Dogs do the darndest things

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Grogan, a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer, chronicles the naughty escapades of Marley, his former yellow Labrador As puppies, they both were very bad. They ate everything under the sun, from bricks and tables to shoes and soda cans to
Source: www.post-gazette.com

Understand Your Labrador’s Hearing Ability

Your Labrador’s keen sensitivity to low-volume sound is often troublesome. They can hear a faint sound at 75 feet, while most humans could only detect it at 17 feet. This indicates that your Labrador must learn to ignore myriad sounds that do not affect him, and accommodate to a veritable avalanche of sounds in a family household, such as television, radio, stereos, etc. However, when this sensitivity is translated to phobic behavior relative to, say, thunderstorms, it indicates that dogs may hear the thunder of an approaching storm over 50 miles away, while the sky is still clear.

If a dog has a history of becoming upset by thunder or other explosive sounds, he may become increasingly anxious as the storm nears, salivating, pacing, hiding, seeking comfort if the owner is home, or escaping. This sensitivity may also explain why “desensitizing” techniques, such as playing recordings of thunder at low levels, rarely succeed. Audio speakers are not designed to produce volumes softer than humans can perceive. Also, storm activity is generally preceded by elements to which dogs and some other mammals appear to be sensitive. Merely producing low-volume thunder claps may not fulfill the total stimulus complex required to achieve desensitization. But such programs are usually more successful with Labradors than fear gunshots or other loud noises. However, even with storm phobias, if we can change their emotional interpretation of such stimuli by providing a behavioral example, rehabilitation is generally quite successful.

An important auditory/learning tendency in dogs is to quickly develop a motor movement response to a sound stimulus when the sound is accompanied by a visual signal. In other words, dogs tend to move their head, ears, eyes or other body part in response to sound accompanied by movement. This leads to some problems if owners are not aware of this mechanism, but it facilitates training for those who use it properly. Two examples typify common problems. The first is the Labrador owner’s tendency to raise his hands while telling a jumping dog, “Down!” Raising the hands not only causes reflex movement upward, but also encourages the dog to continue jumping. The usual outcome of this sort of mis-teaching is an owner who resorts to punishment, such as kneeing the dog in the chest or pushing him down, and a fully confused dog. Effective use of this learning tendency involves moving the hands abruptly down and/or toward the dog while saying “Down.” Even more effective is to apply the movements without speaking, and to praise the dog’s downward response. In this way the situation itself becomes the conditioned stimulus to stop or not start jumping.

The second problem occurs when owners try to teach their dog to “Come” as they lean or move toward the pet. Both movements visually instruct the pet to stay or retreat. Most owners end up approaching the pet and often punishing him, or giving up. A better method is to abruptly lean or move away or crouch down with one side of the body toward the dog and praise the first signs of approach by the dog. This method facilitates initial learning, even in adult dogs that are resistant due to improper training. This type of initial training, in which the dog actively performs the proper motor responses, is much faster than those that force passive movements through physical manipulation by the hands or leashes.

How To Stop Pain Or Fear Induced Aggression In Golden Retrievers

IF you have a Golden Retrievers then fear induced aggression or pain induced aggression is a condition that every older dog is prone to attract. This is simply because many dog owners do not realize that the aging Golden Retriever is very sensitive to the feelings of pain, surprises, and aggressiveness even from innocent play. Pay attention to changes in your pet’s demeanor or personality as things become difficult for him. If you do, you won’t be surprised by a full-blown fear of, for example, jumping up into the car to go for a ride.

If your dog can’t see where he’s jumping, or if it hurts him to jump, it can lead to fear-induced aggression. He may strike out against you, seemingly for holding the car door open. Aging Golden Retrievers get into biting for similar reasons if they’re experiencing discomfort. Pain-induced biting can be a result of forcing them to do things that they’re no longer able to do. And this in turn can lead to fear-induced biting if, in their eyes, you’re about to force them to do the painful activity. If it’s jumping into the car, they become afraid of your reaching for the car door handle and nip the hand you’re using to hold them because of the coming pain. Creaky old hips aren’t meant to propel a slightly overweight frame onto the seat of an SUV, even with the help of a push from the rear.

Sometimes children or grandchildren forget that your Retriever is not as young as she used to be. The smaller the children, the more reminding they will need - for their own safety as well as for the comfort of the dog. Many dogs are likely to become aggressive if they are hurt while being picked up the wrong way by an unsuspecting child. Sometimes it’s necessary to set new rules in the household for the kids who come over to visit: “Sparky is not feeling well today. Please let him be by himself in the corner,” or Sparky is old, and he’s feeling a little grumpy today. Maybe tomorrow he’ll feel a little bit better, but let’s leave him by himself today.” Similarly, if one of your younger puppies or dogs starts to get into too intense play for your older dog, redirect his activity and play toward you or toward self-play. It’s up to you to intervene on behalf of your geriatric Golden Retriever.

