Edie MacKenzie

Edie MacKenzie is a published author, traveler, dog lover, and tortoise enthusiast. Passionate about what she does, her books provide peopel a firm grounding in the dog breed and their unique characteristics with a nice touch of humor.

Common Hereditary Issues In A Labrador Retriever

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A responsible Labrador Retriever breeder should realize that certain matters of health are his responsibility.  Such a Labrador Retriever breeder should do everything possible through his breeding to keep certain known inherited serious faults from becoming widespread in Labrador Retrievers.

He should also try his best to understand what to do about inherited faults detrimental to the breed that have already become widespread within the breed.

There seems to be two extremes among persons interested in breeding dogs. There are those who are over-cautious and others who will breed anything to anything and trust to luck. The more intelligent approach is to investigate and leave the final decision to the weighing of various aspects of each particular problem.  Elimination from the breeding program of every dog falling the slightest bit below perfection is not the intelligent approach.

Various breeds of dogs have their own particular inherited problems, some of which are a matter of physical beauty, such as eye-color.  Light eyes in Labradors are frowned upon, but since there is no basis in fact that the color of eyes in a dog has anything to do with his vision, color becomes an aesthetic choice.  Dark eyes are dominant in inheritance in most breeds; if a breeder prefers not to have that color, he should take care never to breed to a yellow-eyed dog or he will develop “carriers” for light eyes in his strain, if not light eyes themselves.  This fault of appearance is not widespread in the Labrador breed and is a far lesser fault than progressive retinal atrophy (PRA).

Progressive retinal atrophy leads to complete blindness and is widespread in many breeds, including Labradors in England.  It is not a serious problem at the present time in this country but any signs of it becoming on the increase should be watched for by breeders.

The danger of it becoming widespread is the fact that blindness develops slowly and a Labrador cannot be declared free of affliction until he is four years of age.  This age factor varies with different breeds.  Any case of blindness should be diagnosed by a qualified doctor or veterinarian.

Kennel owners should obtain the services of an expert in eye diseases and have all dogs checked.  Temporary certificates are issued for those dogs proved clear under four years of age and permanent certificates after that age.  The British Kennel Club lists all dogs holding such types of certificates in their monthly official magazine. They also do this for their hip dysplasia program.

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Effort is being made to bring progressive retinal atrophy under control, but it will be difficult since many Labrador Retriever will be bred from under four years of age without knowledge of whether or not they are passing on the genes of inheritance for this blindness.

Personality And Behavior Of An Active Dalmatian

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Behavior and personality are two qualities which are hard to standardize within a breed, even the Dalmatian.  Although generalizations are difficult to make, most Dalmatians are alert, extremely energetic and affectionate toward their owners.  They make great working dogs because they have the capacity to be loyal and determined and have the stamina to work all day long.  This is not a breed to be cooped up in a house all day; this is not the breed for the hectic family with no time for the dog; this is not the breed to be tied in the backyard to serve as a watchdog.

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Click Here Now – -and watch Chet’s Free Dog Training Video.

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Behavior and personality are incredibly important in dogs and there seem to be quite evident extremes in the Dalmatian. The earliest of the breed were bred for guard work and that did not make them ideal house pets.  They were considered as working dogs.  Today’s Dalmatians seem far removed from their earliest ancestors.  Still, they are high energy dogs and dog owners need to provide a channel for that energy.

The ideal Dalmatian is neither aggressive nor neurotic but rather a loving family member with good self-esteem and acceptance of position in the family “pack.” Because the Dalmatian is a powerful dog and can cause much damage, it is worth spending the time when selecting a pup to pay attention to any evidence of personality problems.  It is also important that all Dalmatians be obedience trained.  Like any breed of dog, they have the potential to be vicious and unruly without appropriate training; consider obedience classes mandatory for your sake and that of your dog.

Although many Dalmatians are happy to sleep the day away in bed or on a sofa, most enjoy having a purpose in their day and that makes them excellent working dogs. They need long daily walks or runs and as well as events that involve family members.  Do not let Dalmatian pups run unrestricted because it can increase their risk of developing orthopedic disorders.  All Dalmatians owners are encouraged to enroll their pets in obedience classes to learn limits of unacceptable behaviors.

