One of the reasons that Labrador Retrievers are so highly trainable is that they will do just about anything for food. If we ever figure out how to plug up the hole in the ozone layer, it will be because a Labrador Retriever was offered a triple cheese pepperoni and sausage pizza if he could fix it. However, their appetites have many Labrador retrievers into trouble.
Christmas Dinner
Usually every year out of England just after Christmas, you read about a dog who ate the family's Christmas dinner, desserts, decorations and some of the gifts. Almost without fail, the dog winds up being a Labrador Retriever. Christmas dinner in England is given even more hoopla than Thanksgiving in America. Although some Labrador Retrievers can eat such a massive amount of food with just a few belches, most just vomit it all back up. How festive.
Gucci Watches
Some dogs have incredible taste. Lulu the Labrador Retriever didn’t just eat anything in April of 2002 – she chose her owner's $1500 (US) Gucci watch. Worried for both watch and dog (and about the inevitable puns in the press), Lulu was taken immediately to the vet, who confirmed that the dog was ticking. A successful operation removed the watch but not Lulu's appetite. She has also eaten socks, dice and almost swallowed a diamond engagement ring before she was stopped.
Cat Poo
Most dogs are attracted to cat droppings, although some prefer to roll in them while others eat them. Almost all Labrador Retrievers will not pass up a chance at "kitty pate". This is because cats cannot digest all of their food, so their droppings still has meat in it. This can be dangerous to your Labrador if your cat is on medication, which can also turn up in the poop.
Poison
Labrador Retrievers are like babies in that they explore the world with their mouths. They also think many poisonous substances like slug bait and antifreeze taste good. You need to keep these out of reach or stop using them entirely. You also need child proof locks on your cupboards, because Labrador Retrievers can learn to open almost any kind of cabinet door.
Include your medications in on the list of poisons. Human medications are made to be taken by creatures that weigh a lot more than the average black Labrador Retriever. They will wind up getting a dose that may make them very sick. Call your vet immediately if you suspect your Lab has eaten human medication.
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Black dog syndrome is used by people who work or volunteer in animal shelters. For some reason, all black dogs, even purebred black Labrador Retrievers are almost always passed over in favor of other colored dogs. Any other color dog does better – even if they are the same breed. This also happens to black Labrador Retrievers, especially in shelters. A golden, yellow, white or chocolate Labrador Retriever will almost always be picked over black Labrador Retrievers.
Superstition
Although we claim to not believe in superstitions, our subconscious proves we do. Quite often, we pass over anything black because of the negative bias towards the color black. The only things that seem to escape this bias are diamonds and horses. However, there are a lot of myths, legends and stories about black dogs being somehow bad. One of these is that vampires can change into black wolves – or black dogs (even black Labrador Retrievers).
Probably the most famous bad black dog was the Hound of the Baskervilles, which went after the legendary Sherlock Holmes. Many scholars and psychologists think the reason why the Hound of the Baskervilles is so famous is because a large black dog fits our subconscious idea of what an evil creature looks like, even a dog with floppy ears like a black Labrador Retriever.
Hecate And Paganism
In some pre-Christian pagan religions, black dogs were seen as sacred. One of the most powerful and respected Goddesses (still worshipped by modern day Pagans) is Hecate (or Hekate), known as the Goddess of Witches. One of her symbols was the black dog. It was said that She could appear to people in the form of either a black snake, a black mare or a black dog.
Whenever Christianity overtook paganism, anything associated with the old Deities was immediately demonized. This is probably what happened to all black dogs, even in this modern day and age, causing the black dog syndrome seen today in pet rescues and animal shelters.
A Good Dog Is Never A Bad Color
If you are considering adopting a dog (and good for you), then please be sure to take a second look at all of the black dogs in the shelter. Perhaps they will look ordinary, but that's only on the outside. If you specifically want to adopt a Labrador Retriever, be sure to tell the breed rescue or animal shelter that you would accept a black Labrador Retriever. You will certainly gain not only the shelter worker's respect, but the friend of a lifetime.
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It is quite common to come across a Labrador rescue dog and this is good news because it means that fewer Labradors will be left uncared for, but it is also bad news because it shows that many more Labrador owners are abandoning their pets. However, there are many Labrador rescue services that are addressing the problem of caring for uncared for and abandoned Labradors, and in cities such as Denver, hundreds of homes are taking in Labrador rescue dogs.
Taken To Shelters
There are several different ways in which Labradors are rescued including taking them to shelters, and one of the more common reasons why a Labrador needs to be rescued is because his owner(s) have died and he has been left to fend for him. Many Labrador rescue dog are actually those Labradors that had been sent to a shelter by families that had decided that they no longer wished to keep their Labrador at home and will have donated their pet to a shelter.
