Hi, just wondered if anybody can help. I have a 7 month old choc lab called Harvey, since he was about 4 months he has suffered from terrable conjuctivities, itchy skin and smelly ears. Many trips to the vet and an operation later they have said that it is a form of alergies. The vet has said that it is very unusual for such a small pup to suffer like this. He's currently undergoing tests to try and narrow it down. just wonderd if anyone else had experienced this and what helped best. He's so gorgeous, it seems so unfair that he has to suffer so much from such an early age.

hi there my husband and i are newly weds and we have just bought a beautiful chocolate lab who is 11 weeks old. he is toilet trained and walks great on the lead. recently he is started stealing everything and anything to chew but also is barking a lot. mostly the barking is at me when im trying to discipline him. ive tried everything but no luck. he is soo cheeky

hi, I have just recently "rescued" a chocolate labrador from an ex-partner of mine, i have been letting him sleep on my bed at night and i allow him to curl up with me on the sofa, i live alone but do have a parner so his sleeping on the bed with me isnt a concern of anybody else's but i just want to know am i doing the right thing, is there a problem with him sleeping in the same room as me at night, or allowing him to curl up on the sofa with me, he's not just a pet he is my buddy and we have bonded quicker than what i would have imagined in a short space of time.

hi. i have recently bought a black labrador, she is 7 weeks old. i have tried my best but she will not do a poo on newspaper. i dont want to let her in the garden as we have another dog and she hasnt had her vaccinations. she is well settled sleeping well, eating and drinking and is generally happy. she wees on the paper but wont poo ... any suggestions? x

Hi, I have a beautiful 14 week old choc lab who is incredibly chilled and good natured. He is already house trained and beautifully behaved. Our problem is he refuses to walk on the lead away from our home. If I put him in the car and take him to the park he is fine, but leaving our house (which in on a quiet cul-de-sac) is impossible, even tempting him with treats.He does not appear to be frightened just stubborn. He will just sit or lie down and refuse to move. Any ideas please? Many thanks.

hi, pls help - why does my dog go out and have a pee at night before we go to bed and then pee indoors overnight - is there something wrong with her?

we are intending to create a pen in our garden where our chocolate labrador can live during the day in a dog house. can any body advise me of the kind of size we would require.

many thanks

steve

hi me and my partner have been thinking bout getting a dog and have fell in love with chocolate labs. we know how much work they can be and are both prepared to train them properly from day one.The only problem is that we both work full time and although i work 4 days a week and my partner works alternate shifts so the puppy would not be left alone for a whole day i wouldnt want to leave it with the free run of the house. At the same time though i have thought about a cage for the dog but wouldnt want to leave it in a cage for too long! We both said that we would walk it morning and evening during the week and be with it all the time at weekends. i would like to know what people think and whether they think we have enough time to give to this breed of dog before we procced in getting one? all your comments would be helpfull
thanks.

At long last we get our 1st female lab pup nxt month . I would like to get her neutered but am not too clear on when to do it - so much conflicting advice . Obviously I'll ask the breeder when we vist her at 5 wks old but till then I wouldnt mind a rough guide so I know what to expect - also what happens when they're in season ie blood loss etc.
Thanks in advance xx

I today brought a DAP collar for our 7 week old chocolate lab puppy who has not been sleeping very well since we got him on saturday. I went to my local petshop today and was recommended a DAP collar as it apparently has a real calming influence on a young disallousioned puppy in a new home. i have now fitted it and am hoping for a bit more sleep tonight.

Has anybody had any success with the DAP collar?

many thanks for your time.

steve

I was advised that walking my puppy for 1 hour each day was too much as their bones are not fully formed and not able for it. I was advised to do a 5 minute walk around the block. My chocolate lab pup is almost 4 months old. Can anyone advise?

my choco lab still tiddles in thehouse (now 3) and i have done everything to combat even gone back to basics don;t know what else to do, hub is getting v. fed up = am i the only one?

