Is This the Right Breed For You and Your Family 

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Pros and Cons of Owning a Fox Red Lab: 

 

Pros: 

 

Striking and Rare Coat 

One of the unique features of a Fox Red Lab is the color of their coats. 

They are not different from other standard Labs except in their coat pigments. Their coats tend to have a darker shade of yellow—something that is quite striking and rare! 

Red fox Labs also have short and thick double coats, which comprises of the outer guard hair (that repel dirt and moisture and protect them from elements like harmful UV rays and snow) and a soft inner coat (that help insulates them and regulate their body temperatures). 

In other words, your red lab dog will remain warm in all kinds of climates. 

Good Trainability 

Labrador Retrievers rank high on the list of the most intelligent dogs in the world. If you plan on having a Fox Red Lab soon, keep in mind that your doggie will spend his days finding how things are done around the home. 

He will want to know how the refrigerator door is opened and how to fix himself a treat in your absence. 

Unlike other dogs that wait to be told what to do all the time, a Fox Red Lab is very curious and quite independent on this front. This kind of drive and motivation is a perfect attribute for training a dog to adopt new behaviors. 

Additionally, with an immense passion for being good to their parents, these dog breeds respond very well to training. In fact, over the past few decades, Labrador retrievers have become some of the breeds to beat in many canine obedience and agility competitions.  

Focus on training your pup indoor calmness, loose-leash walking, and no jumping. You should also ensure that you invest in plenty of chew toys to keep your Lab occupied. 

However, like any other dog breed out there, some fox red Labs can be stubborn at times, so working closely with a reputable obedience trainer is highly recommended. 

But a combination of positive reinforcement and patience can do wonders even to the worst-behaved dogs. 

Socialization Skills  

Apart from being smart, Fox Red Labrador Retrievers have exceptional socialization skills. This is why they fit well into many family structures. 

They are great friends with enough love to go around for everybody (kids, adults, livestock, and other pets). They are especially great at striking good relationships with their cantankerous and sharp-clawed cousins: cats. 

Of course, you should make proper introductions to avoid any unpleasant dog behavior. 

Emotional Stability 

Another fantastic character trait of Labrador Retriever dog breeds is their stability. They are sweet and happy for the most part. 

They are very emotional and don’t shy away from sharing a strong emotional connection with their owners. 

With a Fox Red Lab, be sure you will get a smile and stable mood, behavior, character. 

Having said this, there are individual dogs in this breed that can be quite unstable but if you give your pup enough fun and play, you will have the best pup for life. 

Excellent Therapy Dogs 

Historically, Labs were bred to retrieve ducks, fish, and other game, which had escaped primordial trapping methods, courtesy of their ‘soft pouts’—they could carry the prey without puncturing their skin. 

Today, many Labrador retrievers make perfect support or therapy dogs. Their emotional stability, friendly nature, and eagerness to please their owners make them perfect candidates for pet-assisted therapy. 

Their outstanding intelligence also makes them ideal dogs for people with disabilities. 

So, if you are looking for an assistance dog for your disabled family member or friend, you will never go wrong with redfox lab. 

And since they come from the Retriever heritage, which were bred to work, the fox haired Labrador can take on a wide range of jobs that other working dog breeds can do like material hauling, scenting, search and rescue, fish and duck retrieval. 

So, the military, police, farm owners, and hunting aficionados (yes, the prey drive of a red fox retriever is pretty high) will also find these dogs valuable.   

Health 

Compared to other purebred dogs, Labrador Retrievers are generally healthy. The reason is that they were bred for quite a long time for a demanding and practical job of work and are thus spared from major health issues led by conformation. 

A Fox Red Lab is physically balanced which helps to keep them healthy. The red color variation has no negative impact on the fox red Lab’s health. So, your pup will only be susceptible to ailments that affect any other Lab. 

A Soft Pout 

In the past, Labradors were bred to retrieve prey such as fowl from fields and lakes. This led them to develop a soft pout that cannot bite down the prey but carry it safely to the required destination. 

This habit makes Fox Red Labs exceptionally good in fetching games. They are also easy to train not to bite 

Highly Adaptable 

Fox red labs can live in most settings. They are not overly affected by cold weather, courtesy of their outer guard hair which protects them from snow, moisture, and other weather elements. 

Their inner coats also play an important role in regulating their body temperatures, reducing their sensitivity to high temperatures.  

And while they do well in large spaces because they are large dog breeds, fox red labs have also been reported to live in smaller apartments without any issue. Provided that he gets enough exercise and gets plenty of attention, he will be content 

Size, Weight, & Other Trademark Features 

• Red Fox Lab Average Weight: 55-80 pounds 

• Fox Red Lab Size: 22-24 inches (males); 21-23 inches (females) 

• Tail: Short, straight, and otter-like (acts like a rudder and aids turning and propelling them through water). 

• Feet: Webbed, boosting their swimming capabilities. 

 

Cons: 

 

More Vocal 

One key difference between fox colored Labrador retriever and other Labs is that they tend to be more vocal. 

Canine experts associate this with their smaller gene pool, positing that a once vocal ancestor could have passed the trait on. 

In other words, the trait could have been inherited from one family member down the fox red Lab heritage. This means that this is not a fox red Lab trait per se, so your red Labrador may be different. 

 

Shedding 

A Fox Red Lab’s double coat is great for keeping him warm in all kinds of climate but sheds a little more than most other breeds. 

Although these dogs shed constantly, the more abundant shedding takes place twice a year – in the Fall and Spring. 

Even worse, their yellow and red fur tends to get everywhere when they shed or blow their coats out because it is more visible. 

To keep up with it, perform regular brushing and grooming and invest in a quality vacuum cleaner  to remove loose hairs. 

We recommend brushing your pup’s lovely fur at least once a week during moderate shedding seasons and twice or thrice a week during heavy shedding seasons. 

Use a good brush that’s designed for double-coated coats to keep your foxy red Labradors' coat in top shape.  

 

Boredom 

With an outgoing personality and high intelligence, a Fox Red Lab can easily get bored if not properly entertained. Many Labradors between the ages of one and three are often found in dog shelters because of a wide range of behavioral issues. 

Your pup requires a high dosage of exercise than other laid-back dog breeds. This is because, without the right amount of fun and play, your canine will develop destructive behaviors to try and kill boredom. 

If your home doesn’t have enough space, you might need to make arrangements to walk your dog every so often. 

Apart from exercise, these middle-sized dog breeds need mental stimulation round the clock to kill boredom. Their intelligence demands this. A Fox Red Lab can easily become destructive if it gets bored in a bid to entertain himself. 

You need to throw your pup plenty of challenges on a daily basis. This can be learning a new thing or performing a command correctly. 

If you don’t have the time to do this, get him sufficient puzzle toys. 

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