British Labrador Retrievers

Over the past 5- 10 years, the popularity of British labs has really exploded. These dog were obviously brought from over seas and have really hit it big in America. Their demeanor is basically the same but their body is more compact, they have a more otter-like tail, and their height is little shorter compared to the English lab. A few years ago it was hard to find any breeder over here in the states who had this breed, now there are British lab kennels popping up all over. One of the largest kennels who have British labs is Wildrose Kennels located in Oxford, MS. Wildrose Kennels is also the home of "Drake" the Ducks Unlimited Dog. If you are interested in venturing out of the English stock into the British stock, take a look at Wildrose and what has been said about these dogs. Information can be found online at http://www.uklabs.com/index2.html.

Labrador-Retrievers-Info.com

Looking for an all around website for you about the labrador retriever, well this is the one. Labrador-Retrievers-Info.com offers any and everything one could want to know about the lab breed. By searching this site, you can find out how to pick out the right puppies, the differences between each different color breed of lab, puppies for sale, and much more. There are even labradoodles for sale on this site, this mix breeding has exploded in popularity recently. Check this one out, there is a wealth of information and you are bound to find something the lab here that you did not know before.

Helping Prevent Arthritis and Hips Dysplasia

Dogs are in so many ways like humans. One area where they are so much like us is in the hips and joints. Hunting dogs and working dogs, labs for instance, fall in this category more than most. The amount these types of dogs run and jump during their lifetime does a toll on their joints and hips. To help your dog get the most out of his/her joint, the food you are feeding them should be very high in glucosomene. Glucosomene acts as a lubricant for the joint and helps the wear and tear on them. A couple brands of dog food that offer this is Pro Plan, Precise, and Eukanuba. Just be sure to read what your dog food is made out of and make sure glucosomene has a high presence. The longer you can protect his/her hips and joints, the longer you will have him/her with you out in the field doing whatever you do.

Bio Spot For Your Lab

Bio Spot provides the complete protection your lab or other breed of dog needs, including eliminating and repelling adult fleas, ticks, and mosquitos. This medicine also stops the development of immature fleas. Bio Spot rids your dog of insects within one day and last up to one month. Dose amount that is given is based on your dogs weight. Bio Spot can be bought online, at your local vet, or even out of certain catalogs. If buying online or out of a catalog, please consult with your vet to make sure the dose amount you are given is correct. More information on this can be viewed online at http://www.biospot.com/index.php.

Protecting Against Moist Ears

Out of all the different breeds of dogs, labs probably have the hardest time with moist ears. With their long floppy ears, labs have the tendency to get infections and fungus inside their ears due to moisture. Since their ear flap cover their ear canal, once moisture gets in the canal it has a hard time drying up. We all know how labs love the water and swimming, in participating in this activity allows there to be a high possibility that moisture will be present. Learned from an old veterinarian friend, a home rememdy for moist ears is mixing pure alcohol with white vinegar. The mixture should be in equal parts and put in some type of sterile queeze bottle where you can easily squirt this mixture into the dogs ear canal. These two products mixed together kills any fungi and dries the ear out. Try this next time you take your dog for a swim or after he plays in the sprinkler, you should not have any problems with moist ears if this is used.

Dogs Afield

Dogs Afield is a great place to shop for the retriever trainer and gundog owner. This store offers a variety of merchandise for the trainer himself and for the dog. Available online and by catalog, Dogs Afield has just about anything a man and his dog could want. Electric collars made by Dogtra, TriTronics, and Innotek are all sold here along with hundreds of other itmes. Dogs Afield was started by Jean and Jerry Day who have actively trained and trialed labs for over fifteen years. They have taken their knowledge and their experience in the field and put together a one stop shopping business for people who like to do what they have specialized in. The next time you are interested in shopping for training or hunting supplies, please take a look at Dogs Afield.

