Anna Hart asked:


Labrador Retrievers have become the most popular dogs in the United States. Having reached the top, they have stayed there for a number of years, and seem reluctant to relinquish the crown.

Many of the Labradors that have found homes as a result of the breed’s popularity have become pets, but this dog was, and continues to be bred as a retrieving gun dog.

Labrador Puppies Hunting Homes

Visit a breeder or animal shelter, and you find many Labrador puppies hunting homes. Some will be purebred, AKC-registered dogs. Some will be mixed breed. Some will be bred for pets, while others will be bred for show. If you want Labrador puppies for hunting, however, you will want to look for specific characteristics.

Breeder

The best Labrador puppies for hunting are probably those that come from a good breeder. The breeder should be acquainted with the standard for the breed. More importantly, though, the breeder should be dedicated to, and passionate about, training, breeding, and hunting Labrador Retrievers.

Ask basic questions. Does the breeder use only breeding stock that comes from the finest field trial and hunt test lines available? Ask to see pedigrees of the breeding dogs. Ask to see proof of awards won.

Does the breeder monitor the health of breeding dogs? Are their Labs’ eyes and hips screened for genetic disorders before breeding? Will they guarantee the health of the Labrador puppies’ eyes and hips for a period of time? Do they keep kennels clean, clearly disinfected?

Are testimonials available from customers who have purchased Labrador puppies for hunting? Is there a possibility of talking directly to any of those people to learn more?

Labrador Puppies

Observe the puppies carefully, and ask questions. It won’t be too hard to choose the puppies that look nicest to you, but there are more important matters at stake if you want Labrador puppies for hunting.

Run through the following check list. Labrador puppies that have all or most of these 7 features are likely to be the most trainable for hunting. The 7 features are not necessarily listed in order of importance.

1. The Labrador puppies have been well socialized, including learning to be comfortable with children as well as adults: learning to get along with other dogs; introduction to birds; crate conditioning; and kennel conditioning.

2. The Labrador puppies have been introduced to water if the season permits.

3. They are obviously intelligent.

4. They are bright and alert when playing.

5. All of the Labrador puppies have respected pedigrees.

6. All of the Labrador puppies have had quality veterinarian care, being wormed, and receiving necessary shots.

7. They are clean and shiny.

New Owner

No matter how wonderful the Labrador puppies hunting homes are, if they are going to be Labrador puppies for hunting, the new owner will have a lot of responsibility. You will have to take those intelligent, energetic, eager Labrador puppies and teach them to retrieve birds for you. To do so, you may want to consider the following points.

1. It is a fallacy that your Labrador puppies must stay outside in a kennel if they are going to be good hunting dogs. Labrador puppies bond with their owners better, and develop much better temperaments if they are permitted to live indoors with the family.

2. For the first 5 or 6 months, you may want to teach your Labrador puppies little else than retrieving. That is, you may want to teach them to come when called. This is of topmost importance in retrieving. It is also important when an emergency arises, such as an unexpected vehicle, a snake, etc. It is a lesson that human children also should learn from a young age. You want your Labrador puppies to learn that “Come” means immediately running directly to you.

3. Some puppies are taught to sit when they are very young, but they receive so much praise, all they want to do is sit. Some are started out with an obedience course that would be used for any pet dog. They learn to obey many commands, but end up not wanting to add retrieving to the list.

4. Keeping Labrador puppies in the house allows you to use the hallway as an early “retrieving ground” for the puppies. When you throw a dummy down the hall, they have nowhere to go but back to you. As the puppies learn, you can sit to one side of the hallway, making them come directly to you. If they try to run past you, you can easily capture them.

If you are not experienced at training Labrador puppies for hunting, you may want to enlist a trainer who is, or follow use of the many books that offer complete training programs. Finally, even though you got your Labrador puppies for hunting, enjoy their undying affection and humor.

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glamour_bebe9423 asked:


i have wanted a yorkshire terrier for a really long time but my parents just don’t agree. iwould walk it and feed it and do everything possible to care for it. my parents think it is some sort of paris hilton purse dog phase.

many of my friends have dogs and then my dog could have friends and i live about 3 minutes away from a park so i could walk it through the park and things like that.

i would pay vet bills and anything else the dog needs and nobody in my family is allergic to dogs but they still will not agree

what should i do?

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hotforwords asked:

http://www.hotforwords.com
Why is it called Hot Dog? Does it have dog meat in it?

I just discovered Motion on my computer, it rocks! The graphics look high production… but it’s just me on my Macbook! What do you all think?

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radiant_innerlight asked:


We have very limited search and rescue dog resources in my area and I was wondering if a tracking dog has to be trained in either live scent tracking or cadaver tracking. Ideally I would like, if possible, to train my dog for both.

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Cleoppa asked:


This is basically a theoretical, planning-ahead sort of question. I don’t have a spouse, a house and can’t get another dog at the moment.

