labradoodle puppies for sale tucson az

The Chabrador is no exception, even though all of them have friendly eyes, a dark blue tongue, and furry ears. One is a loyal, but proud and independent spirit frequently called the cat dog , while the other is friendly with everyone and loves to play and hang around her owners all the time. The results from mixing these unique temperaments vary from one puppy to another. In all situations, though, your dog will be your loyal companion, affectionate towards her family and with excellent watchdog abilities. Professional training might be needed Labradors are generally easy to train, but they can become stubborn as they grow up. Potty training is not hard, but you need to teach your Chow Lab Mix more than just how to ask herself out. If this is your first dog, or you have limited experience with training, I would recommend that you get professional help. Training an adult is much harder — but not impossible. Just take a look at the progress this two-year-old Chow Lab Mix has made in just a few weeks: A Chow Lab Mix will keep you busy This dog can be very demanding when it comes to exercise and grooming, so be ready to dedicate at least two hours a day to her. A Chabrador, just like a Labrador, likes to play. Start with short walks several times a day, and gradually introduce running and more intense activities. Luckily, these dogs love swimming, which is a lower-impact alternative to traditional exercise. As an adult, your dog needs daily walks, at least one short play session, and mental stimulation. Conclusion A Chow Lab Mix has the potential of being a great dog, for both singles and families. From my point of view, any responsible owner can control these traits through consistent training. What do you think? Do you like this mix between the Chow Chow and Labrador Retriever? Would you get one or do you have one already? Tell us your opinion of this beautiful dog in the comments below. About Alexandra Animalso I was raised to be a dog person. My first Shepherd grew up as I did and wanted to be where I was at all times. I got my second dog as a 16th birthday present, and her loyalty for me was just as strong as my first. I hope that my contribution to Animalso will help others find dogs who give them that same unconditional love. She was a rescue who came to live us at age 5 and was the most delightful and loyal companion imaginable. She was playful and enthusiastic almost to the end. She got along perfectly with other dogs, cats, horses and guinea pigs. She liked humans, too. People loved her sweet spirit and playful nature. I would have another of that parentage any time. Godspeed, DeeDee. See you on the Other Side. Although a playful pup sounds endearing, consider how many games of fetch or tag you want to play each day, and whether you have kids or other dogs who can stand in as playmates for the dog. Click here for more information on this characteristic Chabrador Highlights The Chabrador is a mixed breed dog. They are not purebreds like their Chow Chow or Labrador Retriever parents. The coats are usually solid, although spotting is sometimes present. Chabradors posses dense, double-layered, waterproof coats that are short to medium in length. This breed is a shedder. The Chabrador can be a snappy canine when undertaking guard dog duties. They are also often wary when strangers approach them for the first time. A well-trained Chabrador can be a great addition to a family and will form strong and loyal bonds with your kids. Their guardianship instincts will also kick in if strangers are around. In general, Chabradors need moderate amounts of exercise. As long as you can commit to regular walking sessions, these dogs can usually adapt to living in smaller home situations. These dogs were often employed to guard sacred temples, and their scenting abilities were used in hunts. Over on the Labrador Retriever side, this breed originated in Canada and was originally known as the St. Skilled hunting and working dogs, the Labrador Retriever is often cited as the most popular dog in the USA today. The Chabrador has become known as a designer dog breed, but many of them unfortunately end up in shelters. Chabrador Size The Chabrador is usually described as a medium-sized dog. Although, as is always the case with newer mixed dog breeds, exact size standards might vary. Most weigh in at 45 to 80 pounds and range in height from 18 to 24 inches. Female Chabradors are usually marginally smaller than their male counterparts. Due to their parental breeds historically being used in hunting and guarding activities, the Chabrador can be a snappy canine when undertaking guard dog duties. The Chabrador is a smart breed that learns very quickly. Adding interactive toys to regular play sessions can really benefit the development of this breed. As long as you can commit to regular walking sessions, these dogs can usually adapt to living in smaller home situations that might not have unfettered outdoor access. Chabrador Health Chabradors are generally considered to be healthy dogs—although the breed can be predisposed to some of the same conditions that the Chow Chow and Labrador Retriever face. Some of the more common health problems Chabradors suffer from include: Cerebellar Abiotrophy. Lab-Chow Puppy Video Temperament and Behavior Because both the parents of this breed have completely different kinds of behavioral characteristics, it is tough to predict how the temperament of the lab chow will be. It mostly depends upon which of its parents your puppy will take after. On a general note, this new breed is affectionate and loving, that makes a good companion. They are calm and sweet-tempered, and are loyal to their owners and family. They are good with the kids and other pets of the household. However, if they mostly go by the genes of their chow chow parents, they are often wary about strangers and might not be too tolerant of other animals. In that case, they also have a highly territorial instinct. Some lab-chows might display independent behavior, and might lead a life very aloof. They are large size dogs and need space to live in. Especially, if they are apartment dogs, they need frequent outings. But they love to play, and often expect that their owners would accompany them in their games. They also have a tendency to show some guarding behavior, when it comes to guarding their territory, or their family. Thus, lab-chows usually make a good guard dog as well. Because of their size, they need to burn down their daily calories, for which, they need to be taken out. Let them accompany you for a long walk or a strenuous jogging session, without which they might end up being destructive and display independent behavior. It is also good for them if you would allow them to play openly in an open space, or if you have a yard. Open their leash and see them run around in joy. Participate in different games like retrieving and fetching. Their potent instinct inherited from their lab retriever parent would surprise you. Grooming Grooming them is also dependent upon their coat, as to which of its parents side your puppy has taken. If your dog is much up to the lab side, it needs comparatively lesser grooming than if it has taken the side of its chow parent. If it has taken mostly the side of chow, its thick hair needs regular brushing to prevent its thick hair from getting matted. Like both its parents, they are mostly seasonal shedders. However, they have some regular shedding as well, and weekly grooming would brush off the dead hairs. You can bathe them once every one or two months, depending upon how dirty your dog has been. Health Problems This breed is a cross, and has no known health problems that is specific to this breed, or is life-threatening. Training Training this dog is very important. Considering its genetics, you should take the training issue very seriously. As it is, those lab-chows that have taken after their chow parent might end being disruptive and independent-natured, and lack of proper training might enhance this behavior further more. Begin socialization, obedience and housebreaking trainings when your dog is still a puppy, soon after you adopt it from the breeders, because once your dog gets older, it will become very difficult to break its old habits. This would ease your job. However, you can as well seek help from professional trainers. They must be taught how to behave properly, and how to show proper mannerisms to other pets and dogs. The quantity should also be the same, and this depends upon the amount of energy your big doggie possesses. Pick up foods that are recommended for dogs of such a size and levels of energy. Interesting Facts These dogs are also said to be available in a rare silver-gray color referred to by the AKC as a shade of chocolate. Lab-chows love swimming. Things to Know When Owning a Chabrador Here are a few more specific things that you should know about owning a Chabrador. You can expect yours to eat anywhere from 2 to 3 cups of food each day, depending on their activity level. Puzzle toys and short games of hide-and-seek should keep this crossbreed happy while spending time indoors. But at the end of the day, you may notice that your Chabrador has spent most of their time just lounging around in the yard or on the couch. Still, they have the capacity to learn any obedience command and trick that you want to teach them. Once they get basic obedience training down, they can embark on guard or agility training to keep their minds sharp. They tend to shed as the summer season plays out, so expect extra brushing and house cleaning at this time. Regular bathing is appreciated because this breed loves baths and their hair tends to pick up dirt easily as they walk and play outside. Their nails may need trimming once a month if they spend more time inside than outdoors. Their ears should be checked and cleaned as necessary to prevent wax buildup as they age. But there are a few health conditions that they could develop due to genetics. Minor Conditions. What is a Lab Chow mix? Its parent breeds have been around for a long time, but this dog is relatively new to the scene. In terms of their origin, what we know so far is that these hybrids were initially bred in the United States. The Labrador and the Chow Chow are two dissimilar breeds; in fact, they may just be the exact opposite of each other in terms of looks and temperament. As a result, even puppies coming from the same litter may look and behave differently from one another. Just like with any crossbreed, the best way to learn about the Chow Chow and Lab mix is through its parents. Chow Chow Chows are one of the oldest dog breeds in the world and are thought to be the ancestors of Spitz-type dogs. They were bred to hunt game and guard property, and, in other unfortunate times, these dogs were used for food as well. Chow Chows were so loved and prized in China that an emperor was said to own about Chows during his reign. In the late 18th century, British merchants brought dogs from China to Europe. The Chow Chow got its name from a pidgin-English term the merchants used for anything coming from the East. They were originally bred as helper dogs to fishermen. Labs are descended from the St. By the 18th century, the large dogs were bred mostly for waterfowling and hunting. Labradors are known for their intelligence, friendliness, and overall great temperament. A quick word on designer dogs As we said before, the Labrador-Chow mix is a new designer dog, despite the long history of its parent breeds. It takes two purebreds to make a designer dog, which is often created to combine the best features of its parents. This is definitely the case with the Chow-Lab hybrid. Some designer dog enthusiasts claim that these dogs are healthier because of genetic diversity. Unfortunately, the AKC does not recognize these dogs as distinct breeds. What does a Lab Chow mix look like? A Labrador is a large dog that weighs between 55 to 80 pounds 24 to 36 kgs and can measure between 21 to 24 inches 54 to 62 cm. Labs have a sweet-looking face with a kind, friendly expression. Coming in various colors such as yellow, black, and chocolate, their fur is short and thick. Their undercoats are soft and weather-resistant to protect them from water. On the other hand, Chow Chows are small to medium-sized dogs, standing 17 to 20 inches 43 to 50 cm tall and weighing 45 to 70 pounds 20 to 31 kgs. They have thick and fluffy coats that may come in black, blue, cinnamon, cream, or red. Most Chows have an aloof expression, despite their cuddly appearance. Their ears are triangular and stand upright. A unique feature of the Chow Chow is its blue or black tongue. How big does a Chow Chow Lab Mix get? Based on its parent breeds, the Lab Chow Mix is small to medium in size, weighing between 50 to 70 pounds 22 to 31 kg and measuring between 18 to 24 inches 45 to 60 cm tall. Most Chabradors have a longer muzzle and a head similar to the Labrador. They often have brown eyes but some may have blue eyes. Many of these hybrids have the blue-black tongue of their Chow Chow parent. These dogs can have coats of different colors, from black, white, and blonde, to red and brown. Their tails are often long and fluffy. What is the personality of a Chow Lab Mix? The temperaments of a Labrador and a Chow Chow are very different from one another, if not the exact opposite. A Lab Chow mix can take the characteristics of either parent so you can have a Chabrador puppy who loves hugs and affection and another puppy from the same litter who is aloof and reserved. The AKC describes Labs as outgoing and high-spirited companions. They are the perfect companions for running, hiking, and swimming and they have the energy and athleticism to be your workout buddy. These tireless canines often carry out duties to help their owners in their daily lives. The independent, protective Chow Chow A Chow is often described as having a dignified nature. They can be wary of strangers and might not be tolerant of other animals. These are loyal dogs that border on being territorial. They can be aggressive if not trained or socialized at an early age. We all want our dogs to have a happy and healthy life so we have to give them a proper balance of love, care, and proper nutrition. The Lab Chow cross requires a little more effort in terms of care, but the work is definitely worth it with these lovable crossbreeds. Consider brushing its fur at least thrice a week to keep it tangle-free. Regular brushing also prevents the fur from developing mats, which could be painful for your pet. Have a vacuum cleaner ready for removing clumps of hair from your carpet and furniture. What to feed these beloved canines Labradors and Chow Chows have different needs in terms of their food consumption. While Labs are known for their insatiable appetite and tend to eat anything given to them, Chow Chows need to be fed with a little more caution. Most Chows have sensitive stomachs due to their history. As mentioned earlier, these dogs were considered food in ancient China so they were given the same food as other livestock animals like chickens and cattle. Chows were fed soy, rice, and, at times, fish. As a result of this diet, these dogs became used to eating easy-to-digest food, so they may have some difficulties in digesting protein or meat. In the case of the Labrador Chow Chow mix, here are a few tips on how and what to feed them. Consider feeding your dog small but frequent meals. Feed him three to four times a day. Mix it up. You can add fresh vegetables or rice. Consider other protein sources. Eggs and cottage cheese are good protein sources for this dog. Talk to your vet about what food is best for your dog. What are their exercise requirements? Just how busy would you be when you decide to own a Labrador Chow Chow hybrid? The answer is: very. Expect to spend at least an hour daily on active play with your Lab Chow mix. They need this hour of exercise each day to remain in good physical shape. Exercise will also help them use all their pent-up energy. Running, playing fetch, and swimming are definitely activities your pup will enjoy. Potential health problems of the Lab Chow Mix This crossbreed is a fairly new designer dog and there is not much on record about their potential health issues. Finding a healthy Chabrador puppy. They also benefit from living in homes where someone is around for most of the day, and where plenty of training, socialization and exercise are provided. Origin of the Chow Chow Lab Mix Since the Labrador Chow mix is considered a first-generation crossbreed, there is very little known about his origin. But the results of this cross has made this mix more popular over time. By digging into the histories of the Chow Chow and the Labrador Retriever, we can learn a little more about their offspring, the Chabrador Mix. Chow Chow The Chow Chow has been around for quite some time. In fact, it is believed that this is actually one of the oldest dog breeds in the world! The Chow Chow is believed to have held a variety of trades during his long history, from being a loyal companion dog to the nobility in China, to hunting, guarding, and hauling. But mostly, this is a dog with a royal record. In fact, an emperor during the Tang Dynasty owned over 5, Chow Chows in his lifetime! Today the Lab is the most popular, number one dog in the US! These days, the Labrador Retriever is primarily known as a loving pet. They are renowned for their sweet disposition while at the same time being recognized as a phenomenal service dog and emotional support dog. This means features like coat color, weight, and height are left up to chance depending on which parent the Chabrador takes after most. An adult Chow Chow is a compact dog, around 17—20 inches tall. A male Chow Chow weighs around 55—70 pounds while a female will weigh around 45—60 pounds. Labrador Retrievers are muscular and range from 21 to 24 inches in height. They can weigh between 55 and 80 pounds. So a Chow Chow and Lab mix will likely fall somewhere within those numbers. He can come in both rough and smooth coats of different color markings, including: Red Ranging from gold to reddish brown Cinnamon Ranging from light tan to brown Black Blue The Labrador Retriever comes in three main colors — black, yellow or chocolate. As mentioned above, both the Chow Chow and the Labrador will have very thick coats, so a potential Chow Chow and Lab mix owner can prepare for a crossbreed that is similar. For instance, a black Lab Chow mix, especially if the Chow parent has black fur, will likely be black. And of course a yellow Lab Chow mix with a cream colored Chow parent will likely be lighter in color. Grooming and Shedding Labradors are known for their thick coats and seasonal shedding. And Chow Chows have a similar reputation! Since both the Chow Chow and the Labrador are shedders, a prospective Chabrador owner can certainly prepare for a bit of maintenance when it comes to grooming. And this is true whether you have a yellow Lab Chow mix, a black Lab Chow mix, or any other coat color! Chow Chow mixes will likely need a monthly bath as well, and it is recommended that after bathing he is brushed carefully and then blown dry with a blow dryer on cool heat. The Lab is less maintenance, with a shorter coat that sheds only seasonally. Still, a Lab mix should be brushed regularly to maintain a healthy coat and to help keep all that loose hair off your furniture and clothes! Nevertheless, both the Chow Chow and the Labrador share a few similarities, including energy level, loyalty, and friendliness. But what unique temperamental traits could the Chabrador inherit from each of his purebred parents? Chow Chow Temperament The Chow Chow is a serious dog with a dignified nature who can be standoffish with strangers, but very loving and affectionate with his family members. In fact, a properly trained Chow Chow makes a fantastic family dog and does very well with children. The Chow Chow is easily trained, considering his intelligent nature. He can be very adaptable to apartment living as long as he is exercised properly and given an adequate amount of attention. The nature of the Chow makes them protective over their family, with some guarding or watchdog instincts. So socialization is extremely important for this mix. Labrador Temperament We all know the Labrador Retriever for his intelligence. He is also one of the top choices when it comes to families with kids, due to his affable nature. The breed tends to be very friendly. In fact, they are sometimes almost too keen to spend time with their family and even random strangers they meet at the dog park. Labs are typically thought of as happy-go-lucky, but they are easily trained and make excellent service dogs. As always, we recommend early socialization and proper training to ensure the health and happiness of your Chow Chow and Lab mix. Introduce him, little by little, to new sights, smells, sounds, people, children, animals, and environments. This is important for any breed, even a notoriously overly-friendly breed like Labs. Proper socialization promotes a well-balanced, well-behaved, happy dog who acts appropriately in different situations without becoming overly nervous. And especially considering that Chows may be rather reserved and suspicious of strangers, your Chabrador mix definitely needs good socialization. This can be true of the Chabrador as well. Still, with patience and positive training methods, training your Chabrador should be simple. Remember, training can also serve as a wonderful bonding experience between you and your Chabrador. If the Chabrador takes after his Labrador parent, you can expect him to pick up commands easily and efficiently. However, and as we previously mentioned, the Lab is a very high energy dog, especially as a puppy. Keep in mind the Chabrador could inherit this trait. For more tips on how to train a puppy, check out some of the guides towards the end of this article. This means their Chabrador offspring will need to be walked daily, and he will need attention and mental stimulation. The Lab especially enjoys running outdoors, so a prospective Chabrador owner should expect lots of play and daily outings. Chow Chow and Lab Health The purebred Lab is known to suffer from hip or elbow dysplasia, where the joints are not properly formed. They can also have eye problems including PRA blindness or cataracts. They should be health tested for these three issues, at a minimum. You will also need to be aware of the potential for conditions such as cranial cruciate ligament disease. Labs are also more prone than average to suffer from the gastrointestinal syndrome, bloat. They can also suffer from acquired issues as they grow older, such as obesity, skin allergies, and ear issues. Chows are relatively healthy dogs. However, they do have some inheritable health issues to be aware of, including hip and elbow dysplasia, luxating patella, eye problems, and even cancer. Chow Chows have a slightly longer lifespan, averaging years. Keeping the above in mind, your Lab Chow mix life expectancy could be anywhere from 10—13 years. As crossbreeds like the Chow Lab mix grow in popularity, there are more breeders looking to capitalize on that popularity. As always, we recommend doing plenty of research before you decide where you get your Chabrador. If you are still unsure about where to go to find your Chabrador puppy, you can always attend local dog shows. Networking at events like dog shows can help point you in the right direction. Labrador Chow Mix Breeders One of the benefits of going to a breeder is the ability to ask questions and dig into the history of your potential Lab Chow puppies. So make sure to take advantage of this and use your voice. You should ask about previous litters and any concerns that have arisen in the past. Also, be sure to ask about health screening. A reputable breeder will answer questions, provide health test results, and be open to visits to meet the parent dogs. What About Shelter Dogs? Patience and care is required when bringing an adult dog home. It is possible that these rescue animal shelters have a Labrador Chow Chow mix who is looking for a lovely home. Here are some reliable rescue groups to contact. Try www. Its hair needs higher maintenance than most crossbreed dogs. However, it is nothing a normal person could not handle. The Chow Chow Labrador Mix hair could either be smooth or have a hard coating, depending on the favored parent. Needless to say, both hair types have a lavish double coat that will require steady and frequent grooming. It is recommended that there be consistent brushing at least twice a week to pull the hair to stiffness. The regular brushing must be consistent to help maintain the coat and keep the shedding of hair and loose ones from sticking to the carpet, floor, sofas, and other house furniture. A monthly bath is also highly encouraged. After each bath, it is recommended that he be brushed gently and blown dry with a neat blow dryer on a low-setting cool heat. The ears of a Labrador require constant cleaning, and the same goes for the Chow Chow mixed with Labrador. This is to keep wax and moisture under control. The nails also need constant trimming to avoid those nasty splits and cracks. Note, however, that grinding their nails need extra care and precision so as not to cause bleeding and prevent infection. Labrador crossed with Chow chow Health Problems It must be noted that all crossbreeds can be prone to an array of issues from either of its purebred parents. As such, before addressing the issues own the Chow Chow crossed with Labrador, we must first focus on those which its parent purebreds face, to give an overview before the specifics. In those 13 years, the common problems it has are hip dysplasia, patellar luxation, stomach cancer, gastric torsion, cataracts, and autoimmune thyroiditis. They are known to suffer from elbow or hip dysplasia. Similarly, they also develop eye problems such as cataracts or PRA blindness. With that information in mind, the life expectancy of your Chow Chow Mixed with Labrador could be anywhere from years, depending on its favored parent. The Labrador crossed with Chow Chow have usually been shown to be vulnerable to ailments that affect their parent: Hip Dysplasia: A lot of Chow Chow Labrador mix suffers from this. This is why it is vital to lessen the exercise of the dog at a young age. Over-exercising could lead to Hip Dysplasia in the long run. Eye Problems: Cataracts and other problems are also common for this crossbreed. Making sure to provide them with the best and healthiest food is key to their general good health. The amount of dog food needed is different for each breed, much more for crossbreeds. For a Chow Chow crossed with a Labrador, close monitoring is necessary. In the whole day, they can easily consume up to 3. However, since its parent Labrador tends to overheat, this daily intake must be monitored carefully. Administering of treats and scheduled feedings must be intermixed with free-feeding of at least once to twice per week. This is to ensure that your dog does not become obese. The focus on a healthy feeding pattern is to help avoid hip dysplasia. It is recommended that the dry food be included with one that is high in Omega-3 fatty acids to help ease the diet and avoid the susceptibility to this disease. The proper mix of vitamins and minerals for your dog must be consulted with the veterinarian. The doctor will be able to assess the nutritional needs of your dog relative to their age, weight, and size. Should you notice that the Labrador crossed with Chow Chow is feeling overheated or getting a tad bit too stocky, ask the veterinarian for exercise and diet tips. Monitor the weight of your dog following what is normal for their size and age. What must be the focus of the proper diet is a blend that would be good for joint and bone health. Such is done with the consultation with the veterinarian. Owners should be able to focus on purchasing dog foods that have