Happy Thanksgiving

I want to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving. A big thank you for visiting our blog. Enjoy your day!! Technorati Tags: all about labradors labrador retriever labrador labs retriever dogs pets Happy Thanksgiving

Dog Bites: Thanksgiving Manners

Newsflash for dog people: not everyone loves your dog. Caninestein's Stephanie Colman on how to manage your dog with a houseful of people. Wait until you see who is licking the turkey!! Technorati Tags: all about labradors labrador retriever labrador labs retriever dogs pets Thanksgiving and dogs

Should my Labrador Retriever chew on sticks?

Subject: Should my Labrador Retriever chew on sticks? From: Reanne (USA) Labrador Retriever Name: Berrin Reader's E-mail - Reanne Writes: When myself or my husband take our Labrador Retriever out to exercise or for a walk, he likes to pick up sticks, run with them in his mouth and chew on them. We also love to play fetch with him with a stick. Is this OK or should I not allow this to happen? Thanks, Reanne and Berrin the chocolate Labrador. All About Labradors Answer: Hello Reanne, a big thank you for visiting the All About Labradors blog and for your e-mail. The information given here is to help you learn more about your Labrador Retriever and not to replace your veterinarian's or other professional advice. Disclaimer The carrying and picking up of sticks, especially having owners tossing them to their Labrador Retrievers in a game of fetch has been going on forever. As for a safety issue I'm sure you will get arguments for both sides on this one. In my lifetime of Labrador Retriever ownership, I have on more than one occasion thrown a stick to them for play. Nothing ever happened to any of my Labrador Retrievers from these actions. Moving on to the present, I no loner use sticks to play or do I let my Labrador Retriever girls pick up sticks to play with or chew on. Here are some reasons of the dangers of letting your Labrador Retriever play with sticks: Splinters can enter your Labrador Retriever's mouth can lead to painful infections that are difficult to heal. Pieces of the stick can come off in your Labrador Retriever's mouth causing serious internal injuries. Stabbing injuries can occur to your Labrador's chest/body, eyes, mouth, throat, etc. Bacteria on sticks can cause serious infections in your Labrador Retriever mouth. As far as playing fetch goes, there are many safe dog toy products to play fetch with at your local pet stores and online. Just make sure the toys you choose are much larger than your Labrador Retriever's mouth to prevent accidental swallowing. Hope this will be of some help to you Reanne. Take care of yourself and Berrin. Fay Technorati Tags: all about labradors labrador retriever labrador labs retriever dogs pets

Free Homemade Dog Treat Recipes

This is for a download for a free eBook called Free Dog Treat Recipes from Cosmos Delicious Dog Treats. Inside the eBook you will find over 130 free recipes for homemade dog treats and food. Information about Free Dog Treat Recipes: Do You Ever Stop and Think About What is in Those Dog Treats You Buy From the Store? WALMART FINDS MELAMINE IN DOG TREATS FROM CHINA FDA PET FOOD RECALL (MELAMINE) TAINTED FEED This is STILL Happening Folks! Please don't gamble with your pets life! With the recent pet food scares, and the continuing problems going on with Chinese products containing melamine, it makes sense to feed only the best quality dog treats. Also, as a bonus you will receive four other dog care guides: 1) A simple guide to training your puppy. 2)The essential dog owners guide. 3) First aid for your pets. 4) House break your dog. You can receive all of these items free by signing up at http://www.cosmosdogtreats.com/. Now there is one catch, when you sign up you will receive their weekly newsletter with information on general dog care, feeding and how to deal with certain behavioral issues. If your like me (worried about giving out my main e-mail address), you might want to use an e-mail address other than your main e-mail (you can create a free one at Gmail and Yahoo). I would like to thank Donna who was nice enough to send an e-mail to me letting me know about this free offer. Technorati Tags: all about labradors labrador retriever labrador labs retriever dogs pets free homemade dog treat recipes, dog treat recipes