If it doesn’t look like she can take it any longer, she’ll thank you for sure, and your relationship will grow because of it.

Search on for plane with one person aboard that went down in Labrador 

HALIFAX (CP) - Two search and rescue helicopters are searching for a small plane that crashed in a remote part of northern Labrador. Lieut.
Source: www.canada.com

Pilot in good condition after crash-landing plane in Labrador pond 
HALIFAX (CP) - Rescuers found a pilot warming himself by a fire after he swam to shore following the crash of his small float plane on a remote pond in Labrador late Tuesday.
Source: cnews.canoe.ca

Pandemic flu possibilities discussed 

A panel of public safety officials and an expert on bird flu earlier this week told Pueblo residents what they know about a potential flu pandemic in the United States. While the audience of an estimated 100 people had a lot of questions, the officials had few specific answers. There is no pandemic flu virus yet, they said. The leading candidate to cause a pandemic, a bird flu virus sweeping Continued…

The source of a cancer that affects dogs around the world has been traced by scientists and vets at UCL (University College London) to a single wolf or dog, which probably lived in China or Siberia more than 250 years ago. In canine transmissible venereal tumour (CTVT), the cells of the tumour itself are transmitted between dogs during sex. No equivalent form of contagious cancer exists in Continued…

A dog died after its owner left it locked inside a car while temperatures soared at a Northumberland beauty spot. Continued…

Putting the bite on bad dogs 

The graphic story was broadcast across the country. Shawna Willey, 30, was mauled to death while bathing the family dog, a Presa Canario, in front of her 9-year-old daughter.
Source: www.miami.com

Fargo man makes treats for special-needs dogs
FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Jamie Tate runs a business out of his home here that specializes in drool-worthy treats for dogs with special dietary needs. The 30-year-old entrepreneur operates an online dog bakery, Waggy Tail Treats, catering to dogs with health issues and to health-conscious pet owners.
Source: www.bismarcktribune.com

Police dogs steal the show
Bend Police Officer Buck Church said the thing he likes most about his job is his partner of five years, a German shepherd named Kai. “He’s become my partner and my friend,” Church said. “It’s the best assignment I’ve had.”
Source: www.bendbulletin.com

A pup to pull up the covers
EDWARDS When Melissa Eckdahl gets cold in the middle of the night, she has to wake up her caretaker, Leony Malvar, or one of her daughters to pull up her covers.
Source: www.vaildaily.com

Why Do Labradors Jump Fences?

Most Labradors jump fences when their owners are absent. This leads us to ask just why the pet is shut out of the house when the owners go away. Destructive behavior in the house is often the underlying complaint.

A solution to the destructiveness is more pertinent than an effort to correct fence jumping. If your Labrador is jumping out at a location where the fence or gate is only 3 feet high, a simple physical adjustment may entail raising the level of the barrier. Fence jumping usually involves social factors. Your dog is often seeking the company of other dogs or people.

The social aspect is most evident in Labradors that are shut out of their homes and jump even when the family is present. These dogs generally wind up scratching at the front door to get back into the family group. Installation of a dog door may clear this up quickly. The cause of goal-oriented fence jumping usually relates to the animal’s ultimate activity when he is free of the yard. For instance, a dog may jump the fence only on Monday mornings. Many dogs were allowed to roam free in the neighborhood, and tended to meet on Monday morning, which happened to be garbage collection time. The normally content pet needed only the extra stimulus of the weekly dog pack to sufficiently motivate him to jump a 6-foot block wall.

The solution to this problem is to keep the dog in the house on Monday mornings for a few weeks to break the pattern. The sexually motivated jumper is more difficult to correct, especially if his behavior has been rewarded. The simplest way to correct this is to keep the male or female dog indoors until the season is over. Labradors that are permitted to roam or are regularly walked in the neighborhood and allowed to urinate freely may jump fences for the purpose of re-marking their territory and/or fighting with other neighborhood dogs. When these elements are present, the walks must be stopped as part of the correction. Urine marking can develop into a habitual pattern.

Urban pet owners believe this activity is necessary for the happiness of their dogs, especially male animals. It may appear to be rewarding, but it is actually an idiosyncrasy of city dogs rarely noted in their rural cousins. The primary reason for this behavior is that owners allow it to occur. If all owners prevented their pets from urinating around the neighborhood, a major cause of fence jumping would be eliminated. Frustration with confinement is also responsible for a good deal of jumping.

A Labrador that is isolated and does not receive enough social interaction will often try to escape. Freedom then becomes a goal in itself, no matter the consequences in terms of later punishment or further confinement.