glucosamine or chronodotin, or both. These nutrients help in lowering the risk for hip dysplasia. Ask your local pet store or dog food provider for products with these specific characteristics. Here are some examples of high-quality dog food available in the market: BlueLife Food: This company has a specialty in making all-organic and all-natural dog food. DHA is incorporated into their ingredients for more significant help in mobility and brain growth. In addition, this dog food is made with free-range chicken without added growth hormones and steroid to provide your dog with the necessary amino acids which help define muscle tone and fiber. It has fiber from real fruits and vegetables, which support digestion and intestinal health. The multiple protein sources from this dry dog food provide a healthy balance of amino acids, supporting muscle development and maintenance. Plus, it would be a flavorful change of palette for your dog with the natural flavors it possesses. Lastly, it has high levels of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids for diet control along with a hint of Vitamin E to help maintain a shiny and healthy skin and coat. It is crafted as an ideal choice for average to large dogs for stocking them up with muscle fibers. This complements the joint health because without strong muscles the bone would remain to be susceptible to problems. Its main ingredients, among other things, are salmon meat high in glucosamine , real beef, and chicken, perfect for a Labrador and Chow chow mix to enjoy. SmartBlend One: One of the essential benefits from this Purina One product is its ability to provide a rich and delicious diet for your pup. Wellness Complete Health Senior Debone Chicken and Barley Recipe Dry dog food: What this fresh-tasting meal consists of is primarily deboned chicken, blueberries, apples, carrots, and spinach. This is ideal for your Chow chow Labrador mix because of its versatility in terms of what nutrients it can thusly provide for your dog. Not only does this provide an answer for those joints, but it also packs the fibers from berries and vegetable for their natural bowel movement. If you have a little munchkin at home, check out our list of the best puppy food brands. If the opposite is true, and you have an elderly furry companion, make sure to give them only the best senior dry dog food to keep those brittle bones intact! For every gorgeous mixed doggo out there, we recommend trying the best dry dog food for small dogs or the best large breed dry dog food and seeing which one sticks! It is required to be taken to a quick walk daily. This will require for the owner, a focused attention and mental stimulation. In these daily outings, one could expect not just a simple walk but sometimes also a playful jog and run. The Labrador Chow Chow Mix. Mix those two together, and you have the training attitude of a Chow Chow mixed with Labrador. That is if you teach it at the earliest instance that you can. Its obedience training must start at an early age. Before a Chow Chow mixed with Labrador turns to around months old, it must be at least expected to know how to sit and stay on your command. In addition, they must be, by that age able to sit closely with you. This is since it is especially difficult to train an adult Chow Chow mixed with Labrador. After such, they would be adaptive and straightforward to training, provided that you exercise patient and positive training methods. If your Chow Chow Labrador Mix takes more from its Labrador parent, it would be able to pick up commands efficiently and effectively than if it takes after the Chow Chow parent. It would tend to be territorial and aggressive against those people it is not familiar with. This is especially difficult for families with kids, because one moment they would be playing with the dog, the next second it would get territorial and aggravated. Because of this, it is a dog not ideal for families with a bunch of little kids. It must be explained to the children how the dog might get a bit too tempered at times. The only remedy to this is training your Chow Chow crossed with Labrador to be trained to be social and active. Unsociable Angry If you can impress them at an early age with your ability to be the pack leader, they will have no trouble following you. The Chabrador may wait until the perfect time to strike and become the alpha, which is why it is essential for you to constantly train them. They should not get their food, treats, or play with their toys until they work for the right to eat, play, or go outside. Your training of the Chabrador will take place throughout puppyhood, and if your dog is a stubborn dog breed then you might need to train throughout their lifetime. The intelligent Chabrador has a very strong mind and will need a steady drip of activity to feed an active brain. Labradors are famous for their ability to become obese quickly so control those treats. Labrador Chow Mix. Notice the bluish-purple tongue! A properly trained Chow Chow Lab Mix fits in perfectly with the family lifestyle. That includes little children, however, I would supervise the first months of interactions with the baby and dog. Socialization Needs of the Chabrador I often say that socialization, training, and exercise are the key to having a well-behaved dog. They are like the foundation for a well-built house. Socialization is vital for any dog, whether they are a chihuahua or a giant dog breed , socialization is the key to having a well-behaved and well adjusted dog. This is so that the puppy can start to become adjusted to sights, sounds, smells, humans, and other animals. Avoid Dog Parks With Puppies There is only one no-go place to take a puppy, and that is the dog park. There are several different reasons why not to allow your puppy into the dog park. The dog park can become rough, and some dogs can be mean, which means that your puppy could be scarred for a long time. Your dog has not had his or her shots and is susceptible to diseases and carrying them. Exercise of the Chabrador mix Exercising your dog cannot be a quick up and down to get the mail or a stroll down the sidewalk. Better to include a brisk strenuous walk or even a jog for a minimum hour of exercise for the most well-balanced dog. Both parents of this breed are active dog breeds bred to hunt and or retrieve throughout the day. Animals are happier and healthier when fit and lean, but they will keep eating if you keep feeding! Eye Problems — Cataracts are very common once they reach a certain age Glaucoma — Glaucoma is an elevation of the intraocular pressure IOP with associated optic nerve and retinal damage. Glaucoma in dogs is always due to a decreased drainage of aqueous humor AH —increased production does not occur. Cold tail — Cold tail normally happens to sport dogs. It is where the tail gives out due to overuse this can be very painful to a dog. Patellar Luxation — This is when the knee cap moves about and is very painful to the dog. My grandmother had a King Charles Cavalier, as a baby, he had a loose knee cap and he had to have surgery to fix it. The health list on this dog breed is very long, and quite a few of them are serious health concerns. Some of it can be smoothed over by buying from a reputable breeder who has ALL the paperwork and health info on both parents. The better health of the parents, the better chances of not getting a dog with all the health problems. Conclusion on the Chow Chow Lab Mixed Breed The Chabrador must have an experienced dog owner who knows what they are doing in training and socialization. The health record is very long compared to some other mixed dog breeds, other than those facts if you are an experienced dog owner who is looking for another dog breed then the Labrador Chow mix may be for you! We have several articles that may fit what you are looking for:. Labra-Chow Description The Chabrador is not a purebred dog. It is a cross between the Chow Chow and the Labrador Retriever. The best way to determine the temperament of a mixed breed is to look up all breeds in the cross and know you can get any combination of any of the characteristics found in either breed. It is very common for breeders to breed multi-generation crosses. Another reason for keeping her trimmed is she also competes in agility competition. It was an activity that helped burn off some of her excess energy in her younger years and she continues to love the competition. I've had dogs throughout my whole life and at the age of 54 I must say that Gracie is that once in a lifetime dog for me. She gives me love, companionship and a whole new exciting purpose to my life. As a puppy Gracie's eyes were a startling blue. Time is going way too fast, for my baby Gorilla puppy is already 7 years old. He is such a baby and loves toys. He is 7 months old in this picture. Her owner calls her a miniature Newfi ;- because she looks just like one. She is quite intelligent and very easily trained. Here she is posing for the camera from her new bed. This is Thunder Dogg. He likes to "Sik Balls" hee hee. See more examples of the Chabrador.

It is not recommended to take it from its mother and littermates because it starts its socialization and gets the first experience of biting inhibition from them. When you take your doggy home, follow the advice of your breeder and veterinarian. In addition, you need to measure and weigh your pup to be able to follow its growth. You should also think about crate training your dog from the first days of staying at your home. Start potty training as soon as possible. However, be very careful about the first walks. The immune system of a little German Shepherd is too unstable and vulnerable to many infections. It has already received all the nutrients it needed during its first month. You can opt for high-quality puppy kibble or homemade food. However, you should avoid poor-quality products and cheap kibble that is full of chemicals. If you are planning to feed your pet with kibble, it is recommended to moisten it with goat milk or fresh water if this milk is unavailable. Giving it cow milk is not recommended. Give your puppy 1. Try to formulate a consistent feeding schedule with the same hours for feeding. You should have two bowls for your German Shepherd. One is for food and the other for water. Your puppy needs a lot of water, so you can leave the water in the bowl to let it drink whenever it wants. As for food, do not leave the leftovers in the bowl. Your puppy cannot control how much it wants to eat, and it can lead to overfeeding if it eats something every time it sees its bowl. You need to make the feeding schedule work. However, do not feed the puppy two times per day. It is too young for that, so it can overeat too and have severe digestion problems. You should teach it to recognize the connections between commands and responses or responses and consequences. Foremost, you need to set primary anchors. It means that you should develop certain reactions to your actions to teach the puppy to follow you, eat food or receive treats, and sit. Your clapping hands, whistling, or a specific word can be such anchors. Avoid setting anchors that your puppy will feel as similar. The next training step is establishing authority. Your puppy should understand that you are its guide, and it will help you when you start training more complex commands. Your little pet should understand that you are its pack leader. So, the first thing to teach is to follow you. Praise the puppy if it does everything correctly, and never punish it if it does not understand you. Early socialization training is also very important. However, early exposure of your pet to many people and unfamiliar things may lead to psychological problems. That is why start socializing your puppy gradually. You can take it on short visits to your family or friends. Keep socializing your doggy every day but in small portions of positive experiences. Start potty training as soon as you bring your GS puppy home. Show it where you want it to do its business, in the backyard or garden. Ensure that this area is quiet and fenced. It has to be something soft like grass or mat. Establish an exact schedule for going potty. Taking the puppy outside is the first thing you need to do after it wakes up in the morning. Then, follow the schedule after each meal, playing, and before going to bed. Keep the puppy out of biting and nipping. You should not beat or punish it anyway. Though, teach the puppy to avoid severe bites on the hands and legs. You can arrange timeouts for it if it bites too harshly. For example, if it bites your hand while taking a treat, withhold the next treat until it understands how to take it gently. Reward it with a treat when you see that the little one understands what you want of it and denies biting at all. German Shepherds are very clever, so they understand the explanations very quickly. Be patient while training your little dog. It will be trained enough to understand how to control itself by the 10th week. Therefore, your boy will grow as tall as inches cm , while the little girl will be inches cm tall. How much does a 2 month old German Shepherd weight? GS puppies gain weight at this age very quickly. They tend to double it in comparison to the first month. Your male doggy will approximately weigh pounds kg. If you have a female puppy, its weight will be smaller — pounds .How much to feed a 2 month old German Shepherd puppy? You can give your puppy .How often should I feed my 2 month old German Shepherd? You should feed your pup times per day. Never make a feeding schedule of 2 times per day because your doggy can overeat and have digestive problems. How much exercise does a 2 month old German Shepherd puppy need? Little GS puppies are very energetic, so they need a lot of exercises. However, they are too young for hard exercise and training. The sessions can be very short about minutes or less and not too intensive. Can I walk my 2 month old German Shepherd? Yes, you can walk your puppy in the backyard or any other fenced space after it is vaccinated. Though remember that your little doggy cannot go on long walks yet, so never make its walks too long. Another thing to consider is that it cannot follow you yet, so try to avoid going for walks in the open spaces and streets, or your pup can get lost. Learn a lot about the breed before you decide to adopt this dog. You also need to know that your pup will have enough space for its activity and energetic behavior. You also need to consider your budget. Get prepared that your doggy will bark, whale, bite and chew everything around. However, you will also get a lot of joy, playing, laughing, and loyalty. German Shepherds are very intelligent, and you will get the best friend for many years if you are patient and consistent enough during its first days at your home. David W. I admire German Shepherds. They are magnificent dogs! I have been dealing with dogs, namely German Shepherds, throughout my life. I have been working part-time as a dog trainer and instructor for about 5 years, dealing mainly with German Shepherds. So I know a bit about these animals. Therefore, I decided to share my knowledge and experience about this fantastic breed. If you need help with advice and care tips or want to know more about German Shepherd dogs, welcome to this blog. How often you should feed a German Shepherd puppy depends on their age and their activity level. Many owners also want to know when they can switch to adult food formulas for their German Shepherd puppies. Switch your GSD puppy to adult food when they are around 12 to 18 months old. Puppies can begin adult kibble when they are approximately 80 percent of their adult weight. This usually occurs around 8 to 10 months of age, but you can safely feed puppy food up to 18 months old as long as they are not putting on excess weight too quickly. If you want to know what to feed a German Shepherd puppy, keep reading. Finding the best food to feed your German Shepherd puppy is overwhelming at times. This means choosing what to feed a German Shepherd puppy is even more serious and intimidating! Follow this feeding guide when you need to know what to feed German Shepherd puppies. I understand! The following dog foods are all recommended for large breed puppies and meet and exceed regulated nutritional standards. Feeding a high-quality kibble from a name-brand company that uses feeding trials ensures the best quality and nutrition. Here are some of the best German Shepherd puppy foods that are research-backed. Packed with nutrients to help limit inflammation of the joints and uses fresh ingredients. Easily digestible formula for puppies prone to allergies and sensitive stomachs. Rich aroma with DHA fish oil to entice puppies to finish every last bite while giving shine to their coats. The better the food, the healthier your pup will be inside and out. Cheaper GSD puppy food lacks quality proteins that are essential for your working breed dog. Adding too much weight to your German Shepherd too soon can cause lifelong joint issues that are painful to your pet and expensive on your wallet. Most GSDs are healthy and fit on commercial dog foods that are high quality. These balanced formulas keep their bones and muscles strong throughout their growing periods and can ward off later joint issues, a common breed problem, as they mature. There is a greater demand for quality nutrition during the early growth stage. For these reasons, you must feed high-quality food. Now, consider what to feed a German Shepherd puppy based on their age. These feeding charts and guides will help keep your new companion growing strong and athletic. Tiny portions of canned, wet foods are introduced. Meals per day: 4 or more Puppies should stay with their mom for to keep them healthy. Nutrition Warning! At 8-weeks-old a GSD pup is eating more solid foods and develops a better appetite for kibble and other foods. Add in only a couple of small spoonfuls of canned plain pumpkin, unsweetened Greek yogurt, or cooked oatmeal to entice your pup to eat. Meals per day: 4 Week-Old Puppy Continue feeding the same as the 8-week-old diet. Treats are not only enjoyable for your German Shepherd, but help you to eneterain and build a positive relationship with him. Be sure to keep their zoomies under control by playing plenty of fun German Shepherd games for puppies. Meals per day: 4 Week-Old Puppy Continue to feed the kibble. Watch for excessive weight gain during this growth time as their bones cannot take extra weight! Too much weight gain too quickly can cause joint issues as an adult and prevent healthy development. Use their mental energy to help keep them more relaxed throughout the day by playing brain-boosting mind games for German Shepherd puppies. Meals per day: 3 to 4 Week-Old Puppy Keep your puppy trim and athletic by monitoring how much you feed your puppy and their body condition. You can write how much they eat and track this over time, and adjust how much your feed your German Shepherd puppy to keep them at a healthy weight. Try using fresh, raw, cut-up pieces of carrots as healthy treats or small, deseeded cubes of fresh apple as part of their training treats. Keep your eyes open for a growth spurt about to begin! Meals per day: 3 Week-Old Puppy Around 4 months old, you might notice your puppy finish their meal quickly and look for more food. Be sure to watch how many treats you give them throughout the day. You can do this by holding them safely in your arms and weighing them with you on the scale. Then, place them on the floor and step onto the scale without them to weigh yourself. Remember, around 16 to weeks old your German Shepherd puppy begins to rapidly grow. Instead, when looking overhead at your puppy their waist should look trim and not rounded outwards. German Shepherd puppies should appear sleek in their waistline. Meals per day: 3 Week And Older Puppy Continue to feed your German Shepherd puppy dry kibble with a small amount of healthy foods mixed in. You can lessen the healthy food you mix in gradually if you prefer. But, even as adults, German Shepherds love a bit of tasty toppers on their kibble. Around a year old, begin feeding your German Shepherd puppy 2 meals a day. Two meals, one in the morning and evening, are not only safer but also provide your German Shepherd with sustained energy to fuel their high-energy lifestyle. You can create a positive meal time by using the following tips: Always offer fresh water during their meal times. Keep the area where they eat their food in calm and out of the way of the family hustle and bustle. I found sitting with a book reading, just keeping my GSD puppy company, encouraged my dog to eat their meals while giving us time to quietly bond. Feed your German Shepherd at the same time everyday. The best time to feed a German Shepherd puppy is in the morning, before you leave for the day, and in the evening, about 2 hours before you put your dog to bed. Allow them to potty after eating to ensure their comfort. Your dog also needs to eat at other times of the day for their health and growth. How much you should feed a German Shepherd puppy really depends on a number of factors. Your GSD pup should eat enough to maintain their growth and energy, while not carrying any extra fat. Every dog is different. Keep in mind the number of calories in the kibble, which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Each puppy food company has a different amount of calories and size of the kibble. Here are a few things that might affect how much your German Shepherd puppy should eat. The more active a German Shepherd puppy is, the more calories he needs to eat to replace lost energy. For example, puppies need nearly twice the amount of calories as compared to adults. And older or senior German Shepherds who are less active need less food. Health Maintaining a healthy weight is essential to feeding your German Shepherd. Simply put, you can prevent some medical conditions and health problems by monitoring their waistlines. Instead follow the healthy way to bulk up a German Shepherd. To see if your German Shepherd is at the right weight you can find the average weight depending on their age. Like many large breeds, a German Shepherd dog is not considered fully grown until they are about 18 months old. Female German Shepherds continue to fill out until they are around two years old, while the male German Shepherd growth rate continues until they reach two and a half years of age. Males are larger and require more time to fill out their chest and abdomen. As you can see by the German Shepherd weight chart, these dogs can continue to grow until they are three years old, but the majority of growth occurs within 24 months. If your GSD is older than 36 months and continues to put on weight, contact your veterinarian to ensure weight gain does not lead to obesity. How big should a 6-month-old German Shepherd be? A six-month-old German Shepherd puppy will be quite large, as many German Shepherds undergo massive growth spurts between two and five months old. By six months, a male German Shepherd will weigh 53 pounds on average, whereas a female will weigh about 46 pounds. How much bigger will my German Shepherd get? There are a few ways to gauge how much bigger a German Shepherd will get. First, check your puppy's age. If your GSD is younger than two years old, they definitely have room to keep growing! Another way to tell if your pup still has a lot of growing to do is their paw size. Do their paws look large compared to their legs and body? This is a classic adolescent feature of a dog and means your pup is likely still growing! Most of the time, a dog will not grow bigger than its larger parents. What is the size of a full-grown German shepherd? An adult male German Shepherd is typically 24 to 26 inches tall, while adult female German Shepherds are 22 to 24 inches tall, according to the American Kennel Club German Shepherd Standard. The estimated full-size varies significantly between sexes. In terms of weight, an adult male German Shepherd weighs anywhere from 75 to 90 pounds. A female German Shepherd weighs notably less at 55 to 70 pounds. Please keep in mind that these numbers are only estimates to give you an idea of how much bigger a German Shepherd puppy may get. Some dogs will be both smaller and larger than these weight ranges when fully grown due to a variety of genetic and environmental factors. Learn all about your puppy's physical characteristics, breed history, personality traits, and more in our comprehensive guide. Preventive care is key in helping your German Shepherd live a healthy and long life. Helping your dog maintain an optimal weight is one of the best things you can do for their health. Taking your German Shepherd to regular veterinary appointments is one of the best things you can do to ensure that they are healthy and feeling their best. Compare German Shepherd health insurance plans before they get sick or injured. They are also more susceptible to gastrointestinal tract and hip issues. A veterinarian should regularly assess your pet for these health problems and run tests for anything they may be more prone to due to their breed. Treatment for many conditions, including bloat and GI issues, can cost thousands of dollars. Dog insurance is a wise investment that can give you peace of mind by covering pet emergency expenses. Wellness plans are also available to help cover the cost of vaccinations, vet exams, microchips, and more. Some people can predict the future. For everyone else, there's pet insurance. Use Pawlicy Advisor to easily compare plans from top providers so you can find a great deal with great coverage. Get Peace of Mind Today Do you want to find the best pet insurance? Let's analyze your pet's breed, age, and location to find the right coverage and the best savings. Analyze My Pet About Pawlicy Advisor The pet insurance marketplace endorsed by veterinarians, at Pawlicy Advisor we make buying the best pet insurance easier. German Shepherd care German Shepherd puppy diet: newborn For a German Shepherd puppy to develop and grow properly, it is imperative that they first nurse on their mother's milk. The first milk they receive is a protein and antibody-rich type of milk known as colostrum. This gives the puppy's immune and central nervous systems a boost. They then progress on to regular breast milk. Puppies will nurse for at least 6 to 8 weeks, gradually being weaned on to solid food at about 4 weeks. If, for any reason, the puppy cannot suckle its mother, don't give them cow or goat milk. These milks are very poor quality in comparison to a puppy's mother's milk. If your German shepherd puppy has to be prematurely weaned, a veterinarian will be able to prescribe specific infant formula and establish the appropriate dosage for your puppy. For example, a Chihuahua and a German Shepherd should not be fed the same food. This is because hese breeds have different nutritional needs. Take a look here to find out more about the diet for a prematurely weaned puppy. German Shepherd puppy diet: 1 month old From 3 to 4 weeks old, when it comes to feeding a German Shepherd puppy, we should start by letting them taste new foods and flavors. At this stage, the German Shepherd puppy's diet plan requires them to eat a special wet food for puppies. At around 6 to 8 weeks old, a German Shepherd puppy should be given a little dry dog food with water, or unseasoned chicken stock between nursing sessions. From their eighth week onward, a German Shepherd should be weaned and start feeding on solid food with a special puppy feed. The best dog food for a German Shepherd puppy is breed specific, but this may not be available everywhere. In these cases, your veterinarian can create a proper food plan for your German Shepherd puppy. At this stage, milk must be removed from the puppy's diet as it could cause diarrhea. If by any chance your dog or puppy is suffering from a bad stomach, we recommend taking a look at our article on what to do if yourt dog has