According to registration statistics recently released by the American Kennel Club® (AKC), the Labrador Retriever is the most popular purebred dog in America for the 21st straight year. More than twice as many Labs were registered than any other breed making it a likely leader for many years to come.
The good people of South Carolina are in the 72nd percentile in Internet searches for Labrador retrievers, according to Google search statistics. Apparently, the Lab is a very popular dog in the state.
In a recent article, a licensed professional counselor for more than twenty-five years, explained how owning a Lab can help produce healthier, happier, more well adjusted children. Here is an excerpt from her article:
Dogs boost children’s confidence and self-esteem.
First and foremost to benefit children’s self-esteem is the experience of being loved unconditionally. As your children get older and are capable of delivering commands to the dog, they will quickly learn to be strong and confident, or most dogs just won’t listen. Furthermore, telling a dog to sit, and then watching the dog do what he was told, provides children with tons of confidence.
Having a dog who will always listen, a non-judgmental companion, and a friend who is always excited to see him/her increases your child’s self-esteem, studies say. Dogs can also help improve your child’s reading skills, as little ones often associate a dog’s enthusiastic ear and wagging tail with positive encouragement. By giving children the confidence needed to consistently practice reading, they become better readers by virtue of the practice. Dog-owning children have fewer sick days off school, and children who own them often have better self esteem. Daily contact with animals and responsibility for their care offers the children a sense of self-worth that doesn’t merely happen because someone tells a child how wonderful he/she is.
Caring for a dog takes a great deal of responsibility. Children learn to be less focused on themselves and more patient with others. Responsibility is a key factor in leadership development in children, and one of the best ways of learning responsibility is in the home with the family dog. Being responsible for a dog teaches children valuable life lessons. The lessons that children learn from having a dog are priceless and may just help in being successful in life and in a career.
Be sure to read the rest of her seven part article, Ten Reasons to Own a Dog.
At Twin Lakes Kennel, we have been breeding and training world class Labrador retrievers for more than thirty-five years. Our Labs can be found across the states from Hawaii to Maine, from Alaska to Florida. Our second-to-none Puppy Guarantee makes buying a pure-bred Labrador retriever one of the wisest decisions you will ever make.
But don’t take our word for it. Read the personal testimonials from prominent Lab owners from around the country. And visit our Puppy Page or call Woody or Judi for up-to-date puppy information at 910.462.3246.
Did you know…
- Founded in 1670 as Charles Towne in honor of King Charles II of England, Charleston adopted its present name in 1783. It moved to its present location on Oyster Point in 1680 from a location on the west bank of the Ashley River known as Albemarle Point. By 1690, Charles Towne was the fifth largest city in North America and it remained among the ten largest cities in the United States through the 1840 census.
- The early settlement was often subject to attack from sea and land, including periodic assaults from Spain and France (both of whom contested England’s claims to the region), and pirates. These were combined with violent resistance to further expansion by raids from the Native Americans as well.
- Nickname(s): “The Holy City”, “Chucktown”
- Motto: Aedes mores juraque curat (Latin: “She guards her buildings, customs, and laws”)
Source: USA Cities Online