I was wondering if anybody could offer me some advise please. me and my partner brought our 6 week old male chocolate lab home yesterday morning. We had a great day bonding with him but it all started to go wrong when we went to bed. we settled the puppy down in its bed in the kitchen and gave him plenty of toys and a hot water bottle. he seemed very settled when we left him, but he then started crying and whining after about half an hour. we resisted our temptation for 20 minutes or so to see if it would stop but it didnt. my partner then went and calmed him down and got him settled again. pup then slept for a further 3 hours before making his loud noises again. fearing for what our neighbour would say, my partner then went down and settled him again. puppy then slept through until 5.30am before deciding it was time to get up. we had hoped he would sleep in longer than this, but we got up with him.

i have sought lots of advisce from people today but their views tend to differ. some say we must leave the puppy to cry himself to sleep and he will learn that way after a few nights. The other opinion is that he is still only 6 weeks old and we should still reassuring him when he cries and settling him down again.

we cant afford a create, which i am sure will be suggested - we wouldnt have room for one either.

could someone please offer me some advice as i am dreading a second sleepless night tonight!

many many thanks

steve

We recently came home and found our dog having a fit. We brought him to the vet, who initially thought he had been poisoned but that wasnt the case. He had another fit 4 weeks later and was again brought to the vet. They thought this time it was epilepsy but the fits were to severe for that. The vet took blood and sent it off for analysis but all tests came back clear and they are none the wiser to what is causing the fits. Just wondering if anybody else had experienced anything like this and had found out what was causing the fits. Thanks for your help.

We are soon to get a lab puppy. 6 weeks after ours is ready to come home we have the opportunity of getting a second lab puppy from another breeder. We've always hoped to have two dogs, but i'm reading conflicting information about the wisdom of having two puppies together. I want to do what's right by our puppy and so am happy to wait until our first puppy is grown up. Both puppies would be male. Is it true that the dogs are likely to form a stronger bond with each other than with us, and then be hard to train? And is it true that once they get past puppy stage they could have dominance issues and hate each other? On one hand i can see the logic of getting two puppies past puppy stage once and for all, on the other i know it would be hard work. However hard work is one issue, but dogs that aren't happy together is another. I'd appreciate some words of wisdom from experienced dog owners!!! Thanks very much! M

Our nearly 6 month old lab is not getting the message to stop stealing things from the kitchen table and work top. When she does it we firmly say NO and put her in the garden for a bit. I know this is quite typical lab behaviour but neither of our previous dogs were quite this bad. We do try to keep food out of her reach but she is a complete opportunist and nabs anything she can and legs it! She is still on 3 feeds a day, she had dried food and her weight is 18kg. Any advice would be much appreciated.

I have a 8 month old male choc lab, who last week saw the vet and has colitis. He had a antibiotic and anti inflamatory injection and we kept him on a bland diet for 48 hours, chicken, white fish and rice. He normally eats Hills dry large breed puppy food which he was weaned on and has been on ever since. The vet told us to add a handful of bran to 1 meal a day as he is not emptying his anal sac by himself and it will bulk up his stools. This worked for a few days but we have been up most of the night with him as he is now passing loose frequent stools again, but no blood this time. If this continues we will obviously go back to the vets tonight. I was just looking for some advise from anyone who has experianced this.

Im not sure if I should change his food to see if that help, but im worried as he is still on puppy food. He seems very un-bouncy today, still happy to see us but more placid than usual and normally as other Lab owners will know his is normally quite crazy.

Thanks for any advice you can give to help me make Otis a happy puppy again

Hi there ,i have a large 11 month old choc lab and im getting conflicting views about when to bring him off puppy food . I have been told by vets at 12 months , someone on hear states 18 months and another(breeder,i think ) states adult food as soon as pups are homed . On top of all this conflicting info there are also junior foods avalible ! I want to do the right thing so any replies would be much apprieciated .
Thanks Eliot .

hi there i have a 16month old choc lab called rupert, he is fit and active showing no signs of pain, but when he walks he ha a clicking in his back leg, we have been to the vets and they told us its not his hips can anybody else relate to this and tel me wot else i can do for him thanx liz

My partner and I have been considering a dog for a long while and have fallen for the chocolate lab. We both understand the total responsibility of owning a dog and are both very active, fit and outdoors people.

