Learn information, tips and techniques on how to teach your lab to respond and learn their name in this free video clip. Expert: Melanie McLeroy

Learn information, tips and techniques on how to teach your lab to come to you in this free video clip. Expert: Melanie McLeroy

Learn information, tips and techniques on how to teach your lab to sit on command in this free video clip. Expert: Melanie McLeroy

Learn information, tips and techniques on how to teach your lab to come to you in this free video clip. Expert: Melanie McLeroy

Melanie McLeroy co-owns the award winning Taurus Training dog training facility in Austin, Texas. Originally from Keller, Texas

The best Labrador Retriever is a well trained dog. Unfortunately, Labs usually don’t enter a family already fully trained. One of the most frequent training complaints is the ability for a Lab to drag its owner down the block in less than 20 seconds. It is for that reason that Lab owners seek out methods of controlling their dogs while on walks or during training session. One such method is the use of the Prong collar.

What is a Prong Collar?
A Prong collar (also called pinch collar) is a series of chain links with open ends turned towards the dog’s neck so that, when the collar is tightened, it pinches the naturally loose skin around the dog’s neck. When properly adjusted and used, it startles the dog and gives a sharp correction, but it is very difficult if not impossible to actually puncture the skin. And while it looks painful, it’s actually less harmful to the dog than a slip or choke collar. Opponents argue that pain is never a good default way in which to train animals. Some dogs are nearly oblivious to leash corrections of any kind, but the prong collar might make such dogs pay more attention than milder collar types. The advantage of the prong collar over the choke collar is that the circumference is limited so that it is impossible to compress the animal’s throat. Another advantage is that any pressure on the dog’s neck is spread out over a larger area than with most buckle collars, and with all choke chains.

Study of Prong Collars in Germany
(Information about study taken from an Anne Marie Silverton Seminar)

• 100 dogs were in the study. 50 used choke and 50 used prong.
• The dogs were studied for their entire lives. As dogs died, autopsies were performed.
• Of the 50 which had chokes, 48 had injuries to the neck, trachea, or back. 2 of those were determined to be genetic. The other 46 were caused by trauma.
• Of the 50 which had prongs, 2 had injuries in the neck area, 1 was determined to be genetic. 1 was caused by trauma.

Type of Prong Collars

Swivel – prevents chain from getting twisted and owner must release dog by manually separating the links of the collar.

Quick Release – has a swivel to prevent chain from getting twisted and comes with a snap or special link to quickly release dog.

When should a Prong Collar be used?

A Prong collar should be used when milder training collars have not worked and your Lab is still not listening to commands. These other training collars include the flat collar, martingale collar, halter collar, or harness. Each of these training collars is less forceful and may be suitable for most owners and their Labs. For the most stubborn puller or for those Labs that have “selective hearing” when giving commands, the Prong collar can be very useful. Please use the mildest collar that gives you the results you want before trying a Prong collar.

Who should use a Prong Collar?

Any dog owner that has a stubborn Lab that need a more forceful training method. Only adults should use this type of training collar as there are some rules that a child may have difficultly following. Training must remain consistent and the alpha individual in the family should be the one to use this training method.

Please note: The pup should be at least 6 months in age before using a Prong collar for training due to development growth and age. This should not be used on young puppies.

Correct Use of a Prong Collar

Most people are misguided in the use of the Prong collar and how it should be worn. A majority of owners will secure the Prong collar loosely under the flat collar of the dog and believe this is the best fitting. Unfortunately, they are very wrong and can cause serious tracheal and neck problems for their Labs. Here are the facts:

• Prong collars are ordered by weight – Extra Heavy; Heavy; Light; etc. They all come in a standard length which is adjusted to fit the neck of the dog by removing or adding links to the collar.
• Prong collars are meant to be put on and taken off before and after daily training sessions. They should never be left on the Lab all the time. That is what the flat collar is meant for.
• A snug fit is mandatory! Enough links need to be removed so that the collar fits snug.
• Positioning of the Prong collar is crucial. The collar should sit right behind the ears and up under the jaw. Not down at the shoulders.
• Rings on the Prong collar should be positioned ideally for training. For most, the rings (that you attach your leash to) should be towards the top right of the Lab’s neck as to allow the trainer to be standing to the Lab’s right for training.
• Links should always remain under the dog’s chin for more effective training.
• Attach the leash to the dead-ring for normal dog training. The dead-ring is when the trainer attaches the leash to both the swivel ring and the stationary ring. This will allow the Prong collar to remain the same size when training and provide less force.
• Attach leash to the live-ring for more stubborn dogs. The live ring is the swivel ring alone and allows the Prong collar to tighten further on the Lab when training. Do not use the live-ring method of training unless you have first tried the dead-ring method.
• The Prong collar should be placed on the Lab 20 minutes before training and it should be removed 20 minutes after the training has been completed. This will allow the Lab to become accustomed to the collar and not directly link the correction during the training with the collar.

Animal Cruelty

The Prong collar itself is not a cruel device to use on any dog, so long as it is used properly during training. As with anything, there are opportunities for any training method to be used in a cruel and inhumane fashion. Prong collars should never be used for punishment after the Lab has done something wrong. The collar should only be worn when the owner is actively training the Lab. If left on, the collar can hurt the Lab if it were to become tangled or caught on something. Prong collars are used solely for correction during training and should not be used in any other way. If you suspect someone of purposefully using the Prong collar to hurt their dog, please contact your local officials immediately.

Just because an owner chooses to use a Prong collar does not mean he or she has a bad dog. Both of our lovable Labs use the collar during their daily walks, as they tend to pull hard, and it is used during our more rigorous training sessions. When used properly, the Prong collar can make even the most energetic and stubborn Lab become well mannered and easy to handle.

If you are unsure as to what training collar may be best suited for your pup, please contact a local Certified Pet Dog Trainer (CPDT), whic

Original source: Lab articles

Most people try to put the crate in the corner or out of eye sight due to its size or its ability to match the furniture. When crate training, the crate should be placed in the most centralize and highest traffic areas of the home. This will allow you to continue to interact with your Lab and not have it feel isolated or alone.

Preparing the Crate

Setting the crate up for your Lab is as important has the crate you choose. The pup should be as comfortable and has safe as possible while it is hanging out in its new den. Toys, treats, and bedding may be included but either needs to be checked for choking hazards. Since they are Labs and they are prone to chewing, toys and treats should be specifically for heavy chewers. Depending on your Labrador Retriever, the bedding may range from old towels to a $200 bed from an high end store. Please check all items for their “chew factor” before leaving your pup alone in a crate with them. We have learned a number of times that even those beds that look like they are tough, have no chance of survival when placed in a closed space with an aggressive chewer.

Introducing the Crate to Your Puppy

The introduction of puppy and crate is the most crucial step on the training process. First perceptions are always the strongest with both humans and animals. Per the American Dog Trainers Network, the following steps should be taken during this introduction period:

1. Occasionally throughout the day, drop small pieces of kibble or dog biscuits in the crate. While investigating his new crate, the pup will discover edible treasures, thereby reinforcing his positive associations with the crate. You may also feed him in the crate to create the same effect. If the dog hesitates, it often works to feed him in front of the crate, then right inside the doorway and then, finally, in the back of the crate.
2. In the beginning, praise and pet your pup when he enters. Do not try to push, pull or force the puppy into the crate. At this early stage of introduction only inducive methods are suggested. Overnight exception: You may need to place your pup in his crate and shut the door upon retiring. (In most cases, the crate should be placed next to your bed overnight. If this is not possible, the crate can be placed in the kitchen, bathroom or living room.)
3. You may also play this enjoyable and educational game with your pup or dog: without alerting your puppy, drop a small dog biscuit into the crate. Then call your puppy and say to him, “Where’s the biscuit? It’s in your room.” Using only a friendly, encouraging voice, direct your pup toward his crate. When the puppy discovers the treat, give enthusiastic praise. The biscuit will automatically serve as a primary reward. Your pup should be free to leave its crate at all times during this game. Later on, your puppy’s toy or ball can be substituted for the treat.
4. It is advisable first to crate your pup for short periods of time while you are home with him. In fact, crate training is best accomplished while you are in the room with your dog. Getting him used to your absence from the room in which he is crated is a good first step. This prevents an association being made with the crate and your leaving him/her alone.

