I just searched "Labrador" on Red Bubble and there are heaps of cool tees. I'll have to remember this for my birthday. Some are in poor taste "black Labs matter" but there are some cute ones!
@Sven, kaos looks lovely. I've never heard of Tollers before joining this Forum, are they a type of gundog?
Aren’t they bred to make a funny noise on the edge of lakes and tempt ducks towards them and the guns? I might have made that up but I remember something very interesting about the way they work as gundogs!
They are supposed to mimic foxes and exploit the prey watching predator thing they move about in an enticing interesting way. They were used to move ducks into duck funnels or shooting area supposedly? The was an English breed that did this but they are long gone .
Ah yes, this rings a bell now -- small fox like dogs that can be used to attract waterfowl into a funnel, not necessarily for shooting but I think by country people in days gone by for a tasty dinner. Ducks and geese will follow a dog -- attack is the best form of defence sort of thing, like blackbirds mobbing owls, or even yesterday my cat who was innocently sunning herself! I believe the technique has been used for conservation purposes, so the birds can be caught and ringed to study the behavior etc. Never knew the dogs had a special name though!
Ugh I don’t know who I’m disappointed with - me or Stanley. We were on his walk and he all of a sudden shot off into the bushes, I called him to no avail and couldn’t get to him to go and get him as it was really thick. I could just about make him out eating something. When he eventually came back I smelt his breath and I think it was poo of some sort - but I literally just lost it with him. I was screaming at him like a mad woman and then marched him home and have put him in his bed where he has remained. I feel really guilty and I’m annoyed at myself for getting so angry but I’m so fed up with this eating stuff. It’s so random as well because most of the time he doesn’t do it then randomly every couple of months he will. I’ve literally just lost £1500 in vet bills and holiday because of something like this recently and I’m at the end of my tether. I really don’t know what to do with him except permanent lead walks.
You have my sympathy. It is hard I know I have similar issues with Cassie. I have been doing lots of work from Total Recall lately and am finding that this helps.. Instead of setting out for a "walk" it's now a planned training session, I find it a more positive experience because she is more interactive with me. But sometimes I would just like to be able to relax just a little bit on a walk!
Now I’ve calmed down a bit I just feel guilty. It’s proof that shouting at them and “punishing them” doesn’t work because I’m just going to be punishing myself longer. I feel like sh*t and have a dog that doesn’t like me very much right now. We’re going back to total recall and I’m going to train a “drop it”. Stanley has a brilliant “leave it” but it only seems to work before the thing is in his gob - after he’s got it it’s too late It’s horrible when you don’t know what they’re eating because I’m so frightened it will make him poorly! If anyone has any tips for “drop it” it would be greatly appreciated
I'd find his favourite high value treat and start with easy stuff, like using it to reward dropping a ball or toy inside when he's nice and calm. Don't feel bad, many of us have been there and our dogs are very forgiving.
Of course he does! He's just picking up your unhappy vibes, he's no idea what's caused them Don't beat yourself up -- if you work on doing stuff together it will get so much better, and you and Stanners have such a strong bond anyway, it`s clear to see from your photo posts.
@JenBainbridge, I have a friend whose Labrador Gem, loves poo, in fact one day she ate it as it was coming out of my dog's bottom before it touched the ground. I have had success with Gem by teaching her the word 'swop' so when she goes for poo I yell "SWOP" and she will immediately leave it and I give her a delicious treat.
I've haD a bit of a weird walk today and come back feeling all thoughtful. Rory got bummed first off he didn't like it so growled. The small fluffy pervert carried on so I gently removed the sex pest. His owner said oh he always does that to big dogs. I just looked at her and replied well it's a good job my dogs nice and tolerant then isn't it? I gave her the look she didnt call him in or put on his lead so it when turned into a benny hill episode of small scale sex pest chasing a larger annoyed not interested partner. So I legged it Rory behaved beautifully walked to heal with a small fluffy dog continually trying to mount him. Fluffy got bored and we got into the fields and away from idiots. Rory's got a human stalker and I've got a labrador one. Daisy won't leave me alone much to her owners and my embarrassment. Even when she was tiny she wanted to be with me. She would ignore her owners and just sit at my feet. I now don't talk to her touch her give her eye contact and I've never given her food. Her owners if they see me put her in her lead I i go the other way to avoid them. We've talked about it and they know I don't encourage her but still she just goes crazy to get to me. I was 2 miles into the country alone and then a black lab appeared I knew it was her I just said hello Daisy and told her to sit clipped her on to a lead and started to search for her owners. She followed my trail I just stink nice to labs 20 mins later I found them. They knew she'd run after me l. We had a talk and they don't get it either. It's just me she does this with she does what I ask to straight away I'm very calm and clear with her and her owners are obviously stressed. I think she likes me because I listen to her don't stress her she seems stressed always and then goes calm with me, she likes Rory too he played with her today. I nearly said to the owner if you every need any help or rehome her please let me know. I looked at Rory he behaved so well thoughout this messing about,. He's getting sensible and reliable. Got back to our walk and then we met the hound from hell.........
Quinn isn’t quite like daisy, but there is an older man that she goes absolutely insane for and I can’t for the life of me recall her once she’s seen him. She jumps up at him, which she just does not do, as she was never a jumper. It’s so perplexing. I’m getting good at spotting him well advance and putting her on leash and last week she almost choked herself leaping trying to get to him from across the park as I didn’t have her harness and we hadn’t seen him in weeks. She’s run across roads to get to him. He doesn’t even stop walking to pet her. There must be something about you (and this man!) that equals love!
