There are many reasons for deciding to get a purebred labrador - you may want to do gundog work with it, or show. Or maybe you just want a solid, sensible family companion - one which plays football with the kids, goes for long walks on a Sunday to the woods or the beach yet which is also happy to just snooze most of the day when you've got other things on.
There are many reasons to choose a labrador over say, a labradoodle or a cockapoo:
When you buy a well-bred labrador you know almost exactly what you're getting, You can see mum - and most bitches look somewhat like their mum, particularly with regards to size, whereas most dogs will be a similar size to their dad. You know what size you're going to end up with, within a few inches.
Labradors are pretty low maintenance - they shed once or twice a year and a simple shedding tool will take most of that coat out once that starts. They're short coated so there's no chance of matted ears or feet being a problem, no having to clean poo off fluffy butts; a simple body brush is enough outwith shedding season. A labradoodle, on the other hand, needs groomed every 6 weeks to avoid matting (which can become a serious welfare issue!) and will cost you approximately £5500 - £6500 in grooming over an average lifetime.
Labradors aren't really barkers. They'll let you know there's someone at the door, but other than that they're pretty quiet. Poodle crosses are much more noisy and cockapoos benefit from the potential yappiness of both breeds.
A well-bred labrador should have a sensible, docile, easy-to-live with temperament. They're very trainable - as the fact that they're the preferred breed for so many assistance organisations demonstrates. They're generally good with other dogs, children and other pets - they might chase your neighbour's cat but they're unlikely to actually do it any harm. Nerviness found in some other breeds and crosses (cockapoos are notorious for this with groomers) is a totally unwanted trait in labradors and so dogs like this should not be bred from.
The labrador is a fairly healthy breed. Every breed has its health problems but unlike some other large breeds the average lifespan of a labrador is about 12 years. Hip dysplasia is no longer the threat it once was, thanks to decades of hip scoring, and while elbows can be problematic they're no more so than in many other breeds or mixes. The most common cancer in the breed, mast cell tumours, are often easily resected and don't recur and now there is an injectible treatment - so they're rarely a cause of death.
They'll eat anything! They're not a fussy breed and many dogs make a grand old age on a low-end food.
There are many reasons to choose a labrador over say, a labradoodle or a cockapoo:
When you buy a well-bred labrador you know almost exactly what you're getting, You can see mum - and most bitches look somewhat like their mum, particularly with regards to size, whereas most dogs will be a similar size to their dad. You know what size you're going to end up with, within a few inches.
Labradors are pretty low maintenance - they shed once or twice a year and a simple shedding tool will take most of that coat out once that starts. They're short coated so there's no chance of matted ears or feet being a problem, no having to clean poo off fluffy butts; a simple body brush is enough outwith shedding season. A labradoodle, on the other hand, needs groomed every 6 weeks to avoid matting (which can become a serious welfare issue!) and will cost you approximately £5500 - £6500 in grooming over an average lifetime.
Labradors aren't really barkers. They'll let you know there's someone at the door, but other than that they're pretty quiet. Poodle crosses are much more noisy and cockapoos benefit from the potential yappiness of both breeds.
A well-bred labrador should have a sensible, docile, easy-to-live with temperament. They're very trainable - as the fact that they're the preferred breed for so many assistance organisations demonstrates. They're generally good with other dogs, children and other pets - they might chase your neighbour's cat but they're unlikely to actually do it any harm. Nerviness found in some other breeds and crosses (cockapoos are notorious for this with groomers) is a totally unwanted trait in labradors and so dogs like this should not be bred from.
The labrador is a fairly healthy breed. Every breed has its health problems but unlike some other large breeds the average lifespan of a labrador is about 12 years. Hip dysplasia is no longer the threat it once was, thanks to decades of hip scoring, and while elbows can be problematic they're no more so than in many other breeds or mixes. The most common cancer in the breed, mast cell tumours, are often easily resected and don't recur and now there is an injectible treatment - so they're rarely a cause of death.
They'll eat anything! They're not a fussy breed and many dogs make a grand old age on a low-end food.