Labrador Retriever Dogs Blog

I hadn't noticed just how much stuff we have for the dog laying around the house and stuffed into closets and drawers. There are enough toys and dog supplies in the house to fill one of those shipping boxes that you see at work. So that is exactly what we did this week. We grabbed some cardboard storage boxes and began to put everything for the dog in one place. It helps alleviate some of the clutter and now we know where everything is is we need it. We have organized all of leashes and collars, sprays, paperwork, extra toys and medical supplies into one spot and tucked it away for safe keeping.

Are there any better weight loss products than owning a labrador retriever? Lately I have been working out a bit at home but taking the dog for a nice brisk walk certainly does the trick. I have been reading that just a 20 minute walk a day is a great way to jumpstart a weight loss program. Whether you know or it not you have a pretty good piece of work out equipment at your disposal. You labrador retriever loves a good walk so take him or her up on their offer and watch yourself slowly get into shape. There was  recent conversation on the forums regarding this and I pointed out my other half has dropped off nearly forty pounds just by walking the dog.

When we first brought Cooper home we picked up a book on labrador retrievers to help as a guide to what we could expect as proud new labrador retriever owners. There are many excellent Amazon books that you can find to help you with training or just understanding your new pet. Many of the members of the labrador retriever chatboard have been recommending different titles that have helped them.

If you are interested some of the titles include The Art of Raising A Puppy, Training Your Labrador Retriever and Your Labs Life. All of them have high ratings from forum members. Those are a few good titles to start with if you are in need of some training information or interested in learning about your labrador retriever puppy.

Marley & You: Getting A Labrador Retriever Is A Long-Term Commitment
Hartford Courant, United States - Jan 9, 2009

Though "Marley & Me" is a hit, the American Kennel Club would like to remind moviegoers about the importance of making careful, educated decisions when considering adding a dog to their family.

Distributed by Twentieth Century Fox, "Marley & Me" is the big-screen adaptation the best-selling book by John Grogan. After bringing home an adorable Labrador Retriever puppy named Marley, Grogan ( Owen Wilson) and wife Jenny ( Jennifer Aniston), learn that a cute puppy can quickly turn into a rambunctious 100-pound bundle of energy.

"It's no wonder that the Labrador Retriever has been America's top dog and ideal family pet for so long," said AKC spokesperson Lisa Peterson. "Labs are a versatile, intelligent and energetic breed but without early socialization, obedience training and proper exercise for their energy level they can become bored and develop behavioral problems. Regardless of breed, all potential dog owners need to realize that ownership will be a 10-to-15-year commitment for the life of the dog."

Labradors have been the most popular breed in the U.S. for the past 17 years, according to 2007 American Kennel Club registration statistics. The AKC urges dog lovers who are thinking about getting a Labrador Retriever to examine how the breed will fit into their own environment and to consider all of the 161 breeds recognized by the AKC and choose the fit that is best for their lifestyle.

Learn more about Labrador Retrievers at www.akc.org

A little belated but I wanted to wish all of the blog readers a happy new year. We have been busy at home over the holidays and I haven't had much time to update things as I would have liked. We had some minor home renovations on the go,visting and family and friends as well as other things like finding some reasonable auto insurance as our just ran out.

Cooper is good and enjoyed Christmas and some of his doggy toys that he got from Santa. I have a few pictures but have yet to take them off of the camera I will make sure that I post them when I can. If anybody needs anything or help make sure to leave a comment or some feedback. As of late they have all been from spammers promoting their sites. I would like to hear from you.

Well we finally got around to getting most of our bathroom renovations done. We have a few small things left to take care of like some painting and decorating but for the most part things are up and running. Now we have to try and keep Cooper out of the new bathtub. We didn't care too much about the last one and he was in it constantly but now we wouldn't mind keeping this one scrartch free for a while. It's not like a grand bathroom in a las vegas hotel but we would still like to keep it nice.

Our last tub and shower surround had some shelving on it. This one doesn't and the shampoo bottles are just sitting on the side of the tub. About every couple of hours you hear the bang of bottles landing in the tub because he is nosing around and smaking them with his tail. It's never a dull moment with a labrador retriever in the house.

I saw some posts this week on the chat forums about costs of owning a dog and responsibilities of owning a dog so I thought I would blog a post. When you are bringing a dog into your home you are going to have costs that you are going to have to be able to afford. You are going to have to feed and care for that pet and if you aren’t ready or in a spot to do so then it’s the pet that is going to suffer. There are essentials that they will need. Although it can be like shopping around for cheap auto insurance. You can find deals on toys and food if you are a wise and thrifty shopper. There are many deals to be had online and in stores but in the end you are going to have to provide the essentials like food, health and shelter to your pet so be prepared to do so. They give you unconditional loyalty, it’s the leas you can do for them.

If you are a pet owner then I give one word of advice. Have a back up plan for your Labrador retriever in case you can not make it home to feed them or let them outside. Having a pre-plan will save you a lot of grief and worrying down the road. It happens to all of us. We get called away to a meeting or have to go away during overnight expectantly. God forbid there is an emergency and you can't make it home. Having somebody that you know you can count on to look after your pet is worth it's weight in gold.

We have a couple of people that have helped us out several times on the drop of a phone call. There is nothing worse than being in a panic trying to find somebody to pet sit for you, even if it's just to let them out to go to the bahthroom. Even if you have to have a pet sitting service or kennel on call. Either way you will be glad you did.

My advice, set something up with a family member or close neighbour. Just in case. And if they help you out enough maybe think about gift baskets or some way of saying thanks!

Well it's finally here, there is snow on the ground and it's cold out. It's winter time and that means colder weather walks with your dogs. No more putting the old shorts and funny t shirts on it's time for the winter boots and warm jacket. Remember to keep yourself warm when out on your walks. It's not a fashion show it is all about keeping warm and save. Take your gloves, touques, boots and wear warm insulated pants.

Just as you have to keep warm remember that your labrador retriever can get cold too. So keep you walks moderate in length when it is especially cold out and if you pooch looks like his or her feet are cold they probably are and it might be time to cut your walk short. Sidewalk salt can also be irritable so keep that in mind.

Remember to keep you and your labrador retriever warm and have fun, you know how much they love to play in the snow.

The holidays are upon us. The Amercian Thanksgiving and not too far away we will be into Christmas. I imagine that many of us will be traveling and why not there are lots of travel deals to be had this year.

Remember that when you are making your travel plans to keep your furry friend in mind. It's better to plan ahead for your dog or pet than to be caught in a situation where your pet can't come with you. Make sure you call the airline or railway and make all of the proper arrangements for your pet. Double check to see if you need any paperwork or certificates. If you are staying anywhere check to make double sure your pet can come with you.

Not only will you have to pack for yourself but you will have to pack a suitcase for your pet. Toys, treats, leashes and a favourite blanket will be on your list. Medicines or any other kind of medication should be on the list as well.

Have a good holiday and make sure your pets are safe and warm.