Labradors + Follow

My dog needs surgery and I can’t afford it – it’s a scenario no one ever imagines being in when they first bring home a new puppy. But as the years pass circumstances can change quite dramatically. And the healthy young dog you brought into your life won’t always stay fit as the proverbial fiddle. …

Question: My 5-year-old Labrador roughhoused with a younger dog all afternoon. Tonight his tail is limp, and he can’t move. I think he may have broken his tail. It hurts because he walks away from me when I touch it. Did he break it while playing? What should I do? Answer:  Whenever these traits are observed, make an appointment immediately with a veterinarian to get them checked out. He may have strained a muscle, tendons, or ligaments that actually support his tail and make it wag! This issue usually appears suddenly as a flaccid tail hanging straight down, or is …

Dogs hide under the bed because they are comfortable settling down in a cosy den that smells like their favorite person. But they also seek shelter when afraid, anxious or avoiding something elsewhere in the home. Working out why your dog is hiding under the bed will enable you to either resolve the issue that’s …

The Labrador Retriever held a well earned place as the most popular pedigree dog breed in USA and many other parts of the world for several decades. My home would not be complete without a Lab and I have been raising and training these intelligent, loyal dogs for many years. Labradors were bred to be …

I love it when my dog sits on my foot, right up until the tingling and numbness sets in and i’m forced to give my toes a reluctant wiggle. Only one of our dogs regularly sits on my feet, but the gesture although sometimes uncomfortable always makes me feel special. Contents Why Do Dogs Sit …

Not all female dogs are whining and carrying a toy around the house because they desperately want a baby. Your gorgeous girl might be feeling hormonal, and if she’s had a litter before it’s not impossible that she’s harking back to those lovely puppy days. But not every female dog that is whining and carrying …

Most dogs don’t use litter boxes, but this isn’t because they are incapable of learning to relieve themselves in a specific spot. In fact, on rare occasions both puppies and adult dogs successfully learn to use litter boxes just as well as your average pet cat. However, in general dogs don’t use litter boxes for …

Dogs whine in the car because they are excited. Or because they feel unwell or worried. Going for a ride is great fun, especially if you are travelling to somewhere you love. So imagine how it feels getting into the car, when every single journey has the potential to take you to your favorite place. …

Not all dogs hate mailmen, but those that do seem to bear a real hardcore grudge. And when you think about it, it’s completely understandable from their perspective. I’m delighted to see the mailman in the morning, he drops off my fun packages and postcards after all. Dogs hate mailmen because all they see is …

The best food to hide dog pills in conceals their medication completely. It hides the tablet visually, and even helps to obscure the smell. Stinky meats or cheese are ideal for this, but simply household basics like a bit of bread equally do the trick for most dogs. Some however I have found will unwrap …

There are several ways to stop your dog digging under the fence, and the one that’s best for your pup and your home will depend on a few factors. The reason why they started digging in the first place, their size, strength and breed, and also developmental stage all play a part. The best methods …

The black Labradoodle is a crossbreed between the purebred Standard Poodle and the Labrador Retriever. They have a black coat, usually with no other markings or small flecks of white on the chest and feet. This hybrid designer dog is active, intelligent and quick witted. They are easy to engage in positive training, and their …

To introduce your puppy to the dog you’ll need to begin with an enclosed neutral area, with plenty of supervision. Be ready to move on to a walk or other joint activity if things go well, and stop the session if either dog becomes stressed or unhappy. Prevention is key, so plan ahead and remove …

Why do Labradors whine? Labradors may whine for several reasons. An important rule of communication is that the communicator must believe it is going to bring about some kind of reward or improvement in their circumstances. So looking for that benefit is a sure fire path to establishing why your dog is whining, and then …

The Beagle Lab mix is a designer hybrid dog with a purebred Labrador Retriever parent and a pedigree Beagle parent. A cross breed with two driven, intelligent and athletic parents the Beagador, Labbe or Leagle can be a great companion for a family with an active lifestyle. The Beagle Lab mix needs a lot of …

