Question 1

How big does a Labrador Retriever get when fully grown?

Accepted Answer

Adult Labrador Retrievers weigh 55–80 lb and stand 21.5–24.5 in at the shoulder. Under the AKC standard, males weigh 65–80 lb and stand 22.5–24.5 in, while females weigh 55–70 lb and stand 21.5–23.5 in.

Question 2

How much do the parents of Pawrade Labrador Retrievers weigh?

Accepted Answer

Parents of Pawrade Labrador Retrievers typically weigh 65–100 lb (fathers) and 50–85 lb (mothers).

Question 3

What is the difference between English and American Labs?

Accepted Answer

They are the same breed, because 'English' and 'American' are informal labels for show-bred and field-bred Labs, not separate breeds or standards. Field-bred Labs tend to be lighter built and more active, so they need more exercise.

Question 4

What colors do Labrador Retrievers come in?

Accepted Answer

The AKC standard allows three colors: black, yellow and chocolate. Yellow ranges from light cream to fox red, and fox red is a shade of yellow rather than a separate color.

Question 5

What are silver, charcoal and champagne Labs?

Accepted Answer

They are dilute shades of chocolate, black and yellow, and they are outside the AKC breed standard. The dilute gene is recessive, so both parents must carry it.

Question 6

Why is my Lab's nose changing color?

Accepted Answer

A nose that fades to a lighter shade, often with the seasons ('snow nose'), is allowed under the breed standards. Yellow Labs that carry two copies of the chocolate gene have brown noses and paw pads.

Question 7

What is a Labrador Retriever's temperament like?

Accepted Answer

Labs are kindly, outgoing and eager to please, and they are friendly with strangers and other dogs. They are patient and playful with children, and a young Lab can be boisterous.

Question 8

Are Labrador Retrievers calm or high-energy?

Accepted Answer

Labs are a high-energy breed that needs at least one long, brisk walk a day plus retrieving, swimming or training games. A well-exercised Lab can be a calm housedog, and field-bred Labs are usually the more active type.

Question 9

Is a Labrador Retriever a good watchdog?

Accepted Answer

Not really, because Labs are alert but friendly toward strangers, and their guarding instinct is weak.

Question 10

Why does my Lab carry everything in its mouth?

Accepted Answer

Labs have a strong urge to retrieve and carry objects. Without training, a Lab will pick up and sometimes destroy household items, so channel the urge into fetch and retrieving games.

Question 11

Are Labrador Retrievers good with children?

Accepted Answer

Labs are patient and playful with children. A young Lab can be boisterous, so supervise play with small children. Among Pawrade Labrador Retriever buyers, about a third have children at home.

Question 12

Do Labrador Retrievers get along with other dogs, including small breeds?

Accepted Answer

Labs are generally friendly with other dogs and non-aggressive. Most Lab litters on Pawrade meet larger dogs before going home, and about a third of Pawrade Lab buyers already have a dog.

Question 13

Is a Labrador Retriever a good dog for hiking and swimming?

Accepted Answer

Labs love retrieving and swimming, and an adult Lab makes an energetic outdoor companion. Hold off jogging for the first year, and go out in the cooler hours on hot days. If your Lab is at risk for exercise-induced collapse (EIC), or untested, avoid intense, excited exercise in the heat.

Question 14

Can a Labrador Retriever live in an apartment?

Accepted Answer

A Lab can manage if it is well exercised, because a Lab that gets enough activity can be a calm housedog. Labs suit active households best, and most Pawrade Lab buyers have a yard.

Question 15

How much exercise does a Labrador Retriever need?

Accepted Answer

An adult Lab needs at least one long, brisk walk a day, plus retrieving, swimming or training games. Field-bred Labs need more, and a well-exercised Lab is a calmer housedog.

Question 16

How much exercise does a Labrador puppy need?

Accepted Answer

A puppy needs far less than an adult: about 5 minutes per month of age, with no forced running or stairs in the early months. Build up to longer walks gradually, and hold off jogging until after the first year.

Question 17

How do Labs handle hot or cold weather?

Accepted Answer

Labs handle cold well and heat only moderately. The dense, weather-resistant coat helps in the cold, and on hot days it is best to exercise in the cooler hours.

Question 18

Do Labs shed, and are they hypoallergenic?

Accepted Answer

Labs shed moderately to heavily, all year round and most in season. They are not hypoallergenic, and no dog is truly hypoallergenic. A short coat does not mean little shedding.

