By far the most common use of today’s Labrador is as a home companion, a role at which he excels. Surprisingly, the Labrador Retriever was rarely kept strictly as a house pet until several decades after the breed’s introduction to the united States. The initial fanciers of the breed became acquainted with him through knowledge of the shooting game. When the breed
was well established as a sporting companion, his docile, brainy nature won his way out of the kennel and into the home.

The Labrador Retriever’s ability to quickly adapt and respond to instruction made the transition quite easy. Today, puppies raised in the home actually become so entwined in the lives of their owners that they often suffer when relegated to the kennel life. (If you are planning to keep a kennel of Labradors, select puppies that are properly socialized but still familiar with kennel life.)

As a companion, the Labrador Retriever is good-natured and gentle enough to accept the roughhousing of youngsters without returning it. If properly socialized while young, a Labrador will share his “home with another dog, providing there is enough affection for all. It is more common for a Labrador to misbehave out of jealousy than out of dislike for another animal.

Labrador Retrievers are long on self-control and loyalty, but they do not make the most avid watchdogs. As a rule, they are not overly suspicious of strangers or highly protective of loved ones, and when natural instincts are not stimulated they can be inattentive to such a task. Always keen for a scent or sound, a Labrador Retriever would certainly give voice at the approach of an intruder, but he might be won over by a friendly gesture or a luscious piece of sirloin. If left on duty, a Labrador Retriever may wander off in search of a scent that has caught his attention. In short, he is a people-dog. If you really need a watchdog, get your Labrador a German Shepherd friend!

The value of companionship with this breed should not be underestimated. In recent years, obedience-trained Labradors as well as other breeds are being used as Therapy Dogs to enrich the lives of nursing home residents and even emotionally disturbed children. The process is simple: a group of experienced dog handlers, such as those trained by Therapy Dogs International, bring their dogs to visit, perhaps put on an obedience performance for the audience, and then let animals and humans mingle, if conditions permit. The dogs are all obedience trained and have proven themselves to be extremely gentle and outgoing. Their job is to make people feel wanted, and it works wonders for alleviating the loneliness and depression that often burden such lives. Labradors love people and the few hours Therapy Dogs share with others enrich both dog and man.

Written by Melanie Bosano:

With years of experience in both caring for dogs and training dogs, Melanie is a great dog lover! She also writes for all-about-labradors.com all-about-labradors.com

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Tags: loneliness

If you are the owner of a small dog you will be pleased to know that there has never been as much choice available as there is today when it comes to cool, hip, high quality, and practical toys and accessories for your little companion. You can get everything from a flashy designer collar for that special occasion or event to comforting toys that are designed to help your little one feel less lonely when you are out at work. Below are ten of the fabulously cool and trendy toys and accessories that you can treat your canine companion to without breaking the bank.

The comforting snuggle toy: An innovative and practical solution to easing separation anxiety in your small dog, you can now get cuddly terry dogs that are perfect for your little dog to snuggle up to and actually have a simulated heartbeat, making your little one feel as though he has the company of another dog, and easing the loneliness when you are out at work.

Leather pet carriers: We’ve all seen the superstars parading around with their beloved toy dogs in handheld leather carriers. You can now get one of your own for a really low price, enabling you to transport your toy dog around in true celebrity style. These carriers are sturdy, high quality, and practical, but also very stylish, snazzy, and eye-catching – the perfect accessory if your toy dog is something of a style guru!

Soft harnesses: In stark contrast to the rather cold and clinical leather harnesses that we are used to, the soft harness looks a little like a vest, and fits comfortably and snugly around your small dog. You can get these soft harnesses in a range of fashionable and vibrant colours, so your pooch can look forward to total comfort as well as real style.

Sofa beds: Gone are the days when your pet had to put up with a cardboard box and a blanket when it came to bedtime. These days you can get some fabulous bed designs to suit small dogs, and the comfortable, stylish, and eye-catching sofa style bed is a great choice. Available in a range of colours, these doggy sofa beds are perfect for your little one to kick back, relax, and enjoy sweet dreams after a hard day of fun, play, and exercise.

The knitted sweater: The equivalent of the little black dress that is essential to every woman’s wardrobe, the knitted sweater is a must have for your small dogs ‘wardrobe’. These sweaters are not only comfortable and very trendy, but are ideal for taking your small dog out in colder weather. Small dogs can be susceptible to extreme temperatures, but with these snug little sweaters, which are available in a range of designs and colours, your dog will be able to enjoy some fresh air without feeling the cold.

The jewelled collar: Many toy dog breeds have really cute and adorable faces as well as beautiful coats, and there is nothing that completes the look better than an elegant and classy looking jewelled collar. You can select from a range of jewelled collars, from designed ones for the upper class toy dog to affordable replicas for those who want to enjoy affordable style. Your toy dog will look particularly impressive at specials events and occasions when sporting one of these eye-catching, sparkling jewelled collars.

