How to Care for a Labrador Retriever
Feed it appropriately., Provide plenty of clean, fresh water., Walk your dog., Provide comfortable shelter., Groom your dog regularly., Trim your lab's nails., Clean your labrador retriever's floppy ears., Care for your lab's teeth., Provide routine...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Feed it appropriately.
You labrador retriever has a huge appetite.
It loves to eat, so it may carry its food bowl around with them, beg for food, or eat unconventional things.
This is normal.
The exact quantity of food you give your lab depends on which food you're offering and how many calories it contains.
Follow the feeding guidelines on the food packaging, and increase or decrease the amount depending on whether the dog loses or gains weight on this ration.If your dog is more active than most dogs, then you should increase its food intake accordingly.
For instance, if every morning you and your furry friend go for a 5 mile jog together, you should consider giving it more food than usual.
Obviously, you don’t want your labrador to become obese.
If you cannot easily feel its rib bones anymore, then you are probably overfeeding it.
At the same time, you should not be able to see its rib bones from afar. -
Step 2: Provide plenty of clean
Your lab will get very thirsty after exercise and will need to quench that thirst.
It will drink more or less water depending on how active it has been and how hot it is outside.
Do not limit your dog's water consumption.
Unlike food, your dog will regulate itself.
Dehydration can be fatal, so don't take any chances. , You lab needs a lot of exercise in order to stay healthy.
Walk your lab up to three times a day and if you can, take it on long walks of a couple miles or more.If you have a backyard, make sure that it is big enough for your dog to run around.
Small backyards are not suitable for big dogs like labs. , Whether your lab lives outside or inside, make sure that it has a space it can call its own.
Include a large, durable dog bed.
Your lab will paw at the bed constantly to get comfortable.
Cheap beds will rip easily and can cause quite a mess.Giving your labrador its own bed will also help you train it to stay off of yours, if you are so inclined., Labradors are a short-haired breed that come in brown, black, and gold.
For most of the year, your lab will remain fairly low maintenance.
During the summer, you’ll want to brush it regularly — weekly is best — to remove loose hair from its coat.
Brushing your lab will also help remove dirt and spread natural oils throughout.Don’t bathe your lab too often.
The natural oils in your lab's fur can even help fend off fleas and ticks.Bathe your lab 3 or 4 times a year or whenever its stench gets too strong., Every 2 to 3 months, you should trim your labrador’s nails.
If you take your dog on frequent walks, the hard pavement will naturally file its nails down.
You can trim them at home or have a vet do it.
In general, you can train your lab to sit still to have its nails trimmed.
Just offer it a treat after every successful trip to your at-home doggie nail salon.
Eventually, your dog will welcome it.Be sure to use proper dog nail trimmers.
Human nail clippers won't work effectively.
Secure your dog's foot in place and then quickly clip off the nail.
Do not clip too close to the base of the nail.
Doing so can be very painful and cause bleeding.
Make sure that the nail does not curve back into the dog's paw or is too sharp to cause accidental damage., Your Labrador's ears can become breeding grounds for bacteria if not cleaned regularly and properly.
Check the dog's ears regularly for any excessive or smelly discharge, and seek veterinary advice if you notice anything amiss.
If you want to clean the ears, use a specific product designed for the purpose.
Do not use a Q-Tip to clean inside your dog’s ear.
One sudden jerk could seriously damage your dog’s ear canal, The more active your lab is the more likely it'll have dental issues.
Gum disease, loose teeth, cracked/fractured/broken teeth, root abscesses, and tartar build-up are all problems you’ll need to be on the lookout for.
Take your dog to the vet for teeth cleaning 1 or 2 times a year.
Routine trips to your vet can also help combat terrible breath.
Since you are on the receiving end of so many slobbery kisses, this issue has probably crossed your mind and therefore is just one more reason why you should have your lab's teeth cleaned.Vets suggest that you brush your dog's teeth daily or at least several times a week.
Purchase a speciality toothbrush and toothpaste from your local pet shop/superstore or your veterinarian.
Several kinds of toothpaste are available, many of which come in tasty flavors
- e.g. liver, chicken, and peanut butter
- that your dog will enjoy.
Introduce the brush into your dog's mouth gently.
Use your fingers to lift your dog's lips in order to expose their teeth.
Work the brush in circles and go from tooth to tooth.
Its back teeth will be the most difficult to get to, so save them for last.
Make sure that you brush both sides of each tooth.
Reward you dog with a treat afterwards., Every dog needs certain core vaccinations on a regular basis.
It is a good idea to take your dog to the vet at least twice a year for routine exams to monitor its health and to establish a good relationship with your veterinary staff.
If your pet should get hurt or is not acting normally, it is always a good idea to visit the veterinarian for an exam and medical care if needed.
Your vet will also prescribe necessary medicines (topical and supplemental) to help ward off parasites like fleas and ticks.As your dog ages, you may see such health issues as hip dysplasia, epilepsy, or seizures.
Your labrador retriever may also experience eye problems.If any of these are happening to your dog, immediately contact your vet and talk about possible treatment solutions or medications.
An elderly dog with any such conditions should see a vet every two months or as advised by your vet. -
Step 3: fresh water.
-
Step 4: Walk your dog.
