Labrador Retriever Dogs Blog

It's that time of the year again where all of work on getting our lawns and gardens nice and green and weed free. In the past that meant using commercial fertalizers and pesticides. We have come a long way in our thinking and we no longer have to use these on our lawns. We can go green and use enviromently friendly methods of lawn fertilizer and weed control.

If you are looking for a natural weed and feed I would suggest using corn gluten. I have been using it for a few seasons now and actually think that it does make a difference. It is an excellent weed and feed solution. It had nutrients to your soil while at the same time preventing weeds from growing. It doesn't kill what is already up but prevents seeds from germinating so you have to get it down early in the spring to work as a weed killer.

As far as controlling weeds you only need a few household items to get the job done. I was buying a commercial eco weed killer but after reading the ingredients I am making my own. Combine two parts boiling water to one part vinegar. Some people also ad lemon or clove oil but that is up to you. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Spray directly onto unwanted weeds. Just make sure you spray the weeds with this as it will kill flowers and grass.

You should have a nice eco and pet friendly lawn using these two solutions.

We feed Cooper three times a day. We also give him filtered water from the fridge. We go through a couple of refrigerator water filters in a year. With three feedings a day and constantly filling up his water dish it doesn't take them long to get dirty. It's important for your dogs health to make sure his food and water bowls are kept clean. If it is something that you take for granted you should check out your dogs bowls the next time you feed them. It really doesn't take long for crud to grow on them. I am sure your pets are like us, they probably don't want to be eating out of dirty dishes anymore than we do.

At first we tried putting his ceramic dishes through the dishwasher but this didn't really get them clean. We found that it just kind of baked some of the grim onto the bowls. Your best bet for cleaning your dog dishes is to let them soak in water with a bit of dish soap for a couple of hours or even overnight if you can. Then scrub them out with a scrub brushd or pad. When you have them all cleaned out make sure you rinse them out so there is no soap residue left over.

How often should you clean their bowls? That really depends on a few things like what they are made of and what you are feeding your dog. The best bet is to keep your eye on the food dish and when it looks dirty clean it. I find the water bowl will tend to get dirty fast so washing it out once a day if you can wouldn't hurt.

I still see many questions regarding dog acne, it seems to be something that many labador retriever owners have to deal with. While I am no health expert and can't really say what the causes of it are I can offer a couple of solutions that members of the forum have found to work. While many try to find a simple natural acne treatment there are a few other things you can try.

You many be able to help your dog acne by switching to a grain free food. You many also want to try switching to a ceramic bowl if you are using plastic or steel. There could be somthing in either of those products that are not agreeing with your labrador retriever. The same can be said for switching away from plastic toys. Try to stay away from these items if they contain BPA which is a synthetic hormone. It's probably best to stay away from most plastics when you can.

Those are a couple of simple tips that may help you with finding a cure to your dog acne.

It was time this week for Cooper to go in for his regular check up and get his shots. We were worried about his weight and though we might have to get him on one some kind of fat burner but everything checked out okay. I am not sure if you take your labrador retriever in from time to time to get his or her weight checked but it`s a good idea. Especially if you have a senior labrador retriever. Our vet lets us come in anytime we want and throw him on the scales if we like. Sometimes we get lazy and forget but we do take them up on their offer.

It`s summer time and that means that many of us will be travelling to the cottage, to parks or any other vacation with our furry friends. Remember just like your children, it`s a good idea to have a first aid kit for your dog on hand. I came across and interesting article on what to have in your first aid kit for your pooch.

Here are some recommended items to keep in your pet first aid kit.

1. Bandages, such as gauze pads, cotton gauze, ace bandages, and adhesive tape. Nonstick Telfa pads are a good choice because they are sterile and come in convenient individually wrapped packages. If your pet receives injuries that result in open wounds, Telfa pads are a good choice. Don’t forget the adhesive tape. Pets will often try to remove bandages or gauze pads, so you will want to secure the bandages in place with tape. Vet-wrap is a good choice, although in the case of an emergency, masking tape will work if these are not available.