diarrhea. In addition, it is vital that puppies have constant access to clean fresh water. German Shepherd puppy diet: 2 months old At two months of age, you can start to slowly decrease the moistening of your German Shepherd's dry food. Eventually, the puppy will be used to eating the food completely dry. Following the German Shepherd puppy food chart, from 2 until 4 months old, a puppy will eat 4 or 5 times a day. This has to be carried out with one very important addition: discipline. A puppy needs to learn that it will not be fed constantly throughout the day, but at specific times. We start of by placing a bowl of food down for 10 minutes, this should give the puppy enough time to finish its meal. After 10 minutes, we suggest taking the bowl of food away, even if your puppy hasn't finished eating. A puppy's food bowl must only be available to the dog for 10 minutes. This 10 minutes should be enough time for the puppy to eat all of its provided food. As already mentioned, after 10 minutes, you should take the food bowl away, even if the puppy hasn't finished eating. This pattern will introduce the puppy's food schedule and allow it an opportunity to become accustomed to particular feeding times. Accepting and adapting to a diet plan is very important for a puppy's intellectual development. It also facilitates more complex and demanding training sessions. Food for German shepherd puppies should be higher in calories, fats, proteins and calcium than adult German Shepherd dog food. This is because puppies are still growing and developing and therefore need better nutrition. German Shepherd puppy diet: food plan after 4 months Between 4 and 6 months of age, the number of meals which we have detailed in our German Shepherd puppy food chart should be reduced to 3 a day. The food quantity should be increased and an extra margin of 2 minutes to eat should be provided. The packaging of quality commercial dog food will detail the appropriate suggested amount of food for the puppy, depending on its age and weight. If you have any doubts, consult your veterinarian. You should eventually start mixing fresh food, such as meat, fish or vegetables, with the commercial dry feed. Beware of forbidden foods for dogs. Some people ask about a raw diet for a German shepherd puppy, but we recommend these such foods should always be cooked and never given to a dog raw. Meanwhile, treats for dogs should only be used as positive reinforcement during their training and learning period, never as a food supplement. Under no circumstances should you give your German Shepherd, or any dog, human food leftovers. Human food contains salt, sugar and seasoning contents which are very harmful to a dog's health. In addition, if you do offer your dog your food, it will pester you during meals [1]. For more, take a look at some of the harmful effects of treating a dog like a human. German Shepherd puppy diet: after 6 months When your German Shepherd puppy reaches 6 months of age, its daily food intake should be reduced to twice a day. When we do this we can increase the food portions and eating time accordingly. Our German Shepherd diet chart below should be taken into account depending on the age, lifestyle and size of your German Shepherd puppy. After 6 months, you should give your German Shepherd puppy shatterproof bones, such as beef, to gnaw on. For more, take a look here for more about; Bones For Puppies. German shepherd puppy: Dog food and water bowl hygiene Your puppy's food and drink containers should always be clean. Hygiene is very important in order to prevent the appearance of insects. If you notice that your puppy has not eaten for three consecutive meals, consult your veterinarian immediately. This lack of appetite in a puppy could be caused by bowel obstruction and stomach pain; due to the ingestion of toxic food etc. Don't forget that puppies are very sensitive and fragile and if you ignoring any symptoms of disease, it can result in severe issues or even puppy fatality. German Shepherd care German Shepherd puppies should be socialized and trained to live with you from day one. These dogs are incredibly capable and have the ability, if trained properly, to learn tricks and perform activities [2]. In addition to the diet of a German Shepherd, don't forget the importance of preventative medicines, following the appropriate vaccination schedules and general German Shepherd dog care. For more information about your German shepherd, take a look at.German Shepherd puppy development stages and ages — week by week guide Welcome to our German Shepherd puppy development stages and ages — week by week guide Different breeds like all different babies develop at different rates. There are going to be many exciting events for you to look forward to. Whether you are bringing your 8 week German Shepherd puppy home or about to be blessed with a litter of puppies. This is going to be an exciting, demanding but hugely rewarding journey. Newborn puppies are born at around days after fertilization. Newborn puppies are born with their ears and eyes tightly sealed. The reason eyelids are sealed shut is to form a protective barrier for the fragile developing eye. This helps to protect them from any foreign object, bright lights, bacteria or any other microorganism that can cause disease or damage. In the same way puppies ear canals are closed at birth to make them effectively deaf. This is a protective barrier to protect the fragile underdeveloped machinery needed to hear. In a mature ear the pressure caused by sound will mechanically move structures in the ear. German Shepherd puppies are highly dependent upon their noses. Puppies navigate by smell from the moment they are born. This helps them to identify their mom, the very important milk supply, siblings and surroundings. Newborn puppies are born with a fur coat however they cannot control their own body temperature yet. To keep them warm they are dependant on their mothers or another heat source. If you live in a cooler climate installing a heat lamp would be ideal to help keep the puppies nice and warm. Germans Shepherds make amazing mothers and will be relied on a lot at this stage. Mother dogs will only leave their newborn puppies to go to the toilet, eat and drink. However, when mom has gone the newborn puppies are not completely useless. They are able to use their front paws to drag themselves towards a heat source. When mom is away the puppies will crawl together to preserve their body heat. Along with being able to drag themselves to a heat source newborn puppies are also able to drag themselves to their mothers to locate the milk supply. They will move their heads around to search for a nipple, latch on and suck strongly. Newborn puppies are not born with teeth these will also develop in the next several weeks. Other than the above puppies are completely dependent upon the care of their dedicated mom. Newborn puppies have little control over the rear end of their bodies. To encourage their pups to pass urine and bowel movements the mom will lick their bottoms. Anything produced mom will then lick up and swallow to keep her puppies and nest clean. Some pups will even double their birth weight! Your German Shepherd puppy will still be highly dependent upon their mom at this stage. Beneath all their fur the vital organs will be working hard to mature. This includes the eyes. Your puppy will not be ready to open their eyes yet but lots of changes are taking place to prepare them for grand opening. The ear canals will begin to open around the same time as the eyes. When the ear canals do open, the ears are much more formed than the eyes are at this point in time. Their eyesight usually takes around 8 weeks to reach its full potential. When their eyes become wider, they will reveal blueish-gray eyes which are hazy in appearance. Their eyesight will continue to develop until around 8 weeks old. The ear canals will also open around 2 weeks. The puppies hearing has been developing much quicker than their eyesight and they will be able to hear most things by the time their ear canals fully open. However, their amazing hearing ability will continue to enhance over the next several weeks. At the moment your German Shepherd puppy will have cute floppy ears. Their adorable tall ears can come up anywhere between 8 weeks and 6 months of age. Floppy ears are common until your German Shepherd finishes teething. By then the ear cartilage will become strong and hard enough for the ears to stand up permanently. Now is a good time to start handling the puppies and get them used to your voice. Most puppies are wormed for the first time when they are 2 weeks old. All this development has happened so quickly, but things are about to get even more exciting. Between 2 and 4 weeks your German Shepherd puppy will begin to stand up this is when the real fun begins. Puppies milky teeth will also start to develop between 2 to 4 weeks. These sharp little teeth will remain until about weeks of age. These little daggers play an important role during the weaning process. Even the most patient moms will struggle to nurse with these sharp painful teeth. This reluctance to nurse will prompt the German Shepherds to seek alternative food sources. These sharp teeth will then help to make up for the lack of jaw strength when eating solid foods. Finally, these sharp puppy teeth play an important role in teaching the pups to gauge their bite pressure when playing with their mom and siblings. This is an essential life lesson that enables our powerful German Shepherds to become safer companions as they mature into strong adult dogs. During the last few weeks mom has done an amazing job of getting her babies strong and their mobility will have come on leaps and bounds well not quite yet but by 3 weeks of age your German Shepherd puppy will begin to trotter around. Most 3 week old German Shepherd puppies can stand and sit. With their baby teeth starting to cut through a lot of breeders. Especially those with large litters will start introducing some solid foods. This helps relieve some of the pressure for the devoted German Shepherd mom. When weaning puppies, you need to start off by soaking their food in either water or puppy milk replacement formula to make it mushy and more comfortable for them to eat. As they start to interact and play with their siblings their personalities will really start to show. You may also notice them starting to playfully growl at each other. At 3 weeks old it will become easier to start identifying different members of the pack. Breeders and moms will be kept on their toes and paws over the next few weeks. As the pups start getting more confident on their feet they will be running around and playing enthusiastically. At 4 weeks old they will begin to wag their adorable little tails. With solid food becoming a major part of their diet the pups will be passing bigger bowel movements. They will be able to show more control of their bowel movements as they take themselves away from their brothers and sisters to perform their business. At this stage mom will be taking a much more relaxed approach to parenting and there will be a lot more for the breeder to clear up. By this point mealtimes are a messy process. If it is warm and safe enough to do so we would recommend taking the pups out in the yard for feeding. German Shepherd puppies are becoming a lot stronger at vocalisations by 4 weeks old. When mom returns to her babies the litter will noisily greet her. Around 4 weeks of age your puppies will need to be wormed again. From this week onwards human interaction is very important in order to form relationships with people. Including different noises and smells. This exposure will ensure your German Shepherd puppy turns into a confident, friendly individual. Mom will also be doing an important job of teaching her puppies to not bite too hard. Even an 8 week old German Shepherd puppy would have the power in their jaws to break the smaller bones in humans fingers. This is why mom teaching her puppies bite inhibition is so important. For more information on bite inhibition please see our guide on German Shepherd bite inhibition. By 5 weeks old German Shepherd puppies will be eating a lot of solid foods, several times throughout the day. Those sharp little teeth would have done their job and mom will be gradually weaning her pups of the dependency on her milk. When mom does feed her puppies, she will only do so for a short period whilst standing up. They will be eating between five and six small meals a day. Although the pups no longer rely on mom for milk, they still need her help and guidance for the next few weeks. Mom will be teaching her babies important life skills to live alongside humans. In some countries 6 week old puppies are taken away from their mothers and moved into their new home. We would not recommend this as the puppies will miss out on continued bite inhibition training from their siblings and mother. This can result in a puppy who bites too hard which can be challenging to manage as they get older. In the USA your puppy will be due their first combined 5-in-1 vaccine at 6 weeks old. This vaccine helps to immunizes your puppy against hepatitis, parvo, distemper, parainfluenza and coronavirus. Most puppies will also need to be wormed again at 6 weeks old. Their last week together will consist of plenty of socialization and playing. Most breeders will arrange a 7 week health check up with the vet to make sure your bundle of fluff is fit and healthy to go to their new home. In the UK some breeders will arrange for the pups first 8 week vaccination to take place during this check. Although some vets advise against it. By the end of this week German Shepherd puppies are ready to leave their mothers and move into their new homes for good. The week you get to take your new puppy home. This will be a very exciting time, but you may also be feeling a bit nervous. There will be some challenged along the way for new puppy owners and your puppy will take some time to adjust to life without its mother and siblings. In the UK the first combined vaccination will help to immunizes your puppy against distemper, parvovirus, leptospirosis and hepatitis. The first puppy injection in the UK typically will happen between 8 and 10 weeks. Some breeders would have trained the puppies to poop and pee on newspapers or puppy pads. From the moment you get them home it is important to show your German Shepherd puppy where to pee and poop. Puppies naturally like to pee where they have done so before so to avoid building history of peeing in your home is best if you can to avoid it. The more you can avoid accidents from happening as much as possible from the start the faster the puppy training process should be. All puppies are different, and some will get this quicker than others. The main thing to remember is not to discipline your puppy for accidents. The most successful way to potty train is to reward success and ignore accidents. Just clean them up quickly and thoroughly. Your puppy will love nothing more than being praised. For more information please see our guide on How to potty train your German Shepherd puppy. Already your German Shepherd puppy will feel like part of the family. German Shepherds puppies are always adorable but at 9 weeks they are at the age where they are still puppy-like but very clumsy,curious and keen to play with her new family, which is very cute. Your German Shepherds unique personality will make you feel very proud. At 9 weeks your cheeky German Shepherd pup will be feeling more confident, with this the need to explore everything and anything may end up getting them into trouble. Your puppy will develop new sleeping patterns and feeding routines which you will need to adapt to. Most puppies will sleep between eighteen and twenty hours a day at 9 weeks old. During the day when you are with your puppy generally you will not need to shut them away in a crate to nap. German Shepherd puppies are often more than happy to sleep whilst family life goes on around them. However, there will be times when sleeping in a crate is better and safer for your puppy. You must not leave a 9 week old puppy to sleep outside the crate if you are not home to watch them if they wake. Puppies are into everything and many innocent items found in the house could be a potential hazard to your inquisitive pup. For more information please see our guide on how to puppy proof your home. Even if your puppy can barely keep their eyes open other pups and children will still want to play and your German Shepherd puppy may find it hard to refuse. After a hard day of play the peace and quiet of a crate will enable your pup to have a well-deserved nap. If your German Shepherd puppy does need to go to the toilet in the night make sure you keep it short and to a minimum. Establishing a daily routine is the best way to get your German Shepherd puppy to sleep through the night. Part of this schedule will involve mealtimes. Your 9 week old puppy will need four meals a day. Split these up throughout the day and try to stick to similar times. This is to stop encouraging your puppy to wake up earlier and earlier because they associate waking with food. You should always reward your puppy either vocally, with a favourite toy or treats for good behaviour and ignore bad behaviour. Puppies and dogs want to be praised so they respond very well to positive encouragement. Punishing puppies and dogs may have a short term positive effect on their behaviour but long term you could be setting them up to fail. It is very important to socialise and expose your puppy to other humans, dogs and different scenarios whilst they are young. This maybe hard before your puppy has had all its vaccines however getting many different people to come and visit you at your home will enable them to get used to visitors. Before their full vaccinations you can also, you can take you German Shepherd puppy out and about with you to expose them to the outside world as long as you can carry them. If you live in the USA, your puppy will be due their second combined 5-in-1 vaccine at 9 weeks old. In the USA a minimum of three sets of the combined vaccine are required for your puppy. Although you cannot put your puppy down outside until after their final vaccination. Puppies 10 week injection In the UK is a booster vaccination to help immunizes your puppy against distemper, parvovirus, leptospirosis and hepatitis. Check with your vet what date after their jabs your German Shepherd puppy will be able to go down outside. Your puppy will then need a booster between 6 and 12 months old. If you live in the USA at 12 weeks old your German Shepherd puppy will be due their booster for the combined 5in1 vaccine against hepatitis, distemper, parainfluenza, parvo and coronavirus and a vaccine against rabies and leptospirosis. If you live in a high risk area, they may also need to be given the vaccination to help immunize them against Lyme. If applicable at 16 weeks your German Shepherd puppy may need to have a fourth combined 5in1 vaccine. A minimum of three combined injections are required in the USA. Check with your vet what date they will be able to be out down outside. By 10 weeks old your German Shepherd puppy will be able to control their bladder a lot more. Potentially up to several hours. This is great time for you to introduce them to the big wide world and develop their social skills which you have already been building the foundations. When taking your German Shepherd puppy out try to introduce them to as many other friendly dogs, humans and noises you can. This will help your German Shepherd puppy to grown into a confident well-rounded dog. At 3 months old your German Shepherd will go down from four daily meals to three. These three portions will be larger than what they are used to which may cause stomach upset. If your German Shepherd puppy does get an upset stomach, try going back to four smaller meals for a couple of days and they try the three larger portions again. This can be a challenging time as your adorable German Shepherd puppy turns into a furry crocodile. Luckily the teething stage is only a phase as with human babies and short lived. In most cases your puppy biting should stop around when they are around 7 months old and have their adult teeth. You maybe noticing your German Shepherds gorgeous ears fluctuating between floppy and pointy. By the time your puppy has finished teething their ears should tick up all the way. This usually happens around months. As they grow their cartilage becomes stronger. Some puppies need another month or so to help them cope without going out for frequent toilet breaks. Even when your German Shepherd puppy is toilet trained occasional accidents are normal. German Shepherds do have large ears but they tend to grow into them as they get older. German Shepherd puppies will begin to grow their new adult coat between 4 and 6 months old. To make way for their adult coat all the puppy hair has to go. For several weeks you will notice an increase in shedding. This is a completely normal part of growing up for your German Shepherd. Being a double coat breed German Shepherds dogs have a topcoat and an undercoat. Twice a year your pup will shed their undercoat. Usually in spring and again in fall. They also shed in general days a year so be prepared for a lot of fur! They will very much look like a smaller version of their adult selves. Although your German Shepherd may look older on the inside, they are still very much a puppy. If you are looking to get your puppy neutered or spayed the recommended age is 6 to 9 months. However, it is common for some female puppies to get spayed at 4 months old. Summary: Your German Shepherd is bound to give you so much joy and happiness throughout its life. There will be challenges along the way but remember this is completely normal. German Shepherds are such an amazing breed and you will have a loyal friend for life. Related Posts. The best food for German Shepherd puppies in their first two to four months of life is milk from their mother. This specialised care is usually left to German Shepherd breeders or veterinarians, who are knowledgeable in caring for pups with no mother to nurse from. If you have recently brought a German Shepherd puppy into your family, they are most likely older than 8 weeks, and so have started to eat solid foods. Before the four month mark, it is advised to include some dry food in their diet. You can do this in a few simple steps: Mix some dry food with specially formulated puppy milk to form a soft mixture. You can feed your puppy this mixture three to four times a day. Over time, reduce the amount of milk you include in this mixture, until they are at the point where they are happily eating dry foods. Read on to learn how much you should feed your German Shepherd puppy as they get older. With this rapid growth can come some risks. German Shepherds are susceptible to bone growth disorders, like hip dysplasia, that can start in puppyhood. They will be very active in their adolescent years, and so should be fed with this in mind. The transition from puppy food to adult food should happen between 12 and 24 months of age. This is because, being a larger breed who grows very quickly, you want to ensure that you are feeding them according to their large breed needs. Remember that the more active the pup, the more food they require. While following feeding guidelines is important to avoid over and underfeeding, you can adjust the amounts of food you provide to your dog based on level of activity. If you are unsure, it is always best to ask your vet for guidance. You need to take special care when considering what you should feed your German Shepherd puppy, as they require different nutrients compared to their adult counterparts. For puppies, this amount will often be two of three times higher, as they are more active and growing quickly. German Shepherd puppies need to eat food that is high in proteins and fats. Carbohydrates are also essential for supporting your active pup. Aside from nutritionally complete dry puppy food, German Shepherd puppies can benefit from the extra protein that raw meat can provide them with, such as lean beef, turkey, chicken, or fish. However, they can also be at risk of gastric dilatation or volvulus, or GDV. Certain dog breeds can be more susceptible to GDV; particularly deep chested breeds including German Shepherds. GDV can occur when a dog bloats a few hours after eating a meal. Though the exact causes of GDV are not known, grains and cereals are suspected to be contributors. The amount of food you give your German Shepherd is determined by their weight, energy levels, and age. For most adult German Shepherds, between 1, to 2, calories per day from high quality food sources is ideal. Female German Shepherds, which tend to be about 8 kilos lighter than males, may need less food, as will less active dogs. Dogs who need less food, whether they are less active or simply older, will usually still need around 1, and 1, per day. You may want to alter the amount of food you are feeding your German Shepherd based on how calorically dense their food is. German Shepherds should be fed twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. Their daily allotment of food should be split evenly between these two meals. For most dogs, it is recommended that you exercise your dog before meal times to assist with potty training. However, some dogs who are at risk of GDV may benefit from exercise after eating, to aid with digestion. You should also try to give your German Shepherd a high quality food that is specially designed for larger or working breeds, especially if they are very active. For example, less active senior dogs will need to eat less food as they will not be burning calories as quickly as a lively little puppy will. Senior dogs may benefit from a higher fibre and lower calorie diet. Your dog may also develop chronic or short term medical conditions that require specially formulated food. German Shepherds can be particularly susceptible to skin disease or allergies, including canine atopic dermatitis, bacterial skin infections, flea allergy dermatitis, forms of contact dermatitis, or scabies. If your dog develops a skin issue, it is often a sign that they may be suffering from a form of food sensitivity. If you are unsure about what you should feed your German Shepherd, you should always consult your vet as they will be able to determine if your dog is suffering from any allergies or chronic health issues: creating a nutritional plan to help keep your dog healthy and happy for years to come. Part of figuring out what you should feed your German Shepherd includes deciding between wet, dry, or a raw food diet. Wet food for German Shepherds is often high in protein and fat, and is better at keeping your dog hydrated than other food sources. A raw diet can be a good option for your German Shepherd as you have more control over the kinds of food and amount of nutrients your pup is consuming. For this reason, raw diets require a lot more work on your part as an owner. Whatever you decide to feed your German Shepherd, all dogs need a similar ratio of nutrients in their diets. The amount of food you feed your dog should be determined by their activity levels, age, weight, breed, and size. Any meals prepared for your dog need to contain the right balance of nutrients. You should also be extra careful not to introduce your dog to foods that are harmful to their health. While we might enjoy the taste of nuts, artificial sweeteners, alcohol and onions, these can be toxic for dogs and can cause serious illness and even death. German Shepherds in particular need plenty of exercise as they are a large working breed with a lot of energy. No matter how old your German Shepherd is, it is important to keep to a consistent feeding schedule. A feeding schedule can help you keep track of any changes in behaviour around food that might signal illness or physiological stress.