-
Step 5: Provide comfortable shelter.
-
Step 6: Groom your dog regularly.
-
Step 7: Trim your lab's nails.
-
Step 8: Clean your labrador retriever's floppy ears.
-
Step 9: Care for your lab's teeth.
-
Step 10: Provide routine veterinary care.
Detailed Guide
You labrador retriever has a huge appetite.
It loves to eat, so it may carry its food bowl around with them, beg for food, or eat unconventional things.
This is normal.
The exact quantity of food you give your lab depends on which food you're offering and how many calories it contains.
Follow the feeding guidelines on the food packaging, and increase or decrease the amount depending on whether the dog loses or gains weight on this ration.If your dog is more active than most dogs, then you should increase its food intake accordingly.
For instance, if every morning you and your furry friend go for a 5 mile jog together, you should consider giving it more food than usual.
Obviously, you don’t want your labrador to become obese.
If you cannot easily feel its rib bones anymore, then you are probably overfeeding it.
At the same time, you should not be able to see its rib bones from afar.
Your lab will get very thirsty after exercise and will need to quench that thirst.
It will drink more or less water depending on how active it has been and how hot it is outside.
Do not limit your dog's water consumption.
Unlike food, your dog will regulate itself.
Dehydration can be fatal, so don't take any chances. , You lab needs a lot of exercise in order to stay healthy.
Walk your lab up to three times a day and if you can, take it on long walks of a couple miles or more.If you have a backyard, make sure that it is big enough for your dog to run around.
Small backyards are not suitable for big dogs like labs. , Whether your lab lives outside or inside, make sure that it has a space it can call its own.
Include a large, durable dog bed.
Your lab will paw at the bed constantly to get comfortable.
Cheap beds will rip easily and can cause quite a mess.Giving your labrador its own bed will also help you train it to stay off of yours, if you are so inclined., Labradors are a short-haired breed that come in brown, black, and gold.
For most of the year, your lab will remain fairly low maintenance.
During the summer, you’ll want to brush it regularly — weekly is best — to remove loose hair from its coat.
Brushing your lab will also help remove dirt and spread natural oils throughout.Don’t bathe your lab too often.
The natural oils in your lab's fur can even help fend off fleas and ticks.Bathe your lab 3 or 4 times a year or whenever its stench gets too strong., Every 2 to 3 months, you should trim your labrador’s nails.
If you take your dog on frequent walks, the hard pavement will naturally file its nails down.
You can trim them at home or have a vet do it.
In general, you can train your lab to sit still to have its nails trimmed.
Just offer it a treat after every successful trip to your at-home doggie nail salon.
Eventually, your dog will welcome it.Be sure to use proper dog nail trimmers.
Human nail clippers won't work effectively.
Secure your dog's foot in place and then quickly clip off the nail.
Do not clip too close to the base of the nail.
Doing so can be very painful and cause bleeding.
Make sure that the nail does not curve back into the dog's paw or is too sharp to cause accidental damage., Your Labrador's ears can become breeding grounds for bacteria if not cleaned regularly and properly.
Check the dog's ears regularly for any excessive or smelly discharge, and seek veterinary advice if you notice anything amiss.
If you want to clean the ears, use a specific product designed for the purpose.
Do not use a Q-Tip to clean inside your dog’s ear.
One sudden jerk could seriously damage your dog’s ear canal, The more active your lab is the more likely it'll have dental issues.
Gum disease, loose teeth, cracked/fractured/broken teeth, root abscesses, and tartar build-up are all problems you’ll need to be on the lookout for.
Take your dog to the vet for teeth cleaning 1 or 2 times a year.
Routine trips to your vet can also help combat terrible breath.
Since you are on the receiving end of so many slobbery kisses, this issue has probably crossed your mind and therefore is just one more reason why you should have your lab's teeth cleaned.Vets suggest that you brush your dog's teeth daily or at least several times a week.
Purchase a speciality toothbrush and toothpaste from your local pet shop/superstore or your veterinarian.
Several kinds of toothpaste are available, many of which come in tasty flavors
- e.g. liver, chicken, and peanut butter
- that your dog will enjoy.
Introduce the brush into your dog's mouth gently.
Use your fingers to lift your dog's lips in order to expose their teeth.
Work the brush in circles and go from tooth to tooth.
Its back teeth will be the most difficult to get to, so save them for last.
Make sure that you brush both sides of each tooth.
Reward you dog with a treat afterwards., Every dog needs certain core vaccinations on a regular basis.
It is a good idea to take your dog to the vet at least twice a year for routine exams to monitor its health and to establish a good relationship with your veterinary staff.
If your pet should get hurt or is not acting normally, it is always a good idea to visit the veterinarian for an exam and medical care if needed.
Your vet will also prescribe necessary medicines (topical and supplemental) to help ward off parasites like fleas and ticks.As your dog ages, you may see such health issues as hip dysplasia, epilepsy, or seizures.
Your labrador retriever may also experience eye problems.If any of these are happening to your dog, immediately contact your vet and talk about possible treatment solutions or medications.
An elderly dog with any such conditions should see a vet every two months or as advised by your vet.
About the Author
Natalie Gutierrez
Specializes in breaking down complex home improvement topics into simple steps.
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