Labrador Retriever Dogs Blog

Just as we always do when we are walking the dog we put him on his leash, grab some carrots and then make sure we take our ipods with us. This is our usual routine. I was watching out our front window tonight and saw a dog out on the main street from ours wandering loose. I began thinking about what would happen if we were walking alone with our music in our ears full blast.

You have to be aware of your surroundings when walking your dog, for the saftey of both of you. I have been trying just having one ear piece in when walking around more busy areas so I can hear what is happening.

You should enjoy this one, sometimes I think they are smarter than most humans I meet.

From MCT News Service

For the 18th consecutive year, the Labrador Retriever is the most popular purebred dog in America, according to 2008 American Kennel Club registration statistics. But while more than twice as many Labs were registered last year than any other breed, making it a likely leader for many years to come, the Bulldog continues to amble its way up the list. The breed made news last year by returning to the AKC's Top 10 for the first time in more than 70 years and now has jumped 6 percent, advancing two spots to land in 8th place.

"The playful Lab may still reign supreme, but the docile and adaptive nature of the Bulldog is gaining ground as a family favorite," said AKC spokesperson Lisa Peterson. "It's no surprise to learn that this devoted family companion is still growing in popularity."

According to the American Kennel Club, the most popular dogs in the U.S. are:

1. Labrador Retriever

2. Yorkshire Terrier

3. German Shepherd

4. Golden Retriever

5. Beagle

6. Boxer

7. Dachshund

8. Bulldog

9. Poodle

10. Shih Tzu

Source

Hip dysphasia is a crippling and painful disease seen most often in larger purebred dogs, such as Golden Retrievers, German Shepherd, St.Bernard's, and Labrador Retrievers. The occurrence in German Shepherds alone is almost 80%.

Classified as an arthritic condition, it is usually hereditary and presents itself in one or both hip joints. The cartilage lining of the hip joints wear down due to a partial and sometimes complete dislocation of the hip joints.

Signs of hip dysphasia may appear as early as 4 weeks of age, with most appearing around 8 to 12 months. Early warning signs are posterior pain, difficulty rising from a prone position, and a general hesitance to move or exercise. A definite diagnosis can only be made by an x-ray from you veterinarian.

Surgical techniques have been developed to help relieve the pain and lameness caused by the disease. In severe cases hip or joint reconstruction and or replacement has been done, with the best results seen in smaller, younger animals. Since hip dysphasia is an inherited disease, infected dogs should be neutered to prevent spreading to further generations.

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Finidng pet insurance for your dog is a lot like finding a good life insurance quote. You have to find a package that is comfortable for you and suits your needs. I haven't shopped around for pet insurance but from what I have read you can get your dog insurance for as low as $10 a month. Plans will differ from company to company but you should be able to find one that will cover your regular or annual vet visits. Before you decide to buy any insurance plan you should take the information to your vet and ask them if they accept it first of all, if they think it's a good plan, how much your deductible is going to be and if they will cover an pre-existing conditions your dog might have.

Leaving your puppy alone during the day or at night when you go out can be a heat wrenching affair. I always felt bad when we had to leave Cooper alone when we went to work or if we had to go out for dinner at night or to a family event. What you want to try and stop is any barking that your puppy might do when left alone. It will drive your neighbours crazy and will lead to bad habits when they grow up.

If you are leaving during the day you can always try leaving a ticking clock nearby, the sound of the clock reminds the puppy of a mother’s heartbeat and is said to sooth and comfort them. Some people also try leaving a radio or television on to do the same thing. We always made sure if we had to leave after dark to leave a few light bulbs on. Also make sure that your puppy has some toys with them when alone so they can keep themselves busy. Just make sure it's nothing small enough for them to swallow. We always used rope toys.

This past weekend was our annual spring bath our labrador retriever weekend. We bath our dog about once or maybe twice a year. Bathing a labrador retriever too often will destroy their natural oils they have in their fur that help protect them. Bathing too often will only lead to drying out their skin which you don't want to do. I have read many times that people bath their labrador retriever once a month. This is way too often. The only thing I can say is that if they do get into manure or something totally foul smelling then you have no option. Otherwise, once or twice a year is fine. If your labrador is like ours he enjoys swimming all summer long so this helps keep him clean and fresh as well. It in only in the Spring after he has been rolling around in the much and in the fall that we bath him.

I am not sure about you but make sure you clear the track after that bath. I was wishing we had some nice discount furniture around the house after the bath was over. It was butt tucking go wild time. He ran from room to room, off of furniture and basically tore up the house. I guess he liked his bath too.

So not a labrador retriever video but….. You can find the darndest things on YouTube. This one gave me a morning smile.

Do you get as overwhelmed with dog hair as we do in our house? It seems our chocolate labrador retriever Cooper is in a state of constant shedding. He loses so much hair that I was afraid I was going to have to get him some type of hair loss solution but it hasn't come to that as of yet.

I have a few tips on how to better handle dog hair and shedding. The first it to stay on top of it. As simple as that. Just get yourself into a routine of cleaning it up everyday and pretty soon you just won't notice it. If you don't stay on top of sweeping or cleaning it can and will take over your house. Which leads me to my next point, invest in a good vacuum or sweaper (depending if you have carpets or hardwood). If you cheap out on a vacuum clean that won't or can't properly handle dog hair then you aren't helping yourself. Finally, make sure you do lots of brushings outdoors in a room where you can clean things up. A well groomed dog won't be dropping as much hair all over your house and you will find your dog will like to be brushed.