A combination of two of the above Any of the above with brindle markings As for other physical characteristics such as head shape and body type — those can go either way. Fortunately, it should be relatively clear early on whether the dog has a flatter brachycephalic muzzle or not. So, a Mastador can either be more social or more aloof around strangers. Proper obedience training is also a must, especially with such large dogs. Fortunately, both parent breeds respond well to training even if bullmastiffs are a bit more stubborn than labs. The good news is that this crossbreed is always good with kids. That is, as long as you keep in mind that large dog breeds have bad special awareness and can knock a baby accidentally. So, adequate supervision is still recommended. Another good thing is that the bullmastiff in your Mastador can be less prone to separation anxiety than a standard Labrador. While Labradors are highly energetic outdoorsy animals, bullmastiffs tend to be more chill and prefer to spend their days indoors. So, a Mastador can go either way here too. If your crossbreed pup takes from its lab parent it will need a couple of hours of active outdoor exercise each day. After that, it will also need some outside time in a well-fenced yard. However, if your pup is more mastiff-like, it will still need hours of outdoor time but it will be more chill about it. Either way, proper exercise is a must if you want your dog to grow up healthy and happy. As a crossbreed, the Mastador can either inherit all the healthy and beneficial physical traits of both its parent breeds or all the negative health predispositions of both. Or, usually — a bit of both. You want to always work with reputable breeders who go the extra mile to breed only healthy dogs. You should always ask for health certificates too. The biggest Bullmasadors weighing in at pounds need more food than most fully-grown men. At pounds, your Bullmasador will need approximately calories each day. This will reduce the total amount of food your dog eats, saving you money in the long run. Because of this, they need plenty of exercise. If you skimp out on the physical activity, you can expect your dog to become destructive, which can be seriously detrimental with a dog this size. This is also a great way to improve your bond with your dog. Remember, these are family-oriented animals and they want to spend as much time with you as possible. Aside from structured exercise like walks and playtime, your Bullmasador needs some space to run around and expel energy on their own. Instead, these dogs should be kept in houses with plenty of space and big yards for them to run around in. On the other hand, these are very large dogs that require a firm hand for training. They also need bathing more than most breeds; about once a week. Another thing to note with Bullmasadors is their ears. Once you finish cleaning them, make sure to dry them out thoroughly with a dry cloth to ensure that no moisture is left behind to become an ear infection. But on the other hand, mixed dogs are often healthier than their purebred parents. Such is the case for the Bullmasador. This breed is quite hardy and not at risk for quite as many health problems as its purebred parents. Minor Conditions Arthritis : Basically, arthritis is when the joints begin to degenerate, causing them to become inflamed. Like with dysplasia, arthritis is most common in larger breeds. Bullmasadors are less likely to develop arthritis than their Labrador Retriever parents who develop it commonly. The warning signs include panting, drooling, rapid heart rate, dry nose, blood from mouth, bloody stools, muscle tremors, and being warm to the touch. Ear Infections : Ear infections are one of the most common health problems that affect dogs. The stomach can then flip , further restricting blood flow to vital organs, even going so far as to stop the heart. Dilated Cardiomyopathy: In basic terms, cardiomyopathy is when the muscle of the heart degenerates and thins out. Once the walls of the heart are thin, the blood pressure causes them to expand and stretch, which results in the heart becoming larger. In some dogs, congestive heart failure may follow rapidly. Signs include weakness, collapse, coughing, decreased appetite, and weight loss. As a result, they rub on each other, causing the cartilage to break down. This causes pain, reduced movement, arthritis, and eventually lameness. Studies have also shown that overweight dogs are more likely to develop hip dysplasia. This can cause weight to be distributed abnormally across the joint, resulting in pain, arthritis, and lameness if left untreated. Male vs. Female The first notable difference between males and females is their physical size. Bullmasadors of any sex can be as small as 70 pounds, but only a male will reach impressive sizes of pounds. Females top out around pounds. Likewise, males can be a full 29 inches at the withers while females rarely crest 25 inches. Males are actually more likely to develop dilated cardiomyopathy. These dogs are incredibly loyal, family-oriented dogs. They are gentle and loving with their family members, but watchful and reserved with strangers. Despite their large size, these dogs are great with children, taking care to be extra gentle with them. But keep in mind, you need a large yard and plenty of space to keep one of these massive canines, plus an extra 30 minutes to devote to their exercise each day. Perfect as watchdogs or family companions, the Bullmasador is the epitome of a gentle giant. Their intelligence makes them easy to train and their friendly demeanor endears everyone to them. Once you add one to your family, your life will never be complete without one again. Mastodor or the Mastador Labmaraner mix dog. The appearance of this crossbreed dog depends on how much it inherits from each parent breed. The Mastador will normally have a solid and muscular body like the Mastiff, a broad head like the Labrador Retriever, and a short-length, shiny double coat. The Mastador dog is energetic and muscular therefore early behavioral and socialization training is strongly recommended, for this Mastiff mix, to enable it to show its protective nature, in a positive way. A Mastador puppy is a stunning example of a crossbreed dog. A brief history of this mixed-breed dog A Mastiff Lab mix is a cross between a purebred mastiff dog and a purebred Labrador Retriever dog. There are at least 18 different types of mastiff dogs. Did you know that the Great Dane dog is actually a German mastiff? While in England he was so impressed with the strength and protective ability of the English Mastiff that he took some back to Rome and began breeding them as guard dogs and fighting dogs for blood sports. They were even used to fight Gladiators. After several generations, the Bullmastiff was officially recognized as a purebred in the s, in the UK, as a dog breed in its own right, and then in , by the American Kennel Club AKC in the United States. It is gaining in popularity as a purebred and currently is ranked the 51st most popular dog in the United States by the AKC. These two different Mastiffs are similar but with a few noticeable differences: The Bullmastiff is slightly smaller than the English Mastiff, although both are still huge dogs. The Bullmastiff is more independent, not as needy as and more stubborn than the English Mastiff. This Mastiff purebred dog is a massive, heavy-boned dog with a symmetrical build and a short, double coat. It is patient and loyal and will make a great companion or family dog, but it will be wary of strangers. With its big sad-looking eyes and wrinkled face you will just want to give it a big hug, and probably get a big lick in return! Mastiffs typically have a coat color of apricot, fawn, or brindle with a black mask, and big feet! It has a solid double coat in one of 3 colors; pure black, chocolate brown, or yellow. The Lab is a loveable dog breed for any experience of dog owners. The Labrador Retriever dog breed is from Newfoundland, Canada, and was used by fishermen to retrieve their fish from nets and catch any that escaped back into the sea. They are good swimmers and have a gentle mouth grip that will not further destroy any prey they are ordered to retrieve. This dog breed came to Great Britain around , to be used as gun dogs for retrieving waterfowl from land and water, in Scotland and England. The lab is a gentle, fun-loving, and loyal family dog with an easy-going temperament. A Labrador Retriever Puppy is just adorable, and when trained and socialized it can be trusted around anyone. Meet the offspring: The Mastiff Lab mix The designer dog offspring of these two purebred dogs is a Mastiff Labrador mix — the Mastador puppy. Designer breeds gained popularity in the United States during the s and this increased demand and popularity for cross-breed dogs such as the Mastiff Lab mix. The Mastador puppy is a hybrid, and as a mixed-breed dog it is not recognized as a breed in its own right, by the American Kennel Club; nor can it be awarded pedigree papers. The Mastiff Lab mix — Colors and pattern As the Mastadoris a cross-breed dog, its appearance will be more difficult to predict than a purebred dog. However, considering the parent breeds there are only a few likely coat colors including Brown, Black, Yellow from the Labrador and Fawn, Red, or Brindle from the Mastiff mix. Occasionally, but rare the coat color can be Silver or Charcoal Gray. The coat of the Mastador breed is likely to have one solid coat color, but if light-colored or brindle it may have the classic black mask and it can have a white chest and white paws. The Mastador dog is not hypoallergenic and will shed moderately. What are the main characteristics of a Mastador? Any crossbreed dog, like the Mastiff Lab mix, could inherit the characteristics and the health problems and health concerns of either parent breed; or perhaps the best of both and be stronger and inherit fewer health problems than their parent breeds. With any mixed-breed dog, you just have to wait and see how it turns out, however you know that this pooch will be a big one! Mastador puppies are likely to inherit the kind Labrador face and the solid body of the Mastiff, and big floppy ears. This large dog is courageous, confident, and smart, and also loving and affectionate. It will show great loyalty to their dog owner and family member. It will be a physically active dog and just want to play or hang out with you. Reputation: Any Mastiff mix dog has an image of a fierce guard dog, but proper behavior training and socialization will control its protective nature. The Mastador will act as a family watchdog. Trainability: Mastiff mix puppies need to be trained and socialized early. Mastiff Lab mix puppies will be strong and protective so they must learn control and discipline. The Mastador Breed is smart and tolerant so training should be fairly easy, providing you keep it interesting. They can be stubborn so training needs to be varied and fun. Positive reinforcement and reward-based training are recommended for this large dog breed as is very confident, and strong-willed. Mastiff breed mix puppies should be trained slowly and never negatively punished, challenged directly, hit, or locked up for misbehavior. Always reinforce change gradually and praise good behavior and learning. The Mastador is an active dog, so the puppy will need one hour of daily exercise and playtime, building up hours a day in adulthood. Remember, this is likely to grow into a very large dog, so they should not be over-exercised as a puppy while their bones are still growing, as this can damage their developing bones and joints. Power and intelligence: Labrador Retriever mixes are intelligent, curious, and energetic. The Mastador will be a fast learner but could be stubborn and aloof, so they will need to be trained and handled properly to be able to socialize and behave to command in public places. Mastadors love activity and challenging playtime with their family; Fetch the ball or Frisbee, puzzles, or interactive chewable toys. This pooch will grow into a powerful and heavy dog so its exercise needs and strength should not be underestimated by any potential dog owner. Socialization: Early socialization dog training and discipline are strongly recommended for Mastiff mix dogs. The Mastador has two high energy parents and one is a powerful guard dog. Labradors have a soft delicate bite but the Mastiff has a powerful jaw and less delicate, so the Mastador will need to learn to control its protective nature and muscular strength. Gently discipline and obedience training should start early to help this huge puppy to become well—behaved and gentle with other dogs and children. Purpose: Mastadors are sensitive and can be quite shy. Behavior: A Mastiff Lab mix generally inherits the best of both. Young children should be careful when playing with this big dog, and not allowed to treat it roughly. It could turn aggressive if mishandled so play must be supervised and respect shown to the dog. A Mastador is quite docile and not a barker but it will be wary of strangers and therefore makes a good guard-dog. Physical Characteristics of the Mastador The Mastador has a deep chest, strong legs big brown expressive eyes, a medium muzzle, with a long tail. A Mastador will live on average, between years, and a litter size is usually between puppies. Coat: A short, dense but silky, double coat, moderate shedder; not hypoallergenic. Temperament: Mastadors learn easily and try to please. They are generally friendly with a gentle nature but bore easily and may refuse to cooperate. They are born protectors and will guard their territory, so they must be trained and socialized early. How should you train a Mastiff Labrador Retriever mix? This breed should be trained gently, slowly, and with consistency. The boundaries need to be set early for this powerful mixed-breed dog. Fun and positive reinforcement and reward-based training, especially small food treats work best. Never hit or raise your voice to this breed during training as it may challenge or rebel and refuse to cooperate further. Types of training required: obedience, discipline, agility, and socialization. So, if you are not going to use a professional dog trainer: 1 Develop basic command words: Stop, Sit, Down, etc. This huge dog will try to dominate and this must be controlled early in training. This will eventually become its nest and it will sleep there. Eventually, the puppy with your help will learn where and where not to go. They will eventually become creatures of habit and regulate their need and place to use. Health problems and health issues What health problems can a Mastiff Lab mix suffer from? Hip Dysplasia and elbow dysplasia — common in many large breeds. Hip dysplasia is a malformation of the hip joint, where the ball at the top of the leg does not fit properly into the socket and the ligaments attaching it are weak. This allows excess movement of the fitting which can eventually lead to stiffness and pain for the dog. Bloat — any large dog that eats quickly or drinks a lot before exercising can suffer from bloat. This dangerous excessive gas build-up can cause the stomach to twist and damage other organs. Cataract eye disease — is a clouding over of the vision. Brachycephalic syndrome — breathing difficulties, due to the shape of its nose and restricted airways; Pugs and Boxer dogs have similar problems. Other health issues include ear infections, bone cancer, and heart problems How do you care for a Mastador dog? Exercise needs A Mastador is outgoing, but not overly energetic so its exercise needs are low. They will enjoy walks and freedom to play. One hour a day of exercise is enough for an adult. Feeding Feed as a large-sized dog, around 3 cups of Kibble dry formulated food per day, fed twice a day and slowly to prevent bloat. Grooming needs The Mastador has a short but dense double coat and only sheds moderately, so you can be the groomer and brush every days. Bathing This large dog does not need regular bathing, only when required. Certain dog formulated shampoos have a double effect of cleaning the coat and protecting it against fleas and insect bites. Cleaning teeth, nails, and ears As with all dogs, their teeth need to be cleaned regularly to prevent a build-up of plaque. Chewing breaks down plaque, so use doggie chew-toys, bare-bones and soft toothbrushes, and toothpaste. Nails grow quickly and need trimming regularly, say monthly, and their floppy ears need to be checked for debris that could cause infection. Lifestyle This breed is affectionate and loves company. It is a great family dog and will be happy living in an apartment or house with a big yard as long as it is with you They can be stubborn and aggressive until trained. They will chew things if bored or left alone for long periods of time, so keep stimulated and busy. Chew toys can help with boredom. This breed is a natural watchdog that will act on instinct to be very protective of its family. Positives and Negatives of ownership Positives. The Lab crossed with Mastiff has a natural smooth coat that is low maintenance and will only need moderate brushing. Brushing helps spread natural oil to their coat and removes loose hairs to promote new hair growth. However, they are not hypoallergenic which is why vacuuming your home once in a while is a must. Bathing them can also be challenging due to their large size. Imagine, having to wash a to a pound dog! The shower should be done in your backyard using a water hose. If possible, you may take them to a professional groomer instead that has a designated facility for bathing larger breeds. Their oily skin coat makes it easier for them to remove dirt and water. You may take your dog out for a swim instead or splash in the water. Ideally, a monthly bath is good enough for this hybrid. Make sure to clean their ears regularly to avoid infections. They love playing in the water, and their long droopy ears make them more vulnerable to wax build-up and infections in the auditory canal. Their ears must be checked and cleaned through at regular times to avoid major issues. Brush their teeth at least twice per week to improve oral hygiene. Due to their active personality, their paws should also be cleaned regularly. Their nails must be trimmed if needed. Generally, this hybrid is vulnerable to ear infections due to their ear structure. Gum infections may also kick in and can also impact their oral health. Both of these can be prevented by regular cleaning. Remember that all breeds are prone to developing more severe and specific health problems. Thus, results in the rubbing of the joint and prevents it from sliding naturally. Progressive Retinal Atrophy: This is an eye disease that happens when the retina malfunctions and fails to reflect, absorb, and perceive light which can, later on, cause blindness. Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus Bloating : This is a life-threatening condition that affects large dogs. The stomach then puts pressure on other organs may cause dangerous problems such as a tear in the wall of his stomach, difficulty in breathing or reduced blood flow in the heart. It is essential to split their total food intake into multiple smaller meals throughout the day rather than letting them eat it at once. Other common diseases are: Osteoporosis Heart Disease It is advisable to have your mixed breed undergo regular check-ups to rule out any condition the soonest time possible. Offer them either the best puppy food brands or the best dry dog food for small dogs to meet their calorie requirements. Once full-grown, you may need to provide them up to 3. Try to avoid feeding them with the worst dry dog food at all cost, as it can trigger allergies or severe digestive issues, including poisoning! Be sure to control the servings to prevent overfeeding. This hybrid also has an appetite for raw food. You can provide them fresh food rich with calcium and phosphates to strengthen their bones. Avoid feeding them food with high calorie or fat as this can make them sloppy and unhealthy. Make sure to provide this mixed breed only the best dry dog food that can help them reach their daily protein needs. Its fat and protein content has been well-calculated to maintain mass and lean muscle. Flaxseed, barley and brown rice are used as a carbohydrate source. It contains MOs and L-carnitine that helps in the building of antibodies. It is made from deboned turkey, turkey meal, and chicken meat. It is also rich in antioxidants, omega fatty acids, and probiotics. Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Grain-Free Dry Dog Food: This dog food gets all its protein content from fish, making it rich in omega acids that help skin and fur healthy. Your dog will surely enjoy its distinct flavors from salmon, legumes, vegetables, and fruits. Mastiff crossed with Lab Exercise Requirements This hybrid is large and robust. Regular exercise is needed to use up their excess energy and for keeping them in the right health. The lack of exercise would not make them aggressive and make them go back to their docile status. Their big body structure must be adequately maintained to keep it healthy. However, strenuous activities, like jumping or leaping, should be moderated to avoid issues like bone stress or worst, fractures. This mixed breed is also not demanding when it comes to finding the right place for playing. Your Mastiff crossed with Lab will enjoy different activities both indoors and outdoors. Should you decide to go outside when weather is favorable, might as well challenge this hybrid by using equipment or toys. Here a list of durable toys that will surely make your dog have a fun time playing: Jolly Romp and Roll Ball: This very durable dog toy is ideal if you want to play fetch. It is easy to grip and throw, and easy to retrieve or carry for your hybrid. This ball will not deflate and is firm to withstand strong bite pressure from bigger breeds like the Lab Mastiff mix. KONG Extreme Dog Toy: Coming from one of the most trusted brands when it comes to dogs toys, your dog will surely love this sturdy rubber contraption. You can use this to play fetch or fill it with a treat and make your dog busy munching it down for hours. It is made of natural black rubber and intended for use only by the strongest of power chewers. Perfect for your Lab Mastiff mixed breed. Labrador Mastiff Mix Training This mixed breed is generally smart and training them should a piece of cake if you know how to execute it properly. At an early age, the training should be easy and fun for both of you. This is the time where you should focus on socializing your dog with your kids, environment, other dogs, pets or animals you want your dog to be familiarized with. This mixed breed always wants to please their owners, and their smartness allows them to learn tricks faster. They respond significantly with obedience training and can absorb all house rules in no time. However, be reminded that this mixed breed possesses great physical and mental strength coming from its Mastiff lineage. You should be cautious and be firm. Through proper training and socialization, you develop this mixed breed into an affectionate, friendly and well-behaved dog. Mastiff Labrador Mix and Families If you have the energy, time and space, then, you should consider having a Mastiff Lab Mix in your family. They may be large, but through proper training and socialization, they tend to go well with kids, pets or other animals. They can also be a great family pet for you. Health and lifespan The Mastador dog hopes to bring together aspects of the brave, affectionate and loyal Bullmastiff, and the active, friendly and outgoing Labrador. And it must be said, those large, doleful eyes and floppy jowls are hard to resist. These dogs helped the local fishermen, pulling in nets and carts laden with fish. They soon gained popularity in England for their hunting ability. The Bullmastiff was originally developed in England, around the year .The breed is the result of a cross between the Bulldog and the old English Mastiff. The purpose of this cross was to produce a breed that would act as a guard dog for gamekeepers against poachers. The impressive size and courage displayed by this cross breed made them perfect for their role as guard dogs. The Mastador mix will often use a Bullmastiff parent. Typical Appearances A Bull Mastiff will typically weigh anywhere between 90 and pounds, depending on gender. They can be anywhere between 24 and 27 inches at the shoulder in height. They are also a heavy set dog. A Labrador is a somewhat smaller dog than the bullmastiff and will typically be around 22 inches at the withers. They usually weigh somewhere between 55 and 90 pounds. Whichever side of the family your Lab Mastiff pup takes after, the fact remains that both parents are large dogs. A Bull Mastiff Labrador mix is going to be a big dog. Bullmastiffs also have a distinctive droopy face and floppy jowls. Some Mastadors will inherit this trait. Colors and Coat Type Bullmastiffs have six colors, including fawn, brindle, red and combinations of the three. They all have a dark face mask. The Labrador comes in three recognized colors; yellow , black and chocolate. They are also known for their kind, friendly eyes. Some Mastadors look decidedly like a Bullmastiff, and others like a Labrador with slightly looser jowls. Often, a Lab Mastiff cross results in a rather distinguished and stately looking pooch. Grooming and Shedding The Bullmastiff has a short coat and does not require heavy grooming. Labradors have a double coat, so they will shed. They need regular grooming and baths to keep them looking their best. But, as such a large breed, even a small amount of shedding can result in a lot of loose fur around your home. Neither of these parent breeds have a very long coat. But, the Mastador mix is a very large dog, so grooming can be quite time consuming. And, if your puppy takes after the Labrador parent, you may need to spend a little time keeping their coat groomed. Particularly in the case of black Lab Mastiff, the short, shiny mastiff coat teamed with the jet black color of the Labrador makes for an impressive shiny black coat. Keep an eye on the nails of your dog and trim them when necessary. Labrador nails grow quickly, so they could become excessively long if not kept in check. Teeth should be brushed regularly. Mastiff Lab Mix Temperament Bullmastiffs are not overly active dogs, so spending time lazing around inside is not a big issue for them. But, like all dogs, they still need regular exercise. They are also known to be loyal dogs, protective of their family. The Labrador is known for its friendly, outgoing personality and laid back personality. They are very active dogs and will thrive if they get lots of opportunities to play. A Bullmastiff Lab mix could take after either side of the family or fall somewhere in between. Whichever parent your lab mastiff cross takes after, they are likely to have a relaxed and friendly temperament. As long as they are socialized well. Are Mastadors Aggressive? Mastiff breeds and Labs are known for their friendly and relaxed natures. But, the Bullmastiff is a natural guard dog and is an independent thinker. As such, they need thorough socialization from a young age. You must meet the Mastiff parent and feel confident that their guarding nature is not to the detriment of their friendliness around strangers. Socialization Make sure your Mastador feels comfortable around other dogs, small animals like cats, young and older children, elderly people, and strangers. Even when bringing home a Mastiff Lab mix, socialization is still essential. Make sure you have visitors to the home every day from 8 to 14 weeks old, then regularly from that point. Take them somewhere new and busy every day, where they will meet lots of friendly faces of various ages. These are very big dogs, so they can easily hurt someone without meaning to. Especially elderly people or very young children. You must be prepared to properly socialize and train a Mastador dog to avoid this. Training Your Dog Training, leadership and regular time spent playing with your Mastiff cross Labrador puppy will mean it grows up to be a happy and well-adjusted companion. Keep in mind that despite their size, Bullmastiffs are quite sensitive deep down. Positive reinforcement training is essential with potentially aggressive breeds, and those prone to stubbornness. It makes training motivating, rewarding, and an enjoyable experience for you both. On the other hand, Labradors are sociable, outgoing dogs that are eager to please. They have high energy levels and love to be kept busy. Whether your lab mastiff puppy takes after the bullmastiff or the Labrador, training and strong leadership is going to be highly beneficial for your puppy. Particularly given the size this dog will grow to be. Exercise Needs While Bullmastiffs are known to be happy spending time indoors relaxing, Labradors crave a little more action. After you bring your lab mastiff puppy home, it will take some time before you know which side of the family he or she will take after. It is important that you have somewhere outside you can take your Lab Mastiff cross for some playtime. But, be wary of overexercising this breed, or exercising them strenuously whilst they are young. This can lead to joint damage. Both parent breeds are prone to hip dysplasia, so watch out for signs of this whilst exercising your Mastiff Lab mix. Mastiff and Labrador Health Just because Mastiff Lab mix pups are a cross breed, this does not mean they are immune to the health issues that the parent dogs may experience. It is still vitally important to check that the parents of your Labrador x Mastiff puppy enjoyed good health. Labrador Health. Bullmassador Description The Bullmasador is not a purebred dog. It is a cross between the Bullmastiff and the Labrador Retriever. The best way to determine the temperament of a mixed breed is to look up all breeds in the cross and know you can get any combination of any of the characteristics found in any of the breeds in the hybrid. It is very common for breeders to breed multi-generation crosses. His bark started out as a little squeak but has gotten very deep lately. I know he is going to be very protective of us because when he is not in the crate he lies in the way of our front door. He's our little man. He is a very loving dog and adores playing fetch with his Kong. His favorite thing to do is cuddle up in your lap—he tips the scale at 82 pounds! He has a great personality and wants to play constantly. He is extremely protective of our home—he will definitely let you know when someone is approaching. I could not have imagined a sweeter, happier dog and we have even learned to overlook the drooling. My hubby watches Cesar religiously—he thinks the "CHHHH" is great for getting the dogs to stop doing something they shouldn't be doing.

