How to Care for a Labrador Retriever - Giving Them the Right Kind of Attention

1. Show your lab a lot of affection.By nature, it is a very loving dog. If there's anything labrador retrievers love more than food, it is spending time with you - playing, snuggling, or simply following you around..
- Don’t neglect your lab if it wants to play or cuddle up next to your feet while you watch TV. Your labrador retriever has not lost its pack instinct. Most likely, your lab views you as the leader or one of the leaders of its pack. So if you neglect your lab, it will be affected emotionally.

2. Socialize your labrador retriever. All dogs are territorial. Your lab is no exception. It's natural for them to bark at anything and everything, but when conditioned properly, they aren't so ferocious. Make sure that you spend some time at home and out in public training your lab.[17]
- If you have several dogs, you'll need to gradually introduce your new labrador retriever into the mix. Place them in a room or outdoor space divided by a fence of some kind. Let the dogs get a sense of one another. They learn a lot by smells, so give them 30 minutes or more to just take in their new companion. Next, let them get closer, but keep them on a leash. Do this several times, limiting their exposure to the other animal to half hour increments. Only when you are confident that they won't attack one another should you let them roam freely. Have them play together outside. Let them bond.[18]
- The same rules apply to people. If your labrador retriever is going to get used to being around a lot of people, it needs to be introduced into these environments in a safe way. Keep your lab on a leash. Have surrounding people/strangers pet your dog and be kind to them. Tell them to offer their hand to your dog. Dogs love to smell people's hands in order to assess their scent. Do this frequently. Eventually, your lab will learn that people can be trusted.[19]

3. Teach your children how to play with your lab. Generally, your labrador retriever will play well with children. However, if you have younger children, you will have to keep tabs on what they're doing with the dog at all times. Make sure the child isn't hurting or threatening your dog in any way or this may result in a physical altercation. Your dog isn't vicious. It doesn't hate your child. It might just feel threatened by it. If it scratches or bites, it is simply reacting instinctually to a threat. Do your best to limit this threat. Be present when your child plays with your labrador.[20]

4. Supply your lab with plenty of toys. Typically, your lab's favorite toy will be a tennis ball. This probably speaks to their inner "retriever". Since your lab was bred to fetch wild game, it makes sense that it would enjoy playing with something that is meant to be retrieved. You can find a myriad of other toys at any pet superstore. Dog toys are a great way for your dog to play and to burn off excess energy without having to go outside and run around.[21]

5. Teach your lab basic commands like sit, stay, and come. Teach it how to walk on a leash also. Labrador retrievers are an intelligent breed and are often easy to train - especially, when they are younger. A trained dog is more confident and better behaved. In addition, a dog that will listen to voice commands is safer in the event it is ever off-leash.[22]
When training your labrador retriever, be sure to reinforce positive behavior rather than chastise for negative. Never hit your labrador retriever. You are trying to build a trusting relationship with your dog, not create a neurotic and scared animal. Dogs that attack people or children without heed are often the product of cruel environments. Don't let your labrador retriever be one of them.[23]