From the mail bag...

A question I hope will help others...

Hi Sunshine,

I have been combing your website among other resources since this past friday (8/15) when my husband and I adopted two adorable lab puppies. We have two 8 week old male yellow labs that are absolutely adorable! We had planned on adopting two so that they would have a playmate for life -- and company during the day while we are at work. I have to say -- I hadn't done any research into raising littermates before we adopted... I had looked into various dog breeds to match what suits our personality and lifestyle best -- and labs are such wonderful family dogs that we thought they should be ideal!

We have started our two boys in separate crate training already -- from day two with us... they cried all night the first night -- but last night went in and slept soundly all night -- from 12:00 to 5:45 am! I was amazed! And we have them crated during the day -- but have a dog walker scheduled for an 11:00am and 2:00pm walk -- for each separately daily... and I have met a trainer that will be coming to us for a consult this weekend and getting them started in puppy training classes in a couple of weeks -- separately of course.

I guess I am just looking for a little reassurance that if we follow the guidance that these will grow to be good mates for each other... I have seen a lot of information about male and female mates raised together -- but I am wondering if you have any insight on raising two males...

I don't want to do wrong by them -- or wrong by us as we have no children at present -- but will be starting a family sometime in the coming year, so I want to have happy dogs with our family in the future. We haven't been to the vet yet, so I am hoping to receive solid guidance from them regarding whether we need to "un-do" our decision to adopt two male labs at once... I would be heartbroken to do it -- but if it were best for the dogs I think it is still soon enough to find another home for one of our puppies...

I would really appreciate any insight you can offer... I have been on a rollar-coaster of anxiety since saturday morning...

Thanks, M

Here are my thoughts...

Dear "M",

There are good reasons why trainers and veterinarians will often discourage owners from having two dogs.  I'll be the first to admit that ignorant owners have run into some serious problems by raising two puppies not to mention litter mates together.  And it is their trainers and veterinarians that are most active in discouraging it.  There are emotional/behavioral not to mention health risks to maladapted sibling dogs, and this does not take into consideration the financial havoc they can have on ones personal finances.

But that does not mean that it is impossible or the worst possible thing to do.  Breeders do it all the time.  The greatest advantages they have over the average person  is knowledge and the commitment of time, not to mention space if you are raising big dogs. Both these hurdles can be overcome by dedicated caring dog owners willing to aquire the necessary knowledge and skills that raising two dogs requires.

If you are out there looking for information, wanting to do it right you are on the right track already.  The next step is to have a trainer you trust to work with.  I have written about the trainers we worked with both good and bad in this blog.  Just search the blog using the search feature in the right hand column with the word "trainer" to find those posts quickly.  Also realize that if you do not find a trainer you like or the cost of professionally training two is a challenge, then consider the training book by Pat Miller as a good starting point for your basic obedience skills.  Also arm yourself with good books on dog behavior in general.  Hopefully some of the books I have highlighted on this blog are helpful for you. For me they have been invaluable.

Trust yourself!!  You are right, this is good practice for starting a family.  You will have to set boundaries, have fair expectations from day one, and remember constantly that every moment with your dogs is a learning moment.  There are no "Oops, I didn't really mean that" do overs, or "I want today off, please".  Especially in the first two years, every interaction with them teaches them how you expect them to behave.  

But most of all have fun!!  That's why you added two beautiful dogs to your family, so enjoy them and this first fun year completely.

Best wishes,

Andrea

P.S. If any of my other readers want to chime in with advice for "M" please feel free in the comments section.  I love my readers and they have taught me a lot as well!!

From the mail bag...

Sorry it's been a while since I posted. Between a lovely vacation at the Mendocino coast and my niece staying with us for two weeks this summer things have been busy. My inspiration for todays post comes from one of you, "my awesome blog readers".

On 7/23/08 Edward said...
I found your blog via google, and 1 month into having 2 lab puppies (boy/ girl) from the same litter.

Did you follow the guidelines in the second article (feed, walk, sleep, play separately) verbatim, or take some separation more than others?