Houston Houston Houston has been adopted! Houston was so excited when we arrived at his new home. He went straight to the door and right inside, like he knew he was home. Houston has a fur brother, Bubba, who will help Houston navigate his new home. Houston will also have a big brother at home and sisters, who were visiting from school. This wonderful family had lots of energy and love to give this special boy. So, to the Bulldog soon to be formally known as Houston, happy tails! The rescue coordinator called us the second Houston was surrendered asking us to please come for him. He is short, fat, white, double cherry eyes, skin problems, and pretty much what we get. Foster Ma says I am full of energy. I love, love, love toys. I want to play all the time. I found the toy box my first day here and pulled out all of the plush toys because those are my favorite. Foster Ma calls her a Diva… whatever that means. Foster Ma says she is so happy with me as I am already potty trained. Have I told you how much I love toys and how much I love to play? Additional Photos. Proof of service or military ID must be presented at the time of adoption. Pets younger than two years will have normal adoption fees. What is included in the adoption fee? All Pet Adoptions Include: Spay or neuter surgery, dewormer, age-appropriate vaccinations, rabies vaccination, flea prevention, a pet microchip, and a one year registration with the City of Houston. BARC strongly recommends taking your newly adopted pet to a veterinarian within 72 hours for a follow up exam. If the pet becomes sick BARC offers treatment for newly adopted pets within two weeks of the adoption date. Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal disease which affects dogs and other mammals in the United States and other parts of the world. This disease is transmitted by mosquitos. It does not spread from dog to dog so it is safe to adopt a heartworm-positive dog. Heartworm disease can be resolved and most dogs respond well to treatment and can live long and happy lives! If the dog you have chosen to adopt is heartworm positive, we will have you speak to a medical team member prior to completing the adoption. The team member will be able to answer any questions you may have, help you learn more about this disease, and what the treatment will entail. Heartworm disease can be prevented. Due to the high density of the disease and mosquitos in our area, all dogs in your household should be on heartworm prevention. Visit www. How do I adopt a pet in Foster Care? Pets in Foster Care are not physically in the shelter except for on special event days. If you have found a pet from foster care that you would like to adopt or learn more about, Email barcfoster houstontx. Please allow at least 48 hours for the foster caregiver to reach out. Once you have met the pet and confirm you would like to adopt, our foster team will reach out to you on how to start the adoption process. For most pets, the adoption will still have to be done in person at BARC. For more information on adopting a pet from foster care, please contact barcfoster houstontx. Please come to BARC before 1 p.

You know your German Shepherd is one of the smartest breeds. You know they can listen to you when they want, but… Sometimes they become distracted or just downright ignore you. But, there are many reasons why. The first thing you need to remember is you need to be able to communicate effectively with your dog. This is the number one way to practice proper listening skills and obedience. Your dog will often learn to simply tune you out if you persist in poor communication skills. Maybe you call their name over and over… And you keep calling their name and expect them to come. Instead, call their name and try luring them with a tasty treat, toy, or even by slapping your leg. Or, go to them and get their attention with the toy or treat. German Shepherds are adept at reading body language and are more prone to listen when you have a reward at hand. This is where using positive reinforcement comes in! Using Positive Reinforcement Play, praise, and food treats are all positive rewards. Positive reinforcement teaches your dog that good behavior, such as listening to you and paying attention, get them good things. Like a squeaky toy you play with them or even a tasty bit of chicken. These types of punishment cause your dog stress and will prevent you from training them effectively. If your training becomes so stressful you want to hurt your dog, step away from your training and call a dog trainer in to help you. Teaching your GSD to listen to you can begin at any age — from a rambunctious puppy to an aging senior. German shepherds are intelligent dogs and are willing to work with the right motivation and rewards. Learn What Motivates Your German Shepherd to Pay Attention In order to have the most effective communication with your dog, begin by finding out what motivates your dog. But it can also be another thing they find rewarding, like a favorite toy such as a ball or tug rope. Most importantly, make sure these rewards are high in value to them. This means your dog would practically sell his soul to get them! Only use them for training your dog to listen. The same goes for the treats. Make these treats so special that your dog knows you mean business when you get them out for your training. What are good rewards for a German Shepherd? Always keep a stash of motivational rewards on hand for your training to motivate your dog to listen to you and pay attention. Your dog is sure to love one of these healthy, highly scented training treats for German Shepherds. Or even praise through your words and pets. And always be sure to account for the extra calories your dog eats during training so you can reduce their regular meals a bit. Capture Their Attention Another dog training technique to get their attention is using the capture method to train your German Shepherd to listen. Use these techniques to get a German Shepherd to pay attention to you. STEP 1 Keep your special reward treat in your pocket or a treat pouch so they are quick to offer. Now, watch what your dog is doing around the house on its normal day. STEP 2 This method is all about catching your dog at the exact moment when their focus is on you. STEP 3 When they turn to look at you, use a verbal command when you see the behavior to mark it. .STEP 4 Reward right away after the verbal command when they are looking at you. This teaches them to look back to you whenever the cue word is used. STEP 5 Catching when your dog looks at you requires ninja-like reflexes, as they look quickly and you must time your cue word to their looking at you. Quickly mark the behavior with your verbal command and immediately reward them. Over time, your dog should respond to the cue word to look at you and listen. Train Them to Focus on You Training your German Shepherd to focus on you takes a bit of patience, but pays off in the end. Follow these steps to train them to focus on you. STEP 1 Pick a special, high-value treat and start in a quiet area of your home. STEP 2 Hold the treat where your German shepherd can see it in your hand, but out of reach of your dog. They will probably only look at your eyes for a split second at first, so be prepared to say your command cue exactly as they look at your eyes. STEP 5 Reward your dog with the treat as soon as they look at you. STEP 6 Repeat this scenario a few times a day, always with their super special treat in hand. Work up to your German Shepherd looking into your eyes in increasing times, such as 2-seconds, then 3-seconds, and so on in order for them to earn their reward. This approach is from a renowned animal behaviorist, Kathy Sdao , explained in her book Plenty in Life is Free. STEP 1 Gather 50 very small pieces of training treat at the beginning of each morning. Make sure they are healthy and broken into very tiny pieces since you have so many and keep them in your pocket or a treat bag. STEP 2 Watch for times during the day when your dog is behaving appropriately. This is the core of the program. STEP 5 Continue to look for good behaviors you want your dog to repeat throughout the day. Work through the 50 tiny treats. And, even if they do you might prefer to use a toy instead of a food motivator occasionally to keep training interesting and fun for both you and your dog. STEP 1 Pick a toy that is only used for this special training game so they focus on your cues more easily. Some toys that your dog may love are toys that squeak, crinkle, make noises of other kinds, or smells interesting. STEP 2 Now, act energetically by jumping up and down, making unique noises, or slapping your hand against your leg. STEP 3 As your dog looks to you, begin to run away. German Shepherds have a high prey drive and love to chase. So, running in the opposite direction convinces your GSD to chase after you, especially if you have their favorite toy in your hand. STEP 4 Now, reward your dog with their special toy when they catch up to you. Toss their toy for them and enjoy a bit of playtime with them. Keep the energy upbeat and positive. The playtime with the toy is the reward instead of a food treat and encourages your dog to stay near you. STEP 5 Continue to play the catch-reward-play game throughout the day. Your German Shepherd will begin to form the habit of paying attention to you when you are consistent in your training and in your rewards. Use these techniques to get your German Shepherd to listen to you in different situations and places. STEP 1 When working on new commands begin indoors in a quiet, distraction-free area — like a bedroom. Try a kitchen or living area when the TV is on. STEP 3 Now add in more distractions. Have your family or friends around while you ask your dog to perform the command. For example, move back to the quiet bedroom if the TV on in the living room distracts them. STEP 5 Once your German Shepherd has mastered listening to you indoors, begin training in your backyard or front yard Make sure your dog is on a long line for safety and easy recall. Whether you have a puppy or an adult, you can train your German Shepherd to listen to you with the right steps. With highly intelligent dogs like the German Sheperd, remember they can sometimes become bored or turn their attention to something else entirely as they lose interest in you. She has a Bachelor of Science degree, with Honors, and has been training dogs for over a decade. Related Posts. Use Positive Reinforcement Techniques Positive reinforcement, also known as rewards-based training, implies giving a reward to increase the frequency of the response. Rewards can be: Treats. Choose healthy treats, pieces of kibble, or tiny pieces of meat. Physical attention. You can pet behind the ears or give a hug. Verbal praise. Give your GSD his favorite toy that you save for rewards. Rewarding your German Shepherd for good behavior is an underrated tool in your dog-training arsenal. It is simple yet incredibly powerful. Unfortunately, it is also often ignored. If you scold him, he might feel content for having received your attention. This speaks to the importance of patience; the more patient you are, the more your German Shepherd values positive attention. When you bestow it upon him during his calmer episodes, he starts recreating the setting. You will notice him sitting in the same place where you patted him or held a similar position. It might be tempting to pet him then, but you have to be patient, or you will confuse the dog. Wait until he mimics the actual calmness you want to reward, then use reinforcement by giving him attention, affection, and treats. Increase Socialization If you have previously delayed socializing your German Shepherd, the chances are that the lack of socialization is a key contributor to his disobedience. You should socialize a German Shepherd at 8 weeks old, which is usually when you bring your puppy home. Your breeder would have already begun early socialization from 3 weeks, so you should now continue the process of exposing your pup to a range of sights, smells, sounds, and interactions with people and other dogs. No matter whether your doggo is a pup or an adult, increasing socialization will set your German Shepherd on the right path to becoming a confident, friendly and obedient dog. I have a great article on how to socialize a German Shepherd from pup to adult. This details easy ways to go about this and includes how to socialize an older dog or even an aggressive German Shepherd. When your German Shepherd has pent-up energy, he might not be in the state to receive commands. By sufficiently draining this excess energy safely and productively, you can make your German Shepherd more receptive and less stubborn. In this state, you can reinforce restraint-centric anchors. That said, you must not wait until the dog is in his most agitated state before you take him out, as that would associate acting up with freedom, and he will almost always act out to be taken for walks or playtimes. Instead, prevent it in the first place. If you have a young pup and need some ideas, you can check out this article, 7 Fun Ways to Exercise a German Shepherd Puppy. German Shepherds are high-energy dogs, and adults need at least hours of daily exercise. In addition to essential exercise for your German Shepherds to stay obedient, he also needs to be mentally stimulated, which brings me to the next solution. Provide Varied Mentally Stimulating and Fun Games We have to remember the original purpose of the German Shepherd, which was to herd and protect livestock. Although rarely used in this capacity nowadays, the genetic working trait remains with the breed. They need a job to do and thrive off pleasing their owner, which is why they are used in law enforcement, search and rescue, and as service dogs today. Every evening around 8 pm, my German Shepherd will sit in front of me and give me the stare! I love this toy, and dogs enjoy finding the treats in the puzzle toy, which keeps them busy for ages. This best-seller gets a crazy amount of good reviews and is widely recommended by almost 60, dog lovers, so it must have something about it. Increase Training Sessions Similar to socialization, if you have previously delayed training your German Shepherd or if training is incomplete, the chances are that the lack of training is a pivotal contributor to his disobedience. Not only does your German Shepherd need to learn that he should listen to you, but he must also find out what listening to you entails. While the best time to start training your GSD is at 8 weeks old , the next best time is now. This will keep your dog continually focused and interested. Your German Shepherd must also learn his position. This entails going back to training in a distraction-free setting. He might not intend to ignore you deliberately, so this is where you need to get him to focus his attention on you. Manage the environment when progressing outside. Start off with not too many distractions. Use high level treats when outside. Check out this excellent video on how to train a German Shepherd with distractions. This gorgeous pup is only 5 months old and is learning to focus on the trainer in a controlled outside environment. Chewing has several functions, including providing pain relief for teething pups, keeping teeth clean and jaws strong in older dogs, and relieving boredom. Dogs just enjoy chewing. But what if the chewing becomes destructive? Providing your dog with a chewing outlet, such as various interesting chew toys, will stop many German Shepherd behavior problems. The happier your doggo is, the less stubborn he will be when it comes to obeying you. Choose something like the KONG variety of chew toys. Follow a Training and Feeding Schedule Having a schedule provides structure and discipline and teaches your pup that you are the leader. Your German Shepherd will soon pick things up and catch up. You should also stick to a feeding schedule. Dogs are creatures of habit, and providing meals at expected times means listening and obeying you when you call them to eat. German Shepherds are prone to sensitive stomachs, and many are not food motivated, unlike the Labrador. Having a feeding schedule also prevents your German Shepherd from becoming a fussy eater. It might be that he wants that extra treat or wants to climb on the couch. So now the tide is turned. Instead of your dog ignoring you, you now ignore your dog. Never bow down pardon the pun to any form of demanding behavior, especially demand barking. This will only teach your best friend that he gets what he wants when he barks for something. Instead, ignore the demand barking, and at the precise moment he becomes quiet, quickly reward him with a treat. That way, he will soon learn that when he stops barking at you, nice things will happen. The trick here is in the timing. Use Brief and Effective Time-Outs When training a stubborn German Shepherd, one of the most crucial steps is teaching your dog to accept time-outs. Rewarding your doggo with treats is easy; it is in discipline or punishment where most people mess up. You need to teach your German Shepherd to follow your commands — or ground himself. So, what do I mean by a time-out? A time-out is a type of negative punishment in which we deprive the dog of what they enjoy, in this case, social engagement. Use an area of the house, a room with a dog gate, or an exercise pen for young pups. Time-outs should be around 60 seconds for young puppies to minutes for older dogs. Use the time-out at the moment of the stubborn behavior, not after. But not only does regular brushing help to control and reduce shedding , but it also helps to increase bonding between you and your pet. Most dogs enjoy being the center of attention. Brushing is relaxing and beneficial to the skin and hair. Your German Shepherd will also learn that it is acceptable to handle his body and feet, and you will develop trust with your canine buddy as a result. This has the everlasting effect of reducing his stubbornness when you need to clip his nails or he needs to be handled by the vet. Go here to find out the best grooming tools for German Shepherds and the ones I use. This will give you peace of mind that he will respond to you positively and help curb any bad habits. Often, inexperienced owners just need to be taught what to do. Attending obedience classes solves this knowledge gap and creates an opportunity to increase socialization, so you kill two birds with one stone. You can also enlist the help of a professional trainer as they will be experienced in training stubborn dogs and improving obedience. Key Takeaways German Shepherds are socially intelligent dogs. However, with delayed or insufficient training and a lack of guidance, they can become asocial and disobedient. Fortunately, with enough patience, firmness, and positive reinforcement training alongside increased exercise time and stimulation, any German Shepherd can be brought back into the socially acceptable circle of obedient dogs. Related Posts You May Like:. This is a common problem with GSD owners as this breed of dogs is very dominant. We all know German Shepherds as guarding dogs we see with police forces. Of course, these dogs are extremely intelligent, and if trained well , they will learn anything. Disobedience is when your GSD purposely ignores your commands. GSDs are extremely powerful and governing. If they are not trained properly in their initial days, they will have issues when you try to become a leader. These hierarchical issues become a huge problem for both the dog and the owner and ruin the dog-owner relationship completely. When your GSD starts to exhibit disobedient behavior, act immediately. Letting the dog misbehave is not going to turn things around. So, if your dog is getting out of hands and establishing itself as the authority, stop it right there. Due to their nature, they tend to become dominant, but it is the responsibility of the owner to bring it back on track. There are simple ways with the help of which GSD owners can re-establish themselves as the authority. Never let your dog leave the house before you. Always eat 30 minutes before your dog so that it knows that you are the alpha. Do not let your dog enter every area of the home and limit its area. Do not let your dog jump on sofas, bed, and furniture because this behavior can make your dog feel like the boss of the home. If your GSD wants to play and grabs a cushion in its mouth and comes to you, do not start playing immediately. It might be intimidating but giving attention to the dog on its will is going to make it feel like an alpha. If nothing works and your German Shepherd is showing signs of bad behavior, follow an obedience training process. This type of training is especially very beneficial for GSDs. It will not only disobey you, but it will also ignore your commands. Make sure that the training sessions are no longer than a few minutes as it will become frustrating for your GSD. Once your dog feels bored, it will get distracted and not listen to your commands and instructions. Making the Disobedient Behavior Stop! How will you make it listen to you? Many times GSD owners who are facing disobedience problems with their dogs adopt a wrong approach that instead of putting them back on track worsens them further. The key in this type of situation is to act in a way that your dog would understand. Hence, they rank every member of the pack according to their behavior and itself as the pack leader. When you let your dog dominate, it will start to ignore your commands because it has established itself as the leader of the pack. However, if you fail to establish your position as an alpha, your GSD will start to ignore your commands. To avoid this kind of behavior, a GSD owner should react immediately. Stop it right away or give it a little tap on its head to tell it that you are still the boss. For Example: If you take your GSD for a walk in the park, and it is playing with other dogs while you walk. You are at a distance and want your dog to come to you. This is a crucial thing that owners should understand with an open mind. When your dog is playing with other dogs, it is actually having fun. However, when you call its name and order it to come to you, it will have to decide between stopping the play and coming to you OR ignoring you completely. Of course, it is fun to play, and your dog is enjoying its time. So, why do you think it would listen to you? In situations like these, when your dog purposely ignores your instructions, you need to act immediately. You can: Go to your dog and pull its collar so that it understands that you are asking it to stop. Speak in a low but authoritative voice to tell the dog that you are serious, and this attitude cannot be tolerated. The best way to make your dog learn to behave is to train it with a lead on. If you let the dog be on its own, it will feel that it can do whatever it wants to. However, having a leash on until your dog is not fully trained, you are giving it a message that you are in control of its actions. It is Time to get Disciplined! German Shepherds are highly confident dogs. This means that they will not like anyone else interfering in their business. If you are facing troubles training your dog to obey you, sign up with us and follow the tips on our site. Last Updated on September 5, by Post navigation. Related post: How to tell if your German Shepherd loves you How to get your German Shepherd to listen to you There are a number of things that you can do to get your German Shepherd to start paying attention to you that I will mention below. Exercise The first thing that you can do is to give it lots of exercise and attention. An easy way to give your German Shepherd lots of exercise is to teach it to play fetch. By doing so you will be able to get your German Shepherd to do a lot of running over a short time frame. Training If you want your German Shepherd to listen to you then it will be necessary for you to give it lots of training. One training exercise that you will need to do is to teach it to stay while being distracted. To do this you will first need to teach it to sit. Repeat that process each time increasing the duration that you require it to keep its focus on you. Start by just showing it the toy and then gradually make it harder for it to lose focus by rolling and waving the toy around. By exercising it you will be able to make it less hyperactive and more responsive to you. Related questions Why does my German Shepherd not listen to me outside? To deal with this you should train it in a variety of situations. Watch the above video to see how. Why does my German Shepherd not listen to me on walks? If you want a happy and obedient German Shepherd, this is one of the best online dog training programs available right now. You can get the first month free using This link.

