Labrador Retriever – General Info

• Most popular dog breed in India
• Canadian origin
• Sweet natured, loving
• Comes in yellow, black, and a luscious chocolate.
• Water babies: Athletes who love water
• Enjoy being outdoors
• Loves being around family and spending time with them
• Intelligent and exuberant

Nutrition For a Labrador Puppy

• Labrador puppies can be fed kibble, B.A.R.F., wet food, or home cooked puppy food.
• Lab puppies should be fed 3 times a day, until at least 4 months.
• Young puppies should be fed often because they have a smaller stomach, and they tend to grow at a faster pace.
• Labrador puppies require a protein rich diet.
• Main ingredients include raw protein, raw fats and oils, calcium, phosphorus, Omega 3 & Omega 6.
• EPA and DHA promote shiny skin and healthy coat.

INGREDIENTS

• Meat protein: whole meat and meat meals.
• Fats: Fat sources such as chicken fat and fish oil (containing omega 3 fatty acid).
• Avoid artificial preservatives, colours, flavours and meat’s by products.

Common Diseases

• Muscular Dystrophy: This is a hereditary disease caused due to problems in muscle tissues and deficiencies and alterations in dystrophin protein. It is found more commonly in males, can occur within the 10th week of a lab’s life. Symptoms include drooling, stiffness, refusal to exercise.
• Dysplasia: Hip and Elbow dysplasia can be found in Labrador puppies.
• Hereditary Myopathy: This diseases is caused due to progressive regeneration of the skeletal muscle. It occurs when the pup is usually 6-7 months old. Symptoms include intolerance to exercise, trouble holding up their heads.

Nutrition For an Adult Labrador

• An adult Labrador needs 30% protein and 13% fat content in their food. (This mainly pertains if you’re feeding them a dry kibble diet).
• Main ingredients include protein, calcium, phosphorus, which helps in enhancing the bone strength.
• Adult dogs should be fed twice a day, this makes it easier for them to digest their food.

Common Diseases

• Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA): This disease is caused due to destruction of retinal cells. This usually occurs after 2 years, when the dog turns into an Adult. Initial sign of this disease includes night blindness.
• Epilepsy: Seizures from unknown causes are called an epilepsy. These seizures can be found in dogs aged between 6 months - 5 years. Drugs such as Phenobarbital is used for the treatment of this disease.

Nutrition For a Senior Labrador

• High quality Protein: Meat, chicken, fish or poultry should be the primary source of protein.
• Glucosamine and Chondroitin: Used to combat joint problems and should be given to senior dogs.
• Omega 6 Fatty Acids: Gamma- linolenic acid (GLA) is one such omega-6 fatty acid, and it helps to maintain your Lab’s skin and coat.
• Antioxidants: Look for vitamins A, C, E, Zinc, Beta-carotene and lycopene in senior food. Foods with rich, dark colours are often a source of antioxidants; apples, berries, carrots and broccoli are good examples.

Common Diseases

• Intestinal problems: Gastrointestinal disease is one of the commonly found intestinal problem found in Senior Labradors’. Symptoms include diarrhoea, vomiting, weakness.
• Dental Problems: Periodontal disease is a common disease found in Senior dogs. This is a bacterial infection in the gums and symptoms mainly include bleeding gums, lumps in the mouth, chewing from one side of the mouth and bad breath.

Products Online For Labrador Dog In India

If you are a first time pet parent, this page is a life-saver for you. You can easily get to know the relevant products for your Labrador. Just select our life-stage filter to see products for your puppy or adult dog. We recommend several dog food options for your Labrador. For puppies, we recommend the following:

….and many more.

Similarly, there are treats, toys, health supplements and other products online for Labrador dog in India, that you can find on PetSutra. Just use our website filters to narrow down your search. Parallel to that, you can call us to know about more relevant products for your Labrador at different life-stages.