Free Emergency Decal & Animal Alert Cards

The Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation is offering free Emergency Decal & Animal Alert Cards. Information from Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation: Rescue Alert Sticker This easy-to-use sticker notifies people of pets inside your home. Make sure it’s visible to rescue workers, and includes 1) types and number of pets in your household; 2) name of your veterinarian; and 3) veterinarian's phone number. If you must evacuate with your pets, and if time allows, write "EVACUATED" across the stickers. Animal Alert Card This card is designed to be carried in your wallet to alert emergency personnel that you have animals relying on your return for care. It lists all the pertinent information for the care of your pets in an emergency situation and should include any special instructions and list medications as needed. The offer is available for the USA only. Visit Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation to learn more about this offer and to make your request to receive your Free Emergency Decal & Animal Alert Cards Technorati Tags: all about labradors labrador retriever labrador labs retriever dogs pets free pet emergency decals, free animal alert cards, Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation

Your Labrador Retriever's First Aid

Nobody plans to need to provide first aid to their dog, but it's still worth making sure you know what to do should your Labrador Retriever have an accident or sustain an injury. It may save your dog's life. Pack a small doggie first aid kit, learn how to use its contents, and keep it handy when you and your Labrador are out and about. Although we can't cover all possible emergencies in this article, there are a few situations which occur quite commonly, and you should familiarize yourself with how to handle them. Labradors are very gentle dogs, but they may still snap or bite if they are hurt. A soft piece of string wrapped around his nose and tied behind his ears makes a good emergency muzzle. It is very effective in preventing him biting you as you provide basic first aid. When he is muzzled, remove him from danger. If he has been hit by a vehicle, he needs to be moved off the road to avoid him being hit again. To do this, slide a blanket or large piece of cardboard under him and use it to lift him into a car for the trip to the veterinarian. Your rough and tumble Labrador Retriever may get a cut or deep wound on his skin. If there is bleeding, put pressure on the wound with a folded piece of clean cloth. Don't remove it, even if blood soaks the cloth, as this will dislodge the blood clot that's forming, and bleeding will worsen. Just apply another cloth on top and maintain even pressure, then take him to your vet to see if he needs sutures. Abrasions and scratches can be cleaned with either saline, or a dilute iodine solution. Watch for any signs of infection, such as an increase in discharge, or reddening at the edges of the wound. If you're in any doubt, take him to your vet for a checkup. Dog fights are very frightening, and both dogs can come out of it a bit worse for wear. Bite wounds always need to be checked by your vet. Even a small puncture wound can have quite severe muscle damage under the skin. They're very painful, and can easily become infected. Antibiotics and pain relief can have your Labrador smiling again very quickly. In the summer months, high temperatures can lead to heat stroke. Dogs can only disperse heat from their body by panting. They don't have the same type of sweat glands that we do. Labradors Retrievers love to play, and often don't know when to stop. This can cause overheating, lethargy and disorientation. Gentle hosing with tepid water will help to get his temperature down, but heatstroke can lead to internal organ failure and there may not be any indication of this in the early stages. This is another instance where it's absolutely vital to take your Labrador to your vet for follow up care. It could save his life. It's a rare Labrador Retriever that doesn't eat everything in sight, and this can put him at risk of being poisoned. If you think he has eaten something toxic, take him and the packaging, if you have it, to the vet as soon as you can. That way, he can identify the ingredients in the poison, and start treating your dog with the appropriate antidote. Don't induce vomiting unless your vet advises you to do so; some poisons are very irritant and can do even more damage to your dog as they are vomited back up. There are dog first aid courses available in many areas, and although you may never need to use that knowledge, it's a comfort to know that if anything did happen to your Labrador, you'd know just what to do to help him. This guest post is brought to you by Dog Fence DIY's staff veterinarian Dr. Susan Wright. Dog Fence DIY has a large variety of electric fence for dogs at the best available prices. This system will also include the proper installation needed as well as the training for your pet. Technorati Tags: all about labradors labrador retriever labrador labs retriever dogs pets Labrador Retriever's First Aid