Hi! This is my first post to any forum so please be gentle.
I have a 18wk old female black lab, Indi. She is my second black lab and fourth dog. The first was a Jack Russel x m. (d at 15). The second was a Mini Foxie f. (d. at 16, Sept 07) The third, the love of my life, died of cancer July 07 13y 11m.
After one lab I will never own another breed by choice. Definitely not a terrier(they don’t suit my personality). Labs are strong, boistrous, energetic with the capacity to be amazingly gentle and loving with guidance and training. They are also very intelligent and love to learn, however they can be stubborn and think they know a better way to do ‘it’.
Obedience training is a must. Dog training clubs are not really expensive and worth every cent to have a dog that knows what you want when you ask it to do something.
My old girl did obedience trials, retrieving trials, flyball, scent relay, demonstrations, and some agility. Home training is just as valuable, though you must be consistant and not accept less than what you ask for and you must be the leader. Any group is only as good as its leader.
Growling around food is high up on the list of no nos. My dogs only did it once! I must have appeared so fierce they decided it wasn’t worth the effort to do it again.
I removed all meat and meat by products, except chicken wings occasionally, from my old labs diet after 2yrs of smelly loose deposits, hot spots and flakey skin. She lived on canned pilchards (cat food- real fish not the pretend fish) and Lucky Dog Bones. Beautiful teeth, coat, no dog smell or bad breath and no weight problems.
My baby is also quieter during the day with just me but when my daughter and husband come home she goes nuts on and off no matter how calm every one tries to be. Too much energy or I must be boring. 1 ½ hrs obedience training Wed is the only thing that wears her out. I would love some of her energy! Bed time is when the last person goes to bed.
Littlelabrador your baby is beautiful