Feeding Your Lab Meals in the Crate

Each owner has a preference on feeding in a crate. For those that must leave their Lab pups in the crate for longer periods of time, this may be an option. However, most families choose not to feed in the crate because it can become messy, it is difficult to keep the Labrador Retriever on a feeding schedule, or the owner may be training the dog using the “Nothing in Life is Free” principle. Feeding meals in the crate is based upon personal preferences.

A Note About Crating Puppies

If you are crate training a young puppy, please remember that they have limited control over eliminating. The younger the pup, the more frequently it will need to go to the bathroom. The age of the puppy denotes the amount of time they are able to crated. Puppies under 9 weeks should not be crated as they will need to go to the bathroom frequently. No pup should ever be allowed to eliminate in their crate. This defeats one of the more predominate uses of crate training and confuses the Lab. For most, the age and crating duration is as follows:

• 9-10 weeks: 30-60 minutes
• 11-14 weeks: 1-3 hours
• 15-16 weeks: 3-4 hours
• 17+ weeks: 4+ hours

Accidents in the Crate

Accidents will happen and if this happens in the crate, the Lab should never be scolded. If a mess occurs, promptly bring the pup outside to finish eliminating and return to clean the mess. Everything in the crate should be cleaned as microscopic particles of urine or feces can be on anything. Any residue or odor left behind will leave a scent or marking for your pup to use next time it needs to eliminate. Therefore, all bedding and the crate floor should be washed with a pet odor neutralizer (such as Nature’s Miracle).

Crating Guidelines & Potential Problems

• Collars are to be removed as they can get caught on the crate and pose a choking hazard.
• Do not crate during extremely hot temperatures.
• Make sure your Lab eliminates before entering the crate and as soon as it is released from the crate.
• If your pup continues to eliminate in the crate, check that it does not have too much room – otherwise seek veterinarian assistance.
• Never use the crate as a form of punishment.
• Children should never play in or around the crate. This is a sanctuary for you dog and therefore it should be able to have this space to itself.
• Never release a barking Lab from the crate. If you do so, the pup will be conditioned to believe that barking gets the end result it wants – to be let out of the crate. The pup should not bark and remain calm for at least 5 minutes before opening the crate door. If it is a younger pup and it is barking because it needs to eliminate, promptly open the crate door and lead the pup out on a leash to eliminate. After done, return the Lab directly to the crate. this will reinforce that barking is not appropriate in the crate unless it is for elimination only. Sure, the barking can cause you to get less sleep or become annoying but it will get better with time if you are consistent.
• Do not use the crate if your Lab is vomiting or has diarrhea.
• Do not use the crate for extended periods of time. You chose to have a dog and must take responsibility for providing social interaction, nurturing, support, exercise, and love.
• Don’t abuse the crate!

The crate doesn’t work for all dogs. Some dogs will not tolerate it but most will come to love the crate and be lost without it. Success rates are much higher for puppies, than for “senior” dogs. We have been very successful in crate training and need only remove our Labs’ collars and say “Kennel Up”, and they head straight for their crates. It is important that the crate not be abused. Every dog needs a certain amount of exercise and should be allowed the opportunity to socialize daily with its human family.

Original source: Lab articles

Bringing your Lab puppy home is one of the most exciting moments. There is a new bundle of furry joy that enters your family and settles in for a long and nurturing bond between dog and human. However, this joy can quickly disperse as the role of housebreaking comes along and you start pulling your hair out. Okay, so you may not pull your hair out but housebreaking can be quite frustrating for a number of people.