Thanks
Edward

Dear Edward,
If you read through the posts in the tab "RAISING TWO DOGS AT THE SAME TIME" you get a feel for what we did with the dogs together and what I made every effort to do with them apart as well. But in short here's a recap:

We have always fed them together. Nutmeg always eats on Shelby's right side. They were the ones who settled into the "whose on which side" arrangement and we then kept it that way.

After the first week, and we should have done it from day one, they have slept in different crates. They were in the same room but there was a visual barrier between the crates until they were I believe 2 years old. It was around the time I posted that we had crossed the milestone of being able to leave the crate door open and have them stay in their crate until released in the morning.

I did as much walking, play time, and basic obedience training with them separately as I could. However, I also practiced their obedience skills together. I know I posted a while back about how I felt it was important for them to be able to follow basic obedience commands together and not be distracted by the other being present. I bought two dogs to enjoy two well behaved dogs together. And at three years of age I can honestly say that's what I have. I guess it my case " you get what you train for". They are not perfect by any means, but we all worked hard to have the basics rock solid. The freedom that allows us is priceless!!

As for verbatim... I have followed nothing I've read "verbatim". I think it's a dangerous thing to do. Even in your search for doing it the right way, don't loose sight of the fact they are your dogs and they each have unique personalities and temperaments. Each one has different needs and is going to respond to training methods differently. Also, being your dogs there are things that will be a part of living with you and your family that are unique. You may have a couple rules of your own that it will be important for them to learn. In my humble opinion it is more important to be keyed into them and how they are responding than worrying about following some training/raising formula verbatim. That being said I have strived to follow closely the principals shared in everything Suzzane Clothier has written from her vast training knowledge and experience with dogs. You can see the other "must have books" for me on my bookshelf on this blog. I have read others, but these have been the biggest influence on how I raised my dogs. I believe raising dogs is as diverse as raising kids. My sister and I have had countless conversations about this and we both just laugh when we can relate to each others experiences. I with my two dogs, she with her two boys.

Please don't think I am down playing the importance of doing things separately with your dogs. I had to work twice as hard for a time for not having put in the necessary separate time earlier. I was fortunate to have had the ability to be with them 24/7. It's part of the reason my husband and I were willing to take on two at one time. Do I think that 24/7 is the only successful way to raise two, NO! But don't fail the dogs by taking on more then you can truly manage.

The most important reason you want to have the separate activity time is that you want the dogs 100% keyed into you not each other. It's not about dominance it's about investing enough time in the relationship that they will willing give up what they want to do for what you want them to do. If one decided to chase a squirrel and it is not safe, you are going to want to have the decisive third opinion in this decision. It may save both their lives in any number of possible scenarios. In more general terms you want them to be looking to you, or deferring to you for key decisions on their behavior instead of each other. This can be as simple as how they greet people at the door or out in the community, to stopping them dead in their tracks before they run into harms way.

I know that you are going to raise awesome Labradors. Just the fact that you are out there looking for all any information you can find tells me that those dogs are luckly to have such a great "Dad".

Good luck! The fun has just begun.

"Sunshine"

"The Diva"

In case your wondering why I fondly refer to her as "The Diva". Here she is at 8 months making sure Shelby knows who's boss.  Don't let that sweet face and demure personality fool you, she is 100% B ! ^ @ # (aka Diva) when it suits her.

Puppies & Grapes... Too cute for words

I know, I know, I know, grapes are potentially toxic for dogs.

A trip down memory lane

I had fun today creating a movie that is  a complication of video clips taken with my camera.  It brought back memories of the countless hours we spent together the first few months of their life.

Only time will tell - 2

Well so far so good ...

We had some good rain just after I spread out the enzyme deodorizer. That usually will set off Shelby on a "I'm not peeing there" fit. With two dogs using the same area you can imagine how the area can smell. However, not this time. Then today my husband raked off some of the early fall leaves that were beginning to cover their "business" area. Usually stirring up the rocks, especially when they are wet, will set off a pretty good nose tickle. Once again, not this time.