Hunting Upland Birds With Your Lab And A Electronic Collar

Upland bird hunting with a labrador retriever is some of the most fun and exciting times you will have if you have any desire at all to do it. Labs are great flushing dogs and seeing them on a pheasant, grouse, or chukar is just awesome. It is smart to hunt your dog while hunting upland birds with an electronic collar on. This allows you, the hunter and handler, the ability to control your dog at a certain distance. The last thing you want to happen is your dog to get wind of birds and run off out in front of you and flush the birds up out of shooting range. What I have found that works the best is to set your collar on a setting just enough to get the dogs attention and begin by using both your whistle and collar nick. When your dog gets beyond your desired distance, nick the dog and whistle twice which should hold the dog up and bring him back in. Eventually, the dog will learn what desired distance he needs to stay out in front of you. Once learned, you can more that likely just use the collar nick only and the dog will come back in. When the whistle does no longer have to be used, you will be able get closer and closer to those much allusive birds. A good rule of thumb is to practice this on "put out" birds before leaving to go on your hunt. Doing this will get you and your dog more familiar with the concept.

Dummy Selection For Training

One of the several training aids you will need to purchase for training your lab to retrieve is what are called dummies. Dummies come in all different shapes, sizes, and colors. Beginning with your pup, the best dummies you can start off with are small canvas dummies. These are soft on the pups mouth and are not easily chewed or torn. Once your dog has graduated out of the puppies stage, you then need to buy the 1-1/2" wide white rubber dummies. These dummies are a little bigger both in length and in size and the white allows your young dog to see the dummy real easy. Don' t forget, dogs are color blind and they only see in black and white. Once your dog gets older and can retrieve long distances, you then can move to the 3" wide white dummies. These dummies are the same length as the 1-1/2" but obviously they are wider, wider helps them pick it up better at longer distances. If you are going to teach your dog blind retrieves, you can then purchase orange dummies that are not as visible to your dog, these dummies help you in sending your dog to a certain area to hunt. They also are offered in the 1-1/2" and 3" sizes. Dummies can be bought at any store that sells training supplies for labs, one that I recommend is Lion County Supply. There website is http://www.lcsupply.com/, check them out if you are interested.

Tallahassee Retriever Club

The Tallahassee Hunting Retriever Club is a dog club that was put together by several dog lovers around the south Georgia and panhandle of Florida area. This club is open to all breeds of retrievers but is predominantly represented by labradors. The THRC runs hunt test and field trials yearly and their training ground is located in Thomasville, GA on Borderline Plantation which is the home of Sallie Sullivan. Personally, I have visited Borderline and stayed their with Ms. Sullivan and it is by far one of the best retriever training grounds I have ever been on. The THRC will also team up with AKC and run sanctioned license hunt test at Borderline twice a year. The THRC is one of the strongest retriever clubs in the south and is ran by some genuine individuals. Please take a look at the clubs website, http://www.tallahasseehuntingretrieverclub.com/, to learn more about them and the retriever club arena.

Controlling Barking

With having experience around labs for some time now, what I have notice is they come here loving to voice their opinion. What I am referring to is barking. Barking is something that can be and needs to be controlled. Some people allow their dogs to bark at anything at anytime which becomes a nuisance. Out on the market now is what is called "bark collars". These collars are electric and work off vibrations from the bark that signal a stimulus that is put off by the collar. Bark collars are worn just as any other collar, around the neck, and each time your dog barks while the collar is on the dog will feel a nick. The nick that is put out by the collar is set by you and varies in strength. A good bark collar usually will run between $80-$100 and can be bought at almost any sporting goods store. Two great places to look online so you can do some research on which one you like are http://www.cabelas.com/home and http://www.basspro.com. If you are interested in such a device, please check these two sites out and others and I promise you will be much happier with one once you buy one.

Maintaining Your Labs Diet

Like human beings, labs and other breeds of dogs do relate to a cylce. What I am referring to is eating habits, play time during the day, and so on. One of the main cylces dog relate to is their eating habits and eating time. As a lab owner, what I have found that works the best with feeding is twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. Personally, this is better than feeding more once a day and having your pet wait such long periods of time between meals. Think about it, humans have adapted to a three meal cylce per each day. The brand of dog food also plays an important role in your labs diet. There are better brands of food out there on the market for a reason and it is evident with the looks and feel of your dog. One key thing to remember about food, if you do decide to change brands of food, please make this a gradual change by mixing some old with new for several feed sessions before completely changing over. If you do change all at once, this will upset your dogs stomach for some time until his/her stomach relates to the ingredients of their new food. Remember, if you want your dog to be the best, look the best, and so on, you must treat him/her that way and food selection is one key ingredient.

