How To Care for Labrador Retrievers Harrisonburg VA

Owning a Labrador Retriever is an amazing experience! They are sweet, loving, caring animals that need your love and care to become the best dog they can be. Here are some tips on how to care for your Lab:

1. Be sure to feed and water your dog. As with any breed of dog, Labs need food and water. Set up a feeding schedule for your dog as soon as she comes into your possession. Your Lab should have access to water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year! Feeding can be done once or twice a day, depending on your preference. Choose a good, healthy brand of dog food and feed according to the instructions on the bag. When you give your dog his bowl of food, tell him to sit, and don't put the food on the floor until he has sat. Once he obeys the command, sit the bowl on the floor for him, make him look at you (away from the bowl of tasty food), then release him so he can eat his meal. This will teach him that you are in charge of feeding him, not merely obeying his request.
   
   
2. Give her a place to sleep that is her own. Many people don't enjoy sharing their bed with a large, hairy dog (these people are crazy... just kidding, of course); if you don't want your Lab to sleep with you, give her a bed that is her own. A large kennel with a blanket or dog bed should do the trick. As a puppy, train her that this is her bed, and stick to putting her in it and telling her to lay down when you are ready for her to go to bed. Many people think it is "mean" to put their dog into a pen or crate to sleep, especially when the dog cries because she wants to be with you. Though she may not like the idea of being away from you, it is really best for her to have her own place to sleep. This is true for any dog, as their ancestors used to sleep in a cave-like bed either on their own or with their pack. By providing your dog this "safe zone" in which to sleep, she knows where she can go to get some peace and quiet.
   
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Author: Samantha Harthy