Here are some other things that we've noticed. Where some of the water solution that hit the fence it did not leave a stain or a residue on the wood, granted it's 30+ years old. Also the concrete driveway got some of the over spray. Now it no longer shows any of the stains left from where Shelby often "signs his name". At least that's what my husband calls it when he swirls the last of a stream off the rocks onto the driveway in what appears like a fancy cursive "S".

So far the "Yard Odor Killer", made by "NaturVet" is working well. A big thumbs up form us for now!!

Double the Pet Hair, Double the Fun

So what does it really mean to raise two yellow Labradors Retrievers together at the same time? Well here's my list:

• double the opportunity to capture the cutest puppy pictures ever
  
• double the puppy potty training accidents
• double the sweet puppy kisses
• double the walks during adolescence as each one was best walked separate
  
• double the training time at home
• double the joy greeting you at the door
• double the Labrador hair "tumble weed" clumps collecting at the edges of the hard wood hallway, and everywhere else for that matter
  
• double the warmth on a cold winter evening
• double the food for the UPS man to deliver every month
• double the poop to pick up
• double the pull when you walk them together and they both catch the same sent
• double the noise when a stranger comes to a door
• double the bed size taking up valuable floor space for their beds in the kitchen, office, and bedroom
• double the energy to burn, lucky they can tire each other out
• double the security when you're home alone
• double the leashes and any other equipment for that matter
• double the laughs watching their silly little games

And last but not least ...

• double the L O V E as only Labrador Retrievers can give!!!

You asked . . .

Taking a cue from a fabulous dog blogger over at "Pappy's Dog Blog" and his post: "Pappy Answers Your Search Term Questions" I have gathered some of the questions that have brought some of you here to "For the Love of Labradors". I offer no apologies for my sarcastic humor - it's just the mood I'm in.

Q: How much does Bark Busters cost?
A: Proprietary dogma is always over priced.

Q: Why keep my Labrador Retriever in a crate?
A: Depends how badly you want to have to remodel your house.

Q: What age do Labradors hit adolescence?
A: Much too soon and it lasts for much too long.

Q: What's really in pet food?
A: Have you been living under a rock this year?

Q: How do you hug a dog?
A: With your eyes open.

Q: How dangerous are Labradors?
A: How dangerous is the Labrador's owner?

Q: Where are Labradors on the dangerous dog list?
A: May be you should be asking, where are humans on the dangerous species list?

Q: When are Labradors not hyper any more?
A: When their owners no longer over react to their antics.

Q: Why does my Labrador love me?
A: Because he/she is a Labrador. It's what they and all dogs are born to do if we let them.

~~
J: You want answers?
K: I think I'm entitled to them.
J: You want answers?
K: I want the truth!
J: You can't handle the truth!
~~

Because we can't stay away!

Well, I'm long over due for a new post. Sorry for my MIA status of late. The summer so far has been busy and adventure filled with too many diversions to devote extra time to blogging.

While at the beach yesterday I was reminded of our last time there and my last post here. With this week finally slower than all those in between I decided to do some catch up.

June started off with our second, now annual, tradition of a week in Mendocino at our favorite dog friendly Bed & Breakfast. (Yes, they have cottages with enclosed attached fenced yards!!) This year we were actually brave enough to take the dogs canoeing with us. I can't say they were overly thrilled but it was fun to take them with us. We kept them leashed even in the canoe. Between the two beavers and the seal we saw up "Big River" I was glad they could not get any stupid ideas of getting a closer look themselves.



We returned Friday, and Saturday found me in bed all day with a 102° fever. By 5 pm I knew something was very very wrong. The doctor in urgent care confirmed my worst fears that strep throat had gotten the best of me. With glorious pain killers and my first dose on penicillin on board I finally got a good nights sleep Saturday night.

The next day my 13 year old niece flew in from Virginia. Ten days on penicillin is not my idea of fun. When I wasn't out drinking coffee so we could paint the streets red ( we went every where), I was napping off the side effects of penicillin. By forth of July I had finally ditched the drowsy, though much necessary drugs, and we were headed to Monterey for the fireworks. It was the first time the dogs were going to experience fireworks up close and personal but I was optimistic. True to their calling, my even tempered "gun dogs" took it all in stride. Shelby in fact snuggled in under a blanket with one of the teenagers with us and went to sleep. Nutmeg snuggled into my husbands chest and kept him warm from the cool ocean air. Not a single startle from either of them despite the "ooooohhhhs," and "aaaaaahhhhhhhs" all around us, not to mention the ground shaking noise of the exploding fireworks.