Force Fetching Your Lab

Force Fetching has become a must with training labs to be gun dogs or trial dogs. Force fetching is a process the trainer puts the dog through in order to gain more control of the dog, presents the proper way a dummy or fowl is to be held in the mouth, and teaches the dog to deliver what ever it is to the handlers hand. Force fetching is done both on a table and also on the ground with or without an electronic collar. Most trainers today will tell you that your lab is not fully trained unless he is completely force trained. The difficulty of force fetching is all in the dog itself, as with anything, some labs are harder to train than others. In saying this, some labs require more force (pain) than others. Force training introduces and trains the fetch, hold, and give commands. For more in depth information and steps in force fetching, please visit online http://www.gundogsupply.com/smfebyevgr.html. Once you successfully have a force fetched lab, you will always have one that is force fetched.

Heartworm Preventives

Heartworm preventives are not used to treat heartworm disease. Preventives eliminate the heartworm larvae, an immature stage of the heartworm's life cycle, before they become harmful adults. Special drugs called adulticides eliminate adult heartworms and are used to treat active heartworm infections. Treatment itself is dangerous, not only because of the side effects that the adulticides can cause the animal, but because as the adult worms die off, there is a possibility that they can cause blockage to the respiratory system and the heart. It is much easier, and better for your pet, to prevent heartworm disease in the first place. Three preventives that are out on the market today are Tri-Heart Plus, Heartgard, and Interceptor. All three are administered monthly as chewables, tablets, or topicals, which ever is your preference. As always, please follow the recommendations of your local veterinarian.

Frontline and Frontline Plus

Frontline and Frontline Plus is another manufacture of flea and tick medicine. Frontline affects the parasite's nervous system causing paralysis and death. This medicine contains what is called fipronil, which kills 100% of fleas and ticks within 24-48 hours. Using Frontline, fleas and ticks are generally killed before they bite, decreasing the risk of Flea Allergy Dermatitis and tick-bone disease transmission. Frontline Plus also contains (s)-methoprene, which prevents an insect from maturing for reproducing. Both Frontline and Frontline Plus stay on through bathing and swimming. Both forms of this medicine is also applied once a month on the pets back between the shoulders. If you are interested in Frontline or Frontline Plus, more information can be found online by visiting http://frontline.us.merial.com/home/.

K9 Advantix

Once spring arrives, flowers begin to bloom, and temperatures start rising, fleas and ticks start to become a problem. Both fleas and ticks start to become a problem beginning in the spring and lasting throughout the summer months up until the temperature falls enough to kill them off. One of the best preventives out on the market right now is K9 Advantix. This topical form of medicine kills 98%-100% of the fleas and ticks within 12 hours. It is very important to kill both, but especially the ticks because they can carry the deadly Lyme Disease. This medicine has also been proven to kill mosquitos which carry the West Nile Virus. K9 Advantix is easily applied once a month between your pet's shoulder blades. K9 Advantix is also water-resistant and will not come off during a bath or a swim. Please protect your pet from these dangerous animals that haunt us year after year. More information on K9 Advantix can be viewed online at http://www.k9advantix.com/. Protecting your dog from fleas, ticks, and mosquitos will help him/her live a happier and healthier life.

Dove Hunting With Your Labrador

It's no secret, dove hunting is a huge sport in the south and especially South Carolina. Every year families, friends, neighbors, and so on get together and help fix a dove field for opening day. Not only do the individuals love opening day, but is also just as exciting for the dogs, whether it be a lab, boykin, or any other breed. For the hunters dog, this day is for most the first time since duck season that they have actually got to hunt in a real situation. All spring and summer long it has been nothing but training and hunt testing, if you participate. Labs do great as dove dogs, their stamina allows them to make multiple retrieves while weathering the heat. Please be sure to take your dog plenty of water if none is close by, without cold water these dogs can have heat strokes if not monitored correctly. Dove season usually opens the Saturday before labor day. There are three different dove seasons, but I would venture to say that the first season is the most popular. To a hunter, opening dove season is kind of the kick start to the hunting season. South Carolina dove season dates can be viewed online at http://www.dnr.sc.gov/. If you like shooting and never have been on a dove hunt, I encourage you to look into this sport. Not only is the shooting fun but the fellowship that comes along with it is equal to and if not better.

