Posts Tagged ‘Right’
To refer to the Labrador Retriever as an extraordinary breed would be nothing short of an understatement. Characteristically, being in tune with their masters is a requirement of their personalities so it is important that the owner understand what the animal was bred to do – namely hunt and retrieve. In order for a Labrador to find birds or ducks that were shot down and have landed out of sight, they must be in tune with their hunter/owner in order to learn their purpose.
This need for harmony in the Labradors life carries over to the home front as well and is not reserved exclusively for their retrieving skills. For the person who is in need of constant companionship, this is the ideal breed of dog. Conversely, if you expect the dog to be able to entertain itself you will be rudely awakened as the breed thrives on canine-human interaction. So that is one of the first things you need to be aware of when deciding if this is the right canine pet for you.
Hounds and Terriers are breeds of hunting dogs that can do with or without human interaction, so if are not capable of satisfying this need of the Labradors you would be wise to choose one of the other breeds. Where Hounds and Terriers hunt by their sense of smell, the Labrador must have that human attention link in order to successfully perform its duties as a retriever.
Labradors that do not respond well to their owners commands may take of into the water after a fallen bird or squirrel (as an example) and swim past it – maybe even way past it and vanish from sight. The well disciplined and trained Lab does not often make this kind of a mistake because it is their innate nature to adhere to their owners commands. It follows then that this canine breed is an excellent choice for obedience trainees as well as being service dogs (i.e. one of the better seeing-eye candidates).
So how will you know if a Labrador Retriever is the right dog for you and your family? For one, you have to have the capability as its owner to deal with a strong connection and dependency factor. Additionally, it must have human interaction and leadership. Most breeds of dogs exhibit a propensity for companionship, but the Labrador demands much more than other breeds. Whether they are indoors, outdoors, or a combination, they will not survive well physically (and psychologically) if left alone to their own devices, so you should be extra certain that you can handle this responsibility.
The bottom line with Labrador Retrievers is that if they are left alone for long periods at a time it confuses them. They think that they have lost their family (or pack as it were) and attempt to escape their confines in order to hunt down their owners and be with them.
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If you have never owned a puppy before, this article should help to prepare you for the many things that you should know and expect from your puppy and some of your responsibilities as the owner, as far as how you should go about properly training them. Dog training is very important and the earlier that you start with it, the much better off that you will be, no doubt about that one. Puppies come into our homes and you need to keep in mind that even though they are very small usually, they are also very, very inquisitive and will surprisingly catch on to many things very quickly. It is so important for anyone who is considering to get themselves a little puppy to definitely remember that you will just have to make sure that you apply some dog training skills on them right away, the longer that you put it off, the more difficult they will be to train.
Rewarding our little puppies with tons of praise and even some little treats, is the best way to teach them right from wrong. They love to make their owners happy and will go out of their way to every single time, as long as you have constantly given them that praise that they deserve for being such a good puppy and listening to your commands. Everyone wants to be the proud owner of a very well behaved lil puppy but most people do not want to put forth the effort to actually try and get their puppies trained by a professional or train the puppy themselves, which is why so many of us really need to get educated a little bit more about puppy care and the many reasons why it is so very important to properly train our animals, especially our little curious puppies. They are so adorable but can turn out to be very ugly later on if they are not immediately properly trained, so that they will know exactly how they are really supposed to act.
There are just a few things that everyone who owns a puppy should remember, when they are ready to begin applying their dog training skills. Learning just the few basics on dog training will really help to prevent any bad behavior out of your puppy in the near future. It will only take a little bit of your time and a great deal of consistency ofcourse, and then you will have the opportunity to show off your dog training skills to all of your friends and family, they will all be very impressed by your pooches good manners and adorable tricks. There are so many different books available that can teach you even more about dog training and all of the different dog training techniques. You will be so surprised once you begin learning more about this, surprised at how simple things could be for you and your new little friend with the most appropriate dog training skills.
Deciding to own a dog comes with it many responsibilities. These include feeding, grooming, lots of love and playtime, and keeping up with required shots and vet visits. Dog training is another important responsibility that must not be overlooked. Proper dog behavior training will make life for the dog and its owner much more fun and enjoyable.
