I went from wanting very little to do with dogs to being quite fond of dogs in a matter of weeks. Elli was responsible for the change. She was gentle, playful, faithful, and responsive to my emotions and displays of affection. There was just one problem... Her fur was so short! I wanted a golden retriever. I wanted a dog with soft, fluffy fur--you know, as fluffy as a cat's.
Elli worked as my guide for eight years. When I returned for training with a second dog, I once again hoped for a golden.
It wasn't meant to be. As I followed my instructor from my room to the lounge where I would meet the dog, I felt a bit taunted by the panting of the dog following her on a leash, just out of my reach.
"I have a black Lab for you," Jane told me once I was seated in the lounge. "Her name is Dori."
Dori captured my heart immediately despite not being a golden. I put my arms around her; and she wagged her tail excitedly. "I've never seen her so animated!" Jane exclaimed. I had won Dori's approval.
Dori and I spent the next hour and a half in the room. She spent most of that time pressed against me while I hugged her. She was a cuddler, and she remains a cuddler. She plays hard, but she occasionally stops her play long enough for a hug, during which she rests her head on a shoulder or knee.
Dori worked for two years before retiring due to health problems. Once again, I returned for training with a new dog. I happened to meet a young golden who lavished me with kisses and snuggles--the perfect combination of Elli and Dori, and soft! "I want a dog like that," I told my instructor.
The next day was "dog day". "This is Meghan," Dave said. "She's a yellow Lab..."
Not only was Meghan not a golden; she wanted very little to do with me at first. She was definitely not interested in hugs. But she eventually began to give plenty of kisses, and her work was fabulous.
Meghan has been working with me for ten months now, and she has become a treasure. She loves massages, playing tug, running through the house with the cat, snuggling up in bed ... and working. And I have learned to love Labrador retrievers, even though they are not soft and fluffy like a cat. I love their shape, their intelligence, their devotion, their friendliness... My collection of Lab merchandise is beginning to rival my collection of cat merchandise--and that's very significant for a person who didn't like dogs and was sorely disappointed when her first three guides were not goldens.
Some time ago, I decided to put up a Web page about dog guides based on my experiences with Elli. Over time, the site has grown. I've added articles about my experiences with Dori, articles about dog guide history, and pages with links to resources for dog guide users. I have included some links to general information about dogs for some time, but I began to think about expanding that when I retired Dori and was struggling with decisions about where to place her. I wanted her new family to understand her needs and be able to take care of her.
Her new family has done a fantastic job, and she is happy. They are first-time dog owners, and we've had a number of discussions about dogs in general and about Dori's particular needs. These discussions prompted me to put together a page for people who are interested in providing a home for a Lab. Of course, plenty of information is available on the Web and in print. My hope is to point you to some of the most helpful information.
Is a Labrador retriever the right pet for you? How can you be sure that you find just the right one, even if you are sure you want a Lab? Many things influence the answers to these questions.
First, know what you want in a dog. The Dog Owner's Guide provides a discussion of factors to consider when choosing a dog. How do each of these factors affect you? The article, "Defining Common Sense Dog Ownership," discusses choosing a breed, working with breeders, and caring for a dog in detail. If you are on your way to getting a dog, and you are a first-time dog owner, this article is an excellent resource to help you have a positive experience with dog ownership.
Sandi Dremel's article, "Before You Get a Dog," provides an excellent overview of the impact a dog has on a person's life and the responsibilities of dog ownership. How does thinking about these responsibilities make you feel? Do you have the time, energy, and resources to care for the dog?
How will your living arrangements affect your dog? Living in an apartment doesn't mean you can't have a dog. It does mean that you may need to work harder to help your dog release energy and get enough exercise. More information is available in the article, "Apartments and Dogs," from the Dog Owner's Guide.
Do you think a dog will make a great gift for your children? Think again. The Labrador Retriever Rescue (LRR), of Washington, D.C., has a powerful statement about dogs as gifts. The article, "Preliminaries," from the Dog Owner's Guide, discusses ways to avoid problems that may arise when pets are purchased "for the children's benefit". Housetraining tips are provided.