As a pet owner, there are several activities that you can share with your Dalmatian. They not only make great walking and jogging partners but they are also excellent community volunteers.  If properly trained, the loyal and loving Dalmatian will be your personal guard dog.  For Dalmatian enthusiasts who want to get into more competitive aspects of the dog world, conformation showing, road dog trials, obedience, utility, agility, hunting, guarding, tracking, herding and search & rescue are all activities that can be considered.

Dog Training: Correct Heel Methods (3)

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Dog Training 101

As you become more familiar with dog training you’ll discover there are two extremes of personalities in dogs – the introvert and the extrovert.

However, there are many degrees in between those two extremes as there are dogs in this planet.

Regardless of where your dog’s personality lies on that scale, once you have given the dog training command to heel you must start walking and continue walking. Encourage your dog to accompany you if necessary. Correct his heedless rush with absolute right-about turns if necessary.

But, you should never, ever give in during your dog training if your dog decides to not follow your command and just “sit this one out”.

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Click Here Now – -and watch Chet’s Free Dog Training Video.

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Dogs learn by associating their actions with a pleasing or displeasing result. Therefore, the dog who tries to take advantage of the new shortened leash by surging and keeping a strain on it comes to a sudden discovery that you still have the situation very much under control. As soon as he can cause the leash to tighten, he will take his eyes off you, only to feel the sudden jolt of your right-about turn.

By using the reserve slack in your hand properly, your dog will realize that the leash is no different than the long line, except that he must pay even closer attention since the six-foot leash gives him less time to react than the fifteen-foot long-line. He’ll realize how much more pleasing it is to walk at your side so that he can see which way and when you’re going to change direction. Your left hand giving him a pat on the head when he’s in the correct heel position is also more pleasing than the sudden jolt that he gets when not in the proper position.

On the other hand, your introvert dog, one that stands as if he had feet glued to the cement, suddenly feels the slightly displeasing effect of the short, sharp jerks of the leash. Hearing your enthusiastic tone of voice and seeing your left hand pat your leg invitingly will do wonders to make your pet choose the more promising alternative. The moment he does, he will discover the warm, affectionate praise and pat on the head to be far more enjoyable than the series of sharp jolts he experienced as a result of his initial reluctance to walk with you.

You may have to spend each of your fifteen-minute training sessions for the next four days in this simple leash introduction so the introvert-type will walk without any reluctance or fear and to stop the extrovert’s heedless rushes by your unannounced change of direction.

Don’t Be Afraid To Use Too Much Pull

Let me describe a scene of what an extrovert dog may do when prompted with a distraction. Picture a dog tied to a tree on a twenty-five foot rope lying in loose coils on the ground. He is sleeping comfortably under the tree when a cat walks by past the dog at a distance of about twenty-seven feet.

The dog wakes up, spots the cat and rushes recklessly to pounce on the poor cat. The dog will be stopped two foot short and very abruptly too. After regaining his composure, he will still strain and tug to try and get the cat. But, unless he’s a total fool, he will not make that reckless rush a second time – not while still tied to a tree. But does he blame the tree? Of course not.

You are not as firm as a tree, so don’t be worried about hurting your pet. Your objective during the dog training should be clear. Your dog should walk at your left side, neither lagging behind nor surging ahead.

Always remember that the leash should be slack. Eventually, you’ll be heeling your dog without the leash and you will realize the importance of that slack.

If your dog is used to feeling a tight leash restraining him in the heeling position when dog training, he’ll be long gone when you walk him without the leash later on.

Dog Training: Correct Heel Methods (3)

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There are two extremes of personalities in dogs – the introvert and the extrovert and they’re both important when it comes to dog training.

However, there are many degrees in between those two extremes as there are dogs in this planet.

Regardless of where your dog’s personality lies on that scale, once you have given the command to heel you must start walking and continue walking. Encourage your dog to accompany you if necessary. Correct his heedless rush with absolute right-about turns if necessary. But, you should never, ever give in if your dog decides to not follow your command and just “sit this one out”.

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Dog Training Tips To Get Your Dog To Obey!

If you’d love to discover EXACTLY how to get your dog to stop urinating on your carpet and actually ring a bell when he needs to potty. . .

Train puppies to NEVER chew on furniture or expensive rugs – even when you aren’t there to supervise. . .

Learn simple techniques for getting any dog to stop barking at strangers or from begging you to let him back inside –

Plus a TON more step-by-step dog obedience strategies THOUSANDS of regular people are already using, check out –

The Hands Off Dog Training Method

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Dogs learn by associating their actions with a pleasing or displeasing result. Therefore, the dog who tries to take advantage of the new shortened leash by surging and keeping a strain on it comes to a sudden discovery that you still have the situation very much under control. As soon as he can cause the leash to tighten, he will take his eyes off you, only to feel the sudden jolt of your right-about turn.

