Labrador at the age of 4 months: how does it look and how to contain?

Labrador is a favorite dog of fishermen since the 19th century because of its innate ability to swim perfectly. They helped people by pulling nets out of a pond. Today, this breed of dog is no less popular, which is due to its unique devotion and appearance. For these reasons, people very often want to have such a favorite in their home.

If you firmly decided to have a Labrador, the acquisition of a four-month-old puppy would be optimal. During this period, the labrador must have the following external parameters.

• Coat of puppy. The undercoat should be thick enough, while at the same time to the touch and outwardly smooth, resembling silk; the hair itself is stiff on contact.
• The shape of the tail. One of the most important parts of a dog that is directly responsible for swimming. Thus, when the dog moves, the tail should not be higher than body level. It should be short, but thick at the base, tapering smoothly when moving to the tip.
• Eyes must have a clear color, no shroud should be present.
• Puppy face has a friendly "smiling" look, in girth its size should be approximately 25 centimeters (an error of 1 cm in both directions is permissible), length - from 7 to 8 cm.
• Big head, in the girth the norm is 39 centimeters, while the dog should have a long neck.
• Chest circumference about 62 cm.

It is worth considering that girls are different from boys, they are slightly smaller than the opposite sex. Therefore, choosing a puppy, consider this factor.

First of all, the dog must know who the owner of the house is.

In addition, at the age of 4 months, the puppy must respond to the nickname given to him, while following the previously established feeding regimen. The initial skills should also include the ability to walk with the owner on a leash, a friendly attitude to other animals on the street and not only; the dog should not interfere with the owner when trying to care for himself, if necessary, ask for walking in order to maintain cleanliness in the house, not to show a reaction to a loud sound.

It is very important that during this period the puppy has learned to perform several mandatory commands.

• "A place!" - Labrador must remain in place at the first request of the owner.
• "Fu!", "It is impossible!". A good test would be a dainty test. Put a piece of your favorite food in front of the dog and say “You can't!” or "Fu!" - if she does not touch the food without your permission, then the team is well mastered.
• "To me!".
• "Walk!".

The last two are not worth explaining, everything is clear by name and easy to check.

All representatives of this breed are quick-witted, however, each dog has an individual character.

For instance, puppies copy the customs of their master, to which there is a close affection. In other words, they work like a mirror. The puppy's psyche is stable, however, you can notice a strong excitement of the baby in anticipation of walking.

A four-month-old healthy puppy is active and friendly to a person. For example, a well-bred dog has the following three distinctive features:

• ready to serve the master;
• very active;
• loves to explore everything.

Starting from the moment of birth, a normally developing labrador each month increases body weight by at least two kilograms. Thus, at 4 months a healthy puppy looks peppy, weighs about 18 kilograms, while the growth reaches 46 cm.

The dosage of a particular food depends largely on the individuality of the dog. You will have to choose and feed the dog by trial and error.

The most balanced in terms of vitamin and mineral composition are ready-made feeds of premium and super-premium class.

However, if you are a supporter of the "natural", pay attention to what should be introduced into the diet of a pet, and what should be discarded.

An adult dog should eat the following foods per kg of weight:

• proteins - 10-15 g;
• carbohydrates - 3-5 g;
• fats - 1-2 g

Puppy's diet should be tripled due to the need for vitamins for full development. Therefore, starting from 4 months, it is required to introduce food with various additives, which include glucosamine and chondroitin for the formation of cartilage tissue and normal coat. Also, calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D must be present in the diet.

The features of this breed should be considered. For dinner, the portion of food should be larger, which is due to the special activity of the stomach with a large secretion of gastric juice starting from noon, the peak of activity falls at night.

There are a number of products that it is strictly forbidden to use a four-month-old Labrador, and indeed, to any dog:

• raw dough;
• bones;
• pasta, legumes such as peas and beans, bread, potatoes;
• sweet;
• various seasonings that enhance the taste;
• spoiled food.

Due to the innate desire for cleanliness, caring for the dog is not burdensome. The owner will need to do the following:

• the coat needs to be combed 2-3 times a week;

• bathing with shampoo once every 30 days, however, wash off street dust regularly, while drying the coat;

• claws are cut as they grow;

• in case you notice that the dog often scratches the ear, which smells bad at the same time, you need to go to the veterinarian, at least once a week you need to clean your ears;

• do the same with eyes: wipe them from dirt with a cloth soaked in tea;

• daily the dog needs to brush his teeth.

What you need to prepare in the house for a Labrador puppy can be seen in the next video.