If a Labrador that has been abandoned is left to fend for him, he may well end up living life on the streets, and perhaps will only have a crate to call his home. Rescuing such animals is a humane act and people that are willing to take a Labrador rescue dog are doing a very good deed. Seeing the joy on the face of a Labrador rescue dog that has been given to a new owner is one of the best things that can happen to the pet as well as to his new owner.
However, as the new owner of a Labrador rescue dog, you must be prepared to face problems with your new pet since he may, at first, not feel comfortable in his new home and surroundings. Most Labrador rescue dogs will still be living in the past and it will take time for them to readjust to their new environment. They may start to hide behind your furniture or hide them in closets. However, the Labrador is an adaptable creature and pretty soon he will readjust and if you are able to provide him with love, care and are patient; things will soon work out very well for everyone concerned.
Another aspect to Labrador that may not concern pet owners directly is breeding them and in this regard it is necessary to find a suitable Labrador stud dog to mate with your bitch.
In case you are interested in taking in a Labrador rescue dog, you should search for a good Labrador rescue group by going online and trying out search engines such as Google and Yahoo!. You can also try contacting a rescue that is located close to where you live and ask them to find a Labrador rescue dog for you.
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It has long been known that some crossbreeds seem to do better than their parents of either breed. It's a question of finding which breeds cross best with other breeds. Some of these crossbreeds even go on to become established breeds in their own right. One of the mist successful crossbreeds in dogs is seen in the Labrador/Golden Retriever puppy, also known as Golden Labrador Retrievers. Even at an early age, they readily show the best of both the Labrador Retriever and the Golden Retriever.
The Perfect Personality?
Both Labrador and Golden Retrievers are dogs that love people and are eager to please. Keep in mind that not every one is alike, and bad training will always make a bad, fearful dog (no matter what breed), but on the whole, a Labrador/Golden Retriever puppy is a born people watcher. They are fascinated by people and seem to identify with them. They also have a lot of strength and energy, which comes in handy for service and search and rescue dogs.
Best Seeing Eye Dogs
According to service dog experts and charities that train seeing eye dogs in England, the best dog for the job is a Labrador/Golden retriever crossbred. There is a strict breeding program run in England by Guide Dogs to raise dogs to be seeing eye dogs. A Labrador/Golden Retriever puppy is first tested at about eight weeks of age to see what his personality is like.
Their training never really stops. Many a Labrador/Golden Retriever puppy fails the program and is put up for adoption as a pet. To take a Labrador/Golden Retriever puppy and turn out a dependable life-saver costs an average of $70,000 (US). They work until old age or illness forces them to retire, and then they are placed in care homes for the rest of their lives.
Other Facts
Although many online Labrador puppies information web sites will say that a Golden Labrador is always yellow, this is not true. Every now and then there is a black or chocolate Labrador/Golden Retriever puppy born. You can register your Labrador/Golden Retriever puppy with the American Canine Hybrid Club.
Every day, ther is a newborn Labrador/Golden Retriever puppy who makes that first step to being a drug sniffing dog, cancer sniffing dog, service dog or a search and rescue dog. They all can rescue us from ourselves and our selfishness and help give our souls back to ourselves.
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Most people keep a pet dog for the companionship that their pets provide and if this is the case with you too then you should consider keeping a Labrador dog for a pet. You will of course need to choose between the American type and the English type of Labrador – each of which has its own special traits. For example, an English Labrador dog is known to be heavier and bulkier than his American cousin who is thinner as well as taller.
Unique Grays
There are also a few rare gray and silver colored Labradors that actually get their unique coloring as a result of having been cross bred, though this fact is hotly disputed by those who know dog breeds very well. One thing that sets the Labrador dog apart from other breeds is the fact that he makes an ideal companion and this breed is also well known for its lovable nature and the Labrador is also very affectionate towards children and towards adults. He is also a very intelligent breed as well.
The Labrador dog is also sometimes also called the St. John’s Dog and he has, in bygone eras, helped fishermen out at sea. He could jump overboard and help the fishermen as they laid their nets and this trait makes the Labrador dog easy to train otherwise as well. In fact, he is also used in detecting drugs and is used to help blind people as well as the disabled.
Typically, a Labrador dog grows to about two feet (males) and a few inches less (females) and he will weigh between sixty to seventy-five pounds (males) while females tend to weigh between fifty-five to seventy pounds. It is however not recommended keeping them in small-sized apartments as they need plenty of space to move about freely.
A Labrador dog is also known to be very energetic and this means that he must be given a lot of exercise and though they can exist in small confinements, they tend to thrive when kept in a house with plenty of space. If you are looking for a great family dog, look no further than a Labrador Retriever dog that is famous of his intelligence and friendly nature.
The bottom line is that a Labrador dog is very loveable and possesses a good nature; to get the best out of him, you need to train him when he is young, and he should also not lack for human affection and attention.
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