Taking Care of your Labrador's Feet and Paws

Tasha - the site mascot

Quick guide to training

How to stop a Dog Fight

Taking Care of your Labrador's Feet and Paws

Labradors love the outdoors and any adventure that comes their way. As with any adventure there are the risks of injury. The soles of a labradors foot can be damaged it such quests for food or the origin of a scent.

You should be aware that your labrador needs to have his feet checked after any run about in thick brush.

This is just in case of any scratches, cuts, splinters, burns or embedded stones. As you can imagine your dog could be injured and there’s no real way of you knowing unless you check.

If you find that your labrador has small objects embedded in his paw or in and around the nails then some small sterilized tweezers will do the job. Also a mild antiseptic will help in the process. Minor irritations can get infected and should be treated immediately.

In other cases an insect may have stung your labrador and this can cause swelling and a lot of pain. To keep the swelling and pain down an ice compress would do nicely. Allergic reactions can be problematic and if you notice any breathing irregularities or any other strange behaviour you should contact your veterinarian.

Starting a routine of foot inspections as early as possible is important

Many dogs really don't like having their paws touched and it helps to start getting them used to inspections at a young age. Nail clipping will not have to be done regularly if your labrador gets plenty of outdoor activity. Nails must be kept at a good length to avoid any problems with the normal placement of the foot. Read about Trimming your Labradors Nails.
Living in cold parts of the world where it snows many chemicals are added to help the snow melt. These chemicals can be irritating to your dogs’ paws and should be removed quickly by washing them with warm, soapy water.

You can also add petroleum jelly to help soothe any discomfort. If you find that chemicals are used often in your area then you should ask your veterinarian for some advice on a suitable cream.

Cleaning your labs feet as quickly as possible is very important. If your labrador begins licking his feet then large amounts of the chemicals can be damaging to internal organs.

Tasha - The site Mascot

Tasha is my Labrador Retriever. She has been a part of my life since she was a puppy. She is very similar to her dame with a strong black coat and a short white line on her chest.

My family was fortunate enough to know a good breeder. She was having some puppies and she really wanted us to have one free of charge. At the time I was 13 and was constantly asking for a dog so my parents decided to say yes and I got Tasha!

She has always been my responsibility although my father also spends a lot of time with her. During my university years I only saw her during my holidays and going for a walk with her was a welcomed break to studying!

Tasha is now 11 and most of her face is white as is her stomach and chest. She spends most of her time sleeping or just lazing around the house without a care in the world. Although she is getting old I am confident that she still has a couple of years left in her. So far she has not encountered any physical problems and is coping very well with her usual daily activity.

The house we live in has many stairs and although she does not go all the way up she is still able to get to her favourite places. Maybe one day we can install a doggy lift!

Anyway, this site is mostly about my experiences with her and about what I have learnt over the years. I hope that you enjoy looking through the site and find a labrador as special as Tasha!

A Quick Guide to Training

If you think training labrador puppies is tough, think again! When you bring home a pup, training can start straight away and before you know it you will have a fully housebroken labrador puppy Read More

When you want to go for walks you should use a leash. Leash Training Labrador Retrievers is unsurprisingly simple. Seeing as they are such intelligent dogs the training process is usually over as quick as it starts. Read More

Although Labradors are generally excellently behaved there are the odd occasions when accidents happen. This upsets them and they feel like they have done something very wrong. They often hide or act a bit upset because of this. Read More

Although they are very much like cages they should not be treated like one. This is the first step to getting your labrador to use his crate. You will find that having a dog crate will be very helpful during the housebreaking process and you may not suffer the same amount of sock and shoe loss as other labrador owners. Read More

How to stop a Dog Fight

Labradors are not the type of dog to get into a fight, however there is always the possibility that another dog may get aggressive. In times of danger your labrador may retaliate to defend either you or itself.

Dogs are very strong and when in a fight can be dangerous to both their opponent and humans. Trying to jump in and get in the way is a very foolish idea. This could result in you getting bitten or hurt. Unless you have your labrador on a leash at the time, there is no point in trying to stop the fight yourself.

The most effective way to stop a dog fight is to use water. You should throw water over the fighting dogs and this will make them break it up. Once separated then make a move for your dog.

From all of us here at Labrador Lounge have a great month! We look forward to hearing your comments and getting the next edition of Labrador Lounge ready for you and your friends!