Introducing Your Lab To A Gun

One of the most important areas in training is the introducing of the gun. One huge "no no" in training your lab to be a gun dog is making him gun shy. If you ever make your gun shy you can just about hang it up trying to have a hunting partner. Where people mess up is they try to early to shoot over their lab without ever introducing him/her to any type of loud percussion, like a gun shot. The correct way to do this is first get your lab excited and energetic about retrieving bumpers or dummies. You definitely want this to be established before you try to bring the gun into play. Once you have your dog excited about bumpers, you then want to move to live birds. Nine times out of ten, if your dog loves bumpers or dummies, when you bring in live birds the energy is kicked up a notch. Once you introduce the birds, you can now bring in the gun, but not around the dog. Have your buddy go out 50- 75 yards with a live bird and a cap pistol, begin with lesser sound at first and then move to the shot gun. When you see that your dog is comfortable with the sound of the gun, you then take the cap pistol while over your dog and shoot when the bird is in the air graduating to the shot gun. By taking these small steps will help you and your dog when it comes to training. If done properly, your dog will anticipate a retrieve once hearing the blast of your shot gun. That's a whole lot better than running to the truck when hearing the blast.

Doctors Foster & Smith

Doctors Foster & Smith are two gentlemen who began their careers as veterinarians and now have expanded to selling dog products, dog medicines, dog training aids, and so on. These two gentleman have listened to the publics comments on products and have taken the criticism and bettered such products. Doctors Foster and Smith not only have an online website you can visit at http://www.drsfostersmith.com/, but they also have a mail order catalog that is sent to you twice a year. An individual can order almost anything they need for their dog from this company. Such items that can be purchased are Frontline Flea and Tick Products, HeartGaurd heartworm medicine, and many many more products that once could only be purchased from your vet. Take a look at Doctors Foster & Smith, personally I have found their prices very competitive and in some case cheaper. This company here would be a good one to file away in your dog supply personal folder.

Hot Spots

Hot Spots occur on most heavy coated dogs, including the Labrador retriever. A hot spot is a result of self-trauma with your dog in an attempt to alleviate some pain or itch. The dog will scratch or bite itself enough that a large lesion will occur which forms into what is called a hot spot. Normally, the hair around the infected area will fall out, secreted pus will be present, and the area that is infected will have some type of swell associated to it. A lot of times, if the case is bad enough, vets will have to sedate the dog in order to shave the area to make sure the entire infection is treated. The spring and summer months are when hot spots are more common. During this time, keep a close eye on your dogs’ coat, regularly run your hand through it to make sure none of these areas are present. If you do find that your dog has hot spots, it is best to take he/she to the vet where they can prescribe you some type of spray on antibiotic that will kill the infection. To find out more on hot spots, please visit online http://www.vet.bc.ca/896355.html. This site will give you some more background information on the disease and also show you pictures of what to look for.

Boarding Your Dog While Gone From Home

This time of year yields more and more people going out of town on vacations. A lot of the places you and I go for spring and summer vacation do not allow your pet to come along. My suggestion for you when you can't bring your dog with you is to pay the small daily fee and board your dog. Not only is your dog receiving daily and hourly care from the people boarding it, your dog also is with other dogs and is able to enjoy itself a whole lot more than being at home all alone. I have personally boarded my lab 3-4 times over the past few years and highly recommend it. The last time I had to board, the fee was $12.00 per day and that included food. People, you want your dog happy just like you want yourself happy. Take the extra step and the small investment it requires to make sure your canine is happy while he/she is away from its owner.

Transporting Your Lab In A Vehicle

Time and time again I will be riding down the road and pass a pick up truck with a lab or another breed of dog running freely around the bed of the truck. This is one thing that I can't stand to see. I am a firm believer in kennel crates when it comes to transporting your pet. Let's face it, all it would take would be one good brake check and the dog is slammed up against the front of the bed or into the tool box, potentially hurting the dog or even worse killing it. Another risk these people take is the dog jumping out on them while stopped at red light or something. I have never practiced this type of transportation means and never will. An individual can go to places such as Wal-Mart, Petsmart, and so on to purchase a crate which is going to cost them a max of $70.00. To me, the money that is spent to protect your dog is worth a whole lot more than taking a risk of loosing him/her. Please think twice once you go to transport your dog somewhere, just as your life is, their life also is precious.

