Labrador retrievers generally have a lot of energy. Perhaps because they can sleep 23 hours of the day. So you need to be prepared to spend at least one hour a day with your Lab exercising. You can throw a ball, go for a walk, go for a jog, but be committed. As they age they slow down but even at thirteen Kassey is still ready for her daily walk.

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Labs are always ready to do some job. They love to do jobs, especially anything to do with fetching. Create ways for them to fetch: clean up toys, shoes, whatever you don't want lying around and don't mind getting slobber on.

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Labs shed. Grooming is minimal: but they shed. So you need to be prepared! A good brush is essential. Brush their coat. Clean their ears. Cut their nails. Brush their teeth. (See Labrador Grooming.)

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 Labs are PEOPLE dogs, so they need to be with their people. They LOVE people, especially their own. If you have never had a Lab then you need to understand that these dogs are people dogs. They will follow you around all day. If you have never had a Lab but want one for outside, then you should look into getting another breed. Labs get bored outside unless you are with them, and then they will dig, wander and cause trouble.

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 Labs LOVE life, they LOVE water, they LOVE anything that you will throw for them, they LOVE to roll in anything that smells really bad, and they LOVE to eat the same kind of bad smelling stuff. YUCK!

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Labs have extremely strong tails that they LOVE to wag, so stay out of its way and clear all the breakables off the low tables! Of course they only wag their tails because they LOVE you!

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Labs can sleep most of the day, but just wait until you say the word WALK! You must delete this word from you vocabulary except when you are talking to your dog.

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Labs can do anything if you ask them too. Because they LOVE you. And they are smart.

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You can train a lab to do just about anything you can explain, and because they Love to do anything you ask, training is easy. You need to train yourself and your family too. Consistency in training is IMPORTANT. Kindness and excitement are also important. Never ever reprimand a Lab on a recall. They will just get scared and start avoiding you. Labs are really food motivated, so while you can use treats in training, it is often better to just use their kibble to avoid over-weight issues.