Labradors aren’t a typically high maintenance breed when it comes to grooming. But, all Labrador owners know just how messy these dogs can get! As a general rule, many Labs can get away without a bath for months at a time! But, you will need to wash them when they get dirty – particularly if …

Stacking up the German Shepherd vs the Labrador as a potential pet is a challenge. The Labrador and German Shepherd are large dogs with thick double coats and a strong sense of loyalty. They are intelligent breeds that are relatively easy to train, and very active. However, they have plenty of differences too and not …

If you want to know how to leash train a Labrador, you’re in the right place. In this complete guide to getting a loosh leash walk, expert dog trainer Pippa Mattinson will take you though everything you need to know. Looking at what you need to get started, when and where to practice, how to …

Your 6 month old Lab has nearly reached their adult height, but they are still scrawny. All legs and giant feet, often with disproportionately large ears. They are an established part of the family, but with those teenage hormones and the confidence of being settled in the home, they can also be a bit of …

The champagne Lab is a yellow Labrador Retriever with two copies of the color dilution gene. When a dog has a copy of the dilute gene from each parent then their coat will have a reduced tone, giving it a pale hue that makes it look far closer to champagne than the usual Labrador golden …

As a dog owner it’s natural to be concerned about all aspects of their health, and this includes the difference between healthy dog paws vs unhealthy. Dogs’ feet have nothing between them and the ground to protect them, so they are vulnerable to damage. And when a dog’s paws are injured or diseased, it’s nearly …

Labs do not need haircuts. There are a few situations where you might need to clip a few furs because something is stuck onto them, or have a patch shaved before surgery or when injured, but no Labrador needs a full haircut like a longer coated breed might. In fact, Labrador haircuts can be damaging …

Dog pregnancy is the period from the female dog’s ovums becoming fertilised until the day the litter of puppies arrives blind and helpless into the world. Dog pregnancy is widely believed to be 9 weeks long, but actually it lasts 63 days from ovulation, which typically means about a 61.5 day gestation for the average …

It’s not unusual to see a fat Labrador. Our perspectives on healthy weights for dogs have been a little skewed in recent years as more pets hit the obesity marker on the scale. And Labradors are very prone to weight gain for genetic and hunger reasons! Canine obesity comes with a raft of accompanying health problems. …

Smoking is a technique used to give a unique flavor to bones. It isn’t just reserved for doggy treats either. Many people will smoke their own food for barbecues and cookouts. When cooking for ourselves, the smoking process will also cook the meat attached to bones, giving everything that we eat a wonderful smokey flavor. …

There are many different harnesses on the market today, and choosing one for your Labrador can be quite bewildering. Luckily for you folks, I have, over the years, tried out many different brands of harness. And I have also seen my clients using all kinds of harnesses. My top three are the Freedom harness, Balance …

Labrador allergies crop up a lot, with runny noses, sore eyes and dermatological problems the most frequent signs. The most common allergies in Labrador Retrievers are environmental. House dust, pollen, food ingredients, bacteria, inhalents or insect bites can provoke an allergic reaction. And Labs are extremely prone to allergies because their immune systems produce high …

Life with a naughty Labrador can be stressful.  In this article we are going to look at what causes a dog to misbehave, and give you top tips and training tricks to get their behavior back on track. Is your Labrador naughty? Does he jump all over your visitors? Does he ignore you when you …

The Lab mix has one Labrador Retriever parent, and another parent from any other breed of dog. They count designer hybrids, accidental matings and muddled up mutts within their numbers. But they all have a wonderful splash of Labrador in their characteristics somewhere. Contents What is my Lab mixed with? Most popular Lab mixed breeds …

If one were to roughly compare the extent to which Border Collies have had their intelligence improved, it equates to a dog with the intelligence of a three-year-old child, or about 40% more intelligent than an average dog—which is to say that an average Border Collie can be considered a genius of the dog world; this means they would equate to a human with an IQ of 140 or higher on average.” But to be clear, when a dog is too smart–they can outsmart YOU and training can be a challenge! Border Collies are one of the hardest to train. …