Finding the right dog breed for your family is important, especially when you have young children, or are perhaps planning on starting a family soon (and why not start with a dog?). Most people aren't too fussy about finding a specific breed, but a lot of people searching for a new dog or puppy are looking for the 'best family dog' and a question that is asked frequently is, `is a Labrador Retriever a good family dog`?
Simply put, from experience, yes. We started our family with our beautiful golden boy, Rolo, who we got when he was 8 weeks old. We have since had 2 children and although it has been hectic at times, we honestly could not have asked for a better family dog. (That's him in the photos by the way!)
Okay so of course we would say that, right? Just like most other dog owners would too. So let's look at some of the reasons why we believe Labradors are the best family dog:
Labradors Are Extremely Loving
Labrador Retrievers are loving and friendly to pretty much everyone and everything. In the years we have had our boy, I can honestly say that he has never shown signs of aggression and has always been very patient with our children. Small children are unpredictable and can make dogs quite skittish, but Labradors are big enough and smart enough to not let this worry them. If noise or activities in the family space are getting too much, he just takes himself away and actively avoids any conflict, and its even the same with other dogs - that yappy dog walking past? Nope, not interested.
Labradors Are Smart And Easy To Train
Now, it's unlikely that a Labrador will be winning many agility type events, but they are extremely reward motivated (as in, treats!) which combined with their intellect means they can pick up all the useful commands very easily - 'Sit', 'Stay', 'Bed', 'Drop'/'Leave', as well as other things like toilet training come easily to this breed. Be consistent, reward good behaviour with treats and a fuss and your new pup will be only too happy to follow these commands.
Why is this important? Well, family life can be chaotic, and being able to tell your dog to simply 'Stay', or 'Bed', so that you can deal with whatever situation is unfolding is important. But it can also be a great way to teach your children too and involve them in the daily activities - feeding the dog but making them 'Sit' first (the dog that is...).
Labradors Are Loyal
This sort of falls under the 'They are loving' category but we felt the need to add a separate section for this. Labradors love everybody but their owners and family above all else - they want to be near you. Is your lap empty? Looks like the perfect place for a large Labrador. Is that an open front door? No escape attempts, he just sort of stands their watching whatever you're doing outside, waiting patiently for his head scratches when you come back inside. This is also especially helpful on walks; Off lead, although Labradors do like to explore and sniff about a lot, he is constantly checking where your are and never likes to get too far away - re-call is also easy to teach with the reward based training mentioned earlier.
Labradors Have Lots of Energy
A lab won't get tired of family life, they will want to be involved in all the fun. We know of other breeds whose owners say their dogs can get a bit tired and even 'grumpy' as the days roll on, but it's not the case with a Labrador. Labradors were bred to work and a such are generally fit and have endless energy to keep up with a busy family life. Don't worry though, they aren't too energetic - every opportunity for a snooze and our boy takes it, too.
Labradors Are Very Capable
Physically, mentally, and temperamentally, Labradors are a highly capable breed. This means they tend to cope well with the general hustle and bustle of family life, without needing constant attention or delicate handling. Some smaller or more highly-strung breeds can require almost supervision or even emotional reassurance, but a well cared for Labrador is generally content as long as they're getting their daily exercise, regular meals, and a bit of affection. Of course, like any dog, they still need love, structure, and routine - but their easy-going nature makes them a particularly good match for busy households with children.
Sounds perfect right? A loving, happy, easy to train pup that gets along with children and other dogs - that is a Labrador Retriever in a nutshell, but we should mention a few, erm, quirks, to be completely honest:
Labradors shed pretty much constantly, all year round. There are 2 'shedding seasons', coming into Summer and then again into Winter as they shed their coats to get ready for the change in weather, but generally speaking you will find hair everywhere, all the time, so be prepared for extra hoovering!
Labradors are big, and can be a bit un-coordinated at times. We think it's their size that makes them so great - no little dog syndrome here - but their size can also be a bit of an issue at times, for example if you want to save a bit of money by bathing/grooming them at home, or if you want to take all the family on a stay-cation (you'll need a big boot!),or when they just decide to lounge around in the most inconvenient places. There size also means of course that they require more food than a small dog, so this should be a consideration too as the monthly cost is a bit higher.
Labradors are not guard dogs. If you are thinking about getting a dog for protection, definitely choose another breed. Although a Labrador may alert you to strangers coming near the house (admittedly, its normally Deliveroo drivers for us!),it's definitely a case of 'their bark is worse than their bite' and Labradors are not known to actually attack intruders or defend the home in that way. So depending on what you want from a 'family dog' this may not be ideal, but personally I think this is just another reason why they DO make great family pets, as they are just not aggressive at all.
Labradors need quite a lot of exercise. Historically Labradors were bred to be working dogs, and even today are still used a lot on farms and as retrievers. A lot of the time Labradors will be bred 'from working lines', which is normally a great things as likely means your pup will be strong and healthy. Due to this history and their very capable build though, they require proper daily exercise, generally an hour or so of walking and games/ fetch. We also strongly recommend exercising their brain regularly too - Labradors are smart and need to be mentally stimulated, otherwise they may start to become more destructive in their behaviour. Simple games like hiding treats (making them use their incredible noses),learning new moves/commands and those mind teaser type toys and puzzles work well. So if you likely won't have the time to commit to these activities with family life, a smaller breed that requires less exercise may be a safer bet.
So - Is a Labrador a good family dog? Absolutely. In our opinion, they are the best family dogs. A big, loving, loyal breed that is known for its friendliness and easy to train, too. Look after your dog, and they will bring you and your family years of happiness.