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What an absolutely amazing and beautiful dog is the Labrador retriever. Originally from Newfoundland, Labrador retrievers are kind hearted, sensitive, and athletic. The average height of the breed is between 22 and 25" tall and weight is usually 55 to 70lbs. for the female, and 60 to 75lbs. for the male. There are some male labs that reach 100lbs. I myself have one that weighs 105lbs.

Labrador retrievers come in three colors; yellow to light yellow, black, and chocolate. They have beautiful expressive eyes that are either a light amber or chestnut and some even have hazel eyes. There are also also two types of Labradors, which some may disagree with me on, but I have these two types in my own household. You may have seen the differences in the lanky, tall, American Labrador which is also called a Field Labrador, and the shorter, stocky Labrador, usually known as the English Labrador. Both are wonderful dogs, although the English Labrador is a bit calmer and more laid back than the American Labrador.

When deciding if the Labrador retriever is the right dog for you, you may want to check out your local pet shelter, as the Labrador is the most over bred dog in the USA. Also tragically, the majority of whom are turned into shelters or rescued from unsuitable and cruel owners. When you hear the phrase "Man's best friend" that was probably written about the Labrador retriever. Sadly, not all men are best friends of the Labrador retriever though, so the abuse and neglect of these beautiful creatures is more common than most of us are even aware. Labrador retrievers are people oriented, and need that human association and inclusion. It's a pity to see them chained up outside or in kennels when with just a small amount of training they make wonderful indoor members of the family.

The Labrador retriever makes a fantastic, energetic, companion dog for children, but not small children unless you acquire an adult Labrador. A puppy is too rambunctious for a small child and in his excitement may jump up and knock down the child. Labrador retrievers take about two years to truly mature, so be patient in training them. They love to chew as puppies, so provide plenty of chew toys for them to break in those adult teeth. Next to a Border collie, I believe Labrador retrievers are second in line in extremely high intelligence and almost human like qualities. The Labrador is used most often in rescue and recovery, such as after 9/11, natural disasters, drug sniffing, guide dogs, service

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