Imagine seeing this entry at an online dating site: “Avid swimmer, EBLD seeking lifetime relationship. Must haves: long runs in the park; exciting games of ball or Frisbee; constant attention. Must not haves: someone who’s too busy for me; someone who’ll put me in the doghouse.”
Who is EBLD? An Energetic Black Lab Dog! If you’re thinking of getting one, you’re going to want to know how to take care of a black Lab dog. And if you think you can take care of a black lab dog with little time, think again. This dog belongs with owners that are willing to spend time with and for it.
Attention
The most important factor in the care of a black Lab is attention. A black Lab will do without a lot of things, but it will not do without attention. A black Lab simply will not be ignored.
The Labrador Retriever is one of the most lovable, even-tempered dogs there is. He wants to share his immense supply of love with his owners, and can’t imagine they won’t take time to reciprocate.
Labrador Retrievers are also highly intelligent dogs. They can quickly sense reluctance on their owners’ part to spend time with them. They are eager to please, and use their intelligence to please you. In return, your care of a black Lab must include plenty of energetic play, and intelligent interaction.
Microchip
It is not essential to the care of a black Lab to have a microchip inserted, but it does provide a level of protection if your retriever strays.
Exercise
To provide good care of a black Lab, you will need to give it regular, daily exercise in large doses. Plan on 30 to 60 minutes daily as a minimum. Your black Lab will love to have 30 minutes morning and evening if possible.
Exercise should be varied. Include walks, on or off leash. Work in games of fetch (to allow you to breathe while he races!). Incorporate obedience or hunting training into your care of a black Lab and he will be able to exercise his intelligence, too.
Be sure the exercise is regular, as your black Lab’s boundless energy must find an outlet. If the outlet is not exercise, it may be destructive behavior.
Preventative Care
You should not limit your care of a black Lab to its present needs. You can forestall certain medical concerns, such as hip dysphasia, by giving the Labrador preventative care. Begin preventative care of a black Labrador when you first get the dog. First, check with the breeder to be sure the puppy’s parents are free of genetic problems. The puppy should have had its first shots and worming. Take it to a veterinarian for a check-up, and continue to take it for “wellness” visits.
Maintain preventative health care of a black lab by having your vet include, minimally: checks for external and internal parasites, inoculations, and heart worm preventative.
Food
The cook involved in the care of a black Lab must consider several things.
1. Black Labrador Retrievers will eat almost anything – think goat! To take care of a Black Lab, you need to guard against it eating junk.
2. The best food to give when taking care of a black Lab is real food. Give it real meat, raw or cooked: beef, chicken, and turkey. Give it fresh raw fruits and vegetables. Mix in brown rice and oatmeal for fiber, eggs and yogurt. Commercial dog foods, unknown before 1930, seem to exist as an outlet for rejected grains and meats that could not be sold to humans.
3. Watch your Labrador’s intake. If you really want to take proper care of a black Lab, you will not let it become overweight, risking heart disease, arthritis, and other health problems.
Grooming
You won’t need a professional groomer to take care of a Black Lab’s coat, but you should not assume the dog needs no grooming. Black Labradors shed a lot in spring and autumn, but they need to be groomed year-round.
To take proper care of a black Lab’s coat, you will need a narrow-toothed comb, short-haired rake, toenail clippers, wide-toothed comb, and a wire slicker brush. A bristle brush is nice for distributing oils when your Lab is not shedding.
Proper care of a black Lab will require daily grooming during seasonal blowing of the coat. The job is not nearly as large if done daily, and the sooner you remove dead hair, the sooner new hair can grow. Use the short-haired rake first, to rake out dead hairs. Use the wire slicker brush to get what the rake missed. Use the wide-toothed comb lightly to loosen matted hairs. The next step proves how intent you are on proper care of a black Lab. Go over the entire dog carefully with your narrow-toothed comb! Finish the job with your bristle brush to catch loose hairs.
Aside from spring and autumn’s major shedding periods, your Retriever will need to be brushed twice a week. Cut its toenails once every month to avoid foot problems.
©2007, Anna Hart. Anna Hart invites you to read more of her articles about the care of a Black Labrador Retriever at http://www.lovablelabradors.com Anna has posted additional information on that site about Labrador Retrievers of all colors. If you ever wondered about black and white labs, you’ll enjoy Anna’s perspective on the subject.
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