Are Lab dogs smart

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated September 16, 2024

Contributions sourced from

Are Labs Easy to Train or Can They Be A Challenge?

Dog training can be simple if you have a Labrador.

Labs are easy to train, provided you use the right dog training methods. Labradors are very intelligent and cooperative, but they are also powerful and confident. Their prey drive and urge to retrieve are strong, based on generations of breeding for field work.

Positive reinforcement is the best way to train your Labrador, through the use of food to motivate and reward them. Although learning to follow cues or commands is simple with a smart puppy, you will still need to proof these behaviors. Teaching them to understand the same requests in different locations and with distractions such as other people, or even wildlife.

Why Are Labs Easy To Train?

There are a number of factors that determine a dogs trainability. They include intelligence, temperament, and genetic traits. As a rule, dogs that are highly motivated are also the easiest to train.

Labradors are highly motivated by a couple of things. First, theyre real people dogs they love to please you. But even more than that, they are are incredibly motivated by the promise of a tasty treat.

A study actually found a gene alteration in Labs that gives them greater food motivation. This could explain why Labs have a reputation for always being hungry.

History as A Working Breed

Despite their name, the Labrador Retriever didnt originate from Labrador, but rather from the province of Newfoundland in Canada. Their origins can be traced back to the cross-breeding of working dogs in the 1500s. From these modest roots, the ever-devoted and hard-working St. Johns Dog was created.

Life on Newfoundland revolved around fishing, and these able-bodied dogs were well-suited to the water. They worked hard as fishermans mates, retrieving ropes and nets, and diving in the water to get fish that had slipped off the trawl. Working together in a cooperative way in this harsh climate forged a close bond between these reliable working dogs and their human companions. Astudy of Labrador Retrievers found that the working status of the breed impacted their trainability.

Are Labs Easy to Train as Working and Companion Dogs?

The Labrador Retriever possesses a solid body and alert senses. This, combined with an innate work ethic, genial nature, and intelligent temperament, makes him an ideal candidate for a wide variety of service jobs. Search and rescue, detection, disabled-assistance, and therapy work are service areas that the Lab excels in. The fact that Labs have been found to be among the least aggressive breeds toward humans and other dogs also makes them suitable for these roles.

Are Labs Easy to Train Due to Their Intelligence?

The Labs reputation as an intelligent breed can be traced to their working history. However, intelligence alone does not necessarily denote trainability. There are breeds who are intelligent, but stubborn and less willing to learn. The Labs unique blend of cognitive ability, affability, and willingness to please people makes them eager to exhibit how smart they are.

Bred as a working dog, this intelligent breed is able to learn what youre teaching them quickly. This natural obedience makes them not only trainable, but loyal and dependable. So that once theyve learned commands they can be trusted to obey them.

Are Lab Puppies Easy to Train?

Puppy socialization and training is important in determining their future behavior. Labs are energetic dogs who grow quickly. The bigger they get the harder it is to control them. Puppies as young as 8 weeks old can begin a training routine. Coming when called, sitting, staying, and walking on a lead without pulling, are important skills, especially for a large dog.

Labs were bred to obey humans, and if well-trained theyre happy to perform more than just these simple commands. If you show your puppy that youre happy with their performance it will delight these natural born people-pleasers. As their name suggests, the Labrador Retriever was bred to retrieve prey. Today the breed still retains the instinct to chase objects and bring them back to you. So be prepared for many rousing games of fetch.

Are Labs Easy to Train With Positive Reinforcement?

Training methods have changed over the last few years and positive techniques have become increasingly popular. Its essential to use a training method that gets you the results you want while making your puppy happy. Rewards are a key element when training a Lab. The use of treats and praise to reinforce proper behavior is one of the best ways to get them to respond the way you want. This type of training is referred to as positive reinforcement training.

Labs are very playful, so its helpful to keep the training fun and interesting. If they think its a game they will partake enthusiastically.

When Are Labs Hard to Train?

No puppy understands how to behave in the human world without being shown. They learn from you and youre teaching them how to act whether you mean to or not. Its much easier to stop bad habits from forming when theyre young, than it is to try and change them when theyre older.

Laying the Way for Easy Lab Training

Yes, Labs are typically easy to train. But this is a very active breed and if they dont get enough regular exercise training can become more difficult. This loving breed is very social and loves to be around people. If they are kept isolated from companionship, they are quite likely to develop behavior problems that make them harder to train. As a dog owner its important to understand and respect your breeds natural instincts and give them outlets to satisfy their natural tendencies.