My main concern is that in 1.5 years I will finish at university and will be (hopefully) finding fulltime work. I totally appreciate that it is not always fair to leave a dog alone all day. So we have decided that when this time comes (Septmeber 2010) my parents (who have 2 dogs) will come and take the dog out for an hour twice a week. We will then employ a dog visiter three days a week to let the dog out and play in the middle of the day.

Do you feel that this is sufficient, along with a walk in the morning, a walk in the evening, long walks at weekends. Plenty of training inside the house and at classes and lots of love and attention.

Or do you feel that working full time (both being teachers, so plenty of holidays too) is totally unfair for a dog?

Thanks for your views

I hope someone can help - Im driving myself mad researching each and every dog food !! We should be getting a lab pup very soon . I asked the breeder what they use - Beta (purina). Me being me had to go and analise the ingredients/nutrition and noted that though it seems to contain all the puppy/dog needs - the quality is low ie meat deratives, 'cereals'. So I look at all the others (again!) and find that they've all got their pluses and minuses ie too high protein but pure ingrediants.
I feel in someways I should stick to what the breeder uses (met his (show)dogs and they look great on it) however it's a worry when many people ie on forums condemn lower priced foods such as betas saying they could shorten the dogs lifespan..
It would be great to hear from someone whos had labs :)

Hi
My partner and I are soon to get a labrador puppy. I'm also about to buy a car. I'm not an experienced driver so am hoping for a smallish car. However i'm mindful that our puppy will eventually be a full size dog. I've no experience of car owning or trying to fit a dog in one. Can anyone advise what's the smallest kind of car i could get that would be suitable for the labrador? I don't intend to use it for long journeys, no more than 20-30 mins as my partner's car is a big volvo more suitable for long journeys.

Thanks so much for any advice.

M

Hi All, i'm new here so please be gentle...

My query is this - our chocolate lab is now 11 months old and is absolutely brilliant in most ways, i.e - temperament etc.., but he just seems to be a different 'shape' to mostly all the other labs i've ever seen.
Basically he is a big dog, with a long body and long legs - he can actually stand on his back legs and put his paws on my shoulders ( i'm 5 foot 9" )
I understand that he might be just a big dog and its as simple as that, but his legs are so long, etc..
For info - we bought him as a pedigree with paperwork...

Sorry if this is a daft query,
Atb paul

I have a 21 week old chocolate labrador puppy and at the moment she is on 3 meals a day. I was wondering if anyone could advise me on when to cut down her meals to 2 a day and when it is the right time to put her on adult food.

Hello everyone.

Does any one know the Laws concerning owning Pit bull terriors ????
Whilst walking in my Local park on Sunday Evening, my wonderful 14 month old Black lab, who adores everyone and everything wAs attacked by one of these evil dogs, much to the ammusement of it's male owner who I feel certain was obviously high on Drugs, as the cigarette he was smoking smelt absolutelY awfull.
Fortunately there was a Gentleman walking his Lab on the park and assisted me in getting this Pit bull off my por Lad unfortunately he was also bit on the hand. When we challenged the owner of the Pit Bull he just grinned and casually walked off with his dog still of the lead......
I arrived home very upset allthough thank God my Lab Charlie was not as badly injured as I first thought.
I telephoned the Police and to be perfectly Honest I was given the oppinion hey didn't want to know!
The park is frequented by numerous young Children,which if attackd by one of these dogs would be left with serious injuries. These Evil dogs/owners should be banned from such public places.......

