A reader’s guide to Bob Woodward’s State of Denial

Slate - But the trend toward jumbo dogs doesn’t quite explain why the Labrador retriever is far more popular than other big breeds. The Also, as more and more families opt for a particular breed, dog breeders respond by increasing the number of litters More

Onlypunjab.com - www.special-dog.com has been developed by experienced dog breeders Janet and Larry Combs specifically for dog lovers who Labrador Retriever Rescue Kicks Off Campaign to Recruit Volunteers and Foster Homes Publish Date : 10/13/2006 7:41:00 PM More

Be a responsible dog owner every day

Payson Roundup - Labrador retriever, golden retriever, Yorkshire terrier, German shepherd dog, beagle, dachshund, boxer, poodle, Shih Tzu and If you want a purebred dog, buy from a reputable breeder. Dog Day in the Park Dog Day in the Park is from 10 a.m. to 3 p

An AP Member Exchange
Duluth News Tribune - He thrives on a challenge and enjoys developing a young golden Labrador, black Lab, or golden retriever into the best dog his master has ever Emery, a professional dog trainer and breeder, got what he calls “the bug,” in 1977. Mike Lardy, from

Every purebred dog has its day
Monterey County Herald - rules of etiquette and not use foul language — like cockapoo (cocker spaniel and poodle mix), labradoodle (Labrador retriever and Jacklyn Hungerland, a breeder of purebred poodles. “But it’s (the practice of crossbreeding) caught on because people

Don’t Choose Pets Based On ‘Cute’
WRAL - Sporting dogs, such as the Cocker Spaniel, Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Irish Setter and Weimaraner, are bred to hunt birds Investigate the breed. Get the dog from breeder stay away from pet shops. This will ensure a high-quality dog. Think

Ban on dog, cat auctions pondered
Denton Record-Chronicle - what happened after the Double Oak resident and her husband submitted the winning bid on a black Labrador retriever during I think the right to purchase a dog, whether it s at a fundraiser or at a pet store or breeder, should be your

Field And Hunting Trials For Your Labrador

Since the Labrador Retriever is primarily a sporting dog, this fact should not be lost sight of by breeders who might only be interested in raising labradors that look like labradors regardless of how they act.
Field Trial training is a very complicated and specialized subject. The Labrador Club requires that any member having a dog that has completed his ARC Championship may not use that title until he has passed a working test. Unfortunately the Club has in the past made it very difficult for the average person to manage the testing, which in itself is very easy, and most labradors could pass it with practically no training.
The dog does not need to be steady but can be held on a line until sent by the judge. He must retrieve to hand a pheasant and enter the water twice to retrieve dead or shackled ducks. He must not be gun-shy, which is perhaps the hardest thing for an amateur to teach his dog. Any dog first exposed to gunfire while near the gun may become forever gun-shy. A dog’s hearing is very much more acute than that of a human being, and introduction to any loud sharp sound such as a gunshot should be done with extreme caution.
Introduction to sounds of percussion should begin when a puppy is quite small by making noises such as banging on a metal feed dish or even starting with hand clapping while the puppy is eating. Any accustoming to loud sound should be done while the puppy is concentrating on other things, such as food, or while excited at entering the water to retrieve a duck. The gun should be kept a long distance away at first and gradually moved closer until the dog seems to pay no attention to it except to connect the sound with something interesting. It would be wise to have an experienced person help in introducing your dog to gunshots because it is not as simple as many would believe and can cause irreversible gun-shyness if done in the wrong way.
Most show-type labradors will make excellent hunting dogs if handled by a person who understands training. A Labrador owner who sends his dog to a professional for training as a hunter and never handles him until the season opens, blames poor training on his lack of success. But the fact is that it is his own fault in not learning the proper signals in the control of his dog. The dog is willing and understands the problem but is unable to understand what his owner is trying to tell him and the result is utter confusion, and loss of temper on the part of the owner.

Dogs sniff out pirated DVDs

Canton Repository - On Tuesday, the Motion Picture Association of America showed off Lucky and Flo, a pair of playful, 2-year-old black Labrador retrievers with noses trained to zero in on pirated DVDs. During a briefing at MPAA headquarters, Lucky and Flo took turns

Hollywood’s Latest Weapon - DVD Sniffing dogs
Los Angeles Times - On Tuesday, the Motion Picture Assn. of America showed off Lucky and Flo, a pair of playful, 2-year-old black Labrador retrievers with noses trained to zero in on DVDs, including the pirated kind. During a briefing at the MPAA’s headquarters, Lucky