Summary

If youre bringing a Lab home with you, congratulations! Youve chosen a breed that is friendly and outgoing, with enough love to bond with the whole family. There are different ways to train your Labrador Retriever. The key is to start the training when theyre young and keep it positive. Weve got lots of tips, support, and troubleshooting advice in our Labrador Training area.

Once theyre trained, Labs shine at being attentive to their owner. This endearing, active dog only wants to receive as much love as he can give.

Do You Have a Well Trained Lab?

Has your Lab impressed you with their good manners and how quickly they pick up commands? Is there anything you credit with their success most of all? Give your dog some praise, share what works for you, or ask for the support of our other readers down in the comments box.

The Labrador Site Founder

Pippa Mattinson is the best selling author of The Happy Puppy Handbook, the Labrador Handbook, Choosing The Perfect Puppy, and Total Recall.

She is also the founder of the Gundog Trust and the Dogsnet Online Training Program

Pippa's online training courses were launched in 2019 and you can find the latest course dates on the Dogsnet website

Black Lab A Complete Guide To The Black Labrador Retriever

The black Lab is the perfect companion dog. From sporting hunting roots to roles in the community such as support, service and therapy dog work, their intelligence and willingness to please really sets them apart from the pack.

When you weigh up black lab pros and cons you need to consider that the Labrador breed has now split into two types; the heavier set and more relaxed show bred British black Lab dog and the slimmer, driven working American style dogs. Each of these black retrievers has their benefits when it comes to life as a family pet. Labs form strong bonds with their family, but also enjoy meeting people and dogs.

The black Lab is up to 24 inches in height and up to 80lbs in weight. Depending on their ancestors, your black Labrador puppy may be a little smaller in adulthood. Labradors bred for the show ring (known as English Labs in the USA, and Show Labs in the UK) have become heavier set in appearance than Labradors bred for hunting and retrieving ability, and for success in field trials. Your hunting or American Lab may have a lighter frame and a strong drive for retrieving.

The lifespan of a black Labrador is 12 years, and some purebred black lab puppies can live even longer given the right diet, exercise and a healthy dose of luck.

How I Fell In Love With Black Labs

My first black Lab, Ted, came into our family home when I was a child. He was my constant companion almost into adulthood. He came on countless runs through the woods, spent hours playing ball in the backyard, but also sat with his head gently rested in my lap whenever I was sad.

I feel that despite the black Labrador being the most common color, it is in some ways the least appreciated. With an amazing history of working alongside human companions, and a fabulous temperament, this pup really is one to watch.

Bred from a fishing companion that has been extinct now for nearly fifty years, this black retriever has been favored by hunters for generations.

Where Do Black Labs Come From?

Your Labradors descendants were a now extinct breed known as the St Johns Water Dog. This breed was also the source of the Newfoundland. This fishermans companion had a thick coat and looked a bit like a cross between a Border Collie and the modern Labrador.

Two English Aristocrats each owned a St Johns Water Dog and they created a breeding program that paved the way for the Lab we know and love. Up until the early 1900s almost all of these dogs were bred as shooting companions, and almost all of them were black with white markings.

How Is The Black Color Inherited In Labs?

You see more black Labs than any other color! The first recorded chocolate Labradors were born in the 1890s, but colors other than black were not popular until the mid 90s. Horribly, for many generations most puppies born with chocolate or yellow coats were euthanized at birth!

Black is what is known in genetics as dominant. If your puppy has inherited the gene for black coat color from either of her parents, this is the color that her fur will be. Those other shades can appear in future generations though, because a black dog can be a carrier of both chocolate and yellow genes.

Black Labs vs Chocolate Labs

For you fan of genetics, heres the nitty gritty. Well start by looking at Black vs Chocolate Lab coat colors. These both come from a pigment called eumelanin. A lot of eumelanin gives you a black Lab, lower levels leads to a chocolate Lab. If you push your brain back to high school genetics, youll remember that genetic instructions are packaged in your chromosomes.

Genes come in pairs located on those chromosomes, and those locations are represented by letters. Instructions for eumelanin in your dogs fur, are found at the B locus.

