Double Lab Love

I can just visualise wet labs that have jumped past the ping string, had a swim and now want to lie in the sun on dry warm pavers....ZAP! OWWW!!! I am such an idiot sometimes - didn't even think of that...... they aren't jumpers - yet - but the temptation of all that water to play in OK - either extra fence around pool / no access at all or inside with us... Thanks for the replies - as you can see advice clearly very badly needed

Thanks for the very good idea re laminated panels - we were looking at perhaps glass but didn't even think of it shattering.... that would be a nightmare with water/doglets / bare feet...

Thank you for all your replies.. I agree again - we would never leave them unsupervised - ever - and they would never have acess to that area at all if we are not home... I always sit out with them now when they swim and they are confident in the water and know all access areas out of the pool but I still don't take my eyes off them for a second. Too many things coud happen in a hearbeat etc... Lizt I agree with not wanting them access 24/7 and other than this the property is perfect....so it is a shame that this area is constructed like this - previous owners no kids/pets... checked with council and they built the house to council approval so no issues there... as I mentioned all doors have handles which no small child could reach if inside the living areas. The pool does have alot of steps / access in and out as it is sort of a sit in pool.... but again the 24 /7 access is more the issue... We do have two other big areas for them which will be fully fenced etc but are behind and to the side of the house - so away from us a bit.. So I am thinking that they won't be allowed in there unless we are with them - unless we fence off the pool.... which is difficult re the size of the area but not impossible... their safety is of upmost importance hence why I was trying to work out the situation before we moved there and asked for advice. Gues they will just have to stay inside with us more Does anyone think something like a ping string wire etc would help? Or do I just give the whole thing up as a bad job...

I agree and we always supervise them swimming and would never leave them alone for a second but they are both extremely strong swimmers and LOVE the water and would be jumping in constantly to play which in winter or when are inside is going to be an issue.... They are very obediant and we have trained them quite extensively in basic obedieance / recall etc but do you think i would be being unrealistic relying on training with such a tempting display of water accessible ? They are Labs I was thinking maybe some sort of containment system??

Howdy, I was hoping that I may be able to get some advice re moving house and my two 13mnth Labs... Sorry long post... We are very close to purchasing the dream house and five acres but there are a couple of things that will need tweaking with regards to how our two can happily settle in..... Funny how our old house was fine until we got the two Labs and then decided that they needed more room I think I recall reading a whole thread on this Our current house has a fully contained small backyard and in addition an inground pool which is fully fenced. As our two love water we have been leting them in the pool area to swim / excercise and cool down since spring - which they love... The new property (bit hard to explain but will try) has the house courtyard surrounding an inground pool and they whole area is paved - except for a large grassed area to the side of the house which we will fence off... The access to family room / kitchen etc is off the courtyard but the pool is not fenced so from any downstairs room when open you can wander out to the paved area and straight into the pool. The house has been designed as such that it has passed all council inspections for the pool access - the first thing I questioned - due to high inside door handles etc... Our two will have the run of that area when we are home but it pretty much means that there is no way of stopping them from jumping in the pool whenever they like - which for Tango esp would be 24/7.....tt the moment I think he would drown if I just let him keep playing in the water as he doesn't seem to know when to stop... We are going to fence off the grass area to the side and also a massive big area around the back so they can have loads of room to run and play safely when we are out/at work and during the night they will be crated inside the balcony off our bedroom or in the living area - have yet to decide which... As we will be spending most of our time in the courtyard area when home ( as all the living areas open up around it) and want them to be with us I guess my question is how can we stop them from jumping in the pool ? Fencing isn't really an alternative as it will cost a fortune so I guess would be a very last resort SO i was wondering if some sort of containment system would work - bearing in mind the area is paved not grass - or failing that can I train them not go in the pool unless allowed and how would I go about doing this since we have allowed them pool access in the old house. Or am I being completely unreasonable about training and should I just accept that they will have to be kept out completely which we would hate... I guess just after any suggestions that i haven't thought of or ways of training that have worked for you in a similiar circumstances..... Thanks in advance... DDL

Four Labs - sigh our absolute dream At the mo we have two 13mnth Labs and with just OH and I that is enough for us.... but with no kids and both working full time our restrictions are more land and quality of time for them issues... more than two for us now would be detrimental to their health and happiness. BUT we are looking to move onto 5 acres within the next 12 months and when I can eventually move to a part time job closer to home then I think we could easily stretch to another Lab and maybe one more down the track... Although saying that i would like to adopt adult Labs in order to give them hopefully a forever home where they can run around with our two and have lots of fun and love. After having our life turned up side (in a very good way) by two 8 week old labs - i think i would like to be home full time and a bit older and Lab puppy wiser before we go down that road again

Try this website: whttp://www.lovemelovemydog.com.au/ We have booked a large beach house house - sleeps 8 i think - and will be taking our two 14 mnth labs.... fully fenced, dog friendly property and close to dog friendly beach which is off leash before 8.00am and after 4pm... Christine runs the website and she has dogs of her own so understands the furkids factor ! I can't comment on the house we are staying as yet but will be able to do so in May but it sounds great from what i have seen on the site... Their are some great houses on that site and not just down south....

