The Labrador Retriever: The Best Family Dog

Best Dog Breed: The Labrador

Credit: By. Peter Wadsworth

If you are looking for the best family dog, you should consider the Labrador Retriever.  Commonly referred to as America’s favorite dog, the Labrador Retriever is a perfect dog for your family environment. How do I know?  I had the pleasure of owning a Labrador Retriever as a child.

The advantage of owning a Labrador Retriever is having a constant companion for your life.  Labradors are extremely intelligent dogs.  If you are an avid outdoor person, the Labrador Retriever is one of the best pets to take with you.  The temperament of the Labrador Retriever is extremely domicile and patient.  Labradors are dogs that thrive in an active environment.  They love to run and retrieve.  They are playful like children and are a wonderful addition to your family. 

Color

Labradors Retrievers are available in three different shades: yellow, black, and brown.  These official shades are the basis of the popular white and silver Labradors. It is important to note that white Labradors are still considered yellow Labradors and silver Labradors are typically considered brown Labradors.  Honestly unless you are considering competing with your Labrador, its color will be immaterial.

Cost

The cost of the Labrador Retriever depends on the breeder, the lineage of the dog, and the color of the dog.  Breeders that are well-known are more likely to charge higher prices for their dogs.  

The lineage of the dog can also add to the price of the dog.  Dogs from champion lines are likely to cost more money.

Recently, the color of the dog has greatly impacted the price.  At the current time, silver Labradors are extremely popular. Of course, their popularity increases their price.  Most breeders are selling silver Labradors for a thousand dollars or more.  The least popular color of dog, the black Labrador, is often cheaper than other colors.  The color of the dog does not affect its temperament but at the present time, the black Labrador is not as popular.  This provides you with the opportunity to own a purebred at a cheaper price.

Time

Labrador Retrievers are a lifelong commitment.  Before purchasing one, you should consider your schedule.  In their puppy years, they are very playful and require a significant amount of attention and training.  Training a Labrador is extremely important because they grow up to become huge animals that could be a handful if not properly trained.  The Labrador has an extended puppy stage which lasts until they are three years old.  In their adult stage the Labradors slow down but they are still active and thrive on attention.  It is not until they are older animals that they become less active.  

Expense

A purebred dog will cost you substantially more money than a dog that is not a purebred.  Generally a Labrador will consume a lot of food.  They will likely destroy some items.  At times the Labrador will need to go to the veterinarian office.  If the become sick, they may require specific types of dog food or a specific diet.  When my lab became sick, the veterinarian recommended that we feed him rice and chicken.

Further Considerations

Anyone considering purchasing a pet should consider all of the requirements of owning a dog.  If you are not a breeder you should make sure that your dog is neutered or spayed.