Question 19

How much grooming does a Lab need?

Accepted Answer

A Lab needs little grooming. Brush weekly, more often during shedding season, and bathe only occasionally. Add regular nail trims, tooth care and ear checks.

Question 20

What is a Labrador Retriever's coat like?

Accepted Answer

The coat is short, straight and very dense, over a soft, weather-resistant undercoat. A slight wave down the back is allowed.

Question 21

Are Labs easy to train?

Accepted Answer

Labs are eager to please, and they learn well with food or a retrieve as the reward. Keep sessions fun and varied.

Question 22

How long can a Labrador Retriever puppy hold its bladder?

Accepted Answer

A common rule of thumb is that a puppy can hold its bladder for about as many hours as its age in months. A 3-month-old, for example, can usually wait about 3 hours. The rule works up to about 9 months to 1 year, and every puppy is different. Take your puppy out first thing in the morning, after naps and last thing at night. Keep the crate close enough at night to hear a whimper.

Question 23

How do I house-train a Lab puppy?

Accepted Answer

Start on the first day with frequent trips outside, especially right after waking, and reward your puppy each time it goes outdoors. Labs are quick, food-motivated learners, so food rewards work well.

Question 24

Is a Labrador Retriever puppy crate trained when it comes home?

Accepted Answer

Use a crate or puppy pen for naps, nights and whenever no adult can supervise, and keep it where the family spends time. Breeders on Pawrade report whether they have started crate training, so ask how far your puppy has got.

Question 25

How do I stop my Lab pulling on the leash?

Accepted Answer

Teach loose-leash walking early, because Labs are strong dogs that tend to pull. Reward-based sessions kept fun and varied work best.

Question 26

Why did my Lab stop listening at 7 months?

Accepted Answer

Your Lab is most likely in adolescence, a normal phase when dogs test boundaries and may seem to forget their training. Adolescence runs from about 6–8 months to about 2 years. Keep training consistent and patient, with plenty of physical and mental exercise. Labs learn best with food or a retrieve as the reward, in short sessions kept fun and varied.

Question 27

Is a Labrador Retriever a good hunting dog?

Accepted Answer

The Lab was developed as a gun dog, and it competes in AKC retriever field trials and hunting tests. Working-line Labs need regular outlets for their drive to work and retrieve.

Question 28

What dog sports can Labs do?

Accepted Answer

Labs compete in AKC obedience, rally, agility, tracking and dock diving, and in scent work at the parent club's national specialty.

Question 29

Can a Labrador Retriever be a service dog?

Accepted Answer

Labs work as service dogs, and the breed is known for being eager to please. Sully, a Lab service dog from America's VetDogs, served George H.W. Bush and later helped veterans. Guide dog programs also use Lab and Golden Retriever crosses.

Question 30

At what age can a Labrador Retriever puppy go home?

Accepted Answer

Puppies travel only once they are at least 8 weeks old and weigh at least 2 lb. Most Labrador Retriever puppies go home at about 10 weeks, usually between 9 and 16 weeks.

Question 31

How many puppies are in a Labrador Retriever litter?

Accepted Answer

Labrador Retriever breeders on Pawrade report a typical litter of 7 puppies, usually between 4 and 10.

Question 32

How are Pawrade Labrador Retriever puppies raised before they come home?

Accepted Answer

Most Labrador Retriever litters on Pawrade meet young children and larger dogs before the puppies go home. Breeders report socializing 90% of litters with young children and 94% with large-breed dogs. They also report getting litters used to loud music or TV (67%), pots and pans (63%) and car rides (57%). These figures come from what breeders reported for 483 litters.

Question 33

What should I prepare before my Lab puppy comes home?

Accepted Answer

Secure food, counters and trash, and put shoes, socks and toys out of reach, because a Lab puppy will raid and carry almost anything. Set up a crate or puppy pen in a room where the family spends time, and stock a large-breed puppy food. Book a first vet visit that covers the heart and how your puppy walks.

Question 34

When should my Lab puppy start socialization and classes?

Accepted Answer

Start right away, because the first 3 months are the most important time for socialization. Puppy classes can begin as early as 7–8 weeks, with healthy classmates and clean floors, as your vet advises. Introduce people, friendly dogs, places and everyday things a little at a time.

Question 35

When does a Labrador Retriever puppy stop teething?

Accepted Answer

Most puppies finish teething by about 6 months, when the adult teeth are in. Baby teeth start to fall out from about 12 weeks, and chewing is strongest in between. Offer a few safe chew toys at a time and rotate them, supervise chewing, and keep shoes and socks out of reach.

