Labrador Retriever

All dogs shed, some a little and some a lot. Labradors, although short-coated, are prolific shedders. The perception of how much a dog sheds is typically related to how much fur ends up on clothing, furniture and carpets. For curly-coated or wire-coated dogs, for example, shed fur tends to stick in the coat until combed out. Short-haired dogs such as Labs and long-haired dogs actually shed a similar amount, but longer fur tends to make a bigger impression.

Labradors are relatively low-maintenance in the grooming department. They do shed their short fur quite a bit, however, and have a tendency to smell like, well, the wet dogs they love to be. More frequent baths reduce odors and regular brushing, combing and bathing reduces shedding by removing loose fur before it falls out naturally. Most dogs do well with weekly combing/brushing and baths as needed for dirt and smell. Don’t forget paws: Nail trims are best kept up weekly to avoid long dagger nails that are painful when cut back, and trimming fur between the pads helps prevent burrs from settling there. Ear cleaning may also be a regular occurrence, especially for dogs with floppy ears.

Get your Labrador used to having you handle their ears with praise and maybe a small treat. That will allow you to flip the flap and look for issues -- a strong smell or heavy wax buildup may indicate a problem. Ask your veterinary healthcare team to show you how to safely clean ear canals, and use a veterinary-approved ear-cleaning product. Water-loving dogs such as Labs often get water trapped in their ear canals. A product with a drying agent, applied after swimming, will help keep issues at bay.