Canine Hip Dysplasia

Canine Hip Dysplasia is more prominent in larger breeds of dogs. CHD is an inherited abnormality in the development of the hip joint. Today, owners and breeders can have each dog x-rayed and find out fairly quick if his/her dog is going to have or has this disease. Hip Dysplasia can or cannot be bilateral, meaning affecting both right and left side hips. If a dog is diagnosed with the disease, the dog is very likely to eventually have arthritis. Currently, the main contributing factors to this disease are rapid body growth as a pup and also rapid weight gain as a pup. Dogs that have hip dysplasia appear to be born with normal hips and then develop the disease later. Please read up on this disease that can affect your canine. A great place to visit on the web is http://www.labradornet.com/ddyspla.html. Canine Hip Dysplasia is a very painful disease and if you are like me, you would hate to see your canine put through this struggle.

Labrador Kennels

More and more people these days are becoming professionals in the lab training and lab raising business. Kennels are popping up all over the United States and world wide that specialize in this. Kennels from training obedience, hunting, and show style are now at your fingertips. A great place on the web to go and view kennels is http://www.wiscoy.com/kennellinks.html. This site offers numerous kennel information and contact name and numbers. You are bound to find one listed on this site that is close to you or caters to your liking. Be sure to do your homework when deciding on where to send your dog or where you want to purchase one, ultimatley, how your dog is trained or the blood line he or she comes from can and will make having a lab as a companion more enjoying.

Breeding Your Female Lab

Female labs come into season twice a year, once every six months. Once "in heat" the female will bleed for approximately 10-13 days. The best time to breed your lab that I have found is around the 10th day mark from the first signs of blood. Once bred, the female will raise her litter of pups inside her for 58-63 days where she will then give birth. If these days fall around a full moon, past experience has yielded puppies being born closer to the 58th day. A normal size litter will consist of any where between 7-10 pups, but it is possible to have larger than and smaller than this number. Breeding your lab in the middle of the cycle will give you a better chance to have an equal mix of males and females. Breeding before the 7th day usually produces more males and breeding after the 10th day usually produces more females. Make sure, if you are planning on raising pups, that you have an adequate place for the pups to be raised. From experience, raising a healthy litter of pups is time consuming and requires some TLC.

Heartworms

Heartworms in dogs is a serious and potentially fatal disease. It is caused by the worm Dirofilaria immitis. Heartworms are found in the heart and large adjacent vessels of infected dogs. Heartworms can live up to five years within the blood vessels of a dog. Mosquitoes are a large cause of heartworms and there are up to 30 different species of mosquitoes that can transmit this disease. The heartworm disease was once limited to specific areas of the United States but now is found throughout the entire US region. Unfortunately, by the time the dog shows signs of this disease, the disease is well advanced. The most obvious signs are a soft, dry, chronic cough, shortness of breath, weakness, nervousness, listlessness, and loss of stamina. All of these signs are most noticeable following exercise, when some dogs may even faint. To learn more about this serious disease that can infect your dog, please visit http://www.purebredlabs.com. The more knowledge you have about heartworms the better you and your dog will be.

North Dakota Duck Hunting with Labs

North Dakota is known for its potholes, wide-open terrain, and a population that far, few, and in between. To hunters, this part of the United States is where the ducks are born and raised and leaves from to fly south in the winter. The pothole region of North Dakota offers ideal habitat for nesting ducks to raise their hatch. In saying that North Dakota is where a lot of the ducks are born and raised, it is also a great place to go and duck hunt before the cold weather freezes the potholes and ponds, which pushes the ducks south. North Dakota offers a duck hunter an endless amount of opportunities. Nothing is more beautiful than the sunrise on the prairie region while watching your favorite lab retrieve your ducks. The land that is not posted is accessible by the public and if land is posted, to get permission is as easy as calling the number listed on the posted sign. Trust me, you will be told yes a lot more times than no. The hunting is fairly easy and you are given more than enough chances to get a “limit in the bag”. If you are interested in going duck hunting where you do it all on your own take a look into North Dakota. More information can be found and requested on http://gf.nd.gov/

