advantage
Great family dogs: Your entire family will love your Lab and they make great companions for responsible children. Many breeds can become a one person dog, making them miserable for the rest of the family.
Good-natured and love people: They are very calm, friendly and have a good temperament. This breed is also accepting of strangers. The only drawback to this is that it won’t bark if you have an intruder. Rather than pin you in a corner, your lab could show you where the cookie jar is.
Labs are “Dog” Friendly: If you want your Lab to be a hunting dog, it is essential that he likes other dogs, as you can be sure that there will be other dogs hunting with you. Labs are not aggressive.
They are easily trained: Dogs obviously don’t train themselves, but Labradors are exceptionally intelligent and always want to please their owner, which makes training quick and easy.
Athletic: If you are a runner or hiker, this dog is the perfect choice. They love this type of exercise or any type of sport you play. They always want to exercise, so doing it with you will make them happy.
Versatile hunting dog: This dog will retrieve on land or water. If you are a hunter and looking for that perfect dog to retrieve your ducks, pheasants, geese, etc., choose a Labrador. This breed loves any type of water activity, which is also great for children when they go to the lake to have fun.
Cons
Lab Demand Warning: Labradors were bred to work, whether it be fetching a toy, getting your newspaper, or chasing birds in the wild. They need your attention! An intelligent dog will become destructive if not mentally stimulated. They need to see new places, learn new skills, see new things, and smell fresh scents.
destructiveness: I suggest you find the time to pay attention to your new Labrador as described above because if these needs are not met he will be very destructive. It will chew everything, destroy your furniture, pillows and bedding, dig huge holes in your backyard, jump the fence and bark as much as possible. This is how they express themselves. You need to have time to pay attention to it.
Expensive health problems: Many older Labradors can get chronic feeds that are very expensive to treat. If you get arthritis, you can spend up to $4-$5 a day. If you have allergies, your food can cost $80-$100 a month. They are also known to have hip problems due to over-exercising and high energy, which are very costly when surgery is needed.
They lose a lot of hair: The lab’s fur is very thick because it protects them from the elements while they hunt and dive into cold lakes. This means that their fur is constantly shedding. He will vacuum every day.
Smell: Dogs produce oil in their fur, but Labrador retrievers were developed for aquatic activities and their heavy fur produces more oil. This is a distinctive smell, especially when you have been exercising or been in the water. If you find it offensive, you will need to bathe your dog frequently. (please be careful not to dry out your skin)
Your lab needs a job: This may sound silly to you, but these dogs were bred to perform specific job functions. They need that stimulation of mental and physical activity. You will need to spend a lot of time and energy on this breed, so make sure your whole family understands this before you go out and buy a Labrador.