Overview
The Labrador is the dog most walkers meet first and most often, and for good reason. Bred in Newfoundland and refined in Britain to retrieve from cold water, it is biddable, good-natured and almost impossible to offend. Show-type Labs are stockier and calmer; working-type Labs are leaner and carry far more drive.
What that friendliness hides is a dog that was built to work all day. An under-exercised Lab becomes a bored Lab, and a bored Lab chews, raids bins and pulls like a train. For a professional walker the breed is easy company and hard work in equal measure.
Exercise and walking needs
Count on at least an hour and a half a day for a healthy adult, ideally split into two outings with something to do in each. Retrieving is the obvious answer: a ball or dummy turns twenty minutes into a workout and gives the dog the job it was bred for.
Young Labs grow for a long time, so keep walks shorter and avoid repetitive jumping or hard ball-chasing until the owner says the vet is happy with the joints. Older Labs slow down and gain weight easily, so watch the pace rather than the distance.
On the walk
- Recall: Generally good, with two reliable exceptions: water and food. A Lab that has spotted a pond is already halfway in, and a dropped sandwich beats your voice every time.
- Pulling: Strong, especially young dogs. A front-clip harness or a headcollar the owner has already introduced saves your shoulders on a group walk.
- Other dogs: Friendly to a fault. The problem is rarely aggression, it is a 30 kilo greeting aimed at a nervous dog. Manage introductions and keep the enthusiasm off the lead.
- Water: Assume every Lab will swim if allowed. Carry a towel, check the exit points of rivers and canals first, and dry the ears afterwards.
- Picking things up: Labs carry and swallow things. Watch for dropped food, bones and anything that smells interesting in the hedge.
Tips for professional walkers
- Bring a retrieving toy and use it: a Lab that has had ten minutes of fetch settles better than one that has walked twice as far.
- Ask whether the dog is show or working type and plan the distance accordingly; a working Lab will need more.
- Keep treats small and count them. Labs put on weight easily and most owners are already fighting that battle.
- Check paws and ears after wet, muddy walks. Both collect grit and both are where problems start.
- On group walks, pair the Lab with dogs that enjoy a boisterous greeting and keep it away from the timid ones until it has calmed down.
What to ask the owner
- Is the dog allowed to swim, and are there places you would rather it stayed out of?
- Any history with hips, elbows or cruciate ligaments, and is ball-chasing on the approved list?
- Is the dog on a diet, and what counts as an acceptable treat on a walk?
- Does the dog pick things up and swallow them, and what should you do if it does?