Keeping Your Lab Happy, Healthy, and Obedient

Kate Truman does an excellent job in explaining how to keep your lab happy, healthy, an obedient in her book titled Labrador Retriever Secrets. Kate is no special dog trainer but someone just like so many others around us who has labs for pets. What makes this book so interesting is Kate offers real life encounters and examples that she experienced with her dog Honey. Kate didn’t have all the answers when she decided to become a lab owner, like so many of us out there she began searching the web and reading books for training tips. Unhappy with what she was finding, Kate decided to do her own personal research and decided to write Labrador Retriever Secrets. Anyone who has a lab can and will benefit from this book, especially the ones who have them as just pets and around the house dogs. To find more information on Kate and her book, please visit http://www.all-about-puppies.com/

Premier Aluminum Products

Premier Aluminum, Inc is a manufacturer of dog boxes, dog trailers, atv boxes, and so on. They can custom make just about anything a man could want when it comes to boxes and trailers. Located in Oklahoma, these guys can and will ship any product over the entire United States. Being a personal owner of their stock six-dog trailer with top storage, I would recommend these guys over any others in the aluminum trailer business. The quality of work is first class and the customer service speaks for itself. The trailer I own has hauled dogs from South Carolina to South Dakota numerous times with out any problems. If you travel with labs, bird dogs, or any other breed, these trailers come in real handy with having ample amount of storage on top of the trailer, large water tank, and large dry storage box located on the front the trailer. Take a look at what Premier Aluminum has to offer, remember that can and will build to your liking. For the money you cannot beat the quality of these trailers.

Richard A. Wolters

Richard A. Wolters was one of the best of his time when it came to training dogs. The late Wolters published many books on different methods and techniques that today are being practiced by the best trainers in the business. Wolter's techniques continue to endure today. Some of his historic book titles are Gun Dog, Water Dog, and Family Dog. Wolters not only master the training methods of gun dogs and sporting dogs, but he also new how to train a well mannered family dog. Wolters is a legend when it comes to dog training and I would urge anyone who is interested in training to take time out and read some if his work. His books can be found numerous places online such as http://www.cabelas.com/, http://www.basspro.com/, and most any other outdoor shop that offers training supplies

Shady Grove Kennels

Shady Grove Kennels, located right outside Columbia, South Carolina, is owned and operated by a gentleman by the name of Ricky Coward. Ricky has been in the professional dog training business for roughly twenty years now and has grew his business and ability to work with dogs in this profession by leaps and bounds. Ricky trains mainly gun dogs for his clients so when the dog leaves his facility the owner has a well mannered, steady hunting companion. Shady Grove Kennels offer puppies year round also. Normally Ricky will raise between 6-8 litters of lab puppies a year. With concentrating mainly on gun dog training, Ricky is able charge a very economical price per month for his training. Having know Ricky for some time now and having been around his training and dogs, for the money, one can't beat his deal. Check out his linked website for more information on him and his facility and also to see what others have said about him. If you have a lab and would like to have a well trained hunting companion, please take a look at Shady Grove Kennels, I promise you won't be disappointed with the finished product.

Mike Lardy and The Total Retriever

Mike Lardy, owner and operator of Handjem Retrievers located in Wisconsin, is one of the most well known professional retriever trainers today. He has passed more dogs in the Master National Finals than any pro alive today. Mike trains both in Wisconsin and in Southern Georgia where each location offers a variety of land and water settings. Since making it big in the retriever training field, Mike Lardy now writes a column in the Retriever Journal, the top selling retriever magazine, and offers periodic workshops both which volunteer his knowledge towards training dogs. Also, Mr. Lardy now has videos and self made flowcharts to help the amateur trainer. More information can be found at http://www.totalretrievertraining.com . Please visit this site if you are interested at all in becoming a better trainer, the knowledge you will receive comes directly from one of the best.

Labrador Retrievers-The Versatile Dog They Are

As most of you know, dogs can be trained to do just about anything you want them to do if the correct training procedures are used. Labs are not an exception. Many of us have labs for basic home pets, some have them for sight assistance, and many of us have them for hunting companions. Being great hunting companions is what I personally enjoy this breed for the most. The two labs that I own and have raised from six weeks old hunt everything from doves, ducks, quail, chukars, grouse, and pheasants. These dogs are great retrievers, great flushers, and all around great companions out in the field. Being completely honest with you, if it were not for labs I would not hunt near as much as I do. Yes, I do enjoy the sport of shooting wild game, but I could not see myself doing it alone. Probably 90% of why I go so much is for the enjoyment of the dog. If you do not own a lab and are considering it, I urge you to invest the time and money in one, have it trained to do whatever you are wanting it to do, then sit back and enjoy the companionship that is built between you and your dog. Labs are great and offer more than you realize.

