We encourage our applicants to make temperament their top priority, NOT color or sex. If you are applying for a certain lab, i.e. blocky head, yellow female, English type etc.-your wait could be long. Male labs are just as caring and affectionate, if not more so than females. Labs are considered a wash and wear dog, but they do shed seasonally. They also need to have their toenails cut regularly and their ears checked for infection or cleaning.
Labs can carry fleas and ticks.
They usually love to swim and enjoy the outdoors in the company of their human family. If you require a perfectly neat home DO NOT get a lab. Labs like all breeds are prone to certain hereditary conditions. We try very hard to find out if a lab has any major health problems before coming into our adoption program. We do not screen for hip dysplasia unless it warrants it while the dog is under our care.