I posted last week about our "family" holiday down South. Bub, like you, my OH and I up until a year ago ( pre Labs ) did the 5 star / lazing around / cocktails by pool / eating and drinking far too much etc.... Mainly in Fiji - we LOVE Fiji - even got married there ...... but NOW - well let's just say that we would miss them far too much and so I suspect those OS days are well and truly over for a while...... OH won't even let them stay overnight at my parent's very dog friendly house these days unless we are there So as a result I got in contact with the "lovemelovemydog " website annd we have booked an absolutely awesome house near Culburra Beach for April and if I shut my eyes and imagine palm trees I think I am probabaly pretty close to Fiji - except for the room service and fabulously blended cocktails... The lady I dealt with - Christine - was just great.... I think we are both more excited with the proximity of the dog friendly beach around the corner and the fun we will have spending two weeks away with them.. OH and I work really long hours so are so looking forward to spending time with the boofheads..... weekends never seem long enough these days.. and we live along way away from the beach so that will be a novelty in itself ! But that is just our preference at the moment..... it could change but each day we seem to be getting more and more attached to them and to say that we have had a massive lifestyle change would be the understatement of the year... But we wouldn't have it any other way

I have found most dogs don't go too far away from their owners or wherever the other dogs are. So unless you have a dog like one of my Golden Retrievers who is a free spirit and has no recall, then you will find they hang about fairly close to you. But for peace of mind when you are a waorrier, I would just slap a long lead on them (eg a lunge lead). Good on you for the great recall!! It's the single most important thing anyone can teach a dog I reckon! Ooooh yes, I have one that loves to chase seagulls as well, in fact anything in the sky .... including the rescue helicopter that flies by low and frequently! Bloody crazy dogs- Honey would do that too! Have I mentioned her obsession with skywriting? Oh yes, I recall reading that now! Very funny!! :D Dogs are such great entertainers aren't they??!! I am so with you on the recall - I think it is essential and soooo important..... nb 1 on the training schedule... Love it - rescue helicopters and skywriting

OH NO - I had completly forgotten about seagulls

Thanks for the replies.... we are sooooo looking forward to it - our first "family " holiday Golden Rules - I wish I wasn't such a worry wart - I annoy myself ! My thinking re the leads was that since we are there for two weeks we can try with the lead initially and then see how things go.... deoending on who/what is at the beach or if Tango decides to try and swim to the next continent :D The whistle recall came about from our consult with Steve at K9Pro - he is SUCH a legend when we were finding our two Labs a bit of handful 6 mnths ago... Actually I should say OH and I needed the training not Tippi and Tango ! Our thinking was that as they hear their names so often in day to day commands - plus I do make up the stupidest songs sometimes with their names - they tend to get overexposed to their names so the whistle is used purely for recall and they come at a gallop when they hear it and are getting really good under distraction. That to me was probably the most important thing I wanted them to be be reliably trained in and Steve was such a big help.. missmo - thay sound perfect - Runs off to google supastuff

I was hoping for some advice re taking my two Labs to the Beach for the first time. In a couple of months we are heading down south for two weeks hols where we will have access to a dog friendly beach for the whole time - which I know will send my two boofheads into deliriums of joy They have just turned one and are now great on lead and have a reasonably good whistle recall - thank dog for Labs and their love of treats ! I have been regularly swimming them in pools etc for the last four months - initially for extra excercise and now just for pure joy - and they have now become confident in the water and are very quick swimmers and seem to have NO FEAR whatsoever... One glance at the nearest body of water and the word "SWIM" and they are off - Tango I swear grins the whole time and they both sulk when it is time to come out My question is twofold and i would appreciate any advice on if i was going the right way about this....or I guess any alternatives... Firstly Tango LOVES water and being such a strong swimmer my fear is that once he is in the surf he will keep swimmng and that will be the last i see of him... I have seached for and read a couple of posts which have scared the beejesus out of me So my thought process that i should keep them both on long leads (K9Pro) whilst in the surf ? As my OH will be with me we will each have one dog each so hopefully that would work OK ? So if we do go this way then I am thinking that a harness would be safer than a flat collar (which they could slip out of) but as they are such strong swimmers the harnesses don't need to be bouyant as such.... So I was after any recs for suitable harnesses that would fill the brief... Their car restrains are padded with wool so probbaly not really preactical for this purpose... Many thanks in advance.... I know am a big worry wart but would never forgive myself if anything happened to either of them bc of my stupidity...