Our two weeks with my niece ended much to soon and the dogs and I found ourselves sulking as we missed our too soon departed companion. Fortunately my nephew's and family were down this weekend and a trip to the beach was just what the doctor ordered to cheer the dogs and I up. We all had a blast - as if there is any other option available when at the beach. It was a sunny, warm, and best of summer pacific ocean days. The water was even warm - of course you have to really love the ocean and live on the north west pacific coast to appreciate the subtlety of how warm it was. [subtlety: so delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyze or describe]

The past two months have flown by much faster than any other's this year. Through it all our dogs have been my constant companions. Now able to take my dogs every where with me, we are all enjoying the freedom that well trained dogs afford. I was reminded of this today as I was stopped in the parking lot of Trader Joe's (for those of you who do not know about Trader Joe's I am so very sorry!!!). I was giving the dogs some water and the back of the SUV was open. A lady came up and had to say "Hi" to the dogs. She laughed at Shelby's crazy over excited greeting and was impressed as he calmed himself down with a little coaching from me. Nutmeg of course charmed her in two seconds flat with her sweet soft gentle kisses of "hello". She was so surprised to hear that the dogs were siblings. Yes, they are siblings I reassured her, and no different than two children in a family, each with their own personality.

Despite the ease of the last several months, nothing is ever truly easy with a sensory driven overachieving dog (a very nice way of describing Shelby). Of course nothing of any value in life is ever easy. Nutmeg is my reassurance dog, reminding me every day that even though I may have gotten side tracked I didn't cause him to be this way. Shelby is the dog he was meant to be, and both dogs have a lot to teach me.

What we live for . . .

True to tide . . . we headed to the beach this weekend. With a full moon pulling tides nice and low the beach was the perfect Labrador playground. The dogs had a blast!!

We met up with several friends and their children. The 5 kids ranged in age from 1 1/2 to 6 years old. The dogs played fetch with them all much to the delight of the littlest one, who giggled with delight as Shelby raced back to drop the ball at his feet.

Can I just tell you now, that I love my dogs!!! They were so good with the kids, and the squeals of "my turn!, my turn!" were sweet echoes in my ears as the kids clammered to be the next one to throw the ball for the dogs.

It was a fun day, with memories of crazy, out of control, adolescent puppies drifting further and further into the soon to be forgotten past.

Being a tide watcher I added an awesome new widget to my sidebar that keeps track of moon phases. I like how clean and simple the interface is. I hope you enjoy it, if you are a moon watcher, for what ever reason. Here's the link: Moon Phase Module.

End of week "2 dog household" summary

So, we've begun to enjoy life with our two dogs on a completely new level. Specifically one of the things we are able to do now is leave their crate doors open at night. In the morning they wait for us to get up and release them to head out to the kitchen for their morning potty check and breakfast. The first night I actually forgot to close Shelby's crate I was quite proud of my boy. Then came the realization that we now would be enjoying the protection and security of two amazing watchdogs. God protect anyone entering our house at an un-godly hour of the night, as both dogs are no longer secured in their crates.

Then, we were working late yesterday evening on some end of week projects. It was around 11:30 pm when both dogs get up, stretch, do a wake up "shake off" and slowly saunter outside. We could hear them step on their pee rocks. Next thing we see, they're headed down the hall to their crates. Without a single prompt from us our two "fur children" have put themselves to bed. We've begun a new stage in the wonderful life with well trained dogs. They have settled into our routine and have begun to anchor to our normal patterns. Even though we had a bit more to do before we followed them, they had turned in for the night.

Today we made it to the beach and it was a beautiful day!! The dogs loved the extra fun and exercise at their favorite place to play. When I got home I have a message in my in-box with a link to the following YouTube video. Go check it out! This guy really has a sense of humor. I hope you enjoy!!

