When buying or getting a new puppy, it is important to make sure that the puppy will be good for kids and for the family. Find out here if a Labrador puppy is right for your family!
Are Labrador Puppies Good with Kids – Labrador puppies can be just what your kids need to help keep them entertained and laughing. Labrador Retriever’s are fun, full of excitement, patient and friendly.
Knowing all of these great personality traits of your dog can help make the transition of a new puppy both peaceful and entertaining!
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What Kind of Dog is a Labrador?
A Labrador is a very popular breed of dogs. There are three different types of Labrador:
- Black Labrador
- Golden Labrador
- Chocolate Labrador
Most of the Labrador are categorized by these three different colors and the colors not only describe the breed, but they also describe the color that the dog is.
They’ll Always Take Care of Each Other!
Labrador Retriever puppies are full of energy, but they are equally full of love and devotion. Having a Labrador Retriever puppy will be like having your kids own personal bodyguard. Your puppy will look after your child as much as your child will look after your puppy!
They Will Always Smile for the Camera!
Well, truth is, we won’t really know if they are actually smiling for the camera, but as many pictures as you take of your little one, there will be another little one (your puppy) right there beside them! Get the camera out and teach your Lab puppy to say, “Cheese!”
They Will Grow Together
Parents know how sad it is when their kids start preschool and then elementary school and so on, but they also know how exciting these times in their life are. Having a Labrador Retriever puppy will help make these times even more exciting and memorable.
Remember that your kids and your puppy will grow together so by the time your child reaches high school, your faithful pup will be reaching his middle to old age and from here you will have a lifetime of memories to go through!
They Will Love Family Time Together
Your puppy and your kids will love spending time together and doing fun things together like playing, going to the beach, going hiking, taking walks together, playing in the snow, going on vacation or even just rides to the ice cream shop!
They Will Welcome Newborns into the Family
Since your Labrador Retriever puppy loves you and your kids, your puppy will be extra gentle if a newborn baby happens to enter the picture. Not only will your Lab be extra gentle with your new baby, he or she will be sure to protect your baby as he or she grows older, making new memories with the new baby just like they did with your older kids.
Your Lab Will Nap with Your Kids
Your Lab will love your kids so much that they will want to do exactly what your kids are doing. If your kids are playing, your Labrador Retriever will want to play just like they are, if your kid is napping, your Lab will likely be right there napping along with your child.
Since Labrador Retrievers are extra friendly and kind, they will take extra care to only wake your kid up with kisses and snuggles.
Your Lab and your kids will learn to take turns with their toys and will learn to share things, even down to the food they are eating. If you don’t watch it, your kid might sneak extra portions to make sure that your Lab is getting more food or even better, forbidden food!
They Will Keep You Guessing!
Labradors are known for being good and very smart, not to mention, easy to train. You might even go as far to think that you are training your Labrador Retriever how to act when in fact, they might actually be training you! They will definitely keep you guess as to what they are thinking at the moment!
They Will Keep Your Kids Hopping!
Labrador Retriever puppies love to run, jump, play and move really fast! This will be the perfect way to make sure that your kids get the exercise that they need while your puppy will get the exercise that he or she needs too! It will be exciting for your kids and your Lab puppy to run, play, jump and go for fun walks around the neighborhood!
They Will Teach Your Kids How to Hunt!
Some Labrador Retrievers make great hunting dogs and are great swimmers! If your little one is interested in hunting, having a Labrador Retriever will help make the perfect pair! Get the oven hot for your duo to bring in their big hunt!
Other Important Things to Know About Labrador Puppies
How Big Does a Labrador Puppy Get?
Most Labrador Retriever puppies will get anywhere between 50 pounds to 85 pounds with most female Labrador Retrievers only getting to 70 pounds or smaller. They also get fairly tall. Labrador Retriever dogs are not considered small or medium but are considered to be large dogs.
How Long Does a Labrador Usually Live?
Most Labrador dogs will usually live up to 12-15 years old. Even though they usually live longer, they are known for having hip diseases. Labs also are known for their love of eating and can become overweight quickly. Labradors also need a lot of exercise so keeping them healthy and safe can help them to live longer!
Pro’s and Con’s of Owning a Labrador Puppy
Pro’s
- Very loving of their family
- Protective of their family
- Great with kids
- Happy
- Full of love
- Positive attitude
- Dependable
- Kind
- Easy to Train
- Long lifespan
Con’s
- Have a lot of extra hair
- Can have hip problems
- Needs lots of exercise
- Has a lot of energy
How Is a Labradors Personality?
Are Labrador Retriever’s friendly with people that they do not know?
Most Labrador Retriever’s love to meet new people and get very excited when they get to meet a new friend. Lab dogs are considered one of the most trusting breeds of dogs.
Are Labrador Retriever’s good with kids?
Most Labrador Retriever dogs are very friendly and good with kids. As a matter of fact, one of the top breeds to get when you have children is a Labrador Retriever breed.
Are Labrador Retriever’s good with pets?
Most Labrador Retriever dogs are good with other pets and animals. Labs can be friendly with rabbits, cats, other dogs and even other small animals.
Are Labradors Easy to Groom?
Labrador Retriever’s are considered to be a shorthair rather than a longhair dog, but they still shed a lot and are considered high shedding dogs.
Most of the time when a Labrador Retriever sheds, it happens for the first few weeks of spring as their fur is getting thinner and thinner to prepare for the summer months and then again the first few weeks of fall when their fur is getting thicker and thicker to prepare for upcoming winter.