First, the new Lab owner must realize that not all dogs are the same and not all Labrador Retrievers are the same. Once pup may be easily trained by the time it is 12 weeks old, while another pup could be 5 months old before being fully housebroken. It does not matter if your new puppy is an English (Show) Lab or an American (Field) Lab or even if you have two Labs from the same bloodline or litter. Each puppy is different and must be trained according to what fits for that particular pup.

What is housebreaking?

Housebreaking is the act of getting your pup to go to the bathroom where you want it to go. Usually this is outside of the home but some owners of smaller breed dogs choose to litter train their pups instead. For Labrador Retrievers, litter training is not an option so we must assume that the Lab will be trained to pee and poop outside of the home.

A pup is not considered housebroken the first time it does its business outside. The pup must not have an accident within the house for 12 consecutive weeks. This means that if the pup goes for 11 weeks before it has an accident in the house, it is back to beginning and the 12-week countdown must start all over again.

Importance of Schedules

Schedules are one of the most important aspects of housebreaking your pup. Whether the pup is 8-weeks old and coming into its first home or 5-years old and finding its new forever home, Labrador Retrievers do very well on schedules. The first thing any new or expecting family should do is create a bathroom schedule for their new dog.

Puppies around 8-16 weeks old will need to go to the bathroom every 2 hours. Therefore, you should schedule bathroom breaks every couple of hours, even if your pup does not show signs of having to go to the bathroom. If you keep to a 2-hour schedule, the pup will catch on quickly and start to begin to hold from going to the bathroom indoors until that scheduled potty break. As the pup gets older, this 2-hour schedule can be extended an hour at a time, until the pup can finally wait up to 8 hours or more. Please note that this is a gradual process and will take several weeks to months before being able to wait that long as a puppy’s bladder is underdeveloped when young and cannot physically wait that long without having the urge.

Older Labs that come into a new home will do very well with a schedule. This lets the dog know what to expect from the family and makes the dog feel more secure. Anticipation and nervousness is part of being introduced to a new family and a schedule makes them feel more secure in their surroundings and their place within the family. You will need to start off slow with the pup and allow for gradual changes as well. However, an older dog will most likely handle incremental time changes better.

Housebreaking Your Labrador Retriever Continue

Original source: Lab Articles

So now that you know what housebreaking is and the importance of scheduling, how do you get the pup to go outside? It is a simple process of awarding the pup for good behavior.

Most Lab owners follow a very simple routine when they take their pup outside: take the pup out on a leash directly to the spot you want it to eliminate, use a command to tell the pup to do its business such as Go Potty, do not play with the pup while outside for bathroom time, as the pup goes potty repeat the command over (this helps train the pup to go on command), treat and praise when the pup goes potty, do not return the pup to the house until 10 minutes have passed even if it has already eliminated (it may go potty again), and praise the pup when it comes back into the house.

Beyond the 2-hour schedule, pups will need to go to the bathroom:

• When they wake up in the morning or after a nap
• Before they go to sleep
• After they play
• Before and after they go on a car ride
• When they get overly excited

If you are crate training your Labrador Retriever, you will want to make sure to keep the crate small enough for the pup to only be able to turn and sleep in. Extra room in the crate allows the pup an area to eliminate as they will not go to the bathroom where they sleep. Take the pup out to go potty before you crate your pup and after you let it out of the crate. If the pup cries while in the crate and you believe it needs to go to the bathroom, open the door, put the leash on it immediately, and take it outside right away. Do not praise or play with your pup when taking it out of the crate or it will link crying and barking to getting released from the crate and this will make it more difficult to crate train. When the pup is done eliminating outside, bring it right back to the crate. This teaches the pup that crying or barking will not get any play time, love, praise, or cuddling and will just result in allowing it to go outside to do its business.

Housebreaking is not always an easy task but it doesn’t have to result in frustration and hair loss. With Labrador Retrievers, owners need to remain consistent and persistent in their training. Most owners become frustrated because they try something for a week or two and when it doesn’t work, they either give up or try something new. Unfortunately, this ends up confusing the Lab and the pup will be deemed un-trainable. When training fails, it is usually that the owner does not remain consistent with the training or gives up all together. This leads to an 80-pound dog that rules the roost and a very important bond between owner and Lab that is lost.

