Soulful Thoughts of Rachel

I believe in the importance of basic obedience training for your dog.   When your dog is properly trained, your dog learns the important commands that can be very useful in day to day situations and activities.

When our Labrador, Bruno was a puppy, we had him trained by a professional.  The dog trainer would go to your house three times a week to give Bruno 30-minute of dog training per session. The training involved teaching the dog to follow basic commands.  The trainer initially gave Bruno proper leash training.  I think it’s important to teach dogs not to pull on the leash when you are walking but to walk at pace with the handler. Among the easy lessons that Bruno learned was to sit, stay put, heel and walk side by side with the trainer on command.  I was amazed that just after a few days the trainer was able to successfully train Bruno off-leash.  Bruno and the trainer developed a nice bond. I realized that when the program was finished and the trainer stopped coming to our house, Bruno seemed sad. I guess he missed seeing his trainer.

Join Thursday Thirteen here!

Since I posted a photo of my black Labrador, Bruno for my WW (see previous post), I was inspired to post …

Thirteen Interesting Things About Labrador Retrievers:

1. All three colors of the Labrador are solid colors: black, yellow or chocolate,

2. The Labrador should be a medium-sized dog, giving the appearance of a dog that is strong, muscular and active.

3. He will possess a keen sense of smell and an athletic body.

4. The Labrador is the the most lovable, even-tempered breed ever developed.

5. If you’re looking for a guard dog, the Labrador isn’t the breed for you. They do not have the same protective instinct as a Shepherd or Rottweiler.

6. Labrador Retrievers are usually good eaters, so it;s easy for you yo put done a well-balance meal in a bowl.

7. A good Labrador will want to please and therefore, will be easy to train for obedience.

8. Labradors are active, smart and fast learners.

9. Labradors are now the number one breed used as guide dogs in the United States and other countries.

10. They love to have something to carry around, and playing fetch is usually a favorite game.

11. The Labrador’s natural coat is pretty much wash and wear.

12. Labradors are big, cuddly teddy bears by nature, and many Labradors think that they’re lap dogs, even when they reach eighty-five pounds or more.

13. If Labs could place personal ads in newspapers looking for their owners, the ad might read something like this:

NYLP (nice yellow Lab pup) seeks owner
with lots of free time who loves to hike,
swim and play!

Reference: The Labrador Retriever, An Owner’s Guide to A Happy Healthy Pet (by Lisa Weiss Agresta) @ 1995