DNA Chip Surgery

Recently, AKC has made it mandantory for an individual who breeds his/her dog more than three times on paper to have to have DNA testing on their dog to prove he or she is who the owner says they are. What was happening in the past was individuals were registering litters of puppies with false mother and father information. The main reason for individuals doing this was for money. An owner could say his/her puppies were out of a Master Hunter or Field Champion and get much more money for a six week old puppy. When AKC passed this new law it helped in controlling such outbreaks as mentioned above. Once a dog has been bred three times, the owner has to go and get a DNA chip surgically placed under the skin before AKC will register their next litter. Ask any local vet about this process or you can visit the American Kennel Club website to get more information on the subject.

ESPN Great Outdoor Games

The ESPN Great Outdoor Games have recently over the past few years exploded with popularity. The games hosts competitions anywhere from timber cuttings, atv races, target shooting, and dog competitions. Within the dog competitions, you will see such things as agility test, big air events, launch events, and also hunt test events. The most popular dog that one will see competing in these events is the Labrador retriever. Just these games here show how versatile these dogs are and have become. To learn more about these outdoor games along with events and schedules, please visit online at http://www.espn.go.com

ParvoVirus In Dogs

ParvoVirus is one of the leading death causing illnesses in the canine family. This virus attacks a weakened immune system and very quickly causes major problems. One of the main reasons this is so common with young puppies is because they have an "immature" immune system. Once this virus is active in a dogs system, it can completely shut down the dogs immune system and cause death within 24hrs. Symptoms of the virus are diarrhea, laziness, not wanting to eat or drink, vomiting, and depression. Especially with a young pup, please keep close eye on your pet. This virus is nothing to mess around with, if you ever so slightly feel something is wrong, please take your pet straight to the vet. More information regarding the parvovirus is easily accessible through any search engine out on the world wide web.

The Electronic Collar

The electronic collar has become an essential piece for dog trainers today. Most any pro trainer you talk to about e-collar training will tell you they will not do it any other way. The electronic collar has various levels of intensity to either be administered as a nick or as a constant shock for as long as the trainer holds that button down. The dog is first taught what ever he is taught by the trainer without the collar and then slowly introduced to the collar over time. This training device is used as a correction mechanism, not as punishment. Electronic collars come in various sizes, covering different distances, single or multiple dog capability, and so on. A good place for someone learn more about electronic collars would be somewhere like Cabela's, Bass Pro Shops, or any other dog supply outfit. Happy Training!!!!!!!!!!!

Palmetto Retriever Club

Palmetto Retriever Club is a local dog club in South Carolina that promotes pure-bred AKC registered retrievers. This club offers several club trials throughout the year that allows yourself and your dog the practice that is needed if you are looking to title your dog in licensed test. Not only does PRC offer club trials, but they also team up with AKC and run a couple licensed test throughout the year. Being in a club such as PRC helps in the learning aspect for the handler and the dog, club trials simulate like test that are administered in licensed trials. Not only do you and your dog become familiar with the test, but also the friendships that are formed with individuals who like doing the activities you do. Most test start up around March and run through June, then begin back around September and run through October.

Briar Creek Gundogs

Briar Creek Gun Dogs is a family owned and operated kennel business. We deal almost 100% with the Labrador retriever breed. Raising approximately five 2-3 litters of puppies a year, our dogs leave to become hunters, pets, drug sniffing dogs, sight dogs for blind people, and so on. Confirmation and will to work are two factors that Briar Creek has tried to maximize in our breeding over the past 30 years. More information can be retrieved about Briar Creek Gun Dogs by visiting http://www.briarcreekgundogs.com. If your answers or service can't be completed by Briar Creek, several referrals are available.

