Grooming your Labrador can be more easily accomplished if you purchase a few Labrador grooming tools. The first choice that you should make is the purchase of a good quality bristle brush to help remove dead hair from your pet while distributing natural oils. Weekly or bi-weekly maintenance with the bristle brush will help keep your Labrador’s coat healthy and shiny while helping keep shedding down. When your Lab is shedding, daily usage of the bristle brush will help you deal with the massive quantity of hair your pet will shed into your home.

Another way to keep your Lab’s coat shiny and healthy is with regular bathing. While many dogs can have their hair shaved off in the summer, Labrador’s need their coat to help keep them cool. Instead, utilize regular bathing and brushing to keep his coat looking healthy through Labrador grooming.

Labrador grooming also should include close attention to his nails so that they don’t crack and become infected. Choosing a good quality nail clipper or having your Lab’s nails clipped at the groomers help make the process smoother while maintaining the health of your dog through Labrador grooming. Be careful not to damage the “quick” or pink part of the nail. Using a light to navigate a dark Labrador’s nail clipping can help prevent you from injuring this sensitive part of a Labrador’s nail during Labrador grooming.

Another part of Labrador grooming to consider as part of the total grooming experience is to check his eyes and ears. Carefully inspecting the ears for ticks is important to your dog’s health as well. Watching out for dirt after a run in a forest or yard is also important so that your Labrador doesn’t injure himself trying to remove the dirt himself with a paw. Cleaning out your dog’s ears and eyes as part of Labrador grooming is another important part of the grooming process which helps to keep infections and irritations in his eyes and ears away. By following these few simple steps to Labrador grooming, you can help your pet look and feel his best.

Jessie looks worn in this picture, 24 hours after TPLO surgery. Looking at her eyes, she may be a little shnockered from the drugs. She walked to the car, toe tapping, and slept most of the way home.

I don’t like using cones for my Labrador Retrievers, but the Dr.’s wife made it pretty clear we should. Horror stories of staples, and trips to the emergency room pretty much confirmed it.

After all these years, no one has invented anything better than the dreaded “Cone”! If you have any comments on this please add. We are always looking for new ways of handling old problems.

Thanks again for all the well wishes, especially from her local dog park pack!

We are getting ready for recovery mode!

Please post comments with any tips you might have.
Jessie is a 2 1/2 year old Yellow Labrador Retriever. She was never a crate trained puppy, and can be a handful, like most Labrador Retrievers.

Labradors are active, fun-loving, energetic dogs that, when under the influence of excellent dog training, can be a great family pet. Known for being good with children, it is not a natural tendency for any dog, even a Lab, to automatically be kind to small children. Introducing your dog to small children is a process that may take a little patience and time in a controlled environment where you can protect both your child and your Labrador from getting hurt.

One of the major issues that is important to maintain for Labrador health, and a successful introduction to children, is to make sure that your Lab gets plenty of exercise. Be particularly sure that she runs and plays and expends energy before you begin the process of introducing her to your child. The context for the mutual introduction should be an environment that is calm, not a time for play, and preferably indoors.

Have your Lab sit or lay down and allow your child to calmly approach her. Show your child how to gently pet your Lab. A few strokes on the head will likely delight the child as well as instinctively demonstrate boundaries and dominance in the mind of your Labrador.

If your dog seems appreciative and licks your child’s hand, or wags his tail, encourage the interaction to continue for a bit. If the dog lifts his lips in a snarl, growls, seems annoyed or disturbed, or attempts to escape, let your Labrador have her space, and save introductions for next time.

On the next occasion, discourage your Labrador’s negative behavior with a firm “No” and encourage better behavior by giving her a reward after letting your child pet her. If your dog continues to have a defensive posture, don’t press the issue immediately, and don’t reward her.

Acclimation can be slow. Never just assume your Lab is safe or leave her alone with small children.

Unlike humans, Labrador’s, like all canines, have a third eyelid.  This ultra thin membrane helps to keep the eye healthy and lubricated and it’s an important part of ocular health in all dogs.  It can also, on occasion, cause what vet’s often call “Cherry Eye.”  This condition is really nothing more than a mild irritation, which cause a red inflamed area.  This condition isn’t very serious, is more common in puppies and causes heavy tearing.  Your vet should always examine any suspected case of Cherry Eye to rule out more serious conditions. The treatment is ‘popping’ the inflamed area back into the eye – scary and often best left to a professional.

In some cases the “spine’ of the eye is malformed.  This can cause a ridge to extrude into the eye space. This condition, called Eversion, causes symptoms similar to Cherry Eye, but can be more irritating to the dog.