Question 36

When are a Labrador Retriever puppy's vaccines finished?

Accepted Answer

Most puppies finish their core vaccine series at about 16 weeks, as your vet advises. Until your vet says the series is complete, skip dog parks and other places where unknown dogs gather. A puppy class with healthy classmates and clean floors is fine before then.

Question 37

When is a Labrador Retriever fully grown?

Accepted Answer

Most Labs reach adult size between 12 and 18 months, and the growth plates may not close until 18 months or later. Dogs are usually fully grown and settled into adulthood at around 2 years.

Question 38

What should a Labrador Retriever puppy eat?

Accepted Answer

Feed a large-breed puppy food, so growth stays moderate. Measure every meal and keep treats small, because Labs are food-motivated and gain weight easily. You can ask what your puppy is eating now before it comes home.

Question 39

What is the Veterinary Health Report?

Accepted Answer

The Veterinary Health Report is the record of your Labrador Retriever puppy's exam before it goes home. The breeder's licensed vet gives the puppy itself a full hands-on exam to PetPay's exam standards and writes down what they find. It gives you and your own vet a clear starting point for your puppy's care.

Question 40

Who examines my Labrador Retriever puppy before it goes home?

Accepted Answer

The breeder's licensed veterinarian examines every puppy before it goes home, to PetPay's exam standards. The results are recorded in the puppy's Veterinary Health Report, and a copy travels with your puppy for your records.

Question 41

What does the exam check in a Labrador Retriever?

Accepted Answer

The breeder's licensed vet examines the whole puppy and pays close attention to a few things that matter in Labs. The vet listens to the heart, since some Labs are born with a valve defect called tricuspid valve dysplasia. The vet also checks weight gain, the eyes, the bite and, in males, the testicles.

Question 42

Which vaccines will my Labrador Retriever puppy have had?

Accepted Answer

Before travel, every puppy follows PetPay's vaccination and deworming schedule as far as its age allows: deworming at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks, and the distemper, parvo, adenovirus and parainfluenza combination shot at 6–8, 9–11 and 12–14 weeks. Bordetella and corona are given at the vet's discretion, and no vaccine is given within 3 days of travel. Rabies is given by a licensed vet on the schedule your state requires. Your own vet completes the series. Your puppy's vaccination and deworming records are separate documents that travel with your puppy. Bring them, with the Veterinary Health Report, to your first visit so your vet starts from the same record.

Question 43

What happens if the vet finds something?

Accepted Answer

If the vet finds something that could put your puppy at risk during travel, your puppy stays with the breeder until it's resolved. Problems that can be treated before travel are treated by the breeder's licensed vet first. Anything else the vet notes is shared with you.

Question 44

Why can't the exam find everything?

Accepted Answer

Puppies grow and change quickly, and their immune systems are still developing, so no single exam can find everything. Hips and elbows, for example, are X-rayed later in growth. The report is a strong early look at your puppy, and your own vet builds on it at every checkup.

Question 45

Does a Labrador Retriever from Pawrade come with a health guarantee?

Accepted Answer

Every puppy comes with a health guarantee administered by PetPay, independent of the seller. The terms are on the health guarantee page.

Question 46

What do other Labrador Retriever buyers say?

Accepted Answer

Labrador Retriever buyers rate their Pawrade experience 4.7 out of 5 on average, from 491 reviews, and about 84% of those reviews give 5 stars.

Question 47

How much does a Labrador Retriever puppy cost?

Accepted Answer

Right now, most Labrador Retriever puppies on Pawrade are listed within the typical range shown on Pawrade's Labrador Retriever listings. Each breeder on Pawrade sets their own price, and each puppy's listing shows it. A Labrador Retriever puppy's price reflects what goes into it: its pedigree and registration, its coat and color, and the breeder's program. Every Pawrade puppy's price also includes the pre-travel exam by the breeder's licensed vet, the Veterinary Health Report and a health guarantee administered by PetPay.

Labrador Retriever Puppies for Sale – Page 3

Available Labrador Retriever Puppies

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1-Month Included with every Puppy!*

Need help finding a puppy?
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Labrador Retriever Puppies for Sale – Page 3

Available Labrador Retriever Puppies

Health Guarantee

1-Month Included with every Puppy!*

Need help finding a puppy?Call us at (888) 729-8812

Need help finding a puppy?
Call us at (888) 729-8812