Breeds The link has been copied! Labrador Retrievers are one of the most popular dog breeds in the world. As an admirer of one of these lovely furry companions, you may question how much it costs to buy and own a Labrador Retriever. We'll explore the upfront price of purchasing a puppy and the routine costs associated with pet ownership. We'll also cover various factors that can impact the cost of a Lab and provide tips on how to reduce the cost of owning one. The cost of a Lab can vary depending on several factors such as its age, color, purpose show or field , whether it's a purebred, and more. Routine Care Expenses Owning a Labrador Retriever requires some routine care expenses, which should be taken into account when considering the overall cost of having a pet. One of the essential expenses is veterinary care, which includes routine check-ups, vaccinations, and emergency medical care. Labs are prone to specific health issues, such as hip dysplasia , eye problems, and skin allergies, which may require additional medical attention and expenses. Another routine care expense for Labs is feeding. As they are a somewhat larger breed, they require a substantial amount of food to maintain their weight and energy levels. Additionally, treats, chews, and supplements can also be added to their diet, increasing the overall cost of nutrition. Proper grooming and hygiene are essential to keep a Lab healthy and comfortable. Remember that training and behavioral classes may be necessary to ensure your Lab is well-behaved and socialized, which can also be costly. These expenses should be considered when determining if a Lab is the right breed for you and your budget. How much a Labrador Retriever puppy costs depends on multiple factors, such as the breeder's reputation, the location of the pup, the bloodline, and more. Additionally, the cost may increase if the puppy comes with additional services such as health certificates, microchipping , or first vaccinations. Your pup will also need feeding, grooming, and bathing factored into their expenses, as well as beds, toys, chews, leashes, collars, harnesses, and much more. Consider the following: Buying From a Breeder vs. While adopting a Lab may be less expensive, it is essential to note that some shelters may have restrictions and requirements that need to be met before adoption. Keep in mind that the price of a Labrador based on color may vary by region and how popular that specific color is in that location. However, buyers should be cautious and avoid buying from dishonest breeders who may be selling mixed-breed dogs as purebreds. Breeders Reputation Reputable breeders who prioritize health, temperament, and breed standards usually charge more for their puppies. It's crucial to research the breeder thoroughly and ensure that they follow ethical breeding practices before making a purchase. This includes checking their breeding practices, requesting health certificates and pedigrees, and visiting their facilities in person if possible. Buyers should also be cautious of breeders who offer extremely low prices, as that might be a sign of unethical practices. Estimated Size The estimated size of an adult Labrador retriever is around about .Average Price To Buy A Lab Puppy From A Breeder The average price to buy a Lab puppy from a breeder is different from one person to the next, according to the reputation the breeder has in the community, the dog's bloodline, and their location. Again, the color of the Lab plays a significant factor as well. In addition to the cost of the puppy, there are also other expenses associated with owning a Lab. This includes routine care costs such as food, toys, grooming supplies, and veterinary visits for vaccinations and check-ups. Owners should also budget for unexpected expenses such as emergency veterinary care or unexpected illnesses. Remember that a reputable breeder may charge more for their puppies, but they are more likely to provide you with a healthy, well-socialized puppy from a good bloodline. Average Cost To Adopt A Lab Puppy Adopting a Lab puppy is generally less expensive than buying one from a breeder, but the costs can still vary widely. However, it's crucial to research adoption agencies thoroughly to ensure that they are reputable and the dogs are healthy and well-cared for before making a decision. You don't want to bring a sickly pup into your home, just to end up spending more on medical bills than you had anticipated. However, the costs don't stop there. Once you have your furry friend, ongoing expenses include food, vet bills, grooming, and more. In addition, Labs are known for their love of exploration and adventure, which means they have a penchant for getting lost. You don't want to get a new puppy with the understanding that the breed may be high maintenance, and then you lose track of your dog. The collar uses GPS and cellular technology to track your dog's location in real-time, so you can quickly locate your pet if they ever wander off. The collar also includes additional features such as activity monitoring and geofencing to alert you if your dog leaves a designated area. While the initial cost of the collar may seem high, it can save you money in the long run by preventing the loss or theft of your beloved Lab. Labrador Retriever Breed Guide Labrador Retrievers are outgoing and generally have a friendly disposition toward others. They are loyal, affectionate and make excellent family pets. They are also intelligent and easy to train, which makes them great for first-time dog owners. Due to their friendly nature, they also make excellent therapy dogs and are often used in service roles. Labrador Retrievers generally come in three colors: black, chocolate, and yellow. The coat is short, dense, and water-resistant, which makes them excellent swimmers. Labs can be medium to large dogs that weigh about 55 to 80 pounds on average, with the males usually outweighing the females by ten pounds. Typically, they're around two feet tall inches , and the males will have about a one-inch height advantage over the females. The average lifespan for a Labrador Retriever is around 12 years, although some can live up to 14 years. They are all around healthy, but like all dogs, there are specific ailments that you're more likely to encounter with a Lab, like obesity, ear infections, and hip dysplasia. As for lifetime care costs, they can vary depending on factors such as food, vet bills, and grooming expenses. There are several ways to reduce the cost of owning a Labrador Retriever. One option is to adopt a dog from a local shelter or rescue organization. Adopting a dog from a shelter is usually less expensive than buying a puppy from a breeder. Typically, dog shelters will include initial vaccinations, any spaying or neutering services needed, along with essential veterinary care up front. That helps cut down on some of the initial costs that owners usually spend when they first bring a puppy home. However, it's not uncommon that breeders will also at least include the first vaccinations for the pup upon its release to your family. Another option to reduce the cost of owning a Lab is to consider adopting an older dog instead of a puppy. Older dogs may already be trained and require less attention and socialization than a puppy, which can save on training costs and time. Moreover, older dogs may have lower veterinary bills since they may not require as many check-ups or preventative care as a puppy. Finally, another way to save money on the lifetime costs of owning a Labrador Retriever is to invest in preventative care. This includes regular exercise, a healthy diet, and regular veterinary check-ups to catch potential health issues early on. While preventive care may require an upfront investment, it can ultimately save money by avoiding expensive medical bills down the line. Final Thoughts: The Cost of Owning a Labrador Retriever Labrador Retrievers are one of the most popular breeds to own, but they can be somewhat high maintenance after you bring them into your home. However, there are ways to reduce costs, such as adopting from a shelter or rescue organization, buying an older dog instead of a puppy, and being mindful of routine care costs. Regardless of the price, it's important to protect your Labrador Retriever with a GPS-tracking dog collar like the one offered by Fi, which can provide peace of mind and ensure the safety of your Lab. Get more expert advice on pet-parenting by visiting the Off Leash blog at TryFi. TryFi's The Fi Dog Collar is a must-have for any pet parent, it's a GPS tracking collar that helps you keep tabs on your dog's location, activity, and sleep patterns, and alerts you if they escape your backyard. The link has been copied! You might also like. We have compared five different dog breeds which are quite popular in the United States, and still, Labrador Retrievers are among the top of them. They are one of the friendliest dogs and very intelligent too. Which makes them good pets. They also tend to learn things very quickly, making them easy to work with. Photo by Jusdevoyage on Unsplash How much does a Labrador cost? The price of a Labrador can vary depending on the priority of the breeder. In addition to paying an adoption fee for purebred puppies, they also need to undergo mandatory vaccination. Get your dog vaccines after prescribed intervals to avoid any kind of harm to yourself and even to your dog. The dogs are usually vaccinated at 6, 12, and 16 weeks of age. This can be economical for some of you but not for everyone. So, everything depends on your budget. How much should you pay for a Lab Puppy? Now you are pretty much aware of everything. But still, one question remains. How much to pay for a Lab Puppy? There are certain factors affecting it. While in other countries it can be more or less. This will help you to know, how healthy your dog is and what medical issues to expect in the future. What is the best age to get a Labrador puppy? Puppies need to spend time with their mother. This will help them to improve their behavior. You might be thinking the younger the puppy, the better it will be. Then you would have more time to interact with them and make a strong bond. Well, No! A big, No! A newborn pup needs to learn a lot about proper dog behavior and this is all possible with the interaction with their mother. The preferred age is the same for every dog. Whether you get a street dog, a Labrador, or a german shepherd. But on the other hand, many people would suggest you get a dog that is between 8 to 10 weeks. Taking a puppy away from its mother at an early age can lead to problems like anxiety, fearfulness, learning problems, and much more. This will help them to grow more easily and will help to not lead to any kind of mental issues. Socialization is crucial for a dog and you need to focus on it. What to do after getting a Labrador puppy at home? This is the question asked by many people because they are a first-time dog owner. So, when you get a puppy follow these steps. Get some toys Yeah! That first day a dog is home is always interesting. Getting an all-new experience. But, if possible get some toys for your puppy at the same time. Since your puppy is young, no doubt you are going to play with him. So, leave their toys on the floor. Anytime they feel like playing. They will get along with the toy. Simple as that! Find A Vet After getting your puppy, you should contact your vet for a consult about vaccination. Have the vet go over the amount of food you should feed your puppy and the frequency. Start Your Training After a few days of having your pet at home, you can start doing potty training, and other basic training exercises like the handshake command, sit and up, or any other thing you want to train. Remember, the earlier you start training your dog the easier it will be. Since the Labrador could grow to a hefty size, its yearly upkeep still falls within the expected price range of other big dogs. Always take your puppy to regular vet checkups, even if it looks like the very picture of health. Though these things are not high on the priority list, consider them nice-to-haves once the budget allows. Besides, we all want the best for our four-legged friends, and that alone is reason enough for most of us! Boarding Kennels: This service is a lifesaver for owners who have to travel for days or weeks at a time and cannot bring their dog along with them. Professional Grooming: As we said earlier, Labrador Retrievers shed a lot, so an afternoon at the groomer will help keep your pooch looking clean and tidy. You can put off spending on these things until the budget allows. However, give some serious thought to investing in an emergency fund, as this would take a big worry off your mind in case of any unexpected trips to the vet. Though it is tempting to buy a dog from pet stores or backyard breeders because of their low puppy prices, getting Lab puppies from a reputable source is still a more responsible and ethical choice. Here is a list of responsible breeders where you can find Labrador puppies for sale: Rhumbline Retrievers — This New York-based kennel has been breeding quality Labrador Retriever puppies since , and a good number of their dogs have participated in agility, obedience, and hunting tests at the national level. Due to their commitment to only breed dogs of the highest quality, they have limited puppies for sale at a time; thus, expect a long waitlist. All their puppies are tested for genetic disorders such as elbow dysplasia and hip dysplasia. They raise show-quality Labs and have championship bloodline puppies as well. For a more comprehensive list of reputable Labrador Retriever breeders, take a peek at our 10 best Labrador breeders article. All their dogs are fostered and given medical care before being turned over to their new family. Based in Colorado and licensed by the Pet Animal Care Facilities, they foster and provide medical care to Labs until they can get adopted. American Lab Rescue — This organization makes use of foster homes to rehabilitate and care for their rescued dogs. For your adoption application to be approved, they will require a fenced-in yard and will also do a home visit to your place before releasing a dog. Alternatively, you can also check out our top 10 picks of Labrador Retriever Rescues and our dog adoption guide. The Labrador Retriever is popular for its great temperament and personality. Unfortunately, most people fail to expect its high energy level as well, which is why some Labs find themselves in animal shelters. That said, doing your research about the Labrador Retriever before buying or adopting a puppy is necessary to make sure that the Lab is the best dog for you. Money-Saving Tips for Labrador Retriever Owners We all want to give our dog the best life possible, and if we can do that without breaking the bank, then even better! The trick is finding the right balance on which expenses to let go of and which ones to keep. To help you achieve this, here are some money-saving tips for Labrador Retriever owners: DIY dog food and treats. Not only is this a more practical option, but this is also healthier for your dog. Practice your grooming skills. Watch a good tutorial and practice your skills on your pooch. Invest in high-quality supplies. You may want to scrimp on supplies such as food and water bowls, but investing in high-quality and durable essentials will save you more money in the long run. Training Labrador Retrievers is a fairly easy task, even for novice dog owners. A lot of great tutorials can be found on the internet, and being the intelligent dogs that they are, they will learn all their tricks in no time! Like pet insurance, regular vet visits will save you from procedures and medications that could cost thousands of dollars later. Pet quality pups are affordable and budget-friendly to most people who are looking for an intelligent and well-tempered canine companion. However, like most dogs, their lifetime cost would still require you to spend considerable money. As such, think long and hard about the commitment and financial implications of taking in a dog. These canines make great family pets, even for those looking for their first dog. So, if your budget is enough to shoulder the price and long-term costs of the Labrador Retriever, then it might just be the pooch for you! Tell us in the comment box below! My passion for animals started at a very young age as I grow up on a farm with several horses, cows, cats, chickens, and dogs on our property. Leave a Comment. The costs will be a bit higher at first while you get your dog the shots it requires and pay for the frequent visits to the vet. We also recommend getting your dog spayed or neutered unless you are a professional breeder, and it might even be required as part of your contract if you purchase from a breeder. Once your dog is an adult, it will not require as many vet visits and will only need booster shots every few years, so the average monthly costs will be much lower. Experts recommend getting all of the shots, but your dog is only legally required to get the rabies shot. We recommend purchasing a high-quality brand with real meat like chicken, turkey, or salmon listed as the first ingredient. The protein in meat will help build muscle and provide the energy your dog needs to stay healthy. High protein diets will also help your dog stay full longer, and it will be less likely to come looking for food. Foods with corn as the top ingredient are mostly empty calories that will leave your pet feeling hungry and looking for more food, potentially causing it to become obese. During the shedding seasons of spring and fall, you will likely need to increase the brushing to several times a week to help keep the fur off your furniture and floor. Professional grooming can also help with teeth brushing and nail clipping. This medication can also help prevent heartworm. Spot Pet Insurance offers customizable plans that you can adapt to your breed's specific needs. Many people forgo pet insurance, but it can be a great way to protect yourself from a huge expense while making sure your Labrador Retriever has the best healthcare possible. Accidents and serious illnesses can occur at any time, and many procedures can cost thousands of dollars which makes the price of insurance more than worth it, especially if you get it while your dog is still a puppy. It can chew up stuffed animals quickly, so they can get expensive, but there are plenty of options for a chewing dog, like the Lab. Another option is to purchase a subscription to a monthly service like the Bark Box that sends your dog new toys and activities for as long as you keep up your subscription. A full-grown dog only requires food and flea and tick medication to stay healthy, a few toys to play with, and treats here and there. Additional Costs to Factor In If you like to go on long vacations, you might need to factor in the additional costs of traveling with a dog. Many rental cars do not allow pets or will charge you extra, and the same is true for hotels. Owning a Labrador Retriever on a Budget Your Labrador Retriever will be relatively inexpensive once you get the medical things out of the way. A high-quality food may seem more expensive, but it will help keep your dog full so that it will eat less. Image Credit: Pixel-Shot, Shutterstock Saving Money on Labrador Retriever Care The best way to save money on healthcare when raising your Labrador Retriever is to keep it a healthy weight by following portion recommendations on the food you serve and by helping them get enough exercise. Obesity can lead to heart disease, diabetes, and other health issues that can shorten the lifespan of your pet. After the initial cost of the puppy , you will need to pay a few hundred dollars to get it spayed or neutered and get the shots it needs. After that, you will only need to provide food and shelter with the occasional booster shot. We hope you have enjoyed reading over this guide, and that it has helped answer your questions. If we have helped you create a budget that allows you to get one of these amazing pets, please share this guide on how much it costs to own a Labrador Retriever on social media. Featured Image Credit: scott, Pixabay Contents. Are they good family dogs? Labrador Dog Price — The Costs Involved Buying a Labrador is not just a question of the purchase price of a Lab puppy, though of course that is important. There are other costs involved, both financial, emotional and in terms of time and effort. So we need to look at those too. You may be wondering whether you will have the time for a dog, and if you have the space and energy for a large and lively breed? But this page will take you back to the fundamental considerations, to help you to make the right choice for you and your family. Do you have time for a dog? Can you afford a dog? What about your lifestyle? Will a dog fit in with your family? Is a Labrador the right dog for you? These questions all apply regardless of the type of Labrador you are looking for. The needs of a black Lab, yellow Lab or chocolate Lab are all the same in these respects. The same goes for an English or American Labrador too. Dogs need space, both indoors and outside. Even small breeds need room to stretch their legs and run about. And Labradors as fairly large and lively dogs need quite a lot of space. This means you need a decent sized backyard if you plan on buying a Labrador puppy. Somewhere that your Lab dog can run around, play and enjoy training sessions with you. Labradors can be quite silly during adolescence, bouncing and cavorting in the home. Their tails are long and thick, easily knocking any fragile decorations you might have from shelves. If you have lots of ornaments then you will need to move them to higher shelves to avoid them getting damaged. You will also need to move anything that could be easily damaged by chewing. With small puppies this will be very often indeed. Perhaps every 15 to 20 minutes during their first few days with you. If you live in a flat, or do not have a garden, this will be difficult for you. These are helpful but do take up a lot of space. Although this will take up a lot of space indoors, it can work very well for larger apartments with no easy outside access. Ideally however you do need to have a garden, and a part of the garden which your dog can use as a bathroom, along with a good system for clearing up after him hygienically. Space is key for a Lab dog! The right space for a Labrador includes large clear rooms in the house, with no breakable or fragile objects within his grasp. And ideally access to a garden where they can easily be let out to the bathroom and have room to play. Keeping a single Labrador permanently outside however is not usually a good idea, even with adequate shelter and security. Labs are very sociable dogs and prone to separation anxiety if they lack company. This means your dog may be both sad and noisy. It is always sad to hear from new puppy owners that are struggling to juggle the needs of a puppy with their need to work. These articles will help you to deal with this common issue. Even with a visit at lunch time. An older dog may cope with being left for up to four hours in row on a regular basis, but puppies need more attention than this. Contented Labradors are fairly quiet dogs and unlikely to disturb your neighbors. Nor are they very good guard dogs. However, lonely dogs bark and wreck things. If you work all day, can you afford to pay someone to come in and let him out to stretch his legs and empty himself? Or do you have a relative or friend that would be prepared to do this on a regular basis. Bear in mind that this is quite a lot to ask of anyone in the long term. The biggest long term time commitment in owning a dog is in the form of training and exercise. Training Takes Time All dogs need training in order that they can rub along in human society without being a complete nuisance. This means a regular daily commitment of ten to twenty minutes from you, in addition to your regular interaction with the dog. Training cannot be saved up for the weekend, your dog will have forgotten most of what he learnt the weekend before, and he does not have the attention span to concentrate on you for an hour and a half. You can find out more about training your Labrador puppy here. Staying Fit Exercise is required on a regular basis, for some breeds of dog this means at least an hour a day of walking or jogging to keep your dog fit and healthy. You can find out more about the exercise requirements of a Labrador puppy here. Whilst your dog will not come to any harm if you miss a day occasionally, a daily routine is often the best way to ensure that you build this important habit. Can You Afford A Dog? Dogs can be quite expensive to run. You need to consider not only how much a Labrador will cost you to buy, but also how much it will cost you to keep. How much do Labradors cost from breeders? The price of a Labrador puppy will vary from breeder to breeder, and from place to place. Perhaps you know a friend that has a litter of puppies and they are going to let you have one for free. However, the purchase price of a dog is almost irrelevant. It is such a small part of the final cost. The cost of keeping a Labrador The reality is, you are also going to need to fork out a chunk of your wages each week on keeping your pooch happy and healthy. Obviously you will have taken the cost of a good brand of Labrador puppy food into consideration. It is a good idea to budget for veterinary insurance too. Not because it is unreasonably priced, but simply because it is now so advanced. You can fix a lot of problems these days. We can do open heart surgery, mend complex fractures, treat cancer with radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Pretty much anything you can treat in a human, you can now treat in a dog. And the catch? It costs. The more comprehensive your insurance package the more it will cost. Watch out for very cheap deals, as they may not provide continuing cover for long term ailments. You will also need to vaccinate your dog against common canine illness , and this will probably need to be done each year too. Especially if you are wanting to occasionally leave them in boarding kennels when you go away, as they require up to date vaccination certificates. Labrador Puppy Costs There will be a few other one-off costs such as a puppy crate and puppy play pen for your home for when your dog is young, another for your car if you have one. Then there are bowls, bedding, collar, leash etc. But you may be able to borrow a crate or get one second hand. Here are some of the items you will need for your new Labrador puppy, and reviews on the best options for Labradors:. Your Labrador puppy will need a bed, collar, leash, poop bags, food bowls, food, treats, toys, grooming supplies, and a dog crate. It is important to get any dog licensed to avoid legal issues. Training Labrador Retrievers are easy to train and do not require professional training. But, some keepers choose to take their Lab to puppy school. Because they are highly motivated, Labradors also do great in agility training. This is also a great way for them to use up their energy. Owners can either build their own agility course or pay to put their dog in agility classes. Vet Fees and Insurance One of the most expensive parts of owning a dog is all the vet visits. This includes all of their shots and monthly checkups. A way to help reduce the cost of veterinary bills is through buying pet insurance. It is best to start paying for a pet insurance policy when your Labrador is a puppy. Senior dogs are more expensive to cover since they are more likely to develop health problems. Food When it comes to feeding a Labrador, they are not cheap. Labradors eat a lot of food. They are medium to large-sized dogs and weigh around 70 pounds. These prices are based on feeding a high quality kibble. Wet food can easily cost several hundred dollars more. Backyard Breeders One important thing every potential owner should remember is to avoid backyard breeders and pet shops. It is true that these places sell dogs for a much lower price. But, that does not mean they will be cheaper over their lifespan. Backyard breeders do not screen their dogs to determine if they have inheritable health problems. This results in Lab puppies being born that are more likely to develop health issues such as hip dysplasia and progressive retinal atrophy. These breeders also do not provide proper veterinary care for their puppies. Many are sold while having worms or fleas and having received no socialization. Ethical Labrador breeders ensure their breeding stock is screened and their puppies are healthy and socialized before placing them into their new homes. Labrador Retrievers can develop diseases of the eye. The form of this disease that is very common is Progressive Rod-Cone Degeneration. Caused by an inheritable genetic mutation, it ultimately leads to blindness. Screening will help to prevent you from buying a puppy that may become blind later on in life. Dogs with this disease will lose their sight between one and eight years of age. Hip and Elbow Scores Another health problem that Labradors are prone to is hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is a genetic skeletal disease that causes the hip joint to not form properly. This results in the femur grinding against the hip causing deterioration and loss of function. Many Labradors with this condition end up having to undergo surgery to reduce pain and regain function in their hips. The average hip score for a Labrador retriever is 12, so any score below that is considered good. Ideally, good breeders will only breed dogs with hip scores under .This will prevent you from purchasing a Labrador puppy that will require expensive surgery later on in its life. Purpose American Labradors are best suited for active families. Families that enjoy activities such as swimming, running, and hiking. They are great for families with older children who can engage and play with them more. American Labs would also do best with owners who can dedicate more time to them because they require a lot of exercise every day. People who work from home or part time would be ideal. English Labradors would make great pets for quieter families because they have a calmer personality. They are also gentler and would do well with a family that has young children. Since they are less active, they are suitable for a busier family who has less time to exercise them. Their docile, patient attitude also makes them excellent candidates to be service dogs so they would be a great dog for people who need one in their life. Summary The price of a Labrador can vary depending on if you get one from a breeder or rescue. Its color, pedigree and health will also influence the price. All Labradors are prone to health conditions such as progressive retinal atrophy and hip or elbow dysplasia. Make sure the breeder screens for these health conditions before breeding. This will help to ensure your puppy is healthy. The cost to keep a Labrador healthy, exercised and happy can get pricey. But, if an owner has done their research and prepared themselves, then Labradors make an excellent addition. What Lab do you prefer? American, English, or mixed? Let us know! He has spent decades training working dogs and spends most of his spare time studying, reading and learning about their behavior and welfare. Outside of Marvelous Dogs, he enjoys trail running and agility work with his working Labrador Retriever. You May Also Like.