Those owners, such as me, that continue to remain persistent and consistent in training, can tell you that it is well worth the energy. My 2-year old Lab, Dakota, was housebroken by the time she was 12-weeks old. However, Cheyenne, my 1-year old full-blood sister to Dakota, was not fully housebroken until almost 6-months old. Why the difference? Although they both share the same genetic make up, they are two separate Labs with two distinct, and opposite, personalities. The point is that each Labrador Retriever is distinctly different however, as long as you remain consistent and persistent in their training, even those, like Cheyenne, who are not as easily trainable as other Labs can be training. Your Lab would never give up on you so never give up on your Lab!

Original source: Labrador Articles

In the summer we worry about keeping our pets cool, come winter and it’s time to think about keeping them warm and dry. Here are some simple ways you can protect your pets this winter.

The easiest, safest way to keep your pets warm is to keep them indoors, especially overnight. Older dogs, puppies, and dogs with certain diseases such as diabetes, heart and kidney problems should never be kept outside. All cats should remain indoors.

Some dogs tolerate cold weather better than others. Some dogs can take cold better than others, such as Alaskan Malamutes and Huskies. Short -haired and toy dogs will have a particularly hard time in the cold.

Snow and ice can pose problems for dogs. Snow can get packed between dog’s toes and freeze, causing pain and discomfort. To avoid this problem, keep the hair between the toes cut short.

Keeping nails cut short also helps. Shorter nails allow for better traction. If a dog is slipping on ice it tends to splay the toes, which causes more snow to pack between them.

If you are walking your dog on sidewalks or streets that have been salted to melt ice, be sure to wash his paws when you return. The salt can be drying and irritating to the paws.

If a dog must be kept outside during the day, be sure to provide proper shelter. An oversized dog house or shed will not retain enough heat. The house should be just large enough for the dog to stand up and turn around.

Do not use blankets for bedding. These will just get wet and freeze. Clean straw or hay is preferable.

Position the house on the south or east side of the house if possible, out of the wind. Raising it up off the ground helps, too.

Remember that the dog’s water may freeze if left outside. Putting the water in a deep container helps keep it from freezing. Also plastic is a better choice in this case, as metal conducts the cold quicker. Dark colored dishes will absorb more heat than lighter ones, slowing the freezing action. Be sure to break up any ice on the surface of the water each morning.

Are you aware of the dangers of antifreeze? Ethylene glycol based antifreeze is deadly to cats and dogs! Be sure to keep containers tightly capped and out of reach. Wipe up any spills immediately. For the safest bet, use one of the alternative products made with propylene glycol instead.

Outdoor cats will look for warm spots to curl up. Some cats have learned that cars and trucks offer nice warm nooks. They will crawl up into the wheel-wells or engine compartments. Banging on the hood before you get in your car is a good idea in case you have a stowaway.

Indoors, pets will often curl up next to heaters or under wood stoves. Watch out for tails and fur getting too close to heating elements! Make sure your cat does not overheat.

Some extra vigilance may be needed if you will have a Christmas tree. Anchoring the tree to the wall is a good precaution. Tinsel can be dangerous to pets if ingested, so either don’t use it, or place it well out of reach of cats and dogs. Start hanging decorations a few feet from the bottom of the tree.

If you have a puppy, don’t leave gifts unattended under the tree. Don’t use string or dangling ribbons on packages if you have a cat. Cover the base of the tree to keep animals from drinking the water.

There is debate over the toxicity of Poinsettias. Even if they are not deadly, the sap is an irritant and will probably make the animal sick. Holly and mistletoe berries are poisonous; so keep them out of reach of pets.

Elyse is the founder of The Original Dog Biscuit Company. She has extended knowledge of pet nutrition and feeding, as well as practical experience in the raising of cats, dogs and other animals. She is a herbalist, specializing in animals. Read more of her articles at: http://www.pethealthresource.com

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