Since Labrador Retriever’s shed a lot, they also need brushed a lot. Brushing their fur can help to get rid of some of the loose hair that they have and can also help to get rid of the fur under their coat that is dead. If you do not brush, they will shed even more than normal.
Are Labrador Healthy?
It is important to make sure that you are getting a pet that is going to be good for your kids and family for a very long time. Labrador Retriever’s live a very long life, even up to 15 years old. They do face some issues with their health that can be serious such as:
- Arthritis
- hip dysplasia
- rupturing ligaments
- elbow dysplasia
- luxating patella
- eye disease
- blindness
- neuromuscular diseases
- cataracts
- Retinal Dysplasia
- Abnormalities in the eyelids
- Heart disease
- TVD
- Pyoderma
- Seborrhea
- Lick Granuloma
- Nail Bed disease
- Melanoma
- Cell Tumors
- Cancer
- Polyneuropathy
- Head Tremors
- Exercise-Induced Collapse
- Hormonal Diseases
- Blood-Clotting Diseases
- Epilepsy
How to Keep Your Labrador Healthy
In order to make sure that you and your kids have your Labrador Retriever around for years and years to come, it is important to make sure that you do things to keep your Lab healthy.
Here are some things that you can do to make sure that they stay healthy and strong and a part of your family for years and years to come:
- Vaccinate your puppy
- Use products on them such as flea products that are natural and contain no toxins.
- Neuter and Spay them at the proper times (Male after 1 year of age, Female after 16 months of age).
- Buy them toys that are safe and that they cannot get choked on.
- Find a good vet.
- Give them lots of exercise
- Do not let them become overweight
- Feed them dog food and not table food.
- Keep a track on treats so that they are not overfed.
- Only give healthy snacks.
- When your Lab gets older, change its food.
- Buy food that has a 1.2:1 ratio of calcium phosphorus.
- Buy supplements if needed.
- Avoid: corn, wheat, white rice, soy and sunflower oil.
- Brush your Lab.
- Keep a check on their teeth by brushing them every other day.
Here are 12 more Reasons Why You Should Buy a Labrador Puppy as Your Next Family Pet!
- They want to please you-Labrador Retriever puppies make great pets because they want to make sure that their owner is pleased with their behavior. This means that they work hard to stay out of trouble, and they are easy to train!
- They love kids-Labrador Retriever puppies are good with children and can learn to be kind and gentle. Even though as puppies, they tend to jump a little, Lab puppies love the kids in their family, and they love to be with them all of the way!
- They only need a little grooming-Most Labrador Retriever puppy only need a little grooming such as brushing their hair and their teeth and a nail trim once in a while. Since they shed a lot, this will be the biggest part of the grooming.
- They are loyal-Labrador Retriever’s are the happiest when they are with their family. They want to be by you when you are working, having fun or when you are sleeping.
- They are lap dogs-Even though tend to get pretty big, they love their family so much that they want to be lap dogs. If you are sitting on the couch, prepare for them to invade your area.
- They love adventure-Lab dogs love to go on adventures and never seem to get worn out. If you are going on a family trip to the campground or if you go hunting or fishing, your Lab will be your perfect companion!
- They want to be a part of dinner too-Even though this might not be a great reason to get a Lab, your dog will love to be part of your dinner conversation. There might be a little begging for scraps here or there, but the company is worth it!
- They love to be silly-If your kids are making poses for the camera, chances are that your Lab will be right there with them. They love to flop around and to act crazy with the kids, running, jumping on couches and more!
- They are lazy at times-Sometimes, even though your Lab has a lot of energy, they might just be lazy during hot or down times. You might see them sneaking a nap on the couch or even the bed.
- They work hard-Labrador Retriever’s are great hunters and they will not give up until you are ready to go in. They take their work very serious and are enthusiastic about making sure you are happy with their job well done.
- They are very friendly-Even though Lab dogs are bigger than other breeds, they are very friendly with kids, strangers and other animals. They love to rough house with the kids or play with their owners. They are very playful and full of patience with small children and even toddlers.
- They always have fun-Labrador Retriever’s love to have fun indoor or outdoors. They love to get scratched behind the ear, play tug of war, run, play, play ball or anything that you can think of.
Things to Look Out For!
Remember that your Lab dog is a fairly large dog. Since they are so large, they have large mouths and with these large mouths, they love to chew on things. Sometimes, they like to get sneaky and find shoes, table legs or find other things that they can chew on. Be careful that they do not find small things that could puncture their intestines if they swallow them.
With a big dog comes a big tail. A Lab’s tail can be very powerful so remember when you have things sitting on the ground or on the coffee table that there is a chance that these items can end up knocked over.
Your Lab dog is very big and needs a lot of exercise. If you do not give them the exercise that they need, they can become very hyper and can want to play without stopping. It is important that you make sure that you give them a lot of time to run and play throughout the day so that they do not get hyper indoors.
Labrador Retriever’s are known for being loyal, but they are not known for being clean freaks. This means that your Lab might make a lot of messes. They might decide to knock things off, push things off the counter and eat anything that they find. Make sure to keep medication and dangerous things picked up so that they do not get in trouble.
The Perfect Pet for a Perfect Family
Labrador puppies can make the perfect pet for any family. It is important to make sure to pick a dog breed that can work well with your family, especially if you have kids. Labrador Retriever’s have the perfect personality to keep you and your children laughing, playing and having a lifetime of fun and memories!
