I understand how tempting it can be,  especially if you are struggling with your Labrador, to send them away to ‘boarding school’ and let someone else solve your problem for you. For most people sending the dog away to be trained is not a decision they take lightly. And people who ask my advice on making that decision have […] The post Should you send your Labrador away to be trained? appeared first on The Labrador Site ..read more

Having your  male Labrador castrated is a common choice. Many veterinarians recommend you have this procedure carried out on your pet at a young age. As a general rule, I prefer not to castrate my own male dogs. I’ll explain a bit about that below. There are benefits and downsides to neutering both male and […] The post Should I Have My Labrador Castrated? appeared first on The Labrador Site ..read more

Dogs, especially young dogs, sometimes swallow stupid things. In some cases, taking the right action immediately can save your dog’s life.  Sometimes it’s difficult to know what is an emergency and what is a ‘watch and wait’ situation. It’s better to phone your veterinary professional for advice and risk looking a bit silly, than to […] The post My Dog Ate Something They Shouldn’t – What Now? appeared first on The Labrador Site ..read more

I’m Pippa Mattinson, a writer, and British trainer of hunting dogs. I am the author of the original Total Recall dog training program published by Quiller Books in 2012. I wrote Total Recall to help the large numbers of people that struggle to get their dogs to obey them outdoors, when there are exciting distractions […] The post Total Recall Dog Training appeared first on The Labrador Site ..read more

From a health and safety perspective it makes perfect sense to wash your hands after handling a pet. But our dogs usually live amongst us as family members and we have to be realistic about what that means.  It’s an interesting fact that normal life and perfect safety are rarely entirely compatible. I have three […] The post Should You Wash Your Hands After Petting A Dog appeared first on The Labrador Site ..read more

Sharing is caring right? Well not always. There are plenty of human foods that are not good for dogs, and some that are positively dangerous.  The internet is awash with articles entitled: “can dogs eat (insert the food of your choice here)”. From the everyday to the bizarre it seems that we are driven to […] The post Can Dogs Eat This? Foods You Can Safely Share (And Some Which You Must Never Feed To A Dog) appeared first on The Labrador Site ..read more

The Terrier is a feisty dog with a diverse history full of digging, chasing, rushing about and working in a gang. Depending on their modern purpose, they can also be extremely loyal and protective too. The Labrador Retriever, whilst it has split into two types in modern times, is a rather more reliable character. Outgoing, […] The post Lab Terrier Mix Variations appeared first on The Labrador Site ..read more

LIMA dog training stands for ‘Least Invasive, Minimally Aversive’ dog training. So it’s not a specific method or protocol, but rather an over-arching philosophy, which you can apply to every training situation. Many professional dog trainers, including all those affiliated with the CCPDT and the APDT, commit to training in accordance with LIMA principles. And […] The post LIMA Dog Training appeared first on The Labrador Site ..read more

A rash on the groin is a sensitive and uncomfortable matter for our dogs! Dogs can experience the same skin problems on their undercarriage that they suffer anywhere else on their body. Rashes can be brought on by bacterial or fungal infections, parasites, allergies, or atopic dermatitis. Groin rashes can be difficult to treat because […] The post Dog Rash On Groin – What’s Causing It And How To Treat It appeared first on The Labrador Site ..read more

Black nails on a dog are completely normal for some pets. Dogs with solid black coats almost always have black nails. And surprisingly, so do lots of white dogs! It’s also possible for one dog to have a mix of black nails and clear nails on different toes. Dogs’ nails don’t usually change color, but […] The post Black Nails On A Dog appeared first on The Labrador Site ..read more