B genes include a big B, for lots of eumelanin giving black, and a little b for less eumelanin, giving brown. B is dominant over b. Your puppy gets one gene from each parent. There are three possible combinations

So a pairing of BB or Bb will give a black coat. Only bb will give a brown coat. And thats how we can get black Labs throwing chocolate puppies. As if they each have a recessive b gene, so are Bb themselves, they can potentially come together in the pup as bb.

With me so far?

Yes? Great! Because this is where it gets slightly more complicated Because in contradiction to what you have just read, BB and Bb arent in reality always black, and bb isnt always brown. Your dog is also affected by another set of genes, at the E locus.

Black Labs vs Yellow Labs

The yellow shade of Labs comes from the e genes. Big E is dominant, and does not affect fur color. But little e is recessive, and, as a double act (ee) it becomes a switch. Two little e genes switch off the B genes that give you a black or brown dog, and leave you with yellow Labrador pups.

So we have B genes BB, Bb or bb and E genes EE, Ee and ee. And these all interact with each other differently to give different coat colors. This diagram explains them:

These combinations show you that a black Lab puppy is the most likely result. They also explain how chocolate and yellow Labs were hidden for decades through selective matings and culling. But there is another twist to the black coat color tale!

Charcoal Labradors Are Dilute Black Labs

Not all black Lab puppies are a rich, jet black, color. Occasionally a Lab is born with coat color dilution. This genetic twist tones down the shade of the dark coat color. In the same way that the chocolate Lab looks silver when this gene is activated, the black Lab looks charcoal.

In genetic terms, this dilute gene lives at the D locus. A big dominant D keeps the coat at its full color, so only a dd pairing allows it to become dilute.

Popularity of Black Labs

Black Labs are the most prevalent color, and their popularity remains unchanged in the sporting dog community. Owners of hunting dogs still prefer the black coat, but pet and show owners often show a preference for paler colors. Chocolate and yellow Labs can fetch higher prices from some breeders, not to mention the trend for fox red and silver tones.

Black Dogs Are Harder To Rehome

There is a sad phenomenon in pet shelters, regarding the rehoming rate of black dogs. These pups do not photograph as well, and are not as easy to rehome in person.

Many people dont want a black dog. Prospective owners pass them by, regardless of temperament, in favor of the brighter colored pups on offer. But these adopters are missing a trick, because dogs with black coats have just as much to offer.

There are two strains of Labrador available from shelters and breeders alike. One bred for the show ring, and the other bred for the field. Although they are both Labs in the true sense, these separate strains have different traits, in terms of body shape and character.

English Black Labs bred for show

English black Labradors are often preferred by pet homes as well as owners interested in the ring. The English black Lab, has a stocky body, broad head and thick otter tail. It has a reputation for being playful and a little slow to mature. They may reach heavier weights on the scales than working type labs.

American Black Labs bred to work

American black Labs are slimmer, less excitable, with more drive. They reach the same height, but their heads are less broad and their tails lack the otter quality possessed by their show companions. In contrast to the playfulness of their show bred cousins, American Labs have a stronger drive to retrieve and hunt.

English Black Lab vs American Black Lab

American black Labs may need more exercise and mental stimulation than English black Labs. They will benefit from gun dog style training involving retrieving exercises. If your time for training sessions is limited, a more laid-back Lab, from show lines, might suit you better.

Black Lab Characteristics

The different Labrador strains have many features in common. A well muscled, balanced, body shape with legs and spine in healthy proportions. Intelligence, a willingness to cooperate and an outgoing, happy personality are traits shared across the breed.

Mismarked Labs with a white toe or spot on the chest occasionally appear but they are usually solid in color. The Lab has a double coat, providing warmth and waterproofing, webbed paws and a rudder like tail. And with practice, Labs are excellent swimmers.

Grooming and Coat Care

Your Labrador Retriever has a short, easy care coat, that will shed heavily at times. Mud can be rinsed with a garden hose, and a weekly groom with a stiff brush will help reduce the hair on your carpets, floors, and furniture. Some Labs have quite a strong smell and need the occasional bath!

Unless you walk a lot on hard surfaces, youll need to trim your dogs nails. I use a grinder, but clippers will do the job too. And if you are feeding kibble, cleaning your dogs teeth will help prevent dental decay.

How Big Do Black Labs Get?