Have a nice weekend!

When in doubt - take the dogs swimming!

The past couple weeks have been very busy and stressful (see the end of my last point for the reason), so, this week was coming to a quick close with too many things still on my list of things to do.

One of those things was to give the dogs a bath. They were smelling a bit "gamey" and with how much my husband and I like to snuggle up with our dogs they were a bit over due for "freshening up."

So armed with my things to do and the shopping errands mapped out for most efficient maneuvering around town I started my day. The dogs got their run at the park, the groceries list was tackled and I was soon headed back to the house to finishing the laundry and bathe the dogs. As I turned down the last long stretch back to the house I realized that the water reservoir ponds were just a quarter mile away and I could kill two birds with one stone. Great exercise and a bath all at the same time. So I quickly turned around, and we were at the ponds in no time.

The dogs were thrilled and I was smiling myself. I needed this as much as they did. We all enjoyed a fun game of toss and fetch. I kept it short as the water is still quite cold but they loved every minute of it. Needless to say, although such a venture is not without it's charming wet and cold moments for me, I was drier than if I had given them bathes at home.

After a good rub down and a spritz of coat conditioner spray (Buddy Splash Spritzer - Lavender & Mint) on our return, the dogs and I were further down the list of things to do much easier than I had initially thought.

So next time you find your self debating "do I really have time to bathe the dog(s)" make it fun for both of you and take your dog(s) swimming.

A "Tired Dog" is a "Good Dog"

And now back to our regularly scheduled topic.

When you own a dog, not to mention a big dog, and he just happens to be a reactive big dog, you are very familiar with the idea that "a tired dog is a good dog." That being said, be very careful just how quickly you jump to this solution. The phrase should really be "a calm dog is a good dog." When I say calm I mean a dog that has self control, a dog that can self calm, one that can modulate it's own behavior on command. At the very least it is a dog that will hold a neutral position whether that is a "sit" or a "down" despite being excited, until they are calm.

When I started classes with Trish I figured that exercising them before class would help. It totally backfired on us. Instead of being easier to direct Shelby was even more "ampted" up.

My girlfriend who has a "reactive" female Labrador decided to put her in agility. The logic being that it would focus her energy and give her an outlet for all her extra energy. Her dog did well but in her second class she was bit by one of the other dogs. There are so many things that should have been done differently to avoid her dog getting bit but that's not the point here.

My point is however that an easily over excited dog should not have another over stimulating outlet for their energy until they have a bit more self control. If you want to hear from the experts as to what this should look like check out these great resources:

Guidelines For Teaching Self Control, by Suzanne Clothier
Understanding & Teaching Self Control, by Suzanne Clothier

At our house it looks like the following:

• Both dogs have to go to their bed and lie down quietly before each meal time. (Quietly being the operative word here when it comes to Shelby.)
• Even after their food is served they must wait until I give them the release command which in our house is simply "Release"
• If one dog is getting affection the other can not push in. They are told to "sit" and "wait". Whining and vocalizing gets them nothing but the command to "be quiet". Sometimes I have walked away without giving Shelby even a pat if he has been exceptionally demanding
• If we are going somewhere and they have gotten over excited they have to sit at the open door until they are calm and quiet before I "release" them outside.
• If they are overexcited and barking when we get to the park they have to lay down and not until they are quiet are they "released" out of the car.
• Our dog park is double gated at the entrance. My dogs have to hold a "sit stay" with their leashes off so I can go and open the second gate. They don't move to enter the park until they are "released".
  

This last one has a made a huge difference. Before I started insisting on this, Shelby would make such a racket that all the other dogs that were even slightly excitable would hover by the gate and charge him in their excitement as he entered. He never got hurt but it was enough to make me worry. Now even if we enter with him barking and whining by the time we enter the park any interested dog has lost their initial interest and my dogs can enter without getting mobbed. All around much safer for all the dogs.

