I want to get a black lab, how much excercise and food do they need?

Question

I am thinking about getting a black lab. How much excercisedo they require how much food is adequte for them. I use to have a pomeranian, and since it was 13 pounds it did not eat much. My friend has a black lab and I love how they interact with humans. thnk you in advance for your answer

Answer 1

It depends very much on which food you're feeding as to how much to give! You can't just say '3 or 4 cups a day' as some people have, that might be too much for one type of food, or not enough of another.

You have to follow the feeding guidelines on whatever food you get and feed the right daily amount for you dog's ideal weight.

The thing to be aware of with Labradors is that they are one of the Number One breeds for becoming obese - if you feed a poor quality food you're almost guaranteed to end up with an obese lab, even if he doesn't eat tons of it. Things to stay away from are Bakers, Butchers, Winalot and Pedigree Chu, and Ol' Roy - basically any of the cheap crud you buy in supermarkets. I recommend Iams, Eukanuba, James Wellbeloved, Hills Science Plan.

They're very energetic dogs, they need at least a couple of hours a day with lots of chance for off lead exercise and running around.

Chalice

Answer 2

Well I have a black lab and he's going to be 8 years old this Christmas. He just survived a bout with heartworms. (So keep your dog vaccinated and on medication)

Anyway, Labrador's need a good sized backyard they can run frolic and play in, and they also need lots of attention (like 24 hours a day 7 days a week). I also suggest you take your dog for a good walk everyday if possible. Labs are often overfed and spoiled and can become overweight pretty fast. Also check out the dog foods...we feed our dog Harley a brand of dog food called "Blue". I would suggest that over any of the other brands of food out there, as they are full of fillers that can cause your dog to get overweight.

Another thing you can do for your dog if you don't want them to have that dog food, is to cook up fresh chicken breast(boiled in water) with rice, or beef with rice(sparingly though).

It's all about trial and error but try and keep the error as low as possible. And as always, take him/her to the vet for a regular checkup every year, and also at any sign of change such as bloating or loss of weight, or any of the usual stuff.

Answer 3

they go through a big bag of dog food in about 2 months, give or take. they eat about 3-4 cups of food a day, also give or take how much your vet will recommend. They are very smart dogs and require at least an hour or more of exercise a day. they are not the breed for everyone. If not properly trained they can get into mischief because they are smart. They are very friendly and loving dogs, but need to be well trained because they can cause trouble. Be prepared to have a dog that will eat virtually anything. they love food, also water! you are best to look at your local animal shelter or petfinder.com for a lab, because they are very popular and can be easily found in the shelter needing a good home. also, if you adopt them at an older age, like 3 or so, they could already be trained, housebroken and you will know the temperament and see how hyper it is. good luck

Answer 4

Black Labs make wonderful companions if you have enough room for them. Labs can be hyper so they do need lots of exercise. The two I had once loved to swim and run. Walks are definitely necessary unless you have a big fenced in yard for them to run around in. They also do like to eat. Both of mine could go through 25 lbs sack a week.
They are wonderful loving dogs but just make sure you're lifestyle can accomodate one.