There’s something undeniably appealing about many English Labrador Retrievers: the stocky frame, the broad head, that sweeping “otter” tail. Even as someone who’s long bred American-type Labs, I’ve found myself drawn to more moderate English lines. Like quite a few other working Lab owners, I’ve experimented with bringing English Lab lines into my breeding program….
Stay command training is an extension of the sit or down command. To teach a dog to stay you need to first establish a sit position, then pair that sit with a cue or command like the word ‘sit’ or a hand gesture. The stay command should initially be taught in small durations, using positive…
Protecting your puppy from infection is an area where you are quite likely to get conflicting advice. It’s one of those situations where experts, including veterinarians, don’t always agree and advice to puppy parents has changed in the last few years. Puppies can go outside from 8 weeks old in your backyard for potty training,…
I’m Pippa Mattinson, a writer, and British trainer of hunting dogs. I am the author of the original Total Recall dog training program published by Quiller Books in 2012. I wrote Total Recall to help the large numbers of people that struggle to get their dogs to obey them outdoors, when there are exciting distractions…
When you have found the perfect friend, you want to know that they are going to be around for the longest time! So today we are going to talk about what you can do to help your dog enjoy as many healthy years as possible. Most Lab parents know that a lifespan of ten to…
Originally two intelligent, trainable hunting breeds, the cooperative Golden Retriever Labrador hybrid surged in popularity just a few decades ago thanks to service dog charities. In fact, the first Goldador I met was a seeing eye dog puppy, being socialized by a family friend. Goldadors are enthusiastic about reward based training, easy to motivate and…
Sharing is caring right? Well not always. There are plenty of human foods that are not good for dogs, and some that are positively dangerous. The internet is awash with articles entitled: “can dogs eat (insert the food of your choice here)”. From the everyday to the bizarre it seems that we are driven to…
Labs and Rottweilers are both high energy breeds that need plenty of exercise and thorough training. If you are not sure which breed will suit your family best, then the most important factor for you is going to be temperament. Differences in coat, color and size are likely to be a lesser consideration. I’m not…
I was once accused of being cruel for running with my Labrador. That’s right, the claim was totally sincere. My companion announced that running deprives dogs of sniffing opportunities, and chances for a casual doggy chat with other curious canines. And was therefore deeply, fundamentally unkind. Honestly, I couldn’t have disagreed more. A tricky situation…
The Terrier is a feisty dog with a diverse history full of digging, chasing, rushing about and working in a gang. Depending on their modern purpose, they can also be extremely loyal and protective too. The Labrador Retriever, whilst it has split into two types in modern times, is a rather more reliable character. Outgoing,…
