Choosing Healthy Treats For Your Lab

Put table scraps where they belong, in the garbage, not in your dog's food bowl. Many people think that giving your Lab that nice chunk of fat from their sirloin will add luster to his coat. While it may put joy in his heart, it may also give him loose bowels. An occasional veal bone, if very sturdy (a knuckle, for example), can give him a tooth cleaning and some jaw exercise, but be careful, since most bones are constipating as well as dangerous (an ingested splinter of bone can be fatal).

Nylon or rawhide "bones" are safest. They are available in most pet stores, groceries, supermarkets, and online. If you want to give your dog more than his everyday food (even though dogs generally do not get bored with their meals, unlike humans), try small amounts of fruits, cereal, and vegetables. They do not upset the intestinal tract by their oiliness or indigestibility, and actually promote effective digestion. You may also try well-trimmed (no visible fat) bits of meat. However, a dog raised on snacks of sirloin tips will not take kindly to a change to vegetables, so pursue this course with considerable caution.

A Healthy And Happy Lab

Labrador Retrievers can become lazy if they are not encouraged to exercise. Compound this problem with over-feeding, which is very common, and extra pounds are easily put on. Taking them off again is harder work, requiring a more appropriate diet and an effort to increase vigorous exercise time (gradually, of course, to prevent possible muscle injury or overexertion).


Swimming and retrieving games are natural outlets for Labrador Retrievers. These activities are ones that the breed excels at and enjoys, and they give a complete, full-muscle workout that tones the entire body. Having access to a swimming area may be a problem for most owners, but retrieving games can be played anywhere.


Labradors have great stamina, but owners must use common sense. During the summer months, limit strenuous exercise during the hottest part of the day and provide an ample supply of fresh water. In the winter, a Labrador in good trim should be able to withstand the cold very effectively and should not be kept housebound. If the dog is out in the rain or snow for any length of time, he should be dried off when he returns to the heated indoors.