My experience with labs has been over 50 years as hunters and pets. Now we are in our 70's and find ourselves with a husky 90# male English style. Why we did this as most people our age have smaller dogs, I don't know. But at 3 years, he is a very good, intelligent companion & protector. We do not for one minute regret our choice. Up until now, he was walked daily, and trained in water retrieve. This stopped when he had an ear infection issue and we had to keep him out of the water. He seems somewhat detached from me now ....just my subjective feeling He still goes on an hour walk with Mommy every morning. She also feeds him and gives him more attention. I am away most days and he still does the wiggle/lick thing (as if I was in Iraq for the last year) when coming home. I could take him out in the wilderness now as the weather is colder, the venomous snakes are hibernating, and black bear hunting season is over. But when deep summer kicks in, the temperatures can be over 100 for weeks and it's back to the drawing board. Just some thoughts from a black lab's old man in the swamps of North Carolina.
Can you go back to water retrieves in the summer, if his ear infection is better? In very hot temperatures it's really the only exercise a dog can do outdoors during the day. If he still gets ear infections, is there somewhere with shallow water, where he can do water retrieves without having to swim, and so avoiding getting water in his ears? Or else dry his ears thoroughly after each swim. @Dexter lives where it is very hot, and may be able to give some tips on keeping your dog exercised and mentally stimulated during times when you can't be outside much.
I don't come from a really hot place but it does get to hot. I walk in streams. I get a Pair of wellies walk in shallow streams. I also do a lot of hunts were I drop stuff round in shady areas and get them to find any thing that is fun and stimulating. I also walk late and early to avoid the worst heat
Hi there, Our dog is attached to us both but when we are both around together he is definitely more 'my ' dog ,I'm sure this comes down to the fact that I'm around more than my Husband and so am able to do more for and with him.The balance shifts when I'm not there though,I think that's pretty usual from chats I read on the Forum. We live in the desert and temperatures exceed 50C in the Summer,outside time is very limited so I've always tried to plan for the hot months especially the first couple of years....Dexter was 8-12 months old During his first Summer....there were lots of basics in training I needed to work on so the indoor months were quite easy to fill but I also bought some agility jumps that I set up on some non slip flooring and clicker trained Dexter's retrieve,this ,with early and late walks kept him occupied and excersised. The next Summer I'd added to the agility equipment and the house looked like a dog competition arena with his ramp and see saw set up in the house ,I'm also lucky enough to have a pool in the garden ,I'd previously kept him out but he started using that and it opened up a bit more outside time. The next Summer I'd had some place boards made ( you could use mats) and Played some games and excercises with them ,at times when he got restless and was looking longingly out of the back door,I'd google a new trick to train or have a read through some of the training blogs on the Forum to see what members were up to and we'd do some clicker sessions with the ideas I'd get from doing that. He's 4 now and as long as he gets his 2 decent walks with some input and interaction from us he's a pretty chilled out boy in the house...
Hello Phil, We live in NC too, near Wilmington. What we do with Murphy during the summer is keep his kiddy pool filled and clean. We go out and play like normal, running, retrieving, etc. But he loves that pool and as soon as he feels too warm, in he goes. Because it is evaporating it stays nice and cool for him. Might want to give that a try? Edit: I wish someone would get ME a kiddy pool during those months!
One of our Labs gets ear infections, but if we use ear cleaner when she gets out she is usually OK. I can't imagine not letting our dogs go swimming, in fact I don't think I could stop them unless they were always on lead. Incidentally I'm your age also, used to live in East Tennessee and went to college in NC.