There are more serious conditions.  Labrador’s are prone to several different diseases of the eye and in older dogs, cancer may develop.  Remember that any inflammation, heavy tearing or discoloration should be examined by a veterinarian.  Your pooch can’t tell you what is wrong, but sometimes you can get a pretty good idea just by looking in their big, beautiful eyes.

Weather changes are appreciated by many people, especially when they head for the warmer times.  We, as humans, generally can’t stand to be in cold weather for very long periods of time; we’re just not built for it.  However, Labradors are.  And while humans love the upcoming heat of spring and summer, Labradors don’t.

Understanding that Labradors have a coat that is thicker than our skin (in order to ensure that they stay warm in cold weather) is important.  They originally were bred to do things like hunting, so it is a necessity.  However, handling heat is a different matter altogether when you think about how thick their skin is.

So how should you keep your Labrador safe in the upcoming heat?  Well, there are a few things that you can do to help your pet out, and keep it happy at the same time.

Many wouldn’t give this a second thought, because it’s so simple, but filling a baby pool with water with cooler water than the outside temperature is an easy fix.  Labradors love to splash in the water, and you’ll grin from ear to ear watching them.  More than likely, any nearby children will want to join in with them during the upcoming heat.

Pulling your favorite dog inside the house for awhile to cool off in the air conditioning would be great, too.  Letting the cool air surround your Labrador, getting under the fur and skin will help prevent any possible health problems from occurring.  While your dog may not be a fan of staying inside at first, they’ll like cooling off.

Cold water in the water bowl is also a great idea.  Whether you choose to make it ice-cold out of the tap, or put ice cubes in it to make it even colder, the water will help as well.  Take some time, and your Labrador will stay safe in the upcoming heat!

Your Labrador was born to work, being a sporting breed that loves the water and loves to run.  Given their unique coats that shed water and their tails that move a large amount of water, their swimming abilities have made them a favorite working hunting dog since the 19th century.

Nowadays, it has been discovered that Labrador Retrievers are uniquely suited to being assistance dogs.  Their medium to large size and athletic physique makes them ideal for sturdiness for infirm human companions, while their gentle nature and intelligence means they are patient and easily trained.  An assistance dog might mean a guide dog for the blind or visually impaired, a hearing dog for the deaf, or a service dog, who assists people who have medical alert situation or need special psychiatric assistance.

The training is highly specialized for each of these animals, and there is a strict Code of Federal Regulations which define the service animal and direct the requirements for their training.  Some breeds are better at this than others, and Labradors are highly sought-after companions because they are so trainable and easy-going.  The specialized training is intended to create a service animal that is not easily rattled, maintains a friendly demeanor unless his master is threatened, and can resist distractions and temptations.

There are hundreds of service dog organizations in the United States, and a little bit of quick research can help you either find a dog to help you, or find the training that will allow your Lab to help others.  There are more medical and psychological conditions that might be helped by a service dog than you might have imagined. It is a rewarding experience for both animal and handler, with the human’s needs being met and enabling them greater independence, and the dog’s needs being met by making it feel needed.

Your Lab is a naturally brainy breed, but even they need a little leadership, especially early on.  Any breed benefits from some discipline and rewards, but training your Labrador Retriever brings rewards in the form of better manners, fewer slip-ups on the inside and outside, and the potential for your dog to even become a helper to you.

Start training your puppy as early as possible.  Your Lab wants to please you, and that starts on day one.   Because the breed gets quite large (55-80 lbs. at adulthood), it is best to start earlier rather than later, when they are easier to manage.  In addition, specialists in animal training recommend methods that favor reward and not stringent punishment, as reinforcement tools towards moving your animal in the direction you would like them to go (and stay.)

Commands such as sit, stay, fetch, speak, roll over and heel can be easily taught to your enthusiastic Labrador.  Training classes are available all over the country, and are probably right in your neighborhood.  A little Internet searching can probably turn up a class or two, and if it doesn’t, ask your veterinarian what they recommend for early training of your puppy in your area.  Alternatively, there are several good video series and television shows to follow along with to do the training all from the comfort of your own home and yard.

One of the benefits to early- and often-training is that your dog will be happier, too.  A well-worked, tired dog is a happy dog, and the bonding experience that comes from reward training cannot be accomplished in any other fashion.  Methods that would have you strike your animal are again, not recommended.  A dog who is fearful of you is not going to respond as favorably to training, nor will they be as happy and well-rounded as an animal who has been taught respect, love and reward.