Post Reply

Hi, we're looking for two male lab pups and would like to find some recommended breeders to talk to. Can you recommend anyone? We're looking for all the usuals: low hip scores, excellent temperaments. Thanks, Si and Jody (Cardiff)

Hi there - were getting a puppy really soon hopefully (have our name on a waiting list). Anyway I need to get something clear on the subject of crate ... I have one and intend on using it and am a firm believer in them . However I keep reading that you only leave in there no longer than 2 hrs. But what about night time ? Does that mean you dont use it at night ? Or that you get up every two hours .... please no !!!!! Or because they are asleep can I leave it in there from bedtime till rising ? I'd feel dreadful if it was stuck in there surrounded by its own poo. Most people i know dont use them and have chewed up kitchen by the morning - not to mention the odd puddle or poo ... I want to use one for it's own safety - dont want it sliced open by the vet to retrieve half our lino etc.
Thanks for advice :)

is it right to bring a chocolate lab puppy, up on rice pudding?if someone could reasure me that this ok to do this, thanks.

HI - We'd like to add a wee chocolate labrador pup to our family!

We are based in Ayrshire: have 2 children (12 + 5), I work from home (with large garden!) and we have a caravan right on the seashore in the South West coast where we spend almost every weekend and holiday. We're looking - ideally - for a chocolate lab bitch and it would be very much part of the family.

Although we have no need for pedigree or any special 'features' - we're just looking for a gentle, loving family pet - we are very wary of puppy farms and rogue sellers and would like to find a pup from a reputable home/breeder.

Does anyone know of any litters available now or in the near future.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Hi there,

We have been thinking about getting a puppy for a few months now but wanted to wait until we had a suitable space (which we now do) to keep one however, despite us really wanting to
keep one we're not sure our lifestyle is suitable. My partner and I both work full time (although we do both sometimes work from home too - Fridays I do) and we're both at home at weekends.
We would love a puppy but really don't want him/her to be sad during the day and not get enough exercise, or proper training.

Appreciate there could be many opinions on this subject but are keen to hear your thoughts.

Many thanks!

Hi, our 11 month old pup (is he still a pup %26 where did that time go??!!??) Eric is awaiting a hip replacement at the end of the month. Consequently, he hasn’t been exercised since the beginning of February but has been surprisingly very well behaved. He has however started chewing his claws. Is this normal?, is it boredom? Thank you in advance.

Hello

We rehomed a black labrador from the dogs trust over the weekend. Hes 5 years old and was a stray from Ireland, thats all we know on his background. Plus hes also a little under weight but we are working on that.

Our problem is that we do not want him to go upstairs at home (we currently use a stair gate), however when we go to bed hes keeping my partner and i awake all night long. It seems that hes either anxious or scared being left on his own and starts to cry. He does have a bit of a kennel cough and this seems to get worse at night-time when hes on his own, this and he doesnt seem to settle and appears to be scratching / itching himself more than he normally does along with panting heavily!

Last night i ended up bringing him upstairs in the middle of the night and letting him sleep on the landing in his bed with our bedroom door open so that he can still see us. Hes fine then and after awhile he began to settle down. He does not appear to need the toilet and has water etc, i have let him go outside but he just sniffed around and did not do anything!

Please can anyone help with this. Im hoping that this is just a time / insecurity thing that will get better in time. The dogs home have said not to take him for walks etc until he gets his next booster injection this Friday and also has his castraion stitches removed, so we are unable to give him the full exercise he needs to wear him out until this coming weekend. We are able to play with him in the garden, although i believe this is not enough for him.

Please help with leaving him alone at night-time!

Thankyou, Dan

After much debate , umming and ahing , research etc we have decided on a choc lab pup for around mid late summer this year . We live in Scotland and were pleased to stumble upon a seemingly good breeders website. We emailed them and were pleased to be told that they may have a choc litter in the early summer .
However they give the sires elbow score as 0:1 (he is chocolate). We note he has been bred from before and there are many testimonials on the site - plus he is shown . I'm just wondering how much of a negative this score is for the puppy itself - I understand the elbow scores go to 3 - so 0 is ideal . Would a good breeder breed from a dog with such a score ?
Also - they say they home their pups between 7 and 8 wks .. again is this something a good breeder would do ? I thought it was 8wks plus.
Finally on a positve - the breeder has great testimonals, obvious affection for each of their dogs and has invited us to meet them and their dogs and if were happy (and presumably they're happy with us) we can discuss going on a waiting list.
Overall it seems ideal however I'd seriously appreciate opinions form other good breeders / experienced lab owners re the elbows (and 7-8 wks rehoming age)
Thank you
Mrs Dalton.