By using the reserve slack in your hand properly, your dog will realize that the leash is no different than the long line, except that he must pay even closer attention since the six-foot leash gives him less time to react than the fifteen-foot long-line. He’ll realize how much more pleasing it is to walk at your side so that he can see which way and when you’re going to change direction. Your left hand giving him a pat on the head when he’s in the correct heel position is also more pleasing than the sudden jolt that he gets when not in the proper position.

On the other hand, your introvert dog, one that stands as if he had feet glued to the cement, suddenly feels the slightly displeasing effect of the short, sharp jerks of the leash. Hearing your enthusiastic tone of voice and seeing your left hand pat your leg invitingly will do wonders to make your pet choose the more promising alternative. The moment he does, he will discover the warm, affectionate praise and pat on the head to be far more enjoyable than the series of sharp jolts he experienced during your dog training session as a result of his initial reluctance to walk with you.

You may have to spend each of your fifteen-minute dog training sessions for the next four days in this simple leash introduction so the introvert-type will walk without any reluctance or fear and to stop the extrovert’s heedless rushes by your unannounced change of direction.

Don’t Be Afraid To Use Too Much Pull

Let me describe a scene of what an extrovert dog may do when prompted with a distraction. Picture a dog tied to a tree on a twenty-five foot rope lying in loose coils on the ground. He is sleeping comfortably under the tree when a cat walks by past the dog at a distance of about twenty-seven feet.

The dog wakes up, spots the cat and rushes recklessly to pounce on the poor cat. The dog will be stopped two foot short and very abruptly too. After regaining his composure, he will still strain and tug to try and get the cat. But, unless he’s a total fool, he will not make that reckless rush a second time – not while still tied to a tree. But does he blame the tree? Of course not.

You are not as firm as a tree, so don’t be worried about hurting your pet. Your objective should be clear. Your dog should walk at your left side, neither lagging behind nor surging ahead.

Always remember that the leash should be slack. Eventually, you’ll be heeling your dog without the leash and you will realize the importance of that slack. If your dog is used to feeling a tight leash restraining him during dog training in the heeling position, he’ll be long gone when you walk him without the leash later on.

Watch For Pain Or Symptoms When Training The Aging Dog

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Dogs very often tell you when they are in pain, although not always. Should you find the down placement very painful for your dog, and should he find it painful to lie down apart from his obedience lesson, then it may be more beneficial to dispense with the DOWN command altogether.

These conditions vary with the individual dog, so that ultimately you have to trust in your own evaluation of the situation and then follow your inclinations.

In no instance do we want to obedience-train an older dog at the expense of his reasonably physical and mental comfort. The Down-Stay serves to keep the dog out of your hair, and your company’s lap, for longer periods of time than a Sit-Stay.

With an effective Down-Stay, you need not shoo him away in a strategic retreat to the basement or bathroom. Chances are that your older dog is fit enough to pester company. If this be so, then he is certainly fit enough to learn the down.

In obedience training you must behave like a cool, calm machine. You will be able to hold out longer, with less exhaustion, and your dog will learn more easily and more rapidly, realizing that you have the situation under control.

Dogs will take advantage of their owners’ weaknesses, even at an older age, and this will only mean more difficult, resentful training, with more discomfort for both of you. Speak and act calmly, slowly, deliberately, rationally, and consistently if you want to maximize your training potential and the subsequent benefits that accrue both to you and to your older dog.

The older dog is no longer as efficient at regulating his body temperature. Fats are responsible for this. The older dog often tends to lose weight and some of the fatty components of his body.

In effect, he is not that well insulated anymore. So, when obedience training the older dog, you must take care not to work him in extremes of heat and cold. This holds true for any dog, but more so for the older dog.

Constipation and incontinence can also be problems. It is important to allow the dog to relieve himself before and after an obedience session. If a dog suffers incontinence during the course of training, just ignore it and clean up later. Don’t allow a small puddle of urine to interfere with your training session.

It is also important not to feed your dog just prior to or after an obedience-training session. Feeding before can upset his digestion, and feeding after can not only cause indigestion but can be interpreted as a bribe. This we never want to do. Don’t work your older dog to exhaustion. Several short sessions are always preferable to one long one.

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