A Phoenix-based Rescue Group
Dedicated to finding loving, life-long homes
for displaced Labrador Retrievers.
| So you want your own Marley? |  |
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So you saw the movie "Marley and Me" just like we did. You
probably cried at the end (or struggled not to) just like we did. You
probably loved it. Yep, just like we did. And now you're interested
in getting your own "Marley". We can't blame you.
In our house we have four labs all of whom we adopted from DLRR and we've been foster parents to many other labs. We can absolutely confirm that, as shown in the movie, we think labs are absolutely the most fun, loving, funny, and snuggly of all the dog breeds. They will make you laugh, make you cry, sometimes get on your last nerve, and make it a joy to come home at the end of a tough day. The only thing that concerns us is the effect these movies can have on dogs (and other pets) in America... the Chihuahua movie, the Dalmatian movie, and others. When these movies are released and become popular, there is suddenly a huge demand for that specific breed of dog. Lots of people make a snap decision and want a companion like they saw in the movie. Then, 6 months or a year later we start seeing dog pounds, shelters, and rescue kennels filling up with those dogs. To be fair, a lot of those people get those dogs, become responsible pet owners, and keep their dog forever. That is indeed wonderful. And if those people got their dog from a rescue organization, it's truly awesome. If you really, REALLY want to get a lab, we want to help make sure that you're in that last group: The Totally Awesome Lab Owner. So toward that end, we want to give you a clinical, 'gloves off' view of adding a lab to your family. Please understand we don't necessarily want to talk you out of it - we just want to ensure that you know what you're getting into. So here we go.... If You Want A Puppy ...
You can march out to a pet store and buy a lab puppy, but expect to pay anywhere from $800 to $1,800 or more if you want an AKC registered purebred. Unfortunately, if you go to a pet store, odds are good that your puppy will have come from a "Puppy Mill", where female dogs are kept caged for their entire life, forced to breed constantly, and when they can no longer reproduce are simply killed. (Google "puppy mills" and you'll see thousands of sites telling of the horrors). Far better, you can adopt a lab from a shelter or rescue organization. However you get it, here are some facts about a new lab puppy: They will pee and poop on your floor. Not might, they will. Housebreaking takes time and a whole lot of patience. Your puppy will have plenty of accidents along the way. Bear in mind that at this age, in their mind, there is absolutely no difference between the back yard, the kitchen floor, the livingroom carpet, the sofa, or your bed. Also be aware that even if potty training is going great, Labs don't develop dependable bladder and bowel control until they are about 8-10 months old. So plan on taking them out as soon as you get up in the morning, right after they eat, right after they play, right after they drink, and any other time they haven't been out in the previous few hours. A good, comfortable lawn chair is an essential part of housebreaking your lab. Of course you may keep them penned up over night to keep the accidents localized, but that brings us to the next point... They will bark. Not might bark, they will bark. Particularly as puppies, if a lab is happy, it barks. If it's scared, it barks. If it's lonely, it barks. If it's hungry, it barks. If it's excited, it barks. You'll come to a point where you absolutely believe if the dog is awake, it's barking. Of course this can be addressed in training, but it takes time. While you might have the patience of Job, do the other people living in your home? Do your neighbors? Sometime a chew toy can help. But...
