Where to begin . . .

Hindsight is always 20/20.

There are many things that I wish I had known before I started my own adventures into the world of living with Labradors. Hopefully some of these resources that have been invaluable to me, even though I found them a bit later than I really needed them, will help you avoid some of the problems that I encountered.

• The first resource that any dog owner, regardless of breed, should have in their house are the two books by Pat Miller: 1) The Power of Positive Dog Training, and 2) Positive perspectives: Love Your Dog Train Your Dog

• Another absolute must for owners of every breed of dog are the resources of a brilliant women named Turid Rugaas: On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals.

• Then there is: The Whole Dog Journal.

None of the above recommendations cost very much at all and are worth far beyond their weight in gold. If you truly want to raise your dog(s) to be happy well mannered members of your family not to mention good citizens of the community you work, live and play in than start off on the right foot.

Yes, this past year was my first venture into living with two large dogs. So you may be saying to yourself "what could she possibly know about dogs", "she barely knows what to do herself". You may be right, but what I can tell you is that I've done my homework. I've run into problems and found nothing out there to point me in the right direction. I've spent countless hours doing research. I was fortunate to finally find a good trainer to work with who complimented what I was reading in these books. My "good trainer" did not cost me a small fortune or give me false promises. And, the first thing she invited me to do was come observe her classes. All signs of a good trainer - trust me on this!!

Perhaps that is why I felt inclined to start this blog. I remember running into trouble as my "boy" Shelby hit puppy adolescence and looking to see if there were any internet forums or blogs that had some insight to offer. I was open to anything; trainers, experts, even first timers like me who were out there sharing their knowledge. I found nothing really useful. What I did find were commentators on Amazon bashing alternate training books. This only left me spinning in circles between books. Most of the rest of what I found were forums with poor answers to real questions, nonsense web sights that were more concerned with the politics of training approaches and told you nothing of real value, or sites that pushed a product for a price.

The resources I've listed above come from people and entities who simply love dogs and want everyone to experience the full amazing benefits of adding a canine companion to your life. The links on this site will take you to good quality resources that I hope will help you as they have helped me. My hope is that this blog will be a starting point for you to find the answers you are looking for.