Hi Poodlefan.... Tell me about the allergies for people - I am suffering big time this year with hayfever :D Apparently the drops were bc the vet has said it was a sort of conjuctivitis - so it is like an ointment - not alot of fun to put on three times a day.. But i am thinking if it was conjunctivitis then Tippi should have the gunky discharge too ( as it is pretty contagious) - and she doens't so maybe we are dealing with an allergy? He doesn't seem to bothered by it - I am more than he is - but if course there is the ever present fear of eye damage hence my concern.. Other than the cooled tea - is there anything else that could be used for allergies ?? Thanks again for your replies.. DDL

Thank you TeamSnag - had not thought of that - will be off to brew pots of tea tonight and see how that goes.... Should I start the eys drops again do you think?

Hi Everyone, I was hoping for a bit of advice re my 9 mnth Lab. Cut a long saga short... a coupe of months ago my two labs had a play date with a frind's Staffy. Unbeknownst to us the Staffy had some sort of conjuctivitis which the owner thought "would go away "eventually - we only found this out a few days after the play date... As a result first Tango then Tippi within a space of a day came down with eye dischages (yellow colour) which seemd to be itichy as they both kept rubbing them...... Straight off to the vet who diagnosed it as some kind of conjuctivitis and gave us a course of eye drops to give them 3 x daily for a week... all good and their eyes cleared up... A week later - Tangos' eye's had flared up again so went back on the eye drops for another week and all good..... Tippi still fine... So thinking all was OK I got a rude shock this morning to see Tangos' left eye with yet another discharge.... Am more than happy to go back to the vet again and get more eye drops but I was wondering if anyone else had experienced this and found any other remedies that worked or could recommend a different sort of eye drop as I am concerned that what I am curently using is not completely suitable....also Tippi appears fine although her eyes seem a little red... Sorry at work too so haven't got the name of the current drops on me... Many thanks in advance.. DDL

Mgeyer - I am thinking that Jackson must think he is in doggy Nirvana now He is probably pinching ( or canine equivalent) himself every 5 minutes to make sure it is all still real ! I second the good qaulity kibble and sardines / eggs once a week for a nice shiny coat - works well on mine.... As many others here have said - basic obediance and lots of gentle but firm guidance will go a long way.... I am so hearing you on animal wrongfulness - just cannot comprehend and there aren't enough tears in the world sometimes for the stories that you hear...

Hi Mgeyer, I don't own a Golden Retreiver but just had to post because I am sitting here at work nearly in tears at reading about the poor life Jackson has had... I am owned by two Labs that give me such joy and we recieved them as puppies - just knowing the life Jackson has had makes me want to go home and give them a massive hug. You have done the most amazing thing bringing this gorgeous boy into your home and i am sure he will reward with all the love he has been unable to give anyone before. Thank Dog you you and your family came into his life. Goldens's are just beautiful natured dogs and i am sure with all the care and love your family will give him he will progress in leaps and bounds. Yet again I am at a loss to understand people how can treat animals like this...... just cannot comprehend... Wishing you all the best with Jackson.. DDL

Ditto My husband walks Tango with beer on board... their walk is quite nice and cruisy..... Whilst mine with the very busy Tippi involves lot's of running and training and general carry on - unfortunately a beer would never survive - let alone a glass of wine Mmmmmm I think I know who has the better deal

Just brilliant Bub That is EXACTLY what I come home to everyday with my Labs !

Told you

Wait until you get to 18yrs - you'll be ready to stick a fork in your eye whenever the topic comes up! I'm vegetarian, my dogs are not... they eat a raw diet. As other's have said: if you can't cope don't get a meat eating pet! I get vego client's that shriek when I suggest cooked liver as a good treat: I tell them "Im vego, and I do it, so you can get over it and do it too!!" + 2 I so hear you - 21 years for me... Surely there must be more exciting topics to discuss than "OMG how can you eat tofu " Nothing makes me happier than to see my two getting stuck into a big juicy bone.... I swear Tango is grinning like mad the whole time

I got THIS from one of Mum's friends... "Oh she has two Lab puppies..... are they male and female..?" Mum, replies "yes" ... "Well I hope she is getting them desexed " says this person.. Mum says "yes - why do you ask " This person then says "Oh good - bc you know Labradors are such sl*ts" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mum relays this cinversation to me and I am just gobsmacked... What the ????!!!!!! I was completely lost for words....

This was the terrible two at 4 months

Hi bub - me being pushy again.. I did reply to your lovely mesage so hope you received it... Having a bit of trouble on the old computer today ! Might be because i am supposed to be working I did get your message! Heheh and I should be working as well! Now it is mandatory that you MUST post a piccie of your babies up! You can't have lab puppies and not share! ok will post a few - not trying to highjack though - feel a bit bad....

Hi bub - me being pushy again.. I did reply to your lovely mesage so hope you received it... Having a bit of trouble on the old computer today ! Might be because i am supposed to be working