One more point to keep in mind is that your dogs will take thier cues from you. It's hard wired into thier instincts as pack animals. When you raise your voice or talk sharply, a dog hears this tone as being excited, similar to barking. Realize that it will only reinforce their already excited behavior, and give them the idea that you are excited too, so it must be okay! Instead speak softly and in quiet tones to get your dog to calm down, and they'll realize soon enough it's not appropriate behavior for the situation.

Trust me this is not an easy thing to always practice when you own a "reactive" dog. They seem to be able to go from "zero to crazy" in a split second all on their own. I continue to struggle with keeping my voice calm everyday. That being said, it's good to keep reminding myself what my focus should be and why. Hopefully it will help you too, if you as well find yourself with a dog that needs self control as much as they need exercise.

"Keeping harmony in the family" - Living in a multi-dog household

If you haven't discovered Karen Shanley's blog yet, it's well worth your time. You can link to her blog anytime from the "button" I put in my right side bar, or you can check out the link in this post. Her blog covers more than just life with her dogs but when she shares her insights on her canine "family members" there's a lot to be learned. In her recent post she offers some great advice in answer to a very important question from one of her readers:

"How to Choose and Introduce a New Dog to an Old Dog"

Take some time to read this great post if you are even remotely considering adding a "family member".

If you are like me and started with two from the start you have my appreciation for the challenges this may have brought you. One of the things you may have not have noticed or considered is shared below. I contributed this to Karen's post in the comments section but on further thought realized that it could really stand alone when it comes to living in a multi-dog household wether or not you are introducing a new dog to a resident dog. I hope that between both posts you will gain some new insight that will make your life with your dogs even better.

My advice on living in a multi-dog household . . .
[taken from my comment on her post]

. . . one thing that may be important to consider in a multi-dog household is that “You” may become the prime target in resource guarding. It was my experience that the more intune I became with my dogs needs (especially during adolesence) the more I realized that when I was giving out affection to one the other would try to push them out of the way to get at me. I had to set up strict boundary commands and used a word they were already learning “Wait”. That meant, “stop, and wait for me to invite you to get some affection”. It was amazing how this improved the over all emotional health for both dogs. Nutmeg became less “needy” and Shelby began to demonstrate better “self-control” even beyond affection time.

Despite how flattering it is to have not only one but two dogs clammering for your attention don’t loose site of their needs in the process.

Another thing that helped build self confidence and anchor my dog’s bond and trust with me is seperate training, play, and affection time with each dog. I don’t know if this element is as important when bringing an older dog into the picture but I can’t see why it wouldn’t also hold ture, at least on some level.

On a side note: I love my two dog household, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I do however wish that I had known from the start what I know today. That being said there is a lot of truth to “experience being the best teacher”.

Does your dog listen to you when you whisper?

Over the course of the past 10 months I have re-thought all the interaction and training approaches I had fallen into in the first 8 months we were raising our dogs. The improvements in all our lives has been invaluable. My often OCD controlling dark side rarely surfaces anymore much to my husbands delight not to mention the dogs.

When we started this venture it was easy to let my voice escalate in volume when re-directing the dogs, not to mention the often increasing harshness in my tone of voice as I was saying the same command for the hundredth time. It was quite easy for it to go down hill from there quite quickly. The image of the tiny pebble turning into the gigantic snow ball that consumes everything in its path is quite appropriate here.

After much work, primarily on my part, and a little bit of maturing on the dogs part the harmony in our house is a beautiful gift. I fell into, by accident almost, giving my commands to the dogs in a whisper. Quiet peaceful moments are so special now that disturbing it with the sound of my voice does not seem right sometimes. I should not have been surprised when the request was immediately complied with but I was.

I'll be very honest, I don't whisper all my commands to the dogs. I do still raise my voice at times, and Shelby still seems to have that wonderful knack of drawing the "most charming" tone of voice out of me. (Yes, I'm being very sarcastic here.) But the more I remove my voice out of the equation the more I notice their active intelligent response to my request. They may think and pause a bit when all I give them is a hand signal and body language direction, but there is a lot less "arguing" and "back talk" especially from Shelby. (If you have a dog I'm sure you know what I'm talking about when it comes to "arguing" and "back talk".)

