Labradors are the most popular dog in the US.They make excellent family dogs because they are easy to train.If you are considering taking on a dog, think about your lifestyle and your ability to care for the animal long-term.It will be your responsibility for the next 10 - 14 years.Review your options for where to find a Labrador retriever and consider what you want from the dog.
Step 1: Do you think your lifestyle will be a good fit for a lab?
It is important for you to spend lots of time with your Lab and to invest time and energy in training it.Tell yourself how much time and energy you will be able to devote to your dog.Think about how much time you spend away from home.If you are often not home due to work or other lifestyle factors, a Lab may not be the right pet for you.Determine if you can train a dog.They enjoy the stimulation and are easy to train.Think about how much time you will be able to devote to training before you buy a dog.If you don't plan to train your dog due to time or energy constraints, it may not be the best choice.Consider other lifestyle factors.If you have kids or other pets, a Lab may be a good fit.
Step 2: Do you have the time and energy to care for a Lab puppy?
Puppies require a lot of time to train.Think about your lifestyle and the amount of time you can devote to raising a puppy before you buy one.Will you be willing to wake your puppy up in the middle of the night if he cries?If your puppy chews up one of your shoes, will you be able to manage?Do you want to clean up urine and feces accidents during housetraining?Consider adopting an adult dog.There are some positives to getting a puppy.You will get to enjoy watching your pet grow and mature when you train your Labrador from a young age.
Step 3: Consider adopting an adult dog.
Some of the positives of taking on an adult dog are that they are already house broken and may know some basic commands, such as sit and stay.If you don't want to housetrain a dog, then adopting an adult could be the best option for you.An adult dog may not be trained and may be harder to train.Some dogs may not have been well-socialized and may get spooked by other dogs, strangers, etc.Should you encounter these problems, ask yourself if you have the training skills to correct them.
Step 4: Decide if you want a male or female lab.
It's not a big deal if you already have a dog.If you already own a dog, getting one of the opposite genders will give you the best chance of harmony.Male dogs are more aggressive than females and can be controlled with training.Female dogs are more laid back, but Labs are so relaxed that this doesn't really matter.Unless you intend to breed the dog, make sure you suck it up.
Step 5: What role will the dog play?
The willingness of the Labrador to please makes them easy to train.They have many roles in society, from retrieving game to assisting the visually impaired.If you're looking for a dog with certain characteristics that you can use in a job, then it's a good idea to get a breed from a breeder who raises dogs with those characteristics.
Step 6: Pick a color.
The Lab colors are black, yellow, and chocolate.Chocolate Labradors have a reputation for being more disobedient than their yellow or black cousins, despite being easy to train.There is a lot of debate about this reputation.All dogs have their own personality and abilities, so color choice is more about your preference than anything else.
Step 7: Consider adopting a lab.
Adopting a Lab from a shelter or rescue group is a great thing to do, as these dogs are often loving, loyal animals who through no fault of their own have ended up in a rescue.Adoption of a Lab can mean compromising on things such as the dog's color, age, or gender.
Step 8: There is a breed specific Labrador retriever rescue group.
Special dog breeds, such as Labradors, have fans who work to make sure they have good homes.Check to see if there are any Labrador rescue groups in your area.Contact information for local rescue organizations can be found at your local humane society, vet's office, or pet shop.Dogs who end up in rescue programs are not there because they are bad.Life circumstances such as a divorce, job loss, or physical condition can cause owners to give up their dogs.Sometimes a dog ends up in a rescue program because the owner doesn't fully consider the financial and/or time commitment that the dog requires.
Step 9: Ask about a trial period.
Many adoption agencies will offer a trial period if you are nervous about adopting a dog.You will be able to take the dog home for a week to see if you are a good match.It is important to meet your potential new pet even if you don't have to do a trial period.Before you decide if this is the dog for you, you should spend some time with him or her.Shelters have special areas for prospective pet owners and their family members to get to know a potential new member.
Step 10: If you decide to purchase a Lab, use a responsible breeder.
To get a healthy, well-socialized Lab, it is important to find a responsible breeder.If you want to avoid supporting breeders who don't take good care of their dogs, you should look for a responsible one.To find a responsible breeder, check with your local American Kennel Club.Try searching the directory for a responsible breeder in your area.
Step 11: The puppies should be with their mother.
Make sure to visit the breeder and see the pups with the mother if you decide to go through one.You should never buy a puppy if you can't see the mother.Puppy mills separate puppies from the mother at a young age so she doesn't get to nurse them and so that she can get pregnant again.Young pups without a mother are indicative of a puppy mill.Purchase their pups to discourage this immoral trade.
Step 12: You can meet the Lab breeder in person.
Before buying a puppy, it is a good idea to visit a few different local breeders.Don't buy a puppy from the first person you meet.In order to find the best puppy for your needs, you may want to expand your search outside of your local area.If you want to buy from a breeder online, visit their location.This should be a red flag to stay away from a breeder if they don't allow you to visit and meet up somewhere else.Never have a puppy shipped.Shipping puppies can cause a sick, frightened puppy when you pick them up from the airport.
Step 13: Meet your puppy.
It's a good idea to get to know your puppy before you commit.If the breeder doesn't want you to meet the dog before you buy it, that should be a sign that something is wrong.The Lab will react to you.Try some basic commands and see how he responds.This is a good sign if the puppy comes to investigate or if he cowers in a corner.He interacts with the other puppies as well.He should be playful.
Step 14: There are signs of good health.
A puppy raised by a responsible breeder will look healthy and well-fed.If the puppy is sleepy, weak, or has other symptoms of illness like a cough, then it's probably in poor health.Do not buy a puppy from this person.
Step 15: Look at the lab's health records.
The dog's health records should be shown to you by the breeder.The papers for the mother and father of the puppy should be on file with the breeder.Labradors are prone to a number of hereditary diseases and should be aware of it.Responsible breeders will try to eliminate these diseases by submitting their breeding stock to genetic tests and x-rays to find out if they are carriers or at risk of transmission.You will need to pay more for a puppy from a screened parent because these tests cost the breeder money.The payback is that the puppy is less likely to develop serious conditions.