The growth rate and eventual size of your black Lab puppy once adult, will depend partly on whether they are from American or English lines, partly on their diet and nutrition, and partly on the size of their parents. An adult black Lab will weigh anywhere from 55 to 80 lbs, and be from 21 to 24.5 inches tall at the shoulder. The English black Lab will tend to be closer to the heavyweight end of the spectrum, and the American nearer to the lightweight end.

Black Lab Temperament

Labradors are renowned for their friendliness. There are downsides to this. Your sociable friend is more likely ask a burglar in for breakfast, than to chase him down the street. And friendly dogs at the dog park may want to greet every person or dog they come across.

Their bouncy nature can also lead Labs into trouble with people who are unsteady on their feet. Sharing a house with a toddler and a black Lab involves some careful management to ensure that little people arent sent flying.

Are Black Labs Smarter?

Theres a bit of a myth in the sporting dog community that intelligence has been prioritised in black colored labs in a way that it has not, in chocolates and yellows.

Its true that to get recessive colors like yellow and chocolate you need to make some breeding choices based on the parents color. But responsible breeders will still focus on factors like temperament and trainability. And almost all Labs are highly trainable, and responsive pets.

Training and Exercising Your Black Lab

Running, swimming, hiking, tracking, retrieving and even dock diving are all popular activities for adult Labradors. Your full grown Lab will need a good daily workout to maintain fitness and health.

You can exercise your dog with a traditional walk, by going for a run together or through play. Retrieving games are a great way to give your Lab a lot of exercise. And retriever training will help keep your dog under control and out of mischief.

Training is an essential requirement for any large, powerful dog, Labs are no exception. Your dog needs to be able to walk on a loose leash, sit and wait quietly in one place for a while, and greet visitors with all four feet on the floor. Youll find information to help you in our training section.

You can find some great ideas for games you and your Labrador can play together in this article.

Black Lab Health

The top priority when bringing two lab lines together should always be health. The best way to avoid health problems is by purchasing a puppy whose parents have good health test results. This wont guarantee that your pup will be fit for life, but will stack the odds in your favor.

Joint and eye issues are recognized problem areas in Labs. Hip and elbow dysplasia are common Lab complaints. This condition ranges in severity. Adult dogs can have x-rays to assess their joints, and be given a score for their joint health. Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) is an inherited eye disorder causing blindness. To avoid your puppy suffering from PRA either both parents need to be Clear, or one Clear one Carrier.

If one is a carrier, your puppy might carry the gene too. If your puppy carries the gene, any future mating would need to be to a dog that was Clear. A general eye exam each year is still necessary for all breeding stock, as there are other eye conditions for which we do not yet have genetic tests.

How To Find A Black Lab

The best way to get a black Lab puppy is from a responsible breeder. There are few regulations around dog breeding so you need to take some precautions to avoid puppy mills. Many breeders advertise online now, and some puppy mills have attractive websites. Choose a breeder that specializes in Labradors, not in multiple different dog breeds, and prioritizes temperament. Do not put down a deposit before meeting the mother dog and the litter at their home. The mother dog should be relaxed and happy to meet you, and for you to meet her pups.

Choosing The Right Breeder

If you are looking for a pet you will need to decide whether you think a show or working temperament is better suited to your lifestyle and family needs. Good breeders are usually active members of your regional Labrador Club.

Ask the breeder for health certificates from both parents. As a minimum they should be PRA clear, have a recent clear eye check from a vet, have good hip scores and an elbow score of 0.

If one parent has been shown as a carrier for dwarfism, PRA, or another genetic disease, be sure to check that the other parent tested clear. Ask to see the parents pedigrees if they are Kennel Club registered. To ensure good genetic diversity avoid multiple repetitions of the same names in your dogs family tree.

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Good breeders ask lots of questions because they care about the homes their pups go to, and will be willing to provide answers to your questions too.

For more information on Labrador breeders and picking your puppy, check out this article: Choosing the Right Dog.

Rescuing a Black Lab

Rescuing your dog is a great thing to do if your circumstances are right. Especially a black dog, as this color can be hard to rehome. Reputable rescues will match you to the right dog, and find a good fit for your family. Our guides will provide more help and information:

Some of the most rewarding dogs to rescue are seniors. Elderly Labs are often calm and quiet, happy to lie by your side, and take short walks each day.

A comfortable bed with some memory foam to support aging joints, and a ramp to help them in and out of the car are small concessions for the pleasure of giving a grey haired old dog chance to be part of a family again.