Why do you think a Lab is right for you? Have you heard positive things about Labs? Are they true? Spend some time learning about the breed before you make your decision. Learn about other breeds as well. There's nothing wrong with having a breed preference--as long as the preference is based on facts and not on stereotypes or myths. The article, "Breed Selection," from the Dog Owner's Guide, presents several scenarios demonstrating wise and unwise choices made based on breed and also discusses the consequences of those choices.
A lot of people tell me in passing that they'd love to have a Lab as a pet--usually because Labs have a reputation for being good with children or because the people think my Lab is well-behaved and assume this has a lot to do with her breed. My experience is that Labs are, indeed, very good with children. However, I suspect that individual dogs of most breeds can learn to behave appropriately with children. Labs tend to be less aggressive than some other breeds, and this is an advantage if you have small children. Labs are also much less stigmatized than some other breeds, and this can also be an advantage. However, some Labs are quite energetic, and some do not cope well with noisy environments or excessive petting or other activities. If your children are not used to dogs, they will need time to learn how to relate to the new dog and behave appropriately around dogs regardless of what breed you bring home.
Janet Wilson's article, "Finding the Perfect Lab," is an excellent starting point for anyone who is considering getting a Lab. The article provides links to useful sites for obtaining information about the breed, where to find breeders, and other suggestions. You may also want to read the article, "Is the Labrador Retriever the Right Breed for you," by Pamela A. Davol. Liza Miller and Cindy Tittle Moore's Labrador Frequently Asked Questions provides extensive information about breed standards, history, breeders and rescue organizations, and other resources. Dr. B. Sweeney's article, "Choosing a Labrador Retriever" provides an overview of the history of the Labrador, temperament and physical characteristics, needs, and special health concerns. LRR's article, "The Labrador Retriever in Detail," is very easy to read and also provides good general information about physical characteristics, temperament, needs, and health care concerns.
Purebred Labs are not cheap. Breeders spend a lot of time, money, and energy to make sure the puppies are healthy and will remain so. It is not unusual to pay several hundred dollars for a purebred dog. If you plan to get your Lab from a breeder, take the task of finding the right breeder seriously. The Dog Owner's Guide provides some tips for finding a responsible breeder.
If you can't afford to get a dog from a breeder, consider adopting from an animal shelter or working with a rescue organization. Lrr suggests ten good reasons why. Some of my best animals have come from shelters or were strays. Bridget was a stray puppy and ended up being very trainable, good with other animals, and very gentle. PJ, one of my cats, came from a shelter and lived for nine years. My stray cat, Casey, is still living with my parents at age 18. Read more about Casey. Sierra, one of my current cats, wpent several months at a shelter awaiting adoption before I found her. I've never owned a more well-mannered, friendly cat! For more information about rescue organizations, read the article, "What Is a Rescue Organization".
Have you been looking at cute puppies in the windows of pet stores? Do you know where the puppies came from? Many pet stores get their puppies from "breeders" who do not care for the animals well and whose goal is simply to earn money. These operations are called "puppy mills". Serious breeders and animal rescue workers regard puppy mills with great distaste, and for good reason. With so many animals already in shelters, why add to the population out of a selfish desire to earn money? Why not take care to ensure that the animals bred are healthy and of good temperament?
If you decide to work with a pet store, family-owned stores are the best stores to work with. They are much less likely to work with irresponsible breeders and more likely to care about helping you choose and learn about caring for your pet. The Dog Owner's Guide provides an in-depth look at pet stores in the article, "Pet Store Puppies." Puppy mills are defined and contrasted with other operations in the article, "Just What Is a Puppy Mill?"
Keep an open mind about age and special needs. Adopting an older dog may have advantages, depending on your situation. Dogs with special health care needs are dogs first, and when their needs can be met they may prove to be just the pet you're looking for. If you live near a service dog school or know someone with an older service dog, adopting a career-changed or retired dog may be another option worth considering. I never expected to retire Dori at age four, and it happened that a friend had expressed interest in getting on the waiting list for a career-changed dog just a few weeks before I made the decision to retire Dori. That friend's family now provides Dori a home, and I am able to visit occasionally and keep in touch. This made the retirement process much easier for both of us.
