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Thread: Newbie here!!

  1. #1
    House Broken Starla's Avatar
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    Newbie here!!

    hey y'all!! I adopted my Starla girl the end of June, she is a year old and insane!! But only if she doesn't get her exercise She has become a very special member of our family and we are so blessed to have her!! Looking for a good forum to help us with some issues we are having... Like how do you train her to come???? Cause when she is on the scent of something there is no getting through to her!! And health issues.... Any tips to help with the ear infections? I have a ear wash we use weekly from the vet... Just wondering if there are any other preventative things we could do? We also just had a blockage scare because she decided to eat the foam out of her bed the first night we left her with our pet sitter when we went on vacation... She didn't have a blockage and the foam is in her colin and moving along just fine... But now I need a indestructible bed for her crate because I'm scared to put a bed in and feel bad for making her sleep on the hard plastic tray... Any suggestions??

    Thanks in advance for any advice!!
    -D-
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  2. #2
    Senior Dog MikeLynn's Avatar
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    Hi and Welcome! Starla sounds like a true lab: she's real cute and she's an omnivore No advice on the bed issue though; had the same bed through two labs and fifteen years and it's still as good as new. They, probably, haven't been bed eaters, I guess, but I'm pretty sure there're folks here who can give you some good tips.
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    Senior Dog BaconsMom's Avatar
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    Welcome!!!
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    well, hi and welcome.
    for starters, if your pup is eating the bed, there are no indestructible ones. take the bed out until that behavior ends, if it ever does. i just had to do that with my frenchie, of all things. he was very proud of himself, having foam all over the crate, his head, and outside the crate. bed gone. he's just as comfy without it, it seems.

    "come" is one of the harder commands, in mho. get a looooong lead, let him go and call him back, either with a sweet little voice or a high value treat. if he doesn't respond, roll him in, sweetly saying "come come come" and whatever else he may respond to.

    again, eli, my frenchie has been harder to train than any lab i ever had. can you imagine that? true. i still have trouble with come but find he responds to a "kissing" sound more than anything else. even tho there are times i'd like to do anything other than kiss him when calling him.

    we use an ear wash that is half water and half vinegar. that was recommended by a holistic vet. some labs just have dirtier ears than others, at times.

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  8. #5
    Senior Dog POPTOP's Avatar
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    Hello and Welcome!

    Starla is so cute. Chocolate is the only flavor we've not had.

    She really does not need a bed. For her safety, don't use one. There will come a time when she will settle down and destroy one.

    Like Bett said, come is a hard command. She's reached the teenage years, all training seems to go in one ear and out the other. Hang in there, be patient, be consistent, train with positive reinforcement, treats and tons of praise. Use a long lead. If you give the command, give it like you are having a party and an even bigger party when she responds appropriately. If not, real her in. Don't fuss at her but don't hold the huge party either.

    Have you taken her to basic obedience class yet? That would really give both of you a great start. Don't worry if she's older than others in the class. Heck, I've taken a 10 years old to beginning obedience.

    She needs tons of exercise, not just a daily walk and tossing the ball a few times. Labs are like the energizer bunny, they can go and go and go.

    Weekly ear cleaning should be adequate. If she goes swimming, clean and dry out immediately after. Also, start getting her used to a tooth brush and doggy tooth paste. Don't use human paste, it's not good for dogs and can cause tummy upset. Go slowly and get so she is comfortable with her mouth being handled and the tooth brush. Many here brush daily.

    Looking forward to more pictures and stories.

    Practice NILF - nothing in life is free. You want dinner, sit. You want a treat, down. Like that.

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  10. #6
    House Broken Starla's Avatar
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    Thanks!!

    I know there isn't an indestructible bed... Was hoping to find one that's tougher. Might try one of the weather proof kind that are made with the tougher stuff... I know she doesn't *need* a bed, but if I can find one that's safe I'm going to try it. She normally doesn't mess with the bed in her crate. She only did because we left her.

    I have a 30 ft lead that I use when I take her swimming in the river, I will work in the come command, but the kissing sound works mostly... Except for when something really has her attention, like a squirrel, then forget it. She cant hear you!

    The water and vinegar thing is exactly what I was looking for!! Thanks!


    Quote Originally Posted by bett View Post
    well, hi and welcome.
    for starters, if your pup is eating the bed, there are no indestructible ones. take the bed out until that behavior ends, if it ever does. i just had to do that with my frenchie, of all things. he was very proud of himself, having foam all over the crate, his head, and outside the crate. bed gone. he's just as comfy without it, it seems.

    "come" is one of the harder commands, in mho. get a looooong lead, let him go and call him back, either with a sweet little voice or a high value treat. if he doesn't respond, roll him in, sweetly saying "come come come" and whatever else he may respond to.

    again, eli, my frenchie has been harder to train than any lab i ever had. can you imagine that? true. i still have trouble with come but find he responds to a "kissing" sound more than anything else. even tho there are times i'd like to do anything other than kiss him when calling him.

    we use an ear wash that is half water and half vinegar. that was recommended by a holistic vet. some labs just have dirtier ears than others, at times.

  11. #7
    Real Retriever KenZ71's Avatar
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    Welcome!

    My rescue girls have good recall, my male that I've had since he was 14 weeks will slow down look at me then take off. So I guess that means my training methods stink. So dont listen to my ideas
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  13. #8
    Senior Dog Doreen Davis's Avatar
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    Anthony sleeps on the plastic, like a rock. We use a high pitched come and a high value treat when he does. We are far from perfect but he gets better every day.

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  15. #9
    Senior Dog Halcyon's Avatar
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    Hello and welcome!

    Starla sounds like a normal Lab pup! My Lab turned 1 a year ago so we're right there with you in the teenage years. If it makes you feel any better, he doesn't even get a tray in the crate! He destroyed it himself a few months ago and now sleeps on carpet.

    You've already got lots of good information. If needed, read/search through the threads in General Health Issues, Training Tips and Puppy Training and Behaviour.

    I've found 6 months old and I just don't know who you are anymore??? to be a good laugh during the times when you want to bang your head against the wall.

  16. #10
    Real Retriever Murphy030813's Avatar
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    After chewing the corners of towels while in a crate, Murphy has been sleeping on the plastic for over a year now. Still happily goes into his crate when I ask for it. If your dog is chewing something while in the crate, don't leave it in the crate.

 



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