Feeding Your Labrador Retriever: Part 2

Many dog owners feed their pet semi-moist foods because they are easier to prepare than canned food and usually more delectable than regular dry food. Semi-moist foods are usually packaged in easy-open pouches or as “hamburger patties.” The semi-moist foods contain much less water than canned foods, but they are expensive and loaded with sugar, preservatives, and additives. These materials can sometimes produce allergic reactions that commonly result in skin biting or scratching by the sensitive dog. Though there are some semi-moist foods that are more nutritious than others, it is best to limit their intake to no more than of the dog’s diet, with the remaining being a quality dry food.
The dry-food category spans a large spectrum of quality, mostly commercial and professional. Most of the popular brands that are seen in supermarkets fall into the first category. The main problem with these is the amount the dog needs to consume daily in order to attain proper nutrition. Often, it is just too much, and leads to excessive elimination.
Check the recommended feeding amounts on the bag and apply it to your dog’s weight. If the suggested amount turns out to be more than your dog can easily eat in one meal, choose another brand. A second drawback of this type of dry food is that the mixture of ingredients often varies from batch to batch, due to fluctuations in which crop such as soy, wheat, oats, etc. is available at what time. Therefore, the nutritional value may differ somewhat from bag to bag.
The “professional” meat-meal blends offer some improvement. These are the high-quality dry foods that are sold primarily in pet shops, specialty stores, and online catalogs. They offer a nutritious, balanced diet in an easily digestible form. The makers retain a standard blending procedure from batch to batch to insure a uniform product. The suggested feeding amounts are adequate to fill a dog up without overfeeding him. Although such products may cost a little more than the regular dry food, in the long run they are no more expensive than brands that require more to be eaten. A quality meat-meal-based dry food has also been shown to aid in the housebreaking process because this type of mixture usually contains bran or fiber in amounts that help to produce firmer stools.

Farm animal rules have some people crying fowl 

Amy Bascom-Lattin grew up in citified Harper Woods, but she always dreamed of having a farm with animals. About four years ago, she and her family moved to a noncommercial farm in Addi son Township, where she has a few goats, sheep and chickens.

No more chances: Dog ordered euthanized 
MARSHFIELD - An unruly Scottish terrier that bit three people, threatened others and caused a bicycle accident that put a woman in the hospital will be destroyed.

Eastern Connecticut cancer survivors celebrate recovery 
Sandra Carter was diagnosed with uterine cancer 10 years ago. Carter said she was lucky. Her cancer was detected early and removed without spreading. Carter said she has seen major advances in treatment in the years since she was diagnosed.

Series of Laws Toughen Animal Protection in California 

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a series of pet-friendly bills over the last two weeks as he dominated the campaign spotlight.

2 teens slain in separate shootings in Palm Beach County 
They were 19. Both were killed a few miles and a few hours apart early Sunday morning.

Binghamton man medals in fly-tying 
Mike Norton of Binghamton was the only American to medal in the World Tuscany Open international fly-tying championships held early this year in Sanselpolcro, Italy.

A call for progressive breeders to bed down already 
Let this be your rallying cry. Let it be your new hot-button topic, a raw, naked, condomless, blog-ready, wildfire, underground, grassroots crusade, your juiciest of incentive programs, your inspired call to hot, naked, impregnable sperm-a-riffic action.

Feeding Your Labrador Retriever: Part 1

Selecting the right food for your Labrador Retriever should not be a random choice, as no other decision will have a greater impact on the overall well-being of your dog. What the dog eats affects his nutrition, and nutrition directly relates to overall health and longevity. A dog’s diet should be high in protein, with an ample supply of carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, and minerals. These requirements are easily met by selecting nutritionally complete products.
Most single-pet households purchase their dog’s food from the supermarket. Often, pet owners are swayed into trying certain brands by price, packaging, and advertising. But the most popular brands may not be the best buys for your dog.
There are three main types of dog food: canned, semi-moist, and dry; with the occasional table scraps. Each of these used as the sole diet presents problems. A diet consisting exclusively of canned and semi-moist foods can wreak havoc with a dog’s digestive system, teeth, and gums.
Some dry foods must be taken in massive amounts to obtain all of the nutrients that are essential. And table scraps can throw a well-balanced diet right out of order. However, in spite of these pitfalls, there is no reason to despair. With a little research such as reading the labels and comparing and perhaps some trial and error, you should be able to work out the proper balanced diet for your Lab.
Canned dog food should never be served as the only food. First of all, it is very high in water content (approximately 75%) and you end up paying hefty prices for little real substance. The meat used in canned food is certainly not from choice cuts, either, so do not let evasive television commercials fool you into thinking canned food is optimal. In addition, the additives that are commonly used in canned foods, such as coloring and preservatives, are basically non digestible by the dog and can have a diuretic effect. Add this to the high water content and you will understand why a dog eating primarily canned food will have an increased need for urination and potential housebreaking problems.
However, there are some canned foods that are better than others, notably the ones designed for the different stages of a dog’s life. But even these should make up no more than of the dog’s daily intake and should be used in conjunction with a quality meat/meal-based dry food.

MPAA Goes to the Dogs

Film Stew - Video pirates, its time for you to meet Lucky and Flo. The MPAA demonstrated the abilities of the first two DVD sniffing dogs at a press conference this week. The two Labrador Retrievers are trained to sniff out the polycarbonate resins that make up

Pets of the Week: October 1
Naples Daily News - Adoption fee varies with age of the animalLabrador Retriever Rescue of Florida is a foster-based rescue group for pure bred Labrador retrievers and is an all-volunteer organization GOLDEN RESCUE IN NAPLES If redheads are your thing you’ll love Taylor