The Iola Register

Call us at (620) 365-2111 with news and picture tips,and for advertising and subscription matters. Call (620) 365-5861 for printing orders. Fax (620) 365-6289. Continued…

By Raquel Rutledge, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Aug. 21–The dog days of summer took on a new meaning Sunday when Milwaukee County Parks opened two swimming pools to canines of all kinds that splashed, played Frisbee and socialized poolside. Continued…

LANCASTER - There were lots of suds streaming down the parking lot of Morris Veterinary Clinic on Sunday. More than 60 dog owners showed up at the clinic to get their dogs cleaned in the second annual dog wash. Continued…

EDWARDS When Melissa Eckdahl gets cold in the middle of the night, she has to wake up her caretaker, Leony Malvar, or one of her daughters to pull up her covers. Continued…

Readers’ ‘worst dog’ stories and photos

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Written by Philadelphia Inquirer columnist John Grogan, the tale about his insufferable yellow Labrador retriever has struck days; he had been used to all of his brother and sisters running around along with the other dogs that lived at the breeders
Source: www.post-gazette.com

Maureen Lipman
Guardian Unlimited - pack, from racing around, foot-loss and fancy free, keeping up with the Westies and emulating his hero, Bobby the labrador The trainers, the breeders, the owners, the gamblers? Or the government that pockets the copious taxes on dog racing? Because
Source: www.guardian.co.uk

press box
Slate - Accordingly, she had plucked Spice a 3-year-old mix of pit bull, Labrador retreiver, and probably a few other breeds out When people buy, rescue, or otherwise acquire a dog from unscrupulous breeders or amateur rescue groups, they are making a
Source: www.slate.com

Abandoned Pets
Gulf News - No calls from breeders or pet shops. Email: abandoned-pets@hotmail.com . This week we are forced to advertise some of the Rex: Handsome medium beige Labrador cross. 11months old. Playful. Used to cats and other dogs. Affectionate nature. Will make
Source: www.gulfnews.com

Fixing a problem

Northwest Arkansas News - dogs and cats could raise $ 3 million for Fayetteville s Animal Shelter as well as the ire of pet owners and breeders. of the problems locally, Hatfield said, are people who think they re going to make big money on a litter of cute Labrador
Source: www.nwanews.com

Black market puppies crossing southern border
CNN - This is just as bad as using Labrador puppies as target training for fighting Pit Bulls. It sickens me to the core. Anyone this issue would help to curb it, along with the announcement that puppies should only be purchased from reputable breeders
Source: www.cnn.com

Establishing Great Relationship With Your Labrador Puppy

When you bring your new Labrador home, you’ll want to make him feel good while he’s lying down or on his back. Give him a little stroke or an encouraging word. But don’t overdo it.

If you make the pup stay in that posture and he stays there, it teaches him a lesson both in submission and in dominance. That may seem okay. But the problem is that the dog also learns confrontation, not just with other dogs but also with people. Labradors can be taught to be compliant without using force and confrontation. Do not shake him by the scruff of the neck and pin him to the ground, even though that’s what wolves occasionally do to establish dominance.

No matter how many times you’ve been told that you are the alpha animal, the fact is that people-dog relationships are not like wolf-wolf relationships. dogs’ teeth can inflict more damage than people’s hands, so the wise thing to do here is not to start the confrontation. Instead, start out with a companion-animal relationship where there’s mutual respect for each other’s roles (yours is to communicate direction, his’ is to respond appropriately). Your dog will try to please you and be compliant, and you will praise him for doing so.

This is the kind of relationship you want to start as soon as you bring your Labrador puppy home, even before you take him to puppy kindergarten or hire a trainer to get him under control. Don’t physically force your new pet to do things that he’s not ready to do. Let him get used to one room at a time. Make sure that you keep track of when he is getting overly excited. This is your cue to say to him, “Settle!” or “Outside!” The word or phrase you use is up to you. Try to go out the same door each time for the same activity. You will need to take him outside and stand there while he sniffs around and pees or poops, and you say, “Good Boy” then go indoors and play with him in a different location, so that he gets the idea that when we go to this one spot it’s time to pee or poop, and when we go out a different door to another spot, that’s where we play. As you start to teach your Labrador good house-training techniques, you will also want to put him on a regular pattern of eating, usually three times a day at first.

Occasionally, a pup will not seem too interested in eating. Besides finding out what he was eating when you acquired him, and offering him tidbits of chicken and beef from your fingers to whet his appetite, puppies like some company when they go to the food bowl. So if there is a litter-mate or a neighborhood puppy about the same age as yours who would like a dinner date, let them eat side by side a few times in the location you’ve chosen for daily feeding.

The idea is to make him comfortable and get him into a routine of regular eating, sleeping, elimination, and walking. Make sure that you don’t do unpleasant things with your hands.

Don’t let your Labrador puppy start to chew or nibble on your fingers or hands. Even if the nibbling doesn’t hurt now, it will hurt when he gets older and can lead to a bad habit that’s difficult to break. Very soon, you’ll be getting to know your new pet very well.