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Top Dog Why Americans love Labrador retrievers.
Slate ^ | July 14, 2005 | Brendan I. Koerner

Posted on 07/14/2005 7:15:45 AM PDT by libstripper

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To: libstripper
I urge anyone here who's thinking of getting a large breed dog to go either for a Lab or a Lab cross, and don't forget the rescue societies.

Concur. I've had two Labs and they're simply the best dogs I've ever had. The only problem I had with both was that up until age 2 or so, they would chew everything they could get their teeth on to kindling.

The key to it is to wear them out with activities of one sort or another. It helps if you've got a pool. Most Labs take to water like a duck. Problem is, in the first two years, it's virtually impossible to wear them out.

Great dogs, though.

441 posted on 07/15/2005 3:55:07 PM PDT by Euro-American Scum (A poverty-stricken middle class must be a disarmed middle class)
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To: thompsonsjkc
To get the full effect of a Lab in "orbit", you need to see it done live . . . but here's a photo of a yellow Lab in "butt tuck" mode -

Just imagine this dog at top speed with the bottom and tail tucked under like this. It looks really strange!

442 posted on 07/15/2005 5:46:40 PM PDT by AnAmericanMother (. . . Ministrix of ye Chace (recess appointment), TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary . . .)
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To: JulieRNR21
Georgio is one handsome kitty!

I have two Blue Points and a Lilac Point -


443 posted on 07/15/2005 5:49:24 PM PDT by AnAmericanMother (. . . Ministrix of ye Chace (recess appointment), TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary . . .)
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To: AnAmericanMother

Ah yes, now it's clear. My chocolate has done that when playing with one of the other dogs or with me. It is hilarious. She runs around in circles like that.

Man Labs are weird.


444 posted on 07/15/2005 7:59:48 PM PDT by thompsonsjkc
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To: Euro-American Scum

My first was half lab and half Irish Setter mix. He had the same kind of chewing problem and it took a tremendous effort to exhaust him. I had a good friend at work who had two sons, one about 5 and the other 6 or 7. He and I entered into an anti-dog/anti-kid conspiracy. I brought my dog, then about 8 months old, to his house on Super Bowl weekend. He, his wife, and I agreed I'd sick the dog on the kids and they'd sick the kids on the dog, all while the adults watched the game. We agreed in advance that no adult would intervene absent serious physical injury to dog or kids.

It worked perfectly. The dog and the kids created a closed circle of energy dissipating pandemonium and no furniture was damaged. The kids drove the poor dog under a couch where he stayed, exhausted, for the rest of the evening. The kids also got theirs since they were completely exhausted and slept soundly that night. We adults decided we'd come up with a real winner since we'd created a self-exhausting, substantially non-destructive energy dissipation machine.


445 posted on 07/16/2005 6:24:53 AM PDT by libstripper
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To: libstripper

Why didn't I think of that? -:)


446 posted on 07/16/2005 11:24:44 AM PDT by Euro-American Scum (A poverty-stricken middle class must be a disarmed middle class)
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To: RepoGirl

"I wonder what caused her to have the accidents? Possibly a nervous 'release' in anticipation of fighting? I wonder."

My Vet and I both guessed that it was a nervous/adreniline driven condition. Regardless, it was well worth cleaning up the mess and a few extra bonding exercises. I would also test her around that particular window and she still gets alerted upon nearing it......


447 posted on 07/18/2005 8:27:14 AM PDT by CSM ( If the government has taken your money, it has fulfilled its Social Security promises. (dufekin))
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