But many people on here and elsewhere say that having a dog when you have an infant isn’t a good idea. I agree, but I also see so many stories about babies growing up with wonderful, protective dogs.

If I ever have a kid, I definitely want a dog that is so devoted and so protective of him. The kind you read stories about… shielding the kid from the fall-off of the balcony, protecting the baby from rattlesnakes, that babies learn to walk holding on to…

So… if you wanted a dog like this and didn’t have a kid yet, what would be your strategy?

I realize having a baby and puppy at the same time isn’t a good idea. But if you get a dog a year or two before the baby… What breeds would you think are the best choices for infants? What kind of training would you do before the baby came (like, before the baby was even created)?
If you’re giving suggestions for breeds, I prefer rarer breeds. Just a personal preference, but I’d be more interested in breeds that aren’t in the top 10 or even top 20 or 30 maybe.

A few breeds I’ve thought might be a good fit include Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs and American Foxhounds. But I haven’t done extensive research. These are just two breeds I’ve come across in my reading that seem like good fits.

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PeeDeeFlo asked:

The Power of Puppies.

P-D-Flo Films 2007

Featuring: Tim Chantarangsu & Rick Carter

My beagles had puppies and I just had to make some kind of short film with them. So here it is.

Music is all original and the audio coming from the TV is from old movies of mine.

A Film by yours truly.

Edited on: Adobe Premiere Pro 2.0
Shot on: Canon XL2

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Dean Burton asked:


Bringing a new puppy into your household is a big commitment. First-time puppy owners are often filled with questions about how to care for their furry new companions. Preparing your home for a puppy before you bring her home will help ensure that you and your puppy adjust smoothly to the new living arrangement.

The following checklist is designed to help new puppy owners prepare for the arrival of a furry new family member:

-Purchase puppy food, water and food bowls, a collar and a leash before bringing the puppy home. These basic items are essential for any dog owner. Other items you may want to consider are a bed, house training pads, treats, grooming items, cleanup bags, carpet/upholstery cleaner and puppy-safe chews.

-Puppy Proof the house. Puppies are bursting with curiosity, and chewing is one way they explore objects. Unfortunately, your puppy will not come equipped with the ability to distinguish between his chew toy and your expensive shoes. Therefore, removing items you do not want your puppy to leave a mark on is an important step of puppy proofing your home. Some tips for puppy proofing are:

1. Remove stray items from the floor of your home and plan to keep the area clutter free throughout puppyhood (shoes, clothing and children’s toys are good examples).

2. Cover, remove or put away electrical cords that are within your puppy’s reach.

3. Keep all household cleaners, insect poisons and other chemicals safely stowed away.

4. Ensure that any plants in your home are safe by checking with your veterinarian.

5. Pay close attention to potential hazards in the outdoor area of your home as well.

-Stock up on chew toys. The more chew toys your puppy has access to, the less likely she will be to chew on your valuable possessions. Chewing is a natural instinct for dogs, and especially young puppies. Praise your puppy when she chews on toys that are hers and she will soon learn what is fair game and what is off limits.

-Purchase an appropriate sized crate. If you plan to crate train your dog, puppyhood is the best time to do so. Crate training allows your dog to adjust to being in a crate so that she will exhibit good behavior in situations such as being boarded, flying on a plane and going to the vet, when being in a kennel may be unavoidable. It is important to instill a positive association with the crate and never use it for punishment. Many dogs learn to love their crates and use them willingly for naps or sleeping at night. For more information about crate training, please see our Crate Training your Puppy article.

-Establish rules to live by. Your puppy will understand the rules of the household much quicker if they are consistent from the start. Decide on the rules by which your puppy must abide before bringing her home. For example, is she allowed on the furniture? Will she sleep in your bed at night? What area will she be confined to as a puppy? Instilling structure immediately will prevent your puppy from developing bad habits that will become increasingly frustrating as she grows older.

Puppies are wonderfully energetic and curious, and surprises are part of the adventure of having one in your home. Even if you carefully check off each item on this list and feel completely prepared for the arrival of your new canine companion, your puppy may find mischief in places you have overlooked. Be sure to supervise your puppy at all times when she is roaming free in your home.

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mistkie asked:


My family is having a hard time agreeing, she is all black, and very tiny.

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Paranormal Princess asked:


I live with my parents and my dad is talking about gettting a dog. We have 2 cats- one is almost 14 and the other one is 7 years old. Dad’s cat passed away in February of this year and he’s been talking about getting a dog ever since. Dad talks about getting a Lab or a border collie, but I don’t think either one of those dog breeds would be the most compatible with our 2 cats. Mom’s 7 year old cat is very territorial of the back porch and attacks any animal that comes on or near it and my 14 year old cat runs whenever an animal comes in the house. Mom’s alllergic to dog hair, so we can’t have a longhaired breed dog. What kind of dog gets along well with cats, because Dad’s starting to get serious about getting a dog?

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