The floppy Frisbee: No matter what sort of toy dog you have, your pet will always be intrigued and at excited to see a Frisbee sailing through the air, and a floppy seven inch Frisbee made from nylon is ideal for toy dogs. This type of Frisbee is gentle on the mouth so your toy dog can catch it in safety. The size of the Frisbee also makes it ideal for small dog breeds, so your toy dog can enjoy plenty of fun and exercise with minimal risk of injury.

Hair accessories: You can select from a wide range of fabulous, classy, and elegant hair accessories for your toy dog, and she will look the belle of the ball at that special occasion or event. From pretty bonnets to beautiful ribbons and bows, you can have her looking just perfect in next to no time.

Cotton bathrobe: After a particularly gruelling grooming session, a bath or wash, or after being caught out in the rain, your toy dog will want some warmth and comfort. Rather than chasing your pet around the house armed with a towel, you can invest in a stylish and comfortable bathrobe that is specially designed for smaller dogs, and will enable your pet to enjoy comfort and style.

Dressy outfits: The choice of specialist outfits available for small dogs these days in incredible. You can now get everything from sailor outfits and Christmas outfits for him to fabulous dresses to suit every occasion for her. You can even get wedding outfits and top hats for your toy pooch, which means that he or she can dress for any occasion and always look stylish, fabulous, and eye-catching.

allsmalldogbreeds.com/ Small dog breeds make perfect pets, but which small dog breed is right for you? To find out visit allsmalldogbreeds.com/ allsmalldogbreeds.com/ for comprehensive, accurate descriptions on all 22 of the toy dog breeds.

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Tags: dog breed, dog breeds, groom, loneliness

Having an animal in your life can be a rewarding and enriching experience. However, caring properly for an animal involves a considerable and long term commitment. With the scientific improvements in nutrition and veterinary medicine, many dogs and cats live into old age; over 12 years is not uncommon (on average dogs live for up to 15 years and cats up to 18 years). Unfortunately, thousands of animals are destroyed every year as they are given up when their owners can no longer care for them. If you really care about animals, it is worth giving consideration to the common reasons for animals being given up - here are a few other points worth considering before adopting or buying a pet.

Think about how you see your life developing. Do you plan to have children, do you have travel plans, do you intend to move house or emigrate? Any big life change will impact on your pet and may mean you have to give him/her up.
Involve all members of your household in this decision and think carefully about why you want a pet; getting one to keep your children entertained, will end up being a mistake. If you are a student or travel frequently, it is best to wait until your life is more settled before getting taking on an animal.

Pets take time, every day - even if you are working, busy or tired. They require more than food and water and are solely reliant on you for companionship, exercise, stimulation and care throughout their lives. Whilst all pets require time and a regular routine, some types of animals need more than others. All pets are entirely reliant on you to meet all their needs – you can’t send them to their room to play a computer game!

If you work full time, it is advisable not to get a dog. Dogs unlike cats experience boredom and loneliness without human companionship. They require a lot of attention and several walks and play time every day and most dogs require regular grooming especially if they are long haired..
If you are not sure if you could provide properly for a dog, a useful exercise is to write down what you would see them doing each hour of each day – i.e. put hours 1 – 24 down on paper and write an activity next to each hour. You will quickly see that even if you are able to provide three hours of walking per day and say 10 hours are for sleeping, this still leaves 11 hours when your dog will be inactive and reliant on you for a game or some activity.

Don’t get a dog if you are going to let him vegetate; they are working animals and soon become very frustrated if they are not getting a regular change of scenery, daily exercise and games where they interact with you. In fact, most behavioural and many health problems are triggered when a dog is not getting the exercise and stimulation that he needs and in many cases the solution to a behavioural problem is to regularly tire the dog out with mental and physical exercise.
Cats are more independent than dogs, however most do need company and it is advisable to get two cats if you are out at work all day. Long haired cats require regular grooming.
Rabbits require company, stimulation, grooming and regular cleaning of their accommodation area. Smaller animals such as hamsters, guinea pigs, exotics, etc require specialised care and contrary to popular belief, they are not an easy option; even though they are smaller than a dog, they still require a lot of care and attention.

Pets cost money – according to the RSPCA, it costs approximately £700 per year in the UK to keep an average sized dog. Your pet will require a healthy diet, bedding, toys, vaccinations flea & worm treatments, micro-chipping, neutering, and veterinary checks.
Trips to the vet can be expensive and it is advisable to purchase pet insurance. Other costs can include; training classes and grooming and if you are unlucky, you may have to pay out for ruined carpets or furniture, flea infestations and unexpected medical emergencies. Consider who would look after the animal if you cannot take him on holiday with you and remember that any type of boarding will cost you money.

Check that no-one in your house is allergic to animals:- it is one of the biggest reasons that animals have to be given up. The other top reason is not having enough time.
Establish whether you are allowed to have a pet where you live. If you are renting your accommodation, you may find that you are not allowed to have a pet on the property and it is important to know this before you get an animal.
If you are pregnant or intend to have children in the near future, it is advisable to wait until your children are older before getting an animal. Many pets are given up when their owners have children as it is very difficult to maintain the commitment of caring for an animal and at the same time look after a young baby.

