„Oh I thought it is a family dog!“
People are often still surprised when they hear that a Labrador is a hunting dog. Well, the truth is, a Lab is the perfect family dog because he is a hunting dog. Why?
He is bred to be very patiently waiting sometimes for a long time during the shooting days. Finally to be sent for certain retrieves. He must not whine or bark during the shootings, meaning he must be very stress resistent. When picking game he must have a soft mouth, even when the game is still alive. He must be very easy and friendly with other dogs and human, as he often has to squeeze in on a pickup truck with many other dogs and people he does not even know, while driving out to the shoot. He needs to be eager to learn and should have much will to please, to be trained on the highest level, picking the birds you want to have.
All those facts make a Labrador to the perfect family member: patient, calm, stress resistent, friendly with human and other dogs and easy to train.
If we start to breed Labradors not for their primary task (being a hunting dog), we will loose their qualities as family dogs too. So be careful where you pick your puppy and make sure the breeding lines behind the Labrador you picked, proofed themselves that they are able to hunt and work with all the qualities mentioned above.
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