If you are getting a Labrador puppy for the first time, please read the guide for new puppy owners from PurebredLabs.com. Labrador Retriever Rescue (LRR) of Washington, D.C., provides a factsheet, "New Dog, New Home," which suggests strategies for easing the transition to a new home for your dog. If you have children, they may enjoy reading "A Kid's Guide to Dog Care".
Dogs are not born obedient. They learn to behave in certain ways depending on the owner's expectations, how those expectations are communicated, and how behaviors are reinforced. During a lecture one evening when I was in training with Meghan, one of the trainers told us, "When you leave, you are your dog's trainer." This statement has stayed with me. Training is not something you finish and then sit back and enjoy your perfect dog. Dogs are like children, always. They know the rules, but they get distracted and they have instincts; and it's the owner's job to enforce the rules consistently. Dogs are pack animals, and they look to the leader of the pack (the "alpha") to model the behavior which makes the pack's collective life successful. If you are not leading the pack, the dog will take the lead.
Lab puppies are full of energy, and they may retain that energy for several years. Elli was still quite energetic at 13 years old. The article, "When Is My Lab Going to Settle Down," from Just Labradors, provides some tips for using training to help a young dog channel that energy into appropriate behavior. The article, "Obedience Training: Why It's Important for Every Dog," also discusses the reasons for and benefits of obedience training.
I have learned (often the hard way) that behavior problems are not always a sign of distraction or "testing". Sometimes they are the dog's only means of communicating a need. Such was often the case with Dori. She required constant supervision, and I now understand that she was simply a very securely attached dog who also suffered from high levels of anxiety. She had boundless energy, and activity improved her anxiety levels; however, activities requiring intense concentration or in which she was exposed to startling sounds worsened her anxiety.
If your dog is fearful or anxious, she will look to you for security and stability. My experience is that anxious dogs respond best to low, gentle tones of voice--even praise increased Dori's anxiety level. Help your dog channel the anxiety into an appropriate energy-releasing activity. (Remember that your guests may not be excited about Fluffy jumping up and licking their faces.) Your dog should also be able to tolerate changes in routine--you will need to make them from time to time.
For most people, the idea of leaving a dog home alone is not unusual or alarming. For some dog guide users, it is controversial. Some people believe that a dog guide has been bred and trained to work with a person and that is where the dog should be at all times. My experience is that this is neither practical nor wise. My retired dogs have gone on to live normal pet lives, and this includes being left alone. I also participate in some activities where having the dog with me would not be appropriate. If I go to a loud concert, a swimming pool, etc., my dog may not handle the environment well. Elli barked incessantly when she accompanied me to the pool and had to wait while I swam. Dori became anxious in crowds and at loud events.
In training, instructors urge students to practice leaving their dogs alone, beginning with a very brief period of time and gradually increasing the amount of time. In most circumstances, doing this helps to guard against misbehavior when the dog is left alone. Some dogs experience separation anxiety, even when the person is only in another room. For tips on how to handle this problem, read the article, "Separation Anxiety," from Just Labradors.
Massage can also help dogs who need to relax. For more information about canine massage, read Linda Tellington's article, "Getting in TTouch."
Fleas are not only annoying, but they can also cause health problems for dogs who have allergies. For some tips on controlling fleas naturally, read the article, "No Fleas".
Dogs respond well to aromatherapy in a number of ways. For more information about aromatherapy blends for dogs, read Francoise Rap's article, "Blends for Dogs".
Have you ever looked up information about your health on the Internet? Did you know that you can look up information about veterinary care and conditions which affect your dog? A healthy dog will provide you and your family many years of love and companionship. If you have a Lab, visit the Labrador retriever health page for information about conditions categorized by body system. If a rescued Lab needs medical care, visit LabMed.
Thinking about taking your dog on a vacation? Check out Chelsea's page for some fun links as well as lots of general information. Just Labradors also provides an article, "Backpacking with Your Lab".
This page is part of the Dog Guide Information Center and was last modified on July 30, 2002.