Louis Mo. Our breeding dogs are AKC registered. Pet puppies will not get AKC papers. They will get copies of parents AKC pedigrees. You can get AKC pal papers once your puppy is spayed or neutered. We don't want to just meet the standard for a license, we want to excel expectations. This is required if you have five females. Please, make sure if you get a puppy in Illinois to ask for a copy of the Kennel License. Our adults are provided with an inside area with toys, beds and excellent vet care. A radio plays for them as well. Most prefer to lay up on their Kuranda beds most of the time with their toys or play with a friend. They get their areas cleaned at a minimum of four times a day and disinfectant is used twice a day. Adults get treats, vitamins, enzymes and are fed daily with a probiotic added for health. We have natural and artificial lighting as well. The dogs even have their own washer and dryer to clean blankets, toys and towels daily. Dogs are walked, given access to the pond when weather allows for swimming, let out to run in the open fields, play fetching and work on obedience training. Favorite thing of most is to find a human and crawl into their laps. Yes, our labs even come into our home and crawl into our chairs and onto the couch. Adults are treated monthly for worms, and provided vaccines as recommended by the vet. Once you see a dog with EIC or CNM you will understand why we test our labs to make sure our puppies will never be affected by these diseases that can be prevented by selective breeding. This area is cleaned and disinfected throughout 24 hours a day. If a puppy has an accident it is cleaned up and then disinfected, this is done so that by the time the puppies are six weeks old they are going outside to potty. Going outside by six weeks old to use the bathroom does help when they leave here at eight weeks old and go to their new homes in house breaking. Security cameras monitor puppies all the time and with this we can see if there is anything that needs to be done to them, while still allowing moms to help with the care of the puppies. Moms need to be able to feel comfortable with the puppies and help teach them the first eight weeks. This also helps make a better puppy when it goes home. We use blankets, towels, toys and other items in with the puppies to entertain them and help them get used to things before they go home. They hear vacuums, tractors, trucks, radio, and other noises as well. In summer time they get swimming pools and if weather is nice they run to the pond for adventures. We provide a large play area with toys to entertain them. They get Kuranda beds to sleep on or play king of the bed on. Puppies are given vaccines, vet care, wormings, vitamins, probiotics daily and fed a good quality feed. We start the weaning process at 3. This is puppy food, goats milk, and probiotic mix that we make for them four times a day. We want to provide you with a happy, healthy puppy and believe that the first eight weeks of life here gets them on the right track. Our puppies are so comfortable they very rarely cry and this is due to the care we provide them. A healthy, comfortable puppy is a happy puppy and that makes them great puppies when they get to go home. We also play with them daily, snuggle with them, and end the day with them fast asleep; before we go to bed all the puppies are sleeping safe inside. Puppies get vet care as needed and a full exam before going home. We also microchip all puppies and pay for the fees so that if they are ever lost someone can find the owners or us. Facility The building that we use for the adults is a new building put into use January .It is a beautiful building that we take great pride in owning, please check out our kennel page for pictures. It is climate controlled and the dogs appreciate it. A lot of time, work and details went into the building to make it safe and comfortable for them to use. We wanted to provide them with a safe and clean environment. They have fresh water, food and outdoor access. It has lighting inside to provide them with artificial lighting as well as outside they have natural sunlight. Every dog gets their own Kuranda bed and their own toys. We buy lots of toys here for the dogs and they appreciate that. We believe that if you are going to breed, that care of the adults is just as major as care of the puppies. Care is not just health testing it is also how the animal lives its daily life. Here at Mabry Labs we can sleep soundly knowing our dogs are safe from any bad weather, healthy and happy. The building we use for the puppies went in in March .It is sectioned off inside for each mother, so that moms feel secure with their babies. This makes it so that mom stays calm and relaxed instead of worrying if another animal is going to get her babies. It is climate controlled. We take moms for walks and playtime away from the pups so they get free time as well. Feed is never out of the bowls, so moms can eat what they want when they want. Probiotics are given daily with vitamins. Blankets, towels and toys are given inside and cleaned daily. All floors are disinfected every time we leave the building. There are mats that have disinfectant in them to make sure that our shoes are disinfected every time we enter. We also use disposable booties for our shoes when we enter puppy play areas. As of we have added on a meet and greet building. This is a secure building set up for puppies to play and interact with people no matter the weather outside. It is heated, cooled, has tv, radio, couch, toys, basically it is a house. My office is in it, so that I can spend time working and playing with the pups. We did in order to have a place that would be easy to keep disinfected between people. As much as we welcome people into our home a home can not be cleaned the same as this building. There is a lot that we do that is not listed on here and I will update more over time. We just wanted to hit some points on this page so that you understand what we do here. Our prices on pups might be a little higher than some breeders, or less than some breeders, yes some breeders do charge more than us and still don't provide half this in their breeding program. Why would we do this some might ask. Plus, people pick us to care for their puppies that first eight weeks and we do the best we can. We have dogs with excellent genetics with show lines and hunt test lines. We have brought in dogs over time to expand our lines and have some of the best that you can find. Most of all we breed our labs for looks, health, train ability and temperament. We have kept back puppies from breedings that we have done over the years to produce some of the most beautiful and smart dogs you will find. We know our lines are great so we have grandparents of our pups here that you can visit with. We've spent a lot of research time putting together our Mabry Labs. We don't just have the genetics, but we have the building to house them comfortably. We put our heart, soul and time into this. If you find breeders charging what we do or more without putting money with the facilities and just buying up dogs even high quality dogs you might want to look elsewhere. As we have high quality genetics and great facilities. If we can do it so can they. Just most don't want a real kennel building as it cost them money and time. Also, a garage with a kennel off the back or side is not a true kennel. We wouldn't want the exhaust fumes near our puppies, would you? Has this upset some other kennels? You bet it has. We hope they soon step up and do what is right for their dogs as we always will here at Mabry Labs. If we are out of reach for a drive to get a puppy here, we are more than willing to help you find a breeder near you that meets our standards. You will always see us growing as everything we get goes into the dogs. Thanks for reading this page and any questions feel free to ask. We look forward to meeting new people along the way and love to stay in touch with our puppies as they grow with their new families. Continue to watch us as we expand on ideas. We always are looking for improvement. A little about us and how we raise our lab puppies. Share 0 Shares The Labrador Retriever breeder is an excellent breed, its beautiful blend of gentle yet energetic and active personality makes the Labrador Retriever a popular breed amongst dog lovers all over the world. And if you are searching for a great Labrador Retriever breeder that would produce the perfect companion for you, then this article is just for you. Here, we list some of the best Labrador Retriever breeders in Illinois. They are reputable breeders that have produced some of the best Labrador Retriever puppies in Illinois. With over 12 years of Labrador breeding experience, they are all about improving and protecting the Labrador Retriever breed and they do this by focusing on the trainability, health, intelligence, temperament, and looks of each Labrador Retriever dog they produce. They breed the 3 recognized colors of the AKC, which are chocolate, yellow and black. Their breeding dogs all hail from championed bloodlines and they are genetically tested and have their hip and elbow dysplasia clearances, heart clearance, and eye clearance before being added to the breed program. Every Labrador Retriever pup is raised in clean and comfortable kennels where they are showered with all the love and attention they require till they leave for their new homes. They are socialized with adults and kids of varying age groups and are introduced to a wide variety of sounds, sights, and textures to help them better adjust to their new families and environments. All Labrador pups are healthy. They would have started the basics of potty and crate training before you take them and they are sold on limited AKC registrations. The pick order for each litter is determined by the order the deposits are received. Puppies can go to their new homes when they are eight weeks of age. Illinois State sales tax will be added to the purchase price. All Puppies are born in our home, and spend their whole time with us inside our home. Puppies come to you with AKC Limited Registration papers, AKC certified pedigree, a letter from us to your veterinarian with all pertinent medical information your veterinarian will want. Puppies are socialized around dogs, other puppies, and humans. Puppies are also introduced to different kinds of sounds. PayPal charges three percent for the transaction. We do not accept personal checks, money orders or bank checks for the balance due. Balance due options are: PayPal. Needs to be transacted at the latest a few days before we are to meet so PayPal verification is received. Credit Card. You can pay using a credit card through the PayPal link below without opening a PayPal account. Cash can be exchanged in person at time of delivery. This price goes towards the total purchase price of your puppy. Deposits are non-refundable unless we do not have the sex you requested in your chosen litter. If that happens, you have the option to take a puppy of the opposite sex if one is available, or you can have your deposit go towards the future litter of your choice, or you can have your deposit fully refunded to you. As you will find with most reputable breeders, the majority of our puppies are sold with Limited AKC registration. We will sell Full Registration under certain circumstances after discussion with the buyer at a higher price. Sales tax must be added for the State of Illinois. All labrador retriever puppies will have their first set of puppy shots, be dewormed every two weeks as is veterinarian recommended , and be well socialized with people, different kinds of sounds, and other dogs while at Bullis Lake. Our puppies come with a Health Guarantee. Puppy picks will be made by pictures posted on the website at 6 weeks of age. Delivery is when the puppies are around 8 weeks of age. Our buyers come from all over the United States. I usually meet buyers at a convenient location near Carbondale or Murphysboro. We prefer not to hold puppies after the delivery date when their litter mates have all gone to their new homes. Many of my buyers have utilized this service. Contact Sunny with www. You can choose whether to pay with your credit card or with your PayPal account. You do not need a PayPal account to pay with your credit card. Since we cannot control food choices and environmental changes with new families, we feel this is the best way to combat allergies, dry skin and growth issues. We feel so strongly about this product that we will increase your Health Guarantee by One Year if you continue NuVet Plus Vitamins on a daily basis for your puppy through the two year period of the Health Guarantee plus the bonus one year extension with NuVet. Does your pet have any of these symptoms? Pet Keen is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. We understand there are many reasons for seeking a breeder, though, so we encourage it to be done the right way. We have not personally investigated all of the breeders below, rather, we have gathered their details for you to get in touch and ask all the right questions before you decide. Learn more about our position and how to choose a breeder here. Labrador Retrievers are fun, energetic, and loving dogs. Adding one to your household is an exciting time! It can be hard to know where to begin your journey for a puppy, though. Reputable breeders care about their puppies and the homes to which they are going. Our list of breeders in Illinois can help give you a place to start your search for a healthy, happy Labrador Retriever. The breeder whom you choose should be comfortable answering your questions and allow you to visit the puppies before you hand over any money. Enjoy finding the right puppy for your household! The 10 Labrador Retriever Breeders in Illinois 1. Over 5 acres of wooded land enables the dogs to have access to trees, swimming pools, and obstacle courses where they can run and play. Empress Labradors breeds English-style Labs in three colors: yellow, chocolate, and black. These dogs are bred to have strong pointing abilities without the dilution of their retrieving instincts. They are active in hunting, obedience, and agility while being loving family companions at home. The building that the puppies are born and raised in is just a few years old and gives the dogs a climate-controlled environment. Each puppy is socialized and loved and comes with a 3-year hip health guarantee in addition to vaccinations, AKC papers, and microchipping. Swimming, running, playing, and obedience training make up their days. Each puppy comes with their AKC registration, vaccinations, deworming, and a health statement from a veterinarian. Chocolate, black, and yellow Labs are available here. They are guaranteed healthy after numerous genetic tests and come with OFA certification for their hips and elbows. Since these puppies are in high demand, potential buyers must fill out a survey beforehand. This ensures that you understand the responsibility and commitment that a Labrador puppy requires. Once your survey is accepted, you can then be placed on a waitlist for a pup. These puppies are bred to be highly trainable and make ideal hunters. While they can be active with a desire to work, they are calm and gentle family companions when in the house. This breeder concentrates on creating Labs that guide bird hunts at hunt clubs in Illinois and Wisconsin. Their goal is to create Labs that will be wonderful family companions, hunters, and show dogs, depending on your choice. Over 2 acres of land are home to these dogs, located 30 minutes south of Chicago. All the dogs are genetically tested before breeding to produce the healthiest puppies possible. Labs are available in chocolate, yellow, and black. To get the latest news on when we are expecting, just leave your email to be signed up to our newsletters. Sign Up What Pond Creek Labradors Offers to You If you are looking for beautiful healthy lab puppies that come with a health guarantee, health tested parents and a copy of the pedigree.We work to bring you the most incredible lab puppies that you will find anywhere! We are located in southern IL on 30 acres of land that our Lab family gets to enjoy. There are ponds and creeks where they learn to retrieve and get to swim just for the fun of it. Our labs are a mix of English and American and display the best features of both worlds. Like us on Facebook. Call or text. Our Labs are spoiled rotten with love and care. You can rest assured that you are purchasing the best lab for you and your family that will give you many years of enjoyment. Why Pond Creek Labradors? Best Breeding Practices We love our dogs like family, and when you meet us you will know that's true. We take great pride in breeding our dogs safely and humanely. Great Reputation Pond Creek Labradors has been breeding excellent retrievers with great blood lines for over 6 years. A little more about our puppies At Pond Creek Labradors our puppies will be wormed at two, four, and six weeks. We take care to make sure that they also have their first vaccination at 6 weeks old and will be vet checked before going to their new homes. Copies of the parents testing results will also be available upon request. This is a non Refundable fee unless your color or gender is not available. The Big Day! Pond Creek Labradors was privileged to be ask to help a groom surprise his bride with a gorgeous, champagne puppy on their wedding day. The puppy was a huge hit all the way around and we could not have been more thrilled in helping this happy couple start their new family together. The Family Is Growing! As an update to the beautiful wedding above we were so excited to hear the happy couple had their first baby recently and they were sweet enough to send us this picture. It's so wonderful to see your family grow! As with all of our puppies, we're sad to see them go but knowing they will make such an impact on a person's life makes it a little easier. Stars Are Bred.Congrats Hoover; you are a beautiful Pond Creek boy! We are so proud.She just won her first junior ribbon at ten months old. Way to go Eva! Visit our Facebook page for more pics! Louis, and Indianapolis to name just a few. All of our lab puppies in Chicago and St. Louis for sale are loved unconditionally from the minute they are born up until the day they join their new families. As a responsible and reputable lab breeder in Illinois, we genetically health test all of our Labrador retrievers in St. Louis to ensure that we are only producing healthy Labrador puppies for sale. If you are looking to add a happy, healthy, well-loved, and well-cared-for lab puppy to your family, you have come to the right place! We operate quite a bit differently than the majority of other breeders. We hold a VERY high standard here in regards to health, conformation and temperament. We always have a goal in mind when we perform a breeding. Those breeders are not breeding to better the Labrador breed or produce quality, well-bred lab puppies, they are simply producing puppies to sell and make a profit from. We own mostly females here and we use outside males stud service to cover our females. This gives us a huge advantage when choosing the perfect male for a particular female. Each female will need something different in a mate and using one male will not be sufficient for every female if a breeder is true to themselves and is breeding for a purpose. For example, you have a chocolate female but she is lacking in something whether it be coat, bone, length of leg, too long of loin, carries her tail too high, eye color is too light, etc. She is going to need a specific male to help improve those imperfections. If you have one or even a couple of males on your property and none of them have what your female needs, you are not doing the breed any justice by mating two dogs together that do not compliment each other correctly. Breeding correctly and responsibly can be very complicated, stressful and very expensive. Another important thing to consider is health testing. Do you know the genetics of your female and your male? Is one or the other or maybe both of them carriers of a certain genetic disease? Will you be producing affected lab puppies by mating these two dogs together? Genetic testing is extremely important and necessary! We specialize in producing lab puppies from high quality show lines which are commonly known as the English Labrador Retrievers. We have also been blessed with some exceptionally well bred American Labrador Retrievers which can be referred to as field labs. All of our lab puppies for sale are loved unconditionally from the minute they are born up until the day they join their new families. As a responsible and reputable lab breeder in Illinois, we genetically health test all of our labrador retrievers to ensure that we are only producing healthy labrador puppies for sale. If you are looking to add a happy, healthy, well loved and well cared for lab puppy to your family, you have come to the right place! We would love for you to join our lab puppy family and see for yourself why we are one of the best Labrador breeders in Illinois. We have chocolate, black and yellow puppies available now as well as some older pups! We only produce lab puppies in the 3 recognized colors by the american kennel club and labrador retriever club. We are dedicated to improving and protecting the labrador retriever breed. If you love labrador retrievers and would like to bring one into your family, you have come to the right place! Louis and Chicago are a popular choice for individuals who need companionship, active families, hunters and also for the serious competitor.

