Labrador Poem - The Power of the Labrador Retriever

The Power of the Labrador Retriever

There is sorrow enough in the natural way
From men and women to fill our day;
And when we are certain of sorrow in store,
Why do we always arrange for more?
Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware
Of giving your heart to a Labrador to tear.

Buy a Labrador pup and your money will buy

Love unflinching that cannot lie—
Perfect passion and worship fed
By a kick in the ribs or a pat on the head.
Nevertheless it is hardly fair
To risk your heart for a Labrador to tear.

When the fourteen years which Nature permits
Are closing in asthma, or tumour, or fits,
And the vet’s unspoken prescription runs
To lethal chambers or loaded guns,
Then you will find—it’s your own affair—
But . . . you’ve given your heart to a Labrador to tear.

When the body that lived at your single will,
With its whimper of welcome, is stilled (how still!).
When the spirit that answered your every mood
Is gone—wherever it goes—for good,
You will discover how much you care,
And will give your heart to a Labrador to tear.

We’ve sorrow enough in the natural way,
When it comes to burying Christian clay.
Our loves are not given, but only lent,
At compound interest of cent per cent.
Though it is not always the case, I believe,
That the longer we’ve kept ’em, the more do we grieve.
For, when debts are payable, right or wrong,
A short-time loan is as bad as a long—
So why in—Heaven (before we are there)
Should we give our hearts to a Labrador to tear?

- Rudyard Kipling

Celebrity Labrador Owners

It's not just every day people who love Labrador retrievers. The list of celebrity labrador lovers include Bill Clinton (Buddy), Vladimir Putin (Koni), Prince William (Widgeon) and more.

Check out these great labrador celebrity owners.

 Pamela Anderson with a Labrador named Star.

Hulk and Brooke Hogan with their Labrador Rosello.

 Denise Richards and her pets.

Actress Nicollette Sheridan with her Labrador Oliver.

For a huge list of celebrity Labardor lovers, visit here. 

Treating Labradors with Arthritis or Labrador Joint Pain

Treating Arthritis in Labradors

 if you have a Labrador arthritis problem, you know you'll do anything to relieve your labrador's joint pain. Not just a problem in older Labrador Retrievers, arthritis can affect labs of all ages, especially in winter.

Causes of arthritis in Labrador Retrievers

As your labrador's joints age, they are subject to a certain amount of wear and tear.   The hip joint particular takes a lot of wear in Labrador retreivers, as it is in the upper end of the body’s major muscle ‘power house’ for movement.

This wear and tear in the joint causes the pain and inflammation that we call labrador arthritis. Whilst a certain amount of wear and tear always takes place,  severe arthritis is not inevitable.   And there are steps you can take to help prevent your dog getting arthritic and stiff in his old age.

Preventing arthritis in Labrador's through weight control

Body weight is a massive factor in arthritis for Labradors.  Slimmer Labradors are less likely to get arthritis than fat ones. If you're looking for the best way to treat athritis in Labrador Retreivers, then prevention is by far the best.

Glucosamine and arthritis

Glucosamine is an amino sugar that promotes the repair of joint cartilage in Labradors.  Studies in show that   glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate together will help reduce pain and swelling and may help repair damaged cartilage in Labrador Retreivers.

You can order dog glucosamine online for Labradors from leading online pet shops. Do not use human supplements ever for Labradors. There are also various other very good supplements for labradors which can assist with joint pain.

Follow these simple suggestions and Labrador joint pain will be well managed. While we can never cure joint pain in Labradors, you can give your Labrador joint pain relief for a better wellbeing.

Cleaning Labrador Retriever Ears

Often a labrador with dirty ears will need some additional ear care and attention. If you need to know how to clean a labrador's ears, follow these simple labrador ear cleaning steps.

1. 1
   Wrap a piece of gauze loosely around your pointer finger. This is a gentler alternative to a Q-Tip, which can make your labrador a bit uncomfortable. Just hold the gauze in place with your thumb and index finger.
   
   
2. 2
   Moisten it with ear cleaner. You can buy leading brand ear cleaners for labradors online.
   
   
   • The gauze shouldn't be sopping wet. If you accidentally put too much on, wring it out a bit and continue. Extra ear cleaner will not harm your pooch.
3. 3
   Gently swab your Labrador's inner and outer ears. If you have not been keeping up on this, you'll probably want to use multiple pieces of gauze. Don't be afraid to go into the inner ear -- just keep a gentle touch.
   
   
• It's best to clean out your Labrador's ears every week or so. Dirt accumulates rather fast and can lead to an infection, especially with floppy-eared canines.

* Picture supplied. We know it's not a labrador :)

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Labrador Retriever Ear Care

Although a Labrador’s ears need to be regularly monitored for her entire life, a little basic maintenance is generally all that’s required to keep them clean and healthy.

Labrador Retriever Anatomy

Because of the twisty, curvy design of a labrador’s inner ears, it’s easy for parasites, bacteria and yeast to hide and thrive in them. This also means that any debris in the ear canal of your Labrador Retriever must work its way up to escape. Infections can result from trapped debris. Labrador's with allergies are particularly vulnerable, as are Labrador Retrievers with particularly floppy ears.

Routine Labrador Ear Care

Your Labrador’s regular grooming/maintenance routine should include regular ear checks. This is especially important for Labradors who produce excessive earwax or have a lot of inner-ear hair:

• If your Labrador s inner ears appear dirty, clean them with a cotton ball dampened with mineral oil, hydrogen peroxide or a solution formulated specifically for this purpose. Inner-ear skin is delicate, so allow your vet to demonstrate the proper method for cleaning your dog’s ears.
• Do not clean your Labrador s ears so frequently or deeply as to cause irritation, and take care to NEVER insert anything into your Labrador’s ear canal.
• If your Labrador sprouts hair from his ear canal, you or your groomer may have to tweeze it out every few weeks to prevent problematic mats and tangles from forming. Please discuss with your vet whether this is necessary for your Labrador.

Wet Behind the Ears?

If you’re not careful, frequent bathing and swimming can lead to irritation and infection. To prevent this from happening, place cotton in your Labrador s ears before baths, and be sure to dry her ears as thoroughly as you safely can after all water sports and activities.

If your Labrador is prone to ear infections, you might want to pour a tiny amount of an ear drying solution made for dogs into her ear canals to help evaporate any water trapped inside. These ear washes, usually witch hazel-based, are available at better online pet supply stores.

Danger Signs

Contact your veterinarian if you notice any of the following symptoms affecting your Labrador’s ears:

• Ear discharge
• Bad smells
• Redness
• Swelling
• Crusty skin
• Hair loss

Please also be aware that brown or black ear wax—and dry, dark wax resembling coffee grounds—are classic indicators of microscopic ear mites. Only your vet can tell for sure, so please don’t delay bringing a gooey-eared pooch in for a checkup.

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