WELCOME TO
"FOR THE LOVE OF LABRADORS"
My goal with this blog is for you to enjoy your time here. Most of the posts talk about my experiences raising my two yellow Labrador Retrievers, some are just for fun, and others share the best dog related information and products I have found.

Use the tabs above for quick navigation. I have imbedded links for as much as possible so that you can find the resources easily from this blog. The links in the side bar are for websites that have been helpful to me. I hope that you find them useful for you and your canine "family member"

Monday, August 27, 2007

How time flys!!

I was just realizing after my last post that it was a year ago August 22nd that I started this blog. This blog's 1 year anniversary almost slipped past me unawares. Our home is such a different place now a year later.

The dogs and I have all come a long way from where we started a year ago. They have taught me so much!! I've learned you have to be "present in the moment" when you live with dogs. You can't tune out, every moment is just too rich with the "living of life" when you share it with a dog, not to mention two dogs. I can only imagine how "rich" life is over at "Lab Tails" with Elsie one of 4 labs, now a first time new mom of 8 puppies.

Then there are the great friends I've made while sharing my journey with you my faithful readers. Thanks for all the "Tail Wags" and encouragement.

Thank you Blogger for making it so fun and easy to share photos, thoughts, video's, and great links with others!!

Here's to another year of blogging!!

"Neverland . . ."

"Finding Neverland" is one of the movies in my favorites collection. So it should come as no surprise that when I hapt on the following quote I had to post it here.

A dog is like an eternal Peter Pan, a child who never grows old and who therefore is always available to love and be loved.

–Aaron Katcher, American Educator and Psychiatrist

Thank-you to all the wonderful dogs in our lives that keep us young at heart, teach us to laugh at ourselves by letting us laugh at them, and love us unconditionally!!!

Friday, August 24, 2007

Reality Check!

I occasionally follow a fun blog called "Just Golden". Today I read what has to be one of the best blog post rants ever. Here it is for you to decide for yourself.

Thursday, August 16, 2007
"O" really?
Apparently the new issue of O Magazine includes a piece where "O" reflects on the choking death of her two year old Golden Retriever, Gracie.

"She never stopped moving. Was energy in motion. ... I have never seen a being, human or animal, always so full of joy," Winfrey says of Gracie, who ran amok and gulped food and treats. "This dog lived every moment as though it were her last."
A young Golden being spunky and eating everything that isn't nailed to the ceiling? Really? I'm shocked. Thanks for the heads up "O." "This dog lived every moment as though it were her last?" I'll say it again... that's how Goldens roll... and that is exactly why I love them so.

When I got to the bottom of the article linked above, I wanted to punch a hole in the wall after reading this:
Winfrey says she "got the message" to slow down and catch her breath when Gracie died.
So, "O," let me get this straight... you got the message to BREATHE because of Gracie's final moments gasping for air while people you hired to tend to the day to day obligations of dog ownership pounded on her chest in an attempt to dislodge the obstruction to Gracie's airway?

You can tell a lot about people by how they treat their animals.
All I can say after that is "Thanks for the reality check!!"

Monday, August 06, 2007

The rest of the story ...

It began here, I guess it really touched one of my buttons as proven here, and now for the rest of the story ...

---------------------------
Pappy's Fella said...

Joe,
Well, when Pappy ain't fetching, he's humping the puppies. I throw the ball to keep him from bein' incarcerated.

Sunshine,
Eh, I look at it as being an object lesson in the disadvantages of being too narrowly focused. Pappy needs to put his head on a swivel.

8/05/2007

Gus said...

Me n Teka used to have a lot of fun doing the same thing to Travis. Muzzer says you should be glad Pappy will retrieve! It is below my dingity.

8/05/2007

"Sunshine" said...

An "object lesson" ? You've got to be kidding, right?

8/05/2007

Delete
Pappy's Fella said...

Sunshine,
I understand your dislike, but can't say I feel as strongly about it. Of course I didn't have to work very hard to reinforce the whole retreiving response. I've been bothered at times when it seemed too rough, but often it draws Pappy out of the shell of ballchasing and into social play. In truth I've had much more disturbing problems with other dogs chasing his ball and getting aggressive if he grabs it first.

Gus,
Yeah, neighbor dog Molly likes to give Pappy a hip-check if he isn't paying attention to her. That, or steal his ball and run off.

8/05/2007

"Sunshine" said...

Ah, I see, you are lucky to have nice, though denizen dogs at your park. You are lucky!!

8/05/2007

Delete
Pappy's Fella said...

Sunshine,
To me it all looks like kids playing, but maybe that's a warped perception from being raised in an all-boy house. It reminds me of when we'd be watching TV and my brother would swat me with a pillow until I reacted, and then he'd try to bury me in sofa cushions. Good times.

8/06/2007

"Sunshine" said...

Ah, I see perfectly now, you are very right!!

You reminded me of hours spent watching my brother wrestle with his friends. I sat on the sidelines wondering what the fascination could possibly be.

Perhaps this is just the perspective I needed to adjust mine a bit. Thank-you for that. I guess I needed to get over my initial inclination to be an over protective mother.

I love your blog. Your sense of sense of humor and view of things is refreshingly humorous and unique!!

"Sunshine"

8/06/2007

Sunday, August 05, 2007

Stop making excuses ...

I can't tell you how much I can relate to this post today. "Slam-Dunking Pappy" With two Yellow Labradors that I have encouraged with food rewards to have a consistent retrieve, I often loath dog parks.

My motivation for rewarding the consistent retrieve was to reinforce a strong off leash recall, and still allow my dogs to get the extensive exercise they need. This of course means that my dogs love to retrieve. They are often the only ones in the group that will stick with the activity more then the initial five minutes the other dogs will give to it. That's when the "denizens of the dog park" turn their fun into a cruel game.

I think what pisses me off the most is the fact the owners of these denizens think it is funny, or cute, or "their just being dogs." I'm sorry, but that to me is a total cop-out. These owners in my experience do not fully have the respect or off leash control of their dogs. There is no way for them to stop or control the behavior of their dog in this cruel game. So, they make excuses for it by down playing what is actually happening.

My dogs can be seriously hurt, most of the dogs that enjoy this game are tough, compact, low to the ground little tanks. At the very least they at least have the advantage of planning the impact and are prepared for the hit.

I actually had one woman who's dog was doing this one day tell me that my dogs needed to be "more aggressive". "Are you insane", I thought, "more aggressive!!!!!" I chose the breed of dog I did largely on their temperament, I live in a dog dense community with one in every house if not every other. I have corrected even the slightest toy possessiveness in our home of two dogs, as well as in play with other dogs - even if it is their toy. It's not "my dogs job" to tell your dog he's "being a shit head", that's your job, and if you can't see it I'm going to tell you, "your dog's being a shit head," and that "you need to do something about it," as it's "your fault" for not being able to redirect your dog. My dogs do not deserve to be your dogs punching bag!

I'm tired of people who make excuses for their dogs behavior just because of their breed, "Oh, he's a terrier - it's just what they do," or "he's a herding dog - they love to herd," the classic, "he's a bull dog their just stubborn, there's nothing I can do about it." All I hear is, "I'm a lousy owner who has not respected the breed of dog I chose enough to work hard to make them safe in any situation when socializing with other dogs."

Ok, I'm done ranting!!