Labrador - a fairly common breed of dogs purchased for keeping in an apartment. However, before buying, you should definitely find out all the pros and cons of such a transaction, and also understand whether it will be possible to create optimal conditions for the pet.
Advantages and disadvantages
The Labrador in the apartment, judging by the reviews of numerous owners, does not create any special difficulties for the family. The character of the dog is very light and friendly, and the description of the breed itself contains only positive aspects. A retriever is worth starting up, even if a person owns not a full-fledged house, but a one-room apartment - in any case, the dog will sleep either next to the owner, or near his feet.
For a Labrador, it is contraindicated to keep it in an aviary or in a box on a chain. The obvious advantages of this breed include the simplicity of caring for the animal, its good nature, the ability to obedience and the wonderful appearance of the pet.
Cons of retriever, in principle, are characteristic of most domestic animals. Young individuals are characterized by increased activity and force owners to arrange regular energetic walks for them. Little puppies can ruin things in the apartment if they are not provided with a suitable alternative in advance. In addition, the nutrition of a Labrador, especially an adult, costs money.
Labrador is a large dog: its weight ranges from 25 to 40 kilograms, and the height at the withers does not exceed 53-60 centimeters. Therefore, if the room is too small, it will be uncomfortable neither the dog nor its owners. In principle, the disadvantages of this animal include its need for constant communication.If the owners are often not at home, then they should not start a Labrador.
Creating conditions for content
A Labrador can be quite successfully kept even in a one-room apartment, but the main condition will be his regular and long walk. Retrievers get along well with children and other animals, so there should not be conflicts. There is a small probability with the birds living at home, as the hunter's instincts can leap up for the dog, but you should not worry too much about it. When acquiring a Labrador puppy, it is important to be prepared for the fact that until the age of three he is still considered a child, which means that he constantly stains the floor. It is better to prepare for this in advance by cleaning the apartment from carpets.
Again, in the early years, the dog has increased activity and the need for constant movement, which can lead to injuries if unsafe objects are not eliminated first.
Retriever puppies love to play with any objects that fall under their paws. To eliminate the likelihood of plant damage or “gutting” magazines, you will have to provide the pet with suitable toys.
In the first 2 weeks you will have to take care of the puppy very carefully, since at this time the baby yearns for his mother and other dogs with whom they used to live. It is necessary to communicate at this time in a calm voice, not to shout and not swear, more often to stroke and spend time together. In addition, it is important to give him the opportunity to get acquainted with the house - to show him where the water is, where the bowl with food will be, and where the puppy will sleep.
To train a puppy to go to the tray, you will need to follow a certain pattern. About a quarter of an hour after eating, the pet just lands on the tray. Such a procedure should be carried out in the first months.
About the fourth month, the dog begins to ask outside, if possible, you should immediately fulfill this request, otherwise a useful reflex will not be able to gain a foothold. As for the full-fledged training, it should be carried out during the first 3 years.
During this period, the dog should receive a reward for good behavior and punishment, respectively, for bad behavior. It is important to mention that for a dog to sleep, it is necessary to highlight an eminence, for example, a chair, pouf or a special couch, located far from both windows and doorways, and from batteries and other heating devices. The floors in the apartment cannot be left slippery, otherwise the puppy's limbs may begin to form in the wrong way. Every week the dog should be combed out. During molting, this procedure becomes everyday.
An ordinary rubber brush is suitable for combing. Labrador washing is allowed with a special shampoo or even ordinary soap. The bathing procedure ends with a thorough wipe. Labrador ears are important to inspect for parasites from time to time.
In addition, it would be good to complete each walk by checking the coat - if the pet had caught insects and fleas. In the warm season, experts recommend creating additional protection against parasites with the help of special tools sold in the form of aerosols or drops. Do not forget about the preventive visits to doctors and vaccination.
It will be 5 times a day to feed a young dog, and a couple of meals a day is enough for an adult. The easiest way is to purchase ready-made premium food that is balanced and contains all the necessary vitamins and other elements. If the feed will be purchased cheaper, then you will additionally have to take care of buying vitamin supplements. It is important not to forget that retrievers are quite prone to obesity, so they should be fed with foods that are just low in fat.
From natural products, veterinarians recommend choosing raw or boiled beef, fruits, fresh or boiled carrots, dairy products, as well as fairly common cereals - oatmeal, buckwheat or rice. Their use is indispensable in case of labrador allergy. No pasta should be given to the dog, nor should food and conventional products be combined in one meal.
How to walk dogs?
The frequency of walking Labradors is determined depending on their age. During walks, especially the first three years, it is important not only to play with the dog in the fresh air, but also to teach the simplest teams and shape the behavior of the pet. In other words, time in the fresh air should be accompanied by a certain load. It is important for a puppy aged 3 to 6 months to walk every 3 hours, and immediately after eating. Labrador, whose age ranges from 6 to 9 months, must visit the street from 3 to 5 times a day.
The age interval from 9 months to a year allows you to reduce the number of walks to 2 or 3 times a day. Finally, when the retriever celebrates his first birthday, the walking is reduced to stable 2 times a day. The duration of each walk should vary from an hour to two, so when acquiring a dog of this breed, you should think about this aspect.
At the sixth month, walks are accompanied by the beginning of training. First, the puppy should be taught the prohibition and call commands, as well as to train to respond to the nickname. From eight months you can already set more complex tasks, for example, teaching teams "Sit" or "Place."
The dog should not be trained in a new team until the previous one is mastered, since the retriever cannot work in multitasking mode. By the way, if there is such a possibility, then the labrador should be brought to water bodies and given the opportunity to splash energy in the water.
Do I need a cell?
For a Labrador living in an apartment, it is important to create a safe environment. The pet must have its own space where he can relax. It is better to separate part of the room, but not the master bedroom, and place a spacious and soft sunbed in the corner. Here you can arrange numerous puppy toys. For a Labrador, wooden sticks, and rag men, and rubber figures, and bones, and much more are suitable. By the way, It is not recommended to arrange a Labrador’s relaxation area on a glazed balcony, as the dog is able to simply jump out of the window behind the bird.
The feeding area is located in the corridor or kitchen area. Usually a couple of bowls are enough - for water and for food. The only condition for this corner is that the dog should have free access at any time of the day. As for the cell, the retriever can be kept in it. The dog does not feel any inconvenience and does not perceive this design with a negative connotation.
Inside, it is appropriate to place a warm stove bench. However, closing the animal in the cage is allowed only for the duration of the absence of the owners in the house. Babies up to three months of age should be kept in the arena, and then introduced to the cage. The time until the dog remains limited in movement cannot exceed 4 hours.
Owner reviews
The comments of the owners of the Labradors are mostly positive. They are called not only beautiful, but smart and loyal animals. Keeping a pet, even in a one-room apartment, is not considered difficult, since it is completely unpretentious. Some owners, however, report the severity of caring for the puppy, which, in principle, disappears as the animal grows. You have to walk the dog often, for a long time and actively, but the kindness and affection of the pet compensates for everything.
On caring for a Labrador in the apartment, see below.