2. Keep a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and anti-bacterial ointment cream in your pet first aid kit. A topical antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin will work. Pets often suffer from scrapes and open wounds. Having a tube of anti-bacterial ointment can help prevent infection. Also, many anti-bacterial creams also contain mild pain relievers. The anti-bacterial ointment should be applied on clean open wounds. Anti-bacterial ointments prevent contamination, and help seal wounds so that they are not exposed to air or further abrasion.

3. A bottle of eyewash or eye drops. Many pet emergencies have to do with eye injuries. Make sure to have a bottle of eyewash in order to spray away debris or dirt particles that may exacerbate eye injuries.

4. A rectal or ear thermometer. A good thermometer can help you gauge the seriousness of your pet’s injury.

5. Pain reliever. Dogs and cats should not be administered ibuprofen. They can be given very small dosages of aspirin.

6. Activated charcoal. Giving your pet natural activated charcoal may help prevent poisoning. If your pet is suffering from stomach or intestinal discomfort, activated charcoal also helps control diarrhea and flatulence.

7. Keep a pair of scissors, tweezers, and forceps in your first aid kit. Preferably, the scissors should have a blunt end. These are best for cutting bandages, fabric, or matted hair.

8. A blanket, to keep your pet warm and comfortable, and to help prevent shock.

9. A list of important phone numbers. Included on the list should be: the number of your veterinarian, a poison control hotline, and the number of the nearest emergency veterinary clinic.

10. A first aid book that describes how to administer CPR to your pet and which outlines procedures for a number of emergency scenarios.

I was reading through some recent posts on the forums about using natural methods people were using to treat their dogs when they are sick. I am all for using natural methods or alternative methods for treating illness or preventing illness but you must approach such a thing very carefully. You should never use regular household things like eye creams or hand creams on your dog. You never know exactly how you dog is going to react to them. You really should check with your vet first if you feel your dog is sick. Don't simply take a persons advice on the internet. Just because they wrote that you can use something to cure your dog doesn't mean it's true. You could possibly make your pooch sicker. Please, if your dog is sick check with your vet first.

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.

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.

Chocolate. Who can resist it?

Your dogs health depends on it! (resisting, that is). We humans get to indulge because most of us know when to stop. But your dog won't quit after just a few. Give her a chance and she'll down the whole box of Godivas in one gulp. So on Valentine's Day, you're actually being kind to your best buddy if you eat all the chocolates yourself!

**Why is chocolate harmful to a dogs health?**

Chocolate, as you know, is made with cocoa beans. And cocoa beans contain methylxanthine alkaloids in the form of theobromine and caffeinea, which are toxic to dogs. Chocolate can also contain high amounts of fat which can put your dogs health in jeopardy as well.

**How Much is Too Much?**

Though it's certain that dogs and chocolate don't mix, different dogs react differently to the methylxanthines. And reactions can vary according to the age, size and overall health of the dog. The smaller the dog the smaller the dose needed to produce an effect.
And of course, if your dog's health is already weakened by other medical conditions, he's more susceptible. The same holds for older dogs..
Theobromine is present in differing amounts in different kinds of chocolate:

· White chocolate 1mg/oz

· Hot chocolate 12 mg /oz

· Milk chocolate 44-66 mg/oz

· Semi-sweet chocolate 260 mg/oz

· Dark chocolate 450 mg/oz (wow!)

· Baking/bitter chocolate or cocoa powder varies as much as 150-600 mg/oz.

**How much chocolate can a dog eat and survive?**

That depends in part on her weight.

Under 200 mg theobromine per kg body weight (91mg per lb) has not been observed to be fatal. A potentially lethal dose in a 16 pound. dog is only one pound of milk chocolate. Only two ounces of baking chocolate can cause serious problems in a 10-pound dog. People stop eating chocolate before getting to toxic levels, but dogs don't!

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