Dog training is the act of teaching your dog what is acceptable behavior in specific situations. It is effective communication between you and your dog. Dog training is about you telling your dog what you want, and your dog understanding and responding in a positive way.
Dogs can be trained at any age, but it is most beneficial to start as a puppy, the first day of arrival in your home. This will show your new puppy, from the start, what the boundaries are and can be the beginning of the road to successful dog training. A dog without set boundaries, rules or knowledge of what is expected will only continue to demonstrate unacceptable behaviors. It is your job, through dog training, to teach which behaviors are acceptable.
Some of the behaviors that often need to be corrected are potty training, unnecessary barking or whining, jumping up on your friends and family, chewing, biting on hands and clothing, digging, and aggressive behavior. The more common but also important obedience behaviors that you should teach your dog during dog training is to sit, stay, heel, lay down and walk on a leash properly.
When training your dog, it is important to understand why your dog does the things that he does. Some behaviors are breed specific. Cocker spaniels tend to have weak bladders and will pee when they are excited. Growing up I had a Cocker Spaniel named Blondie that would pee at our feet every time we came home. We quickly learned to let her greet us outside so that she could get excited and do her business. When inside, she was paper trained and would always go in the same spot. Be sure you are fully informed of the behaviors that you may face with the breed of dog you choose.
A dog that digs usually does so out of boredom. It is important to find other activities for your dog to do. I have found that playing with him more, teaching him to fetch, taking him for walks in the park or even providing a place for him to dig will make him feel less cooped up in the yard and stop his digging caused by boredom.
Dog training takes patience and consistent reinforcement of the rules and commands. The best way to train your dog and to get results is through repetition, praise and positive reinforcement. It is important not to get angry or use force as negative punishment when your dog does not do exactly what you ask of it. Dog training does not involve hitting or yelling at your dog when it does something wrong.
B.F. Skinner, one of the most celebrated psychologists since Sigmund Freud, proved that behavior that is positively reinforced will reoccur. He also showed that the best training comes when information is presented in small amounts so that responses can be reinforced (also known as “shaping”). When your dog does something correctly, be sure to use words of praise in an excited voice, followed by petting and rewards with a favorite dog treat. Your dog will be able to feel the emotion and excitement in your voice and actions. This will be the encouragement needed to achieve the positive outcomes of dog training for a lifetime.
Hunting for a new family dog can be a sometimes-difficult task. If you have multiple family members, chances are you will have multiple desires for a dog. One may want small and spunky, the others may be looking for large and goofy. If you want a dog that has great looks and wants to make you happy, you may want to look at a Labrador Retriever. These large happy dogs aren’t for every would-be dog owner. Before you get one of these adorable pups, you should consider the pros and cons of Labrador Retrievers.
Labrador Retrievers can be very large weighing in at up to 80 pounds and standing up to 24 inches tall. Labrador Retrievers have a whole lot of energy and can go on playing for hours. Labrador Retrievers are known for their thick tails and puppy-dog eyes. Labrador Retriever’s coats are typically yellow, brown, or the most common, black. The coat is so think it is almost waterproof. It is not typical that a Labrador Retriever owner needs to groom his dog too often. The Lab’s thick coat stays in pretty good shape year round and just some brushing in the spring to help the shedding process is necessary.
Labs are in the AKC’s “sporting dog” group. The primary focus of the breed was to get into area’s hunters could not. Labrador Retrievers are great in the water so fishing and boating activities are right up there alley.
Labrador Retrievers are full of lots of energy so plenty of exercise is mandatory. A house with a large fenced yard, rather than an apartment or town home, is much preferred by Labs. All of that energy takes a lot of running and playing to burn off each day.
Typical of dog breeds with lots of energy, the Lab will eat a lot of food! You should stick to dog food that is specially formulated for large, high-energy breeds. This usually means a lot of protein.
There is no need to worry about your Lab around family and children; they get a long with everyone. With any large dog, however, you should always be very careful around very small children. The Lab’s tail is so big it may even knock over a youngster!
The Labrador Retriever is the perfect breed if you are looking for a family-friendly, high-energy dog. They may be a bit selfish at times, but overall will provide a lot of love and companionship.
MJ Batta writes on various dog breeds and hosts a dog breed website at http://www.dogs.researchthisstuff.com
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