If you’re thinking of getting a Labrador then you’re probably wondering whether or not they require a lot of attention.
So, do Labradors need a lot of attention? Yes, Labradors need a lot of attention compared to other breeds. They need a lot of exercise to be properly stimulated and vets will normally recommend that they get at least 1 hour of exercise per day.
Labradors are a breed that
If you are thinking of getting a Labrador then you should be prepared to spend a lot of time giving it attention and exercise. If you don’t then you’ll often find that they can become hyperactive and hard to manage and it will look for ways to get attention from you.
There are actually many ways that you can give your Labrador attention and exercise. A number of them are also very effective ways to wear them out very quickly.
Ways to give your Labrador attention
Below are some options you have when giving your Labrador attention.
Walk it
Labradors are meant to get a lot of exercise daily so that they are fully stimulated. Generally, it is recommended for them to get at least an hour of exercise daily. By giving it lots of exercise you will also be able to reduce how much attention you need to give it during the rest of the day since it will not be as hyperactive.
The most common way to give it exercise would be to walk it. You might find that it isn’t enough for your Labrador in which case you could try making it harder by doing things such as walking in a hilly area.
Play fetch
Another way to exercise it would be to teach it to play fetch. By doing so you will be able to get it to wear itself out quickly because fetch will get it to do a lot of sprinting without much rest in between.
Train it
Another way to give it attention would be to train it with the use of positive reinforcement training. By doing so you will be able to improve your relationship with it and to get it to behave the way that you want it to.
Teach it to swim
Another way to stimulate it would be to teach it to swim. This can be useful when it is hot in the summer since it will help it to cool off and to do a lot of exercise in a short period. However, be careful not to let it stay out in the sun for too long since they can get heatstroke easily.
Play tug of war
Another way to give it attention would be to play tug of war with it. Labradors tend to really enjoy tug of war and it is an easy game that you can play with it.
Things to consider
It might take a lot to properly wear it out
Something to consider is that your Labrador might require a lot of exercise in order to be fully stimulated. If you find that walking it for an hour a day is not enough, you could also try walking in hilly areas, walking faster, playing fetch with it or walking it with other dogs.
If it’s a puppy
While Labradors are puppies some people argue that they should not be given as much exercise as they would be as adults. The argument is that when it’s young its bones and joints are still developing and having it do lots of running could cause them to become damaged.
It is generally recommended that puppies get walked for 5 minutes a day per month of age twice daily. So, a four-month-old Labrador would need to be limited to about 20 minutes of walk time twice a day.