Black, yellow, chocolate, or even silver – Labrador Retrievers are one of America’s favorite dog breeds. As a matter of fact, they held the top spot as America’s Favorite Dog from 1991 until 2022 – 31 years – according to the American Kennel Club. There are a few reasons why Labs are a family favorite in the United States, including:
- They’re down for whatever – If you want to take a five-mile hike, your lab is going to be thrilled to trot right along with you. If you want to spend a summer day having a swim, there’s nothing that could make them happier. On days when you just want to park yourself down on the sofa, binge watch your favorite show, and order in a pizza, they’re going to be snuggled up with their head on your knee. In short, whatever day you want to have, your Lab is right there with you. This makes them an excellent fit for families of all different lifestyles.
- They make excellent service dogs – Labs are obedient, intelligent, and have a great deal of emotional intelligence, which makes them excellent service dogs for all sorts of different tasks. It’s common to see Labs working as seeing eye dogs, emotional support animals in hospitals or nursing care facilities, and even working with law enforcement doing jobs like explosive or drug detection.
- They’re low maintenance – When it comes to maintenance, Lab owners aren’t going to be expected to make expensive grooming appointments every 10-weeks. As a matter of fact, a thick, short double coat prefers to be bathed less often to protect the skin from drying. In terms of maintenance, the average Labrador Retriever will only require routine nail clippings, vet trips, and dental care with a wash or two each year.
- They have family friendly temperaments – Labradors have one of the most family friendly temperaments of all dogs. They’re known to be gentle, trusting, patient with children, intelligent, outgoing, and social. A well trained and socialized Lab is the sort of dog that you can take anywhere.
Labs give so much to their forever families, so it’s only natural to want to do the best for them.
A Quality Crate Is One Of The Best Investments You Can Make In Your Lab
A high-quality dog food, a well-researched expert veterinarian, a top-notch training program, and a high-quality crate are the top investments you can make in the happiness and future of your Labrador Retriever. According to Endless Mountain Labradors, the crate will serve as a cozy and comfortable den for your Lab, helping to keep them safe and keep them calm during all stages of life.
First and foremost, crates are safety tools for puppies and young Labs. Labradors, because they’re such a highly intelligent breed, like to explore their environments. For younger dogs, this urge is irresistible and may involve exploring with their noses and their mouths. It takes only seconds for a Lab to get into the trash can, chew up a wire, or swallow part of a toy – and all of these activities can pose serious risk to your dog. Pet parents can’t be expected to keep their eye on their Lab 24 hours per day, so the crate serves as a safe enrichment space they can use any time they need.
Crates aren’t just for safety for your Labrador pup; they aid in housebreaking as well. When housebreaking a puppy of any breed, each accident serves as one step backward in your progress. Puppies will instinctively not want to “mess” where they eat or sleep, so they’re more likely to learn to hold it and alert you if they need to go when in their crate. If you’re in the process of housebreaking your Lab, you spend a good five to ten minutes outside, and you get no elimination results, you can place your puppy into their crate until they alert you that they need to go. Let your puppy out to relieve themselves outside, and if they do, be prepared with a reward! If they don’t go, simply place them back into their crate for another five to ten minute stint until you’re successful.
As your Lab grows, the crate turns into the cozy den space that dogs crave. According to AmericanHumane.org, dogs instinctively crave small spaces where they can feel safe and secure. For adolescent Labs, this serves as a space that helps an excitable dog to calm down. For Labs who are nervous during thunderstorms or suffer from separation anxiety, the crate serves as a comfort space that alleviates feelings of anxiety or stress. A safe and high-quality crate also acts as a cozy and comfortable everyday “bedroom” for your Lab to allow them to get the best sleep possible every night.
What Makes The Best Crate For My Lab?
What should the crate be made of? What size dog crate for a Lab is sufficient? What crate accessories will they need? If you’ve never picked out a crate for your Lab before, the questions can feel overwhelming.
First and foremost, crate materials matter. A high-quality dog crate crafted using top grade aluminum is always a great choice. Not only is it chew-proof for rambunctious puppies and younger dogs, but it’s escape proof for dogs who may suffer from anxiety. Dogs crated to alleviate separation anxiety, noise aversions, or any other stress-related factors, may sometimes “act out” due to feelings of stress. A crate of less strong materials may be destructible enough to allow them to break free from the crate or ingest its parts, causing a dangerous situation when pet parents’ goals were to crate for safety. Aluminum is also easy to clean for routine maintenance or if a young dog makes a mess.
Crate accessories may be helpful to create a cozier environment in the crate for your dog. A crate pad, for instance, is a durable bed that creates a softer and more comfortable environment for your dog to have a nice snooze. To optimize airflow throughout the crate, a crate fan can help to keep your dog cool and comfortable in stuffy rooms or during hot days. Pet parents may even bring special toys, treats, or enrichment items into their Lab’s crate to aid in crate training and create a more enticing crate environment.
Figuring out what size dog crate for a Lab is one of the most important things pet parents can learn when choosing a crate for their dog. First and foremost, the crate should be a smaller, cozier, and more secure space – not an open and roomy one. Your Lab should be able to walk into their crate, turn around, and lay down comfortably. The crate should be snug, but not so snug that it eliminates movement. To figure out what size dog crate for a Lab is best, grab your measuring tape and have your dog stand on all fours in front of you.
With your dog standing in front of you, take your measuring tape and measure vertically from the dog’s front paws up to the top of their head. Add 2 to 3 inches to this measurement, and you have the height you want for their crate. After taking this measurement, measure horizontally from the tip of your Lab’s nose all the way to the tip of their tail. Like the vertical height measurement, add 2 to 3 inches to get your desired crate length.
According to Dimensions.com, the average height of a Labrador Retriever is around 23 inches, and the average length is around 39 inches. For a dog of this average size, you would be looking for a crate with a height of between 25 and 26 inches, and a length of about 41 to 42 inches.
If, for any reason, you can’t find a crate in the exact measurements you need – that’s okay. Pet parents can find a crate with measurements as close as possible, with length typically being more important than height in this regard, opting for a size slightly larger over smaller. A slightly roomier crate will still act as a sufficient den space for your Lab.
It’s important to note that opting for a smaller crate than the size you need can be uncomfortable at best or dangerous at worst for your dog. Spending time cramped in a crate that is undersized can lead to discomfort or pain for your dog, and traveling in a crate that is poorly sized may even become hazardous. When choosing the right sized crate for your Lab, use the 2 to 3 inches higher than height and longer than length rule as a goal, but opt for a little larger if necessary.
Crate Training Your Lab
Crate training your Lab might come naturally to you both, or it might be a little bit of a challenge. Either way, getting your dog to love their crate is easy – it just takes time and patience. The most important thing pet parents should keep in mind when crate training their Lab is to always keep the crate as a positive space for your dog. The crate should be a space for praise, calm, special treats, and promises of adventure.
Before putting your Lab in their crate allow them to get used to its presence first. This often means leaving the crate, door open, in communal spaces in the home where they can sniff, explore, and get comfortable with their crate. Once comfortable, start with short trips into the crate, with the door open, for feeding or treat times. After your Lab gets comfortable with this, start with short trips into the crate with the door closed. Before long, your dog will look forward to their crated wind-down time.