It is not unreasonable to state that most labs are puppies until they are about 3 years old. On the up side, they have boundless energy and enthusiasm... and on the down side, they have boundless energy and enthusiasm. If they don't have a release for that energy, all of the above bad habits are multiplied exponentially. Even a completely well-trained lab with pent up energy will usually find inappropriate, unfortunate ways to release it. As a rule of thumb, a one year old lab should have a 1- hour walk, and a 1/2-hour of vigorous play, once - OR TWICE - a day. You know that common image of a beautiful lab curled up and sweetly snoozing at his master's feet while the master sips cocoa and reads a magazine? That's right after the master spent an hour or more jogging with the dog, or throwing frisbees and tennis balls. A puppy is a huge investment in time and energy. At least 12 hours a week. Oh, and as for "just let them out to play"? Doesn't work. They will just wander around, bark at the neighbors, maybe chase a bird away, but basically they're just waiting for you to either come out with them, or let them back in to where you are. That's because.... Labs are absolutely social creatures. Their life priorities are (1) eat and (2) be around my people. End of list. Understand this in no uncertain terms: If they live in the backyard alone, they're miserable except for those few moments you spend with them. If you're not going to let the lab live inside your house with you, PLEASE don't get a lab. For that matter, don't get a dog. Get a cat. Or better, a fish. Labs are so social it will get annoying. Not might get annoying, will get annoying. When you're in the kitchen, they want to be in the kitchen. When you're in the laundry room, they want to be in the laundry room. No big deal, right? Well, when you're on the couch, they want to be on the couch. When you're on the toilet, they want to be right there. And when you're in bed, they want their fair share of the covers and their own pillow. And yet again, training can and will handle all of this...
About dog food. You really shouldn't get the cheap stuff for two reasons: First, cheap food = a less healthy dog and more vet bills in the long run, Second, (in my opinion, also important) cheap food = much more dog poop! Cheap food is bulked up with fillers that dogs don't use or digest. So, what goes in has to eventually come out. While good (or at least decent) dog food isn't crazy expensive, costs do add up. Based on our experience, a typical lab will go through 2 to 5 cups of dry food per day. That's about one 40-pound bag every other week, about $50.00 a month, or $600.00 per year. But that's just one of the costs... Here's the financial breakdown of responsible dog ownership: The first year....
So, the first year is going to roughly cost you between $1100 and $3,000. That doesn't include the cost of dog toys, replacing chewed up TV remotes, and other odds and ends. Note that if you adopt a dog from rescue, they will probably already be fixed, have all their shots, and be microchipped. For the following years....
All in all, at least $710 per year. On average you can expect your lab to live 13 years so that comes to $9,230 total for the life of the dog. And that's without unexpected vet visits. Let's say that an average lab gets sick or hurt badly enough to need a vet's care 4 or 5 times in their life, and an average vet visit can easily hit $400, so we'll add another $2,000 to our total. And, sadly, at some point we all have to live out the final scenes of "Marley and Me', and that's not free. Bottom line, expect the final vet visit to cost around $150, plus any vet care the dog received the days (hours) before the final decision. So, what does it cost to own a lab? Somewhere between $10,215 on the low side to $14,515 on the high side for the entire life of the dog. Granted, that is spread across 13 years, but even so it is not an insignificant investment. So you've got to ask, is it really worth it? I can not answer that for you. We have four labs, so for us, take those numbers and multiply them by four. And I think it's well worth it. If it were twice that expensive, I'd still say it's worth it. And that doesn't even count the cost of replacing the couch, numerous remote controls, a few screen doors, and all sorts of other stuff we've repaired, replaced, or just paid for over the years. Like tearing out all of the carpet in the house and installing tile throughout. Plenty of folks would call us crazy, but... As I type this, Gunner and Lindy are snoozing on the floor at my feet. Misty, a bit older, is snoring like crazy over there on the couch. And Alex is to my right, watching me intently... because he knows, just knows, that at any moment I might get up to go out back and throw the tennis ball with him. On our good days they love us, and on our lousy days they love us. When we're in good spirits they want to be at our side and when we're down and gloomy they still want to be there. When we're nice they are overjoyed to see us and at those time when we're, well, jerks, they're still tickled to see us. They love us. No matter what. No matter when. Period. Yeah, I think it's a bargain. So you've read all that... still want a lab? I really hope that you do. I really hope that you're ready and willing to commit to the responsibilities of responsible lab ownership. Your home, your family, and your life will be enhanced. To help you out, here are some pointers... DLRR Formula For Lab Success | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love and faith and trust. They serve us in return for scraps. It is, without a doubt, the best deal man has ever made. - Roger Caras | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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