When my sister and I sit down to talk and share we often say, "yeah, I know what you mean." She however is raising to boys ages 4 and 6, while I have two yellow Labradors. "Impossible", you say, "how could you have anything in common with a mom of two boys?" Trust me when I tell you that we have more to commiserate about that I had ever thought.

Dogs are living breathing, feeling, emotional beings and anyone that says otherwise is missing out on the best part of owning and living with a dog. We all have emotional needs, to say otherwise is truly unfair. For me finding the least possible force to direct my dogs is what I am striving for. Right now adding in a whisper when ever I can is a great start for me.

Here's to whispering more and shouting less!!

The Truth about Cats and Dogs

As far as the cat's concerned, I wouldn't call this "love", I wouldn't even call this "like". When it comes to the dog, what I will call this is "respect". Whether that "respect" was for me and the rules of the house or for his sister is left only to my imagination. Needless to say it was a moment I was happy to have my camera on hand to capture the "drama" as it unfolded.
The cast of characters:
"Shelby" the Yellow Labrador,
"Bella" the reigning Queen of the House our cat.

"OK Mom, I know the vet said to have her eat next to us
to get her to accept us, but did you have to put her so close?"

"Wow, that actually smells real good!"

"Maybe if I just ignore her she'll go away and leave it there for me."

"Hmmmmm . . . , Do I eat her or do I go for that
awesome mouth watering food she's devouring?"

"This is just cruel Mom!"

"I'll just sneak a quick look, if I'm real
slow maybe she'll be nice and share."

"Mom, how much longer is this torture going to last?"

"I give up, I got to rest, the stress is killing me!"

"So Bella, can we make a deal here?"

"Never mind, I'm sure you're not interested anyway . . . "

Blogging on Blogger - now out of Beta!

When I started this blog I just wanted to share all I had learned and in that process hopefully help even just one other person improve their relationship with their dog. I hope that the information I have compiled here has helped someone do just that.

What I never considered would happen was this:
How cool is that! I speculated on how this happened here, but it wasn't until "Pappy's Fella" posted something similar that I even considered that a search for my dog's names, much less the terms "raising labradors" would give me back what I've worked on for the past 5 months. That's some Christmas present for me in my estimation.

As the "world wide web" continues to ebb and flow I look forward to riding the "waves". For now, to all my visitors - "Happy Surfing" to all of you. "Never Stop Learning" or "searching" as the case may be!!

Jury Duty & The Home Alone Twins!

I've been proud of the fact that my dogs have been minimally destructive throughout the past 19 months. I've even bragged to family about how good my dogs have been. I've left them in the past for 6 hours at a time with access even to the inside of the house with no problem. And then along came this week - JURY DUTY!

I was assigned to be part of the jury pool for a murder trial - ugh!! The first day they sent us home in the morning, unfortunately telling us that we would likely go all week as the final jury was chosen. The next morning I was up and out before my husband and the dogs were out of bed. Fortunately I was close enough to the courthouse that I came home for lunch, only to find this most charming "artistic" rendering strewn across the entire surface of my driveway.

I was so frustrated I couldn't say a word. After standing dumbfounded for several seconds I opened my cell phone and pix messaged the above photo to my husband. I knew what he had done without him even telling me. He decided to take one of his garage mats and leave it for them to lay on so that they "could be comfortable". Obviously they had other creative ideas when it came to the grey foam mat.

The next morning he assured me that any overblown compassion he may have felt the day before was gone. I suggested that when he left he should bring out all their bones to keep them occupied. My morning in the jury pool was exasperating as the lawyers began to interview the first group of 18 chosen as jurors. Several were dismissed and as the noon recess approached I began to dread the next roll call. Sure enough I soon found myself in a jurors seat being interview by the defence attorneys. By the time the noon recess was called I was juror #2. I had very mixed feelings at this point as much as I was willing to do my civic duty I had no desire to spend likely over a month of my life being dragged through the details of the murder. I don't enjoy TV shows or movies of this nature and I certainly didn't want to have it in my face, real life with no ability to turn it off or change the channel. I would be a very long and hard month.