Another great benefit of taking your dog to obedience classes is that of socializing.  Your Labrador is a very social animal, and wants to be around other dogs as well as people.  It helps them become more comfortable in situations where they are not at home, such as walks in the neighborhood or to the local dog park.  If your dog has no experience outside your home, you need to be especially careful when they are first introduced to other dogs and humans, especially children.  While they may not necessarily harm a child, an inexperienced dog can become overexcited and have an accident with children.

Dogs, unlike human beings, can’t speak up and let you know if they don’t feel well. That’s why, if you’re a conscientious Labrador Retriever owner, you need to know how to read your lab, and sense behavior that is “out of the ordinary” for your specific pet.

As is the case with any pet, a Labrador Retriever that refuses to eat or that eats very little, that has problems going to the bathroom (that goes infrequently, for example, or that produces black or overly soft stools), or that seems uncharacteristically lethargic, may be in need of some prompt, thorough medical attention.

Beyond these basic warning indicators that can indicate illness in any animal, Labrador Retrievers may present special signs and symptoms which might set off alarm bells that only the Lab owner would recognize as unusual behavior.

For example; Labrador Retrievers tend are loving animals and overall to be upbeat, friendly and pleasant animals. So if your Lab suddenly becomes a surly, growling creature, one that disobeys commands, nips or bites, then he/she may be in need of physical or perhaps even psychological help (yes, there are doggie psychologists).

Labs are strong and sturdy animals. So if your lab dog seems weak, slow to move, or uninterested in daily activities, or if he/she is sleeping far more than usual, then a visit to your veterinarian is a good idea.

Labrador Retrievers are typically beautiful animals with shiny coats. If a properly groomed lab has dull eyes, a drab coat, or excessive problems with fleas and ticks, then he/she may be in need of medical attention.

If you as a caring, conscientious owner happens to spot any of these signs or symptoms, don’t panic; they may be signs of a temporary condition, one easily treated with the use of medication, or changes in diet and exercise regimens. If the condition should happen to be more serious, remember that veterinary medicine has progressed by leaps and bounds in recent years. Your dog’s veterinarian may be able to suggest a single surgical procedure that can heal your lab; restoring your prized, beloved dog to a full state of bountiful and robust health in no time.

If you are looking for a new dog to add to your family, consider adopting a Labrador that has been rescued and is looking for a new home.We all know that puppies are soft and cuddly but they do turn into a adult dogs. Here are some good points to consider when it comes to choosing a puppy verses an older dog.

How much time do you have to spend with your new pet? Like children, puppies need constant attention. You’ll spend a lot of time housebreaking your puppy unless you can live with puppy accidents. Although Labrador puppies are precious, they are “hazardous” to carpet, even if they are closely watched.

A two month old puppy needs to empty his bladder at least every two hours, every four hours if he’s four months old. This means you have to begin to train him by taking him out quite often to initiate the house-breaking process. It’s a round the clock chore so you’ll have to wake up that often during the night as well. A puppy will also have to be leash trained before walking them and that is another task in itself.

The bladder of an adult dog is already developed, making them easier to house-train.  Most Labrador rescue groups have older dogs that are already house-trained. A great benefit of rescuing and adopting an adult Labrador dog is that it will be less pressure on you and easier on your carpet.

Puppies are adorable, but that ball of fluff is also a wrecking ball of destruction in your home. Puppies have sharp, little teeth that chew on everything. It’s also not a good idea to keep a teething puppy around a small child; they can’t differentiate a small human from a grown one or from furniture. Chewing on everything from electronic cords to children can be a dangerous and destructive habit. You must diligently supervise a puppy to prevent this from happening.

If you get a Lab from a shelter they have most often been trained. Larger dogs have longer attention spans and don’t need the constant supervision a puppy will demand.

Personality is another advantage you get with an adult lab. This makes is much easier to choose one that fits into your lifestyle. Most rescues allow you to foster a dog on a trial basis to make sure that you and your new family member are a good match. Usually someone from the rescue group will come to see your home and make sure it is a healthy and safe environment.

You will be a hero in your community as well as to the dog you save. Older dogs have so much love and loyalty and want to please you.. This is especially true if they had a difficult life before being rescued.

Rescuers know that every year there are adoptable animals that have to be killed because of a lack of homes. There are about four million of these tragedies and about one quarter of those are purebred animals. This problem is due to overpopulation; purchasing a puppy helps contribute to the problem.

Visit http://clublabrador.com online to find valuable information about Labradors and why adoption is a great option.