According to Tufts Veterinary School , food aggression is when dogs become aggressive when someone approaches them around food. There are a range of fixes for this, including training a dog to stop showing this behavior, or just effectively managing it and minimizing the risks around it. How To Prevent Aggression In Golden Retrievers The best thing to do about aggression in golden retrievers is to stop it from happening in the first place. Since bad behaviors usually stem from a mix of environmental and genetic factors, here are three ways to try to prevent aggression in your golden: 1. Socialize your dog Dogs usually become aggressive when they feel threatened. Choose a good breeder Since genetics definitely play a role in whether or not golden retrievers can be aggressive, make sure to choose a good breeder than is breeding good-tempered dogs. Also, breeders are the first ones to socialize your puppy , and responsible breeders will know how to do that, as well as care enough to do it. Goldens are big dogs with big teeth, so if you have an aggressive golden, it could be dangerous. Conclusion Although it is not common, it is possible for golden retrievers to be aggressive. To prevent aggression in your dog, be sure to never physically punish them, choose a good breeder, and properly socialize them. Related articles:. Print Retrievers, for the most part, make great family dogs. They are also smart, so they learn quickly and their strong willingness to please often makes retrievers a great addition to the family. But some retriever puppies are a high-energy ball of fire, one that is difficult to train or even handle in daily life. And sometimes there will be signs of aggressive behavior that are concerning. However, there is a fine line between puppy play behavior and hyper and aggressive behavior. Some owners are reluctant to stop such behavior thinking that it is just puppy behavior and therefore the dog will outgrow it. If you have a retriever puppy that is hyper or aggressive you might wonder what can be done and why they are acting that way. Here is some guidance on this topic. What are normal puppy behaviors? It is normal for very young puppies to nip at your hands and your feet. It is also normal for them to chew on things, jump on you and walk all over you. An 8-week-old puppy nipping at your hand might at first seem cute and sweet. But one bite from those exceedingly sharp puppy teeth and you might decide its not so cute. Those teeth can puncture your skin in a second and draw blood just as quickly. So, while it may be normal for a puppy to nip at your hand or foot, it is not a behavior that you want to ignore. Puppy play is naturally aggressive When puppies playing with their litter mates, the play can be very aggressive. This is natural, as dogs, they are always figuring out their pack and where they fit into the pack. Recognizing puppy play You can recognize when a retriever puppy is playing by the stance they take. They also may run around in circles, growling, or barking in high pitched barks, but when they do this their ears will be up, their tail wagging and they do not look threatening. It is uncommon for puppies under 12 weeks of age to exhibit true aggression. True aggression involves a dog exhibiting prolonged growling with a stiff posture and baring of teeth. Their hackles the hair on their back will be raised and they will be poised in a threatening position with ears back. If you were to approach a dog in this position which I do not recommend they will often move toward you and try to bite or snap at you. This type of aggression is something to be fearful about and is not healthy. Isolate the dog as much as possible and consult a veterinary or other professional for help or advice. What are signs of aggression in puppies All puppies can act aggressively, but if you take steps to address the aggressive behaviors while your dog is a young puppy, you can make a huge difference on how or whether that aggression progresses. These are all forms of aggression and none of them should be tolerated, not as a puppy and certainly not as a dog. There are also dominance behaviors that puppies exhibit that are often mistaken as aggression. They include things like jumping on people, stepping on people, pushing you around, forcing you to pet them and others. While these behaviors can be done aggressively, and should still be corrected immediately, they are not the same as aggression. Definition of puppy Because we often get clients that bring out their dogs that are close to a year old and refer to them as puppies, I want to define what I consider a puppy. A puppy is a dog under six months of age. Most retrievers are a good size by around six months. They will often continue to grow up until about a year and a half, but they have the bulk of their size by the time they are six months. And by six months, you need to have a handle on any aggressive behaviors, or you are going to struggle with eliminating them. Is it normal for a puppy to be very aggressive? It is normal for a puppy to test you with aggressive behaviors. And to be clear, that place should be at the bottom of the pack, under all your family members. I understand that your dog is a part of your family but allowing your dog to be in a position above any or all your family members is just asking for trouble. Treating your dog as a human and attributing your dog with human thoughts and reasoning is not fair to your dog or to your family. Love your dog, but make sure your dog is the lowest member of your pack and you will have a much easier time with obedience and basic good behavior. How to stop puppy growling Growling is often the first step for dog aggression. Or, if you try and take a toy away from your dog. No matter how or when you see the aggression start, it is important to nip it in the bud right away. A sharp NO command sometimes is all that is needed, especially if it is well-timed with the first sign of the growl or nip. Other times you may need to grab your dogs muzzle and squeeze. If these corrections do not seem to be helping, I would immediately crate my dog if it growled at me. Be sure you do not let your dog out of the crate while he is exhibiting a growling behavior. Only let him out if he is behaving appropriately. How to stop puppy nipping or biting A dog that nips or bites you often started as a very young puppy. We teach our puppies at 8-weeks-old that biting and nipping people is not allowed. And at this very young age, they learn it very quickly. Your pup may cry out or squirm, but that is fine. In fact, you need to be quite stern to make an impression. If it continues, you are not being firm or consistent enough. How to stop puppy growling while tugging During play, it is not uncommon for retriever puppies to growl and tug at toys, blankets, even your pant leg. This behavior is usually just playful and natural. However, I would still try to end this behavior as soon as possible. While almost harmless at first, this behavior can escalate quickly as your dog grows bigger and stronger. You can end this behavior first by not participating in it. If you start tugging with a toy with your puppy, you are going to encourage the behavior. The second step is to discourage the behavior with a sharp NO command. It can help if you say GIVE when you take the item. This will start to teach him the GIVE command that will be helpful later if you are a hunter. How to stop puppy baring his teeth A puppy or dog that bares his teeth to you is threatening to bite you. Even if the puppy goes no further than to bare the teeth and growl, you need to end this behavior. This behavior is far more dangerous than the puppy that nips at your hand. The nips may be done in play, since that is how puppies play with one another, but baring of teeth and growling is different. And you must handle it differently. I am not talking about lifting your dog off the floor with the shake, but if your puppy is very young, that may indeed be a great correction. Have you ever witnessed a mama dog correct her puppies? This is not a violent thing, just a natural correction for a puppy. The puppies rarely cry out or whimper when given this correction, they just walk away and understand that the behavior they were exhibiting is not acceptable. If your dog continues to bare his teeth even after this correction, you may have a bigger problem on your hands, and I would proceed carefully. True dog aggression is no joking matter. Dogs with aggression problems can snap at any time and go from baring their teeth to full out attacks. Hyper behavior is different from aggression. A hyper dog has a lot of energy and may not know how to control or channel that energy. Often hyper behavior is a genetic trait. In this sense, it is not something that you can eliminate. But you can take steps to make it more manageable. Exercise more Dogs that are hyper need more exercise than dogs that are more docile in nature. If your dog is hyper and is not getting enough exercise, the hype behavior is going to drive the dog to other behaviors that you may not enjoy such as chewing up your dining room table leg or your favorite pair of shoes. For instance, if your dog is hyper and is jumping up and down all the time, and you not only allow the jumping but pet him or her and give praise while your dog is jumping, then you are unknowingly rewarding the jumping behavior. Give your puppy time to mature Retrievers are often full of energy while they are young, well some a bit longer, but tend to slow down as they mature. But as they mature they do usually slow down and become a bit less energetic. Training Highly energetic dogs can benefit greatly from structured training programs. Programs such as the ones we offer here at Otter Tail Kennels, can teach an energetic dog control and channel their energy into hunting or retrieving which can make home life more manageable. There are even some things you can do at home to get more control of your energetic dog. Practice sitting I know this sounds boring, and for you it is. But for an energetic dog that does not like sitting at all, having them sit for 30 seconds, or a minute or two can be very challenging. They will need many reminders at first, but over time they will learn to settle and sit calmly. You can slowly increase the amount of time. This simple obedience drill will help your dog learn control. Teach your dog the kennel command so that when you say Kennel, they run into their crate and stay there until you release them. This basically sends your dog on a time out and forces them to practice control and settle. Final thoughts on why my puppy is so hyper and aggressive For dogs under 6 months of age, much hyper and aggressive behavior is simply puppy play. You must teach your puppy boundaries and the earlier you teach them the better. Be consistent in your corrections and persistent, and over time you will reap the benefits. You can email me ottertailkennels gmail. I would be happy to discuss your goals for your retriever and tell you about the programs I offer. Until next time happy retrieving. Lunging Biting Dogs can display these behaviors toward adults or children, as well as other dogs or animals in the home. However, they can also act aggressively toward strangers or unfamiliar pets. What should you do if you see these signs of aggression in your dog? If you ignore this behavior, someone could get hurt. To address the underlying issue, seek professional help from a licensed dog trainer or animal behaviorist. If they do show signs of aggression, there is a reason. So, what causes this kind of dog aggression? Causes of Aggression in Golden Retrievers Are golden retrievers aggressive in most cases? But do golden retrievers have the propensity to act aggressively as a result of certain factors, just like any dog breed? Food aggression and resource guarding is relatively common among dogs, including the golden retriever. Dogs might also be possessive about their toys, bedding, a certain room in the house, or a certain family member. Dominance Because dogs are pack animals, they tend to look for hierarchy. Aa dog may try to assert their dominance over another pet or, in some very rare cases, a family member. We generally find golden retrievers are fantastic family dogs. Fear Another type of aggression is fear-based aggression. Fear aggression occurs when your dog is frightened of something or gets startled. A loud noise like thunder, a stranger in the house, or the prospect of a car ride could trigger this. They can be, just like any dog. A golden could snap when someone steps on their tail or massages a sore arthritic joint too hard. They can help alleviate joint pain, improve mobility, and help with long-term joint health. Abuse or neglect can result in a fear or distrust of humans and other animals, so a golden who has experienced this kind of mistreatment could be more likely to act out aggressively. However, like any other dog breed, they can display aggressive behavior under some circumstances. The question is, how can you avoid such circumstances and encourage more positive responses? Here are the best ways to avoid bad behavior, including canine aggression, when you own a golden retriever: Give Proper Training Dog owners can avoid many behavioral problems with good long-term training. Your dog should know the fundamental commands like sit, stay, come, heel, and lay down. They should also be crate and leash trained. If you need some help, consult a dog trainer for help or enroll your pet in obedience training classes. Kids need to know that your dog is not a toy and needs to be given the proper space and respect. Socialize Your Dog Proper socialization means exposing your dog to a wide variety of people, animals, situations, and environments at a young age. That way, your pooch grows up familiar with everything they may encounter as an adult, which helps to avoid unwanted behavior like aggression. You can socialize an older dog as well as a golden retriever puppy — it just might take a little more time and patience. Positive reinforcement is a much better tactic. This means rewarding your pet with treats and verbal praise when they exhibit good behavior and correcting them when they need it, rather than resorting to punishment. Choose a Reputable Breeder Are golden retrievers aggressive when they come from a breeder? Not necessarily, but poor breeding practices can certainly contribute to aggression. Dogs who come from backyard breeders or crowded settings may have had to compete for food, toys, or territory, increasing the likelihood of aggression later in life. Most shelters work with the dogs in their care to make sure they have basic training and socialization. Are Golden Retrievers Aggressive or Not? Are golden retrievers aggressive? No, not inherently. On the contrary, golden retrievers are extremely friendly dogs who are social, affectionate, gentle creatures. They tend to get along very well with adults, kids, and other pets, making the golden one of the best dogs for families. While golden retrievers are not aggressive by nature, there are several possible reasons why they might show aggression. Any dog can be possessive, try to assert dominance, be afraid or in pain, or come from a background of abuse or neglect. To avoid aggression in your golden retriever, commit to training them and socializing your pet. Last but not least, adopt your dog from a reputable breeder or shelter that has instilled some training and positive socialization already. Browse the Native Pet blog. Read more. Are Golden Retrievers Aggressive? The Honest Truth Posted on April 5, by Galen Kauffman Share: Golden Retriever owners will most times be highly indignant if you dare to suggest that their Goldens have even an iota of aggression in them. They will be quick to tell you that dog experts will even use this big golden, friendly dog as an example breed when looking to confirm what a calm, amicable dog is. And the puppies? Are golden Retrievers aggressive as puppies? Not at all. Alright, so as a puppy it is only natural that he will nip and bite your hand as he is teething. He has the cutest little growl too. However, not training your puppy and not taking him along to socialization classes can allow this puppy habit to develop into something serious. Is Aggression Common in Golden Retrievers? Are Golden Retrievers aggressive? Only very seldom. Calm and laid back as your Golden Retriever is, there are going to be times when your golden doggo may be aggressive. They are loving, playful, calm, friendly, smiling, amiable dogs. Are male Golden Retrievers aggressive more often than females? Not really. As mentioned, these dogs are rarely aggressive, but it is more likely that the male Golden Retriever will be more aggressive than the female. Aggression in Golden Retrievers nearly always comes from poor breeding, bad dog owners, inadequate training, and lack of socialization. You can also add in abuse, neglect, and cruelty. Golden Retrievers are known as control groups for aggression A control group is a standard to which comparisons are made in a dog aggression experiment. There is a control group and an experimental group. The inclusion of a control group helps the researcher to make conclusions from the study. It is only with a control group that a researcher can determine whether a treatment can have an effect on an experimental group. In the study, golden retrievers were tested and used as a control group. Seventy Golden Retrievers were tested in the temperament test. Levels of escalation in aggressive behavior were scored. A total of .Goldens are not typically aggressive Most Golden Retriever owners are familiar with the good-natured temperaments of their Goldens, and they would consider an aggressive Golden Retriever to be an unheard-of thing. Dogs are like kids and the Golden is just a big loving child wanting to please you. And rightly so. Nobody in their right mind would want an aggressive Golden Retriever around their small children. Nonetheless, even though the chances are almost nil that your Golden has any aggression in him, there are one or two factors that can cause aggression in Golden Retrievers, and with good reason, and we look at some of them below. Fear Fear causes any dog faced with a threat to defend itself by biting. Veterinary behavior specialists tell us that fear-related aggression is just that — it is used as self-defense. It may well be out of sheer desperation that a cornered dog bites when it anticipates a threat. A Golden Retriever that has been regularly smacked learns to generalize — believing that every human hand wants to strike him. He goes into self-protection mode by biting the hand that reaches out to him. Fear is also instilled in a dog such as the Golden Retriever when an owner uses harsh, cruel punishment-based training methods. Harsh behavior increases aggression but also anxiety. Danger Dogs act in unusual ways when they sense danger. Can Golden Retrievers be aggressive in the face of danger? This abuse can take different forms. Goldens who have suffered from emotional and physical abuse can respond to anyone with aggression. He will in all likelihood be scared, agitated, and aggressive. Socializing your Golden Retriever will prepare him for a broad range of situations so that he is able to interact with various animals, people, and situations. It teaches him to react to the world out there in a calm way without fear and aggression. Illness Aggression in a Golden Retriever can have a medical cause. Just like the human child gets whiney, cranky, and aggressive when ill and with a bad headache, our canine friends do as well. Medically-induced aggression in a Golden Retriever can result in warning signs of growling, baring teeth, and general aggression. Brain inflammation occurs in conditions such as rabies and encephalitis. The aggression in this instance is most times a neurological reaction to the effect of the inflammation on the brain. Low thyroid levels affect mood and thyroid therapy can relieve aggression in dogs with hypothyroidism. Dogs are like humans in some ways and if they have woken up feeling under the weather, they may respond by showing signs of aggression. Injury There are many causes of aggression in dogs and injury is a common cause of canine aggression. Your Golden Retriever is nearly always a well-behaved dog, so if he suddenly shows signs of aggression, you just know there is something unusual up with him. If you find him acting out of character and wanting to nip you, get him to the vet as soon as possible for a thorough examination. He could have chewed on something that has caused injury to the teeth or even lodged somewhere, causing injury and pain inside the mouth. Irresponsible Breeding Canine aggression always poses concerns. Aggression in dogs is researched by people wanting to understand breed differences. Research always reveals that the Golden Retriever is a calm, good-natured golden beauty with hardly an aggressive bone inside him. But what about irresponsible breeding? A dog can suffer from all kinds of complications in pregnancy and when ignored because of the costs it can be tragic and heartbreaking. A responsible Golden Retriever breeder is one who knows the breed well and who has health clearances to show that both parents are free of genetic disorders. They follow the AKC breed guidelines for health testing. The test includes hips, elbows, thyroid tests, hearing tests, DNA testing, and heart tests. Also before breeding, dog parents need additional tests for Brucellosis testing and both dogs need to be up to date with all their vaccinations. Their characteristics, their bad attitude, their lack of affection, their lack of concern, and their troublesome lifestyle all cause aggression in Golden Retrievers. Signs of Aggression in Golden Retrievers Golden Retrievers are sometimes like other dogs in showing their aggression and they will growl and bark while simultaneously becoming hyperactive. Their floppy ears are raised, the feathered tail is raised and stiff and their hackles are raised. If your Golden has turned into a bit of a biter, snapper, and growler, there has to be a good reason. So how does one stop aggression in Golden Retrievers? Socializing Ensure that your Golden Retriever puppy stays with his mother until he is 8 weeks of age. Just like young kids have to be disciplined in order for them to display appropriate behavior, your puppy Golden will need to be trained and socialized. Check out with your local vet where the best puppy socialization classes are. Choosing a Good Breeder By the time your Golden Retriever puppy is 8 weeks old, he is ready to go to his new home. The way he has developed so far will be dependent on how the breeder has raised him and his siblings. Puppies kept in an unloving, cold, hostile environment will have aggressive tendencies later on and not be able to function properly in your household. Choose a good breeder very carefully. Are you wanting to buy the cutest, most beautiful, friendliest, balanced, loving, non-aggressive Golden Retriever puppy? My Golden Retriever Puppies has just what you want, after all, they are the trusted source for responsibly-raised Golden Retriever Puppies in Ohio. Know your breeder and find yourself a healthy, lively, happy, amicable Golden who has been raised with love and care and dying to shower you with Golden Retriever kisses. Training Although it is difficult to find one iota of aggression in a Golden Retriever, any kind of aggressive behavior can be avoided with proper training. Apart from early socialization, you can train your dog firmly, fairly, and consistently. You could also allow a reputable professional dog behaviorist or trainer to train your Golden to mix with other people and dogs without showing aggressive tendencies. Positive reinforcement training is great when a tasty treat is given as a reward for the desired behavior. Never confuse your dog, and make sure that everyone in the family uses the same signs and commands that he is familiar with. Exercise If you want to avoid aggression in your Golden Retriever, exercise him. Dog aggression is a concern for any dog owner and even your mild, calm Golden can begin to feel the stirrings of aggression when he is never exercised. The Golden Retriever is a large dog and he is also a sporting breed. Your Golden will need a consistent workout every day for at least 20 minutes at a time. Hitting a ball for him with a tennis racquet can be an excellent running exercise for him. You have to be patient with him and show him kindness, gentleness, and fairness when training him. Conclusion Are Golden Retrievers aggressive? They can be, but only under certain circumstances. It is things such as improper breeding, abuse, and fear from humans that put aggression into any dog. Know your Golden and get him to the vet if you suspect uncharacteristic aggression which could be brought on by pain or illness. You can easily find one by checking out our puppies here! All our puppies are raised by our own group of small, independent breeders who lovingly care for and socialize with each of them daily so they grow up happy. We even take all the extra steps to provide the best healthcare for them. Galen has been connecting quality Golden Retriever breeders with loving families since and is the founder of My Golden Retriever Puppies. He and his wife have four children and love spending time together, traveling lived oversees for 4 years , enjoying the outdoors and connecting Golden families. Be the first to know when we have new puppies! All Rights Reserved. Pet Keen is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. How on earth does one of the most lovable and gentle dogs out there become aggressive? Unfortunately, it is not unheard of. Golden Retrievers are just as likely to show aggressive behavior as any other animal or human out there. We look at a few of the factors that can cause aggression in Golden Retrievers and a few of the common warning signs. We also look briefly at the methods that you can use to help prevent aggression in your Golden. Abuse This is an unfortunate truth. Neglect Neglect is absolutely a form of abuse. It can be withdrawing any kind of love or affection or even just attention from a dog, but it can also include not providing the dog with the basic necessities of life, such as food and water. When a Golden has been malnourished, they start to exhibit food-guarding behavior , which includes growling and biting at anyone or anything while they are eating. Image Credit: chendongshan, Shutterstock 3. This is considered one of the most common causes of aggression in most dogs. Illness or Pain Dogs that are in pain or are sick can react with aggression. They feel vulnerable, and if they are in pain or some form of discomfort, they can lash out in a protective or defensive reaction. Specific Illnesses This is different from a dog feeling sick. There are certain illnesses that can cause aggression. The most famous is rabies, but hormonal imbalances or metabolic and genetic disorders can also cause aggression, such as hypothyroidism, neoplasia, and psychomotor epilepsy, to name a few. Image Credit: Piqsels 6. Danger or Threat All dogs will react aggressively if they feel threatened or feel the need to protect their territory , including their families. This is particularly true for a mother dog protecting her puppies. A dog without the proper socialization will be nervous and fearful in new situations and around new people. Image Credit: pixels, Shutterstock 9. But they can also breed undesirable traits into their puppies. So, if the parents or grandparents had aggressive natures, this might be passed down to the next generations. The Warning Signs It is helpful to recognize the warning signs before a dog acts out from aggression. A few of these will be obvious, but most signs can be overlooked or misunderstood. Body language that your Golden might display, in order of the aggression ramping up, include: Squinting, turning head or body away from the situation, and avoidance of eye contact Licking of the lips or yawning Flattening of the ears tightly against the head Crouching down and tucking the tail under the body Freezing in place and stiffening of the body Growling Snapping Biting These are all signs that a bite might be imminent, so proceed with caution if your dog is exhibiting these signs. That said, many of these tips can be applied to almost any dog at any age. Image Credit: Piqsels 1. Socialization Just as improper socialization can lead to eventual aggression, the right socialization can prevent it. When your puppy or dog is introduced to as many environments, situations, people, and animals as possible, they gradually learn to not be afraid of new things. Using praise, pets, and treats when your dog does something right is the best method for training all breeds. Image Credit: Piqsels 3. Find a Good Breeder The genetics of the dog is important and so is how the breeder raises the puppies. Patience and Love This is important for every single dog out there but is particularly true for rescue dogs. Rescue dogs will gradually learn to trust again. Image Credit: Standret, Shutterstock 5. If you have a handle on what causes an aggressive reaction from your dog, try to fix it. But first take your dog to the vet to rule out any injury or illness. Exercise Ensure that your Golden is receiving plenty of exercise. They are energetic dogs that need to engage in many types of activities and training, which effectively reduces aggressive behavior. You should also look into enrolling your dog in obedience classes or even agility trials and dock diving. These dogs are hard-working, and if you give them a job to do, they are less likely to become aggressive. They are the fourth most intelligent dog breed behind the Border Collie , Poodle , and German Shepherd , and they are highly sensitive dogs. The first sign of any kind of aggression needs to be addressed, even if it means talking to an animal behaviorist or vet. Just spend time with your Golden and give them plenty of love and attention, and that dog will absolutely be devoted and confident and unquestionably, a happy and loving companion!

Finding white English Lab puppies White English Labs are affectionate, friendly, and people-oriented dogs. They have relatively high energy needs and are usually high shedders. But, the English strain of this breed will make a wonderful companion for an active household, even ones with kids and other pets. Are White English Labs Purebred? White English Labradors can be purebred. Purebred yellow Labs come in a huge range of shades. The exact color of a yellow Lab will depend on the intensity of their pigmentation, usually controlled at the Intensity I locus. But, white English Labs may be too pale to qualify. But, it is still possible to find a mixed breed dog that looks like a white English Lab. And, since this breed is so popular, some disreputable breeders may try to mis-sell their mixed puppies as purebred Labradors. So, be vigilant in your search for a reputable breeder. Ask plenty of questions, view paperwork in person, and meet both parent dogs where possible! English Labs are bred to conform to the ideal breed standard. They are generally stocky, muscular dogs. These Labradors will have broad skulls, with medium length jaws that come to a defined stop. Their nose will be black and wide, with open nostrils. Their eyes will be medium in size, in colors brown or hazel. English Labradors have well proportioned ears that hang flat against their heads. In all, their appearance will be strong and broad, but toned. Despite their stockier stature compared to the American type Lab, excess weight and obesity is not encouraged. Another distinct feature of the English Lab is their otter tail. These Labradors have short, dense coats made up of two layers. Their undercoat is soft and weather resistant to keep them warm and healthy in their original retrieving roles. White English Labs will have a yellow coat so pale that it appears white. Their coloring could be uniform all over, or it could be slightly more pigmented in certain areas, such as their ears. Are White English Labs Friendly? English and American Labradors are distinguished by their temperament just as much as their appearance. Both types are friendly, energetic, and people-oriented dogs. But, English Labs tend to have slightly lower energy levels than field type Labs. The English variety are very people-oriented. They will need plenty of exercise, but will be happy to relax at home with you afterwards. As intelligent dogs, they will need mental stimulation as well as regular exercise. They are eager to please and will respond well to positive-reward training. This Labrador strain is often very food motivated. English Labradors are often recommended as family dogs, particularly for first time owners. They are known to get along well with children and other pets, especially when they are properly socialized from the time they come home with you. To give your puppy the best chance of a healthy future make sure both of their parents have good hip scores, a recent eye test and are PRA clear. On average, white English Labradors live to 12 years old. Finding White English Lab Puppies The best breeders will prioritise health and good temperament above all else. Reputable breeders will be happy to answer any questions you have, and will provide evidence of health testing. Alternatively, you can search in local rescue centers, to see if any of those have white English Labs up for adoption! We are certified professional breeders and trainers that aim to excel in continuing the superior bloodline of white English Labrador retriever puppies. Our puppies are raised to be family members, and each purebred white Labrador retriever puppy that we raise can make an excellent companion. Boasting a docile, patient, and friendly temperament, our puppies are more than ready to join your family, no matter the size or experience level. Simply put, you get the best when you choose Snowy Pines White Labs for your white Labrador retriever puppies. There, you can take a tour and meet the dams, sires, and puppies. But before you do, take the time to get to know us and why we are different from any other breeder. Snowy Pines White Labs is certified by the American Kennel Club , the longest-running organization that verifies the bloodline of purebred dogs and ethical practices of breeders. For years, AKC has been the top-rated registry of purebred dogs, proving to be the number-one trusted expert in all breeds. Being certified by the AKC verifies our practices and our white Labrador retriever bloodlines. All of our dams and sires have been approved by the AKC, which means that there is proper proof that our dogs are true purebred white Labrador puppies. We love him! I carry him around like a big toddler! We made it home today and everyone is happy!! We are so thrilled with him. Hi Tom, we have 2 excited boys and 2 exhausted puppies! Thanks for everything, we will continue to send photos! Instead, we want to quench their curiosity by offering plenty of time to exercise, play, and socialize with each other. The best way we do that is by giving them free rein of our acre property , huddled in the heart of the Ozark Mountains. Just as important, we also treat our puppies like family. From the second they are born to the moment they leave, they are treated like one of our own. So after a long day of play, our puppies are welcomed into their sqft centrally heated and cooled kennel home where they receive specialized attention. In between play and rest, our dogs and puppies have access to five-acre pens where they can safely play until one of our members are ready to take them onto the property. At night, the puppies rest in large heated or cooled kennels with their siblings to prepare for another day of exploration and playtime. Healthy Puppies The puppies are kept on a nutritious diet from the time the weaning process begins until the time they leave our home. Superior Bloodline Here at Snowypines, we are confident in the superior bloodline of our dogs. Full Replacement Snowy Pines offers a full replacement guarantee against genetic defects in our puppies for five years!! The longest guarantee in the US!! State of the art Facility We have an excellent facility where dogs can be inside the heated and cooled kennel or in the large 5-acre pens. Our Puppies we are the best! We work hard to bring the best puppies into the lives of families all around the United States. We are passionate about what we do, which is why we always have the proper certifications, health screenings, and socialization to ensure we produce the best pedigree white Labrador retriever puppies in the world. There, you can meet our dams, sires, and available white Labrador retriever puppies. Going forward, we will walk you through the adoption process, where every question or concern you have will be answered immediately. Additionally, you can watch our Puppy Live Stream here. At Snowy Pines White Labs, you can bring home your new companion for life within weeks. See our available puppies or contact us to take a tour of our facility today!