The Labrador Stockroom

Every entry in this stockroom is a numbered reference on one question about the Labrador Retriever: what to test before a puppy comes home, how to steady a young dog, what cold water asks of a retriever in December, what a feeding routine should look like at eight years old. Entries are written from the standard, the veterinary literature and the seasons of the northern plains, then filed under one of four shelves. Nothing here is for sale.

13entries
4Shelves
16/09/2026Last entry

A yellow Labrador retriever standing at the edge of a prairie slough in eastern South Dakota at dawn, wet grass and low golden light across open water, reeds moving in the wind — Plate 00: the slough at first light, where most of these entries begin.

Which shelf to open this month

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A filled cell means the shelf is worth opening that month: conditioning before the season, cold water in winter, the two big sheds of spring and fall.

Latest entries on the shelf

8 of 13

A wet yellow Labrador standing on a frozen slough edge at first light, ice crust on the shallows, cattails behind, the dog's breath visible in cold air, medium shot from a low angle. — Plate CA-004

CA-004Care & feeding

Double Coats and Cold Work: Labrador and Beyond

How the Labrador's double coat handles cold water and snow, why not every working breed fits a family home, and what it shares with the Russian Black Terrier.

16/09/2026

A black Labrador standing on dry late-winter grass in flat northern plains light, an undercoat rake resting on a wooden step beside a bucket of pulled grey undercoat, low afternoon sun, medium shot from the side. — Plate CA-003

CA-003Care & feeding

Shedding Season on a Labrador

Why a Labrador sheds, which brush pulls the undercoat, whether a swim means a bath, and what a dull coat says about diet and thyroid.

13/09/2026

A yellow Labrador sits on a gravel boat ramp at dusk, one ear flap lifted by a handler's hand, a bottle of ear cleaner and a cotton ball on the tailgate of a pickup behind them, low warm light from the west. — Plate CA-002

CA-002Care & feeding

Drying a Labrador's Ears After a Swim

A Labrador's ear canal traps water after a retrieve. Here is the weekly check, the drying routine, the signs of infection, and when to call the veterinarian.

09/09/2026

A stainless steel measuring cup filled with large-breed puppy kibble sits on a wooden bench beside a food bowl, with a yellow Labrador puppy waiting on a braided rug in the background, soft morning light from a north window. — Plate CA-001

CA-001Care & feeding

Feeding a Labrador Puppy to Fifteen Months

A Labrador puppy needs measured rations and a slow growth curve. How much to feed, when growth stops, and why fast growth hurts joints.

05/09/2026

A yellow Labrador pushing through a stand of dead cattails at the edge of a shallow marsh on a cold December morning, head low, tail visible above the stems, low sun behind the dog and frost on the near bank. — Plate FD-003

FD-003Field & water

Reading Cover: Cattails, CRP Grass, Shelterbelts

How a Labrador quarters cattails, CRP grass and shelterbelts on the northern plains, how wind carries scent, and how that differs from a spaniel or pointing

02/09/2026

A yellow Labrador trotting through frost-covered CRP grass at sunrise in the northern plains, with a pheasant wing on a check cord visible in the foreground and a hunter's silhouette in the far background. — Plate FD-002

FD-002Field & water

Conditioning a Labrador for Pheasant Season

A twelve-week plan from August to October: walking, swimming, hill work, cover work, heat rules, and the weight to reach on opening day.

29/08/2026

A wet yellow Labrador standing on frozen stubble at the edge of a shallow slough in low December morning light, steam rising off its back, a folded towel and a dry coat on the tailgate of a pickup behind it, medium shot from the side. — Plate FD-001

FD-001Field & water

Cold Water in December: How Long a Labrador Can Work

Water temperature, wind, coat, and body fat decide how long a Labrador can work a slough in December, plus the signs of hypothermia and when to call the

26/08/2026

A yellow Labrador sitting in short prairie grass at sunrise, a plastic whistle hanging from a lanyard around a handler's neck, the dog's head turned toward the sound, low golden light from the left, medium shot with the dog in the lower third of the frame. — Plate TR-003

TR-003Training & manners

Whistle Recall That Holds at 200 Yards

How to teach a Labrador a whistle sit and recall that holds at 200 yards on the prairie, why distance breaks the cue, and how long it takes.

22/08/2026

Health & soundness

Hips, elbows, eyes, exercise-induced collapse, weight and the tests worth asking about before a puppy comes home.

A pair of weathered hands pressing along the ribcage of a yellow Labrador standing on a gravel yard in late October morning light, a paper weight log and pencil on a nearby wooden bench, medium close shot. — Plate HL-003

HL-003Health & soundness

Keeping a Labrador Lean: Body Condition by Hand

Score a Labrador's body condition by hand, log weight monthly, and adjust for the hunting season. Rib and waist checks for a longer, sounder life.

12/08/2026

A yellow Labrador stands in short CRP grass at first light, rear legs still, a hunter's hand on its shoulder, a DNA swab kit on the tailgate of a truck behind them. — Plate HL-002

HL-002Health & soundness

EIC in Labradors: Reading the DNM1 Test

Exercise-induced collapse in Labradors runs on one gene. How the DNM1 test is read, what a carrier means, and what an episode looks like in the field.

08/08/2026

A wooden kitchen table in a farmhouse, morning light through a north window, two printed OFA hip clearance certificates and a pen laid flat beside a coffee mug, shot from above at a slight angle. — Plate HL-001

HL-001Health & soundness

Hip and Elbow Scores Before a Labrador Puppy

What OFA grades and PennHIP distraction indexes say about a Labrador sire and dam, what they cannot promise, and what to ask before a deposit.

05/08/2026

All health entries

Training & manners

Retrieving, steadiness, house manners and the first year, one habit at a time, for the family dog as much as the gun dog.

A black Labrador puppy sits on a braided rug beside an open crate in a farmhouse kitchen, late afternoon winter light through a window, leash on the floor, wide shot — Plate TR-002

TR-002Training & manners

Labrador Puppy House Manners: First 12 Weeks

Crate, house-training, the counter, the door and the leash: the habits that decide what kind of Labrador lives in the house at two years old.

19/08/2026

A young yellow Labrador sits on a wooden place board in short prairie grass at first light, a canvas bumper on the ground ten yards ahead, frost on the stubble, camera low and level with the dog's chest. — Plate TR-001

TR-001Training & manners

Steadiness for a Young Retriever, Step by Step

Steadiness starts at the first thrown bumper. Place board, denied retrieve, walk-up and honor build a young Labrador that sits through a flush without losing

15/08/2026