48 Your Dog March 2020The Labrador Retriever
WHY DO LABRADORS END UP IN RESCUE?
The only colours
allowed by the
oi cial breed
standard are black,
yellow, or brown.DID YOU
KNOW?Labradors willingly retrieve
on land or in water.● Short coupled.
● Very active.
● Good tempered.
● Very agile.
● Excellent nose.
● Soft mouth.
● Keen love of water.
● Adaptable, devoted companion.
● Thick pads on feet.Image: Warringah Labradors.Image: KA9 Photo.● Otter-like tail.● Strongly built. ● Broad in skull.● Short, dense fur.● Broad and deep
through the chest.Anne Carter, of Labrador Lifeline
Rescue, said:
“Divorce, death of the owner, and
sometimes because people have
bought a puppy and then can’t cope.
They’ve shoved the dog in a crate, and
then gone to work eight hours a day.
Other reasons have included: ‘needs
too much exercise’, and ‘he likes tojump in mucky streams’, although I’ve
never had one in rescue as a result of
appetite I have to say!
“Normally it’s change of
circumstance, especially these days
when owners move house or have to
go into council accommodation and
the council or private landlord refuse
to let them have dogs.”Rachel’s dogs Lily
and Juno share
a sense of humour!
Image: Rachel Hopkins.LABS RULE!
Rachel Hopkins, Bignall End,
Staf ordshire.“Labradors are amazing all-rounders in
that they’re as happy to be a snuggle
buddy as they are to be a personal
trainer and driven l yball machine.
They’re sensitive to people and their
emotions — and then there is all the
gooi ness in between. The world is
edible to a Labrador. For a Food-ador
like Lily, eating money and soap are her
personal favourites! My other Lab, Juno,
likes to test the heart rates of random
passers-by; she chooses the perfect
moment to say boo (woof!), especially
in beer gardens as children precariously
carry a tray of drinks past her.”46-49 YD Breeds Labs Mar20 CS NF(SW)ok.indd 48 23/01/2020 14:58