Whelping Nest For Raising Puppies

With raising several litters of puppies, one of the most crucial factor that I personally have found is temperature regulation. Young puppies like to be kept between 96 and 98 degrees. This can be very costly to an individual if he/she starts losing puppies due to not keeping them correctly heated. One item that I have found that helps with this problem is termed a whelping nest. One saved puppy will more than pay for itself while using the nest. The whelping nest is a electronically heated round nest-like dish that serves in keeping heat regulated in the house. The outer cover of the dish is made out of plastic which makes it easier on the mother to clean. More information and ordering instructions can be found by visiting http://www.scottsdog.com/ and clicking on the whelping nest link on the left side of the page. If you ever raise one litter with a whelping nest, I will almost guarantee you that you will never raise another one without it.

Raising Lab Puppies

With being an experienced "puppy raiser" if you can say, the best style of house to raise lab puppies in comes from a company called Scott's Dog Supply. This supply company sales a variety of merchanise, but their above ground dog kennel kit is something else when it comes to raising puppies. This company can be viewed online at http://www.scottsdog.com/. These kennels are very durable, easy to put together, and well worth the money you pay to get them. These kennels allow puppy urine and feces to fall out of the kennel on the ground helping to keep your liter clean, dry, and healthy.

Pheasant Hunting in South Dakota

South Dakota pheasant hunting has really exploded into a huge business over the last ten years. Pheasant hunting on the plains of South Dakota has been around for as long as most people remember, but now more than ever individuals and companies have invested money in running guide services all over the state. I guess one could say that this type of hunting in South Dakota has really been commercialized. With saying this, the labrador retriever has become the most popular breed of dog to help individuals and guides find pheasants. While hunting pheasants with a lab, the owner/handler needs to be able to control his/her dog so the dog does not get over 30-40 yards from the hunters. Labs are great for this type of hunting due to their sense of smell and their ability to get underneath various types of cover which causes the pheasants to either run or flush. If you are interested in hunting pheasants in South Dakota the easiest way to get information is to do a search online which will bring up several guides and guide services. Good Luck!!!!!!

Precise Dog Food

Being a personal feeder of Precise and knowing several professional dog trainers who feed Precise, this brand of dog food has began to gain its share of the market. Precise foods have really come on strong in the past few years and have entered the playing field, if not surpassed, several of the heavy hitters in the dog feed business. Manufactures such as Diamond, Pro Plan, Eukanuba, and Iams are all feeling the presence of Precise. Unlike most other manufactures, Precise does not all any artifical chemical preservatives in their food. Precises' standards are so high that any ingredient or batch that doesn't 100% meet the specifications gets rejected, period. The formulas used are designed to give the pet an ideal standard of nutritional excellence. As a result of this, some of the ingredients used are more costly than those of competitors. But, because Precise formulas cost no more to feed than the competitions, the owner gets a better value for their pet. Many large kennels across the United States and pro trainers endorse this brand of dog food and their comments can be read at http://www.precisepet.com

Protective Devices For Labs While Hunting

While out in the field with your dog, the last thing an owner wants and needs is his/her lab to get injured and hurt. New product has recently hit the market to help prevent this. Today owners can purchase items such as neopreme vest, neopreme vest with flotation devices within them, protective boots for protecting the pads on the feet, and so on. These products can be bought online or over the phone at such places as Cabela's, Bass Pro Shop, Lion Dog Supply, and many more. The vest indeed help with protecting against wounds to the chest area and around, but they also help keep the dog warm and aiding in swimming. The following listed web sites are a couple an individual can surf to get these products.....
http://www.cabelas.com
http://www.bassproshops.com
http://www.lcsupply.com

The American Kennel Club

The American Kennel Club (AKC) is one of many registering organizations where individuals can register their lab and receive such information as pedigree's, past dog owners, registration forms for such things as kennels and puppy litters, and so on. This club can be accessed by the world wide web at http://www.akc.org. The AKC has much more to offer than just what was mentioned above. Once an owner decides to register their lab he/she can surf around this site and see what all it has to offer. One thing an individual will find on this site is that the labrador retriever breed is currently the most register of all canines through th AKC.

Brief Description of the Labrador Retriever

The labrador retriever is a strongly built, medium-sized dog possessing a sound, athletic, well-balanced conformation that enables it to function as one of the top retrieving gun dogs. This breed of dog has the soundness to hunt such species as waterfowl to upland game birds for long hours at a time under some of the most difficult conditions. With not only excelling as gun dogs, labs also are great as show dogs and family companion. Labradors are great with adults and children of all different ages. Labradors are looked at as one of the most versatile breeds of dogs, one dog can have many different titles for its owner.