This was my state of mind when I arrived home to fine yet another artistic rendering strewn across my driveway. My hope of enjoying my lunch snuggled up with my dogs went up in flames. There before me lay another wasteland. And the source of their artistic medium hung pathetically in tatters.

What had inspired this was beyond me. It's not like the fence had magically turned into beef jerky but from the looks of things you would have thought is was. Their throw-up and their poop over the next 8 hours was proof that some bizarre delusion had over come them. More had been eaten then I dreamed possible given the complete lack of enticing flavor that wood could possibly have had.

Once again I spent my lunch cleaning instead of getting my mind off my morning. The return to the court room was a dread. Obviously our driveway was in much need of dog proofing, dog proofing that I thought we were well past at this stage. When the lawyers took up their juror questioning again it was hard not to be frustrated at the redundancy in their line of questioning with some of the potential jurors. After a five minute recess the judge called us back into the court room and the lawyers were given the opportunity to dismiss jurors. When the defense turned and thanked me and said I was excused I could have jumped out of my seat. I happily stood and floated out of the courtroom. I was done, and obviously the dogs and the driveway were better off for it.
I categorized this photo under Humor as someday soon I'll be able to laugh about this weeks foray into my dogs hidden Picasso talents.

Part 3: Raising two Labrador Retrievers "at the same time" - A few things we have learned

I started this topic here and continued it here in responce to a reader's question as to what we had done specific to having a two dog houseold and raising two puppies at the same time.

Today I found a nice article on the web that addresses this topic very well.

• "DOUBLE TROUBLE . . . Raising Two Puppies At Once!", by Nancy Vollmer.

Many of the pit falls listed here we saw first hand and had to address as they came up. I hope you find the information helpful.

Another good article can be found here:

• "Raising Siblings" (Littermates) or Raising 2 Puppies at the Same Time, by Leah Spitzer

Yes, even the experts say you have your work cut out for you.

Is it worth it? Yes, it is!! Here is another womans perspective on the joys of a two dog household.

• "Two Dogs vs. One Dog", by Karen Shanley

Part 2: Raising two Labrador Retrievers "at the same time" - A few things we have learned

I started this topic here and am adding to it today.

Riding in the car:

• Don't - Have you ever gotten out of your car in a parking lot only to be accosted by the dog in the car next to you. The ear piercing barking is enough to make you jump out of your skin. You think for a minute you have entered the world of Steven King and "Kujo" is alive in the car next to you? Perhaps this perspective comes from my overly concerned mind but the responsibility is completely on us as dog owners. Weather we want to realize it or not dogs can be a huge liability especially given the ignorance and lack of understanding that exists out there in the public regarding dogs. Some like to call it the "Lassie Syndrome", perhaps the "Disney Fantasy" is better. Dogs are complex creatures and considering that as young dogs they are still learning about the world around them they can be unpredictable.
• Do - When it comes to riding in the car, even from the very first day, our dogs had to lie down and remain lying. Despite the always adorable looking, wind blown dog head out the wind, this is often accompanied by the barking over excited running back and forth between the windows dog as well. Well with two dogs that just wasn't happening for us. Perhaps later when they've matured a bit the restrictions can be loosened. For now however, our dogs are conditioned to lie down and remain down while in the car. For me it is much safer for driving, much safer for them, and it has been much more pleasant for others who may ride in the car with us. Despite their ever "adorable-ness" to me, not every one appreciates having their face bathed times two every time they ride in my car. I like to take my dogs everywhere I can. The rule is so rock solid that despite their eagerness to greet and get acquainted with a new friend in their car, once I say "lay down" down they go and down they stay even though they are in the very back of the car and I'm in the front seat. This has also carried over to when they are left in a parked car in the parking lot. No "Kujo's" here thank goodness!! What ever you personally decide to do just "be safe" and remember it's us who God has granted the higher intelligence and we need to take that responsibility seriously when caring for our dogs.

Once again my only disclaimer on this is that some of the rules and boundaries we have at our house are because we live in a neighborhood where we want to be conscientious of those around us, we want to share the limited open space respectfully with others, and we want the dogs to be able to politely join us out in the community.