Hi, I have found this site today and have found it really interesting looking through and all the dogs and some of the questions asked. I have a 3yr old black bitch who i have had since she was a puppy who is mainly a pet but does get to come picking up when i go out with my husband shooting (only in the sunshine and defently not when its raining or cold, the dog doesn't mind but I do!!) The reason i am writing this message is because we thought that Tilly was in pup, I used to own a choc lab male called Toby but due to having 2 children under 3 and work where i could only take one dog i regretable had to re home him. Tilly and Toby tied twice and now really should be the time that she has them! She is now 59 days and has milk in but has started to lose weight and has stopped eating. I have taken her to the vets who said they are 80% sure she is in pup but that it defently won't be very many if she does. I am just wondering if there is anyone else that has had this problem with their bitch and could answer me whether she is showing signs of having puppies. If she soesn't i also want to know about stud dogs, ie what i should look for, I know everyone takes about hip and eye score but i thought this was just if you were breeding from your dog all the time.
Tilly like i say has 2 children as playmates. My son is now 3 and adores Tilly and my daughter is 1. When i brought my daughter home from hospital everytime she cried for the first 6 weeks Tilly would jump up at the door and whine until someone went over to her and told her everything was ok. My children can play in the garden and i can guarentee that anyone unknown to the family would not get entry into the garden. She has a very good bark!!
Sorry i really have gone on a bit but i am startting to get a bit worried about her.
Many thanks
Maryann and Tilly

we're waiting.... long overdue pics...
don;t forget denver and toffee
please
we miss you

I have advertised before but am just updating my profile. I am looking for a labrador if anyone needs to rehome one. I lost my golden labrador about 2 months ago now who I dearly miss. I do help walk at the Local Dog Trust I live near as its the nearest I can be with a dog and do like to help out. I live on my own but would very much like the opportunity to have another labrador within my life again.

Regards

i got a chocolate lab in december 2007 from a lady in bickerstaff in Lancashire. the litter was born 18 september 2007 and it was a litter of 10 ( 8 bitches and 2 dogs). We did not receive any pedigree off her at the time and have been unable to contact her. Does anybody have information on how i might be able to retrieve this information anywhere as i have been told that pedigree litters are registered after birth... I hope somebody might be able to help.

Hi my name is John and i have a lovely chocolate lab of four years old and am looking into breeding her, can anyone tell me please what the acceptable score is for hips and eyes. also any info
regarding good stud dogs in northamptonshire, the stud dog must carry the correct genes as i will want chocolate pups. thanks in advance

We have a 9 month old chocolate puppy, Tasha, who we adore. She is very well behaved although she has her moments as they all do! She loves other dogs and we are thinking of adding another dog to our household. We will get a rescue dog, whether it be from lab rescue or somewhere else. I need some advice on how to go about this without upsetting Tasha. She is very friendly and sociable, we have never heard her growl yet and when we went to choose her she was under a pile of other pups who were crawling all over her, she is so loving. What age dog should we look at,younger or older than her, should we get a pup or a grown dog? Should we get a dog or a bitch (we are having Tasha spayed after her first season). Should we get another lab or doesn't that matter? Should we wait until she is a bit older? We just don't want to do anything to upset Tasha. She has a routine (I work from home) and she is very good at amusing herself and seems happy enough with just me around during the day but I sometimes wonder if she may like a playmate. Does anyone have any expereince of getting a second dog and when is a good time etc. - we would just welcome some advice and guidance on this please?
Many thanks
Karen

we have had brandy 6 weeks had him at the vet when he was 10 weeks due to blood in very loose stools, he is now 17 weeks and noticed this morning loose stools again with blood have changed his food could that have anything to do with this?