Animal rescue centres are excellent places to get an animal from. Most provide helpful after care such as low cost veterinary facilities, behavioural & training classes and grooming. Rescue centres will ensure that the animal is neutered, micro chipped and vaccinated and this is often included in the adoption fee. The adoption fee from an animal rescue centre is normally a fraction of the cost of buying an animal from a pet shop or breeder even though animal rescue centres are usually set up as registered charities and are entirely reliant on donations to keep their services running.

animalresources.co.uk/ animalresources.co.uk has further information and useful links related to this subject.

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Tags: groom, loneliness

Bad Breath
This is one among of the many bad dog behaviors that can frequently happen in your dogs. Any sour or foul odors coming from the mouth of your dog can be a sign of a possible serious health risk. The main guess is always a health problem in the dog’s mouth like tartar, bacterial buildup, food lodged between teeth and plaque causing your dog to have bad breath. Abscesses, gum disease and oral tumors maybe liable also for bad odors.

Barking
This is a natural instinct for a household dog and their medium for communication. Barking is frequently used as a caution to other dogs that an earnest intruder is approaching. It can also be the effect of becoming too excited concerning something, like the anticipation of a walk or a meal. Because of a feeling of separation anxiety or loneliness, some dogs bark alone while others will bark from pure boredom.

Begging
Other factors of several bad dog behaviors can cause your dog to constantly beg. He might be underfed which will struggle him to find more to eat if he is almost out of necessity. If your dog was once a shelter animal or a stray, he may clash to get food. If this continues, he will maintain a very maximum food craves for all of his life, which could accelerate his begging manner. The most usual reason of dog’s begging comes from the deeds of the owner, who got into the pattern of providing his or her dog excessive treats or leftovers everyday

Antisocial Behavior
This can be also part of bad dog behaviors. Most people want their dogs to be as socially active as possible. As dogs are in the midst of the most social living beings, naturally they are! Because of the innate personality features of the dog, their history and the breed’s behavioral incapacities unfortunately, this is not often the situation.

For more information on bad dog behavior or dog training in general check out: DogLearn.com DogLearn.com

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Tags: dog training, loneliness

Saves family dogs from research lab torture, but no reprieve for dogs needing rescue in dog pounds…

It is a sad fact that unscrupulous people collect dogs from a variety of sources such as “Free to Good Home” classified ads. Others, known as bunchers, STEAL dogs from owners who have left the dogs alone in their backyards and by altering records to hide the true source that the dog was received from.

These scurrilous people are associated with or are Class B Dealers, who sell the dogs to laboratories for testing and receive up to $800. for each dog.

Current statistics show that there are approximately twenty three dealers selling dogs of random or unknown source to these laboratories, but the dealers have a network of suppliers that number in the thousands.

These dogs, frequently loving family pets are often subjected to abuse by the handlers and exposure to harsh outdoor elements while in the control and possession of the Class B dealers. It is common for the dogs to be denied sufficient food, water and basic veterinary care while they are held prisoner awaiting their fate as a caged experiment.

Federal legislation requires minimum care standards and accurate records as to the source of acquisition of the dog. These minimal requirements are often violated in the fraudulent acquisition, record keeping and disposition or sale of the dog to testi9ng laboratories.

The Dept. Of Agriculture (USDA) has insufficient capabilities to address this problem so a new Federal law has been proposed that would protect family dogs. The proposed legislation is called the PET SAFETY and PROTECTION ACT, which will amend the Animal Welfare Act. This Federal law may protect stolen dogs which is a burgeoning problem.

A leap forward that we endorse it is still inadequate on its face as the law will continue to permit testing in labs on dogs provided it is pursued in an environment that is abuse free and devoid of the fraud which is now rampant in the case of the Class B dealers that we mentioned above.

The PET SAFETY and PROTECTION ACT will also permit laboratories that breed dogs to furnish them to other research laboratories and will sanction the supplying of unwanted dogs in dog pounds to research albs.

Finally, individuals will have the right to donate their personal dogs to research laboratories.

The proposed legislation falls leagues short of being an acceptable piece of legislation, in our view. No dog should be subjected to the torture and loneliness of the cage in a research laboratory.

But, it is a step forward. Passage of this legislation will help stop the activities of the bunchers, the fraudulent source record keeping and hopefully some of the rampant abuse that these stolen and fraudulently obtained dogs are currently being subjected to.

For those reasons, Dogs-4Life endorses the legislation and we suggest that you contact your U.S. Senators and Congressman to voice your support. Once passed, the unacceptable sections of personal dog donation, lab breeding for the benefit of research facilities and dog pound donation must be immediately addressed by dog enthusiasts nationwide.

Dogs 4 Life offers news, information and resources on dog adoption, dog rescue, dog nutrition and dog care at dogs-4life.com dogs-4life.com
This article may be reproduced unedited and provided the hyperlink to the author’s site is displayed with the article.

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Tags: loneliness, welfare