When people think of a dog, I wonder how many people think of a Labrador Retriever. The Labrador Retriever has been listed as the most popular dog breed for years and is still going strong. This dog has an image of joy and family attached to it, along with skills in hunting. However, just like many other breeds, there are things about this breed that everyone should know before considering it as the new addition to their family or as the candidate for a specific job.
About the Breed
Before one can understand why certain dog breeds have certain behavioral tendencies, one must understand the breeding history of that dog breed. The Labrador Retriever (Lab) is believed to have been developed from the St. Johns Dog breed which was originally bred in Newfoundland and was probably built up of various dog breeds brought over from other lands when Newfoundland was first inhabited (Reference 2). The St. Johns Dog was actually used to retrieve fish and help maintain fishing boats (Reference 2). The breed was then discovered by British visitors of Canada, though according to the AKC website, it is not entirely understood how the breed became associated with Labrador (Reference 1). After the British discovered the hearty St. Johns Dog breed, they became a popular breed in England in the 1800’s, and it was the British who developed the breed into the classic Labrador Retriever dog we have today (Reference 1). The St. Johns Dog’s skill in retrieving fish from frigid waters was developed into duck retrieving skills for duck hunters by the Earl of Malmesbury (who bred St. Johns Dogs, but seemed to have made popular the name “Labrador Dog”) and the second Earl of Malmesbury who bred Labrador Dogs (rather than St. Johns Dogs) (Reference 2). Breeders specifically bred the Lab for its charming temperament and gentle nature toward both people and animals (Reference 1), leading to the development of today’s most popular dog breed, the Labrador Retriever.
Breed Behaviors
Now that we know a little bit about the breed’s history, let us look at some behaviors that are common in Labs. As with any dog who is bred to work with birds or game, the Labs have a highly developed retrieval instinct. This dog breed is highly interested in work and will engage in retrieval in various levels of cold weather with ample energy to get the task done (Note: Because this breed was bred for hard work in cold waters, it also has been bred with a thick short coat that helps it stay warm in frigid weather). This means that the Labrador Retriever has a combination of a high drive to work, energy to work in almost any weather (except hot weather), and a strong retrieval instinct. This breed also has a happy, sociable personality as it was also specifically bred for being gentle with people and animals alike.
When these things are at play in a dog, you often end up with a dog who is quite expressive in its movements due to a high drive to work. The Labs I have worked with came to me with behaviors such as jumping on people and body slamming people (mostly on accident). Though these are often exaggerated displays of the individual dog’s play style and results of the dog being overly excited, in my experience, these behaviors are more common in Labs who do not get enough exercise both physically and mentally. Labs also tend to be highly focused during training and can pick up on skills very quickly, especially when it involves tracking/following movement (e.g. heel). They also can become obsessive with games like fetch if their brains are not challenged enough, if they have no other outlets for their retrieval skills, or if calmness has not been promoted from a young age. Labs are also very social and will often want to be close to people, which can result in a seemingly “clingy” dog who likes to be with you as much as possible.
Training Labrador Retrievers
So how do these behaviors play into training Labs? First, every Lab owner needs to be aware of the energy and drive that most Labs have. While you can find breeders who breed specifically for traits that make them good, calm, family dogs, many Labs are bred as hunting dogs. To help you get off to a good start with your Lab, here are eight things that I recommend people do to help make their Lab a wonderful companion:
1. Labs need a lot of exercise, and they need their brains challenged on a regular basis. So first and foremost, for training to be effective, your Lab must be regularly exercised. Before you get your Lab, make sure you have an exercise plan for both their physical and mental needs.
2. Labs need an outlet for their natural breed specific behaviors. It can be helpful to have a systematic outlet for their retrieval skills as they may become obsessive when it comes to fetch. (Note: you can help protect them from fetch obsession by encouraging them to play other games as well, such as search games).
3. Calmness needs to be integrated into their life from an early age. If your Lab is too excited during training, delivering rewards calmly can help promote this calm attitude during training. However, it is important that you train your Lab to settle down as well, especially if your Lab is high energy. Though it does not need to settle for long periods of time (which will almost always be hard for high energy dogs), teaching your Lab a “calm” or “settle” cue can be extremely helpful for both you and your dog’s psychological comfort.
4. Focus is important to teach your Lab from a young age. Teach your Lab to focus on you both at home and out in public and do so from a young age. Tip: delivering treats quickly and setting your Lab up for a higher rate of success and reinforcement will help them stay focused on you and what they are learning in training sessions. (Note: I have also found that limiting chit chat during training can help them focus better as talking can be distracting to them or your voice may fade into the background, rather than being something that gets their attention).
5. For both high energy and low energy Labs, the person training the dog needs to be able to understand how to motivate the dog properly in order to keep its attention and focus. Test out rewards inside and outside the house to find out what truly motivates your Lab. Test both food treats and toys as well, though I have found that most labs will eagerly take both.
6. The person training the dog must be able to keep up with the dog’s thinking mind. This means that the person training the dog needs to have very good timing and a strong understanding of how to read the dogs body language and movement.
7. For those who are getting the dog for sports as well as a companionship, though you might want to encourage the retrieval behavior in your Lab from a young age, you also must make sure to start training with self-control behaviors such as sit, stay, and come. Start by making sure you do basic obedience training with your Lab puppy as soon as possible, using positive reinforcement. This will give your Lab a foundation that is built on behaviors that involve self-control, and it will help you build your relationship with your Lab as well.
8. Last, but not least, make sure to follow through on training and maintain it throughout your Lab's life, especially in its first two years. Training is an ongoing process. Dogs learn through association and they are making and remaking associations every day. To make sure that your Lab maintains behaviors that you like and does not develop behaviors you dislike, revisit obedience training every once in a while, to maintain those behaviors. This is especially helpful for dogs with high energy and drive, as training is also a great form of exercise.
Closing thoughts
All breeds must have their breed needs met. Just like we get stressed and frustrated in life when we cannot do fulfilling work, dogs need to be able to exercise their natural skills and instincts. So please make sure that your Lab, whether it is high energy or low energy, has ample opportunity to exercise its breed specific skills. Also, please know that dogs are dogs. Many behaviors we dislike in our dog, are simply things all dogs do naturally. So, find a good trainer if you need help understanding how to work with your dog and build behaviors that you like. If your Lab is in need of a sport, please check out Dock Diving near you, as this can be a great option for Labrador Retrievers.
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