gnawing everything that gets them in the clutches - you need constant monitoring. As we see, against the background of a mass of positive qualities, representatives of the breed "Labrador" have no special negative features.