Keep a canine first-aid kit on hand for general health care and emergencies. You should check it on a regular basis to make sure that liquids have not spilled or dried up, and replace medications and materials after they are used.

Your first aid kit should include: Activated charcoal tablets; Adhesive tape (1 and 2 inches wide), antibacterial ointment (for skin and eyes), aspirin (buffered or enteric coated, not Ibuprofen), bandages such as gauze rolls (1 and 2 inches wide) and dressing pads, cotton balls, diarrhea medicine, dosing syringe, hydrogen peroxide (3%), petroleum jelly, rectal thermometer, rubber gloves, rubbing alcohol, scissors, tourniquet, towel, and tweezers.

Your puppy cannot tell you when he is sick, but if you spend enough time with him and are observant of his behavior, it will be easy for you to notice when he is not feeling well. The purpose of a first aid kit is for you to assist a dog in an emergency situation before you reach the vet’s office. Such assistance should be minimal, so as not to make matters worse and it must be safe for the dog and his rescuer. If possible, alert the veterinarian immediately.

Poisons can enter the body in 3 ways; through the skin, by being inhaled, or by being eaten. Because of the dog’s curious nature, they are usually poisoned by ingestion. In order to prevent your dog from accidental poisoning, you must keep all household chemicals that are potentially toxic out of his reach. These include insecticides, alkaline household cleaners such as paint strippers, shampoos, flea collars, batteries, and medicines.

Removing paint and tar from the dog’s coat

To remove either paint or tar from your dog’s coat, soften it with petroleum jelly or another similar product that is safe for human skin. Cut off any heavily contaminated and matted fur. The next step is to wash the contaminated area with canine shampoo or baby shampoo, then rinse thoroughly.

Poisoning through ingestion

If you catch your dog eating something that you think is dangerous, restrain him and examine the package or substance carefully for instructions. Contact the vet or your local poison control center immediately for advice. With the help of another person, give your dog hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting. Getting him to vomit will eliminate some of the poison that has already entered his body and will buy you some time until he gets treated by the vet.

To make your dog vomit, draw the hydrogen peroxide into a syringe or a turkey baster. Tip your dog’s head back and squirt it toward the back of his tongue. Generally, your dog will start to vomit within a few minutes. If he does not vomit after 5 minutes, wait for another 5 minutes and then try again. Do not give your dog more than two doses of the solution because administering too much hydrogen peroxide can cause potential complications. Also, do not use ipecac or other over-the-counter products that are used by humans. While it is safe for us, it can be toxic for our pets.

Do not induce vomiting if your dog has eaten caustic chemicals such as drain cleaner because the poison will cause a double burn as it is going down and then coming back up. If he got into something alkaline like drain cleaner, what you need to do instead is to give him something to neutralize the chemicals, such as 3 teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice diluted in the same amount of water.

With poisoning, every minute counts. If the poison has already taken effect and the dog has collapsed, you need to take him to the vet immediately along with a sample of whatever it is that has poisoned him. Treatment is most effective if the vet knows the type of toxic substance that the dog has ingested.

Most dog bites occur around the neck, face, ears, and the upper chest area. And although most skin punctures from other canine teeth look simple and clean, there is often a considerable amount of damage through the flesh. Injuries, bites, or stings from insects and venomous animals are often difficult to find and administer symptomatic treatment. Contact your veterinarian if the dog shows any agitation at all. Below are several bite and sting descriptions as well as how to best deal with them.

Dog Bites

1. If you are witnessing two dogs fighting each other then be careful not to get yourself injured when trying to separate them. A safe and effective way to break up two dogs is by throwing cold water on them. Be sure to allow the dog some time to calm down before examining for possible injuries. If you spot skin that has been lacerated or punctured, clip the hair away from the wound.

2. Remove all of the clipped hair then carefully wash the area with warm water and a mild disinfectant. To prevent further hair from getting inside of the wound and causing irritation, apply a small amount of petroleum jelly around the outside of the bite.

3. If the skin is punctured, then take the dog to the vet to receive some sort of antibiotic treatment. If the skin is lacerated, then be sure to apply antiseptic cream to the area. Do not be alarmed if bruising occurs. If the laceration is severe enough then your dog may need to get stitches.

Bee And Wasp Stings

While playing outside your dog may experience being stung by a wasp or a bee. Although both types of insects are similar, they each leave a different sting. Wasp and hornet stings cause pain and swelling. Some dogs are very sensitive and allergic to stings and will react badly. If there is acute swelling to the mouth then immediate veterinarian care is vital.

When a bee stings your dog, it leaves an embedded stinger in the skin. If you suspect that your dog has been stung by a bee then examine the area carefully to pinpoint the stinger. Once located, remove the stinger with a pair of tweezers. You may need to look through a magnifying glass just to be sure you get the entire stinger unlogged. If there is excessive swelling once the stinger is removed, then apply an icepack.

The most common injuries that happen to our dogs involve the head area. And it is the ears that are most frequently torn in dogfights. The ears also tend to bleed profusely. So if your dog comes back injured with an ear wound, then take the following three simple steps to bandaging the area:

1. First make sure that your dog is calm from whatever fight he got into. Then clean the wound with warm water and a light disinfectant. Be sure not to get any hair or other small particles inside the wounded area.

2. Next, wrap the ear with a bandage. You should have plenty of bandage material from your emergency first aid kit but a cloth or shirt will do just fine. Wind the bandage around the head to keep it secure and to prevent the ear from bleeding when the dog shakes his head.

3. Continue with bandaging his ear by wrapping it around his head over and over until it is secure. Avoid putting any unnecessary pressure on the windpipe. If need be, you want to use what is called an “Elizabethan Collar”. Now get your dog to the vet immediately for further medical attention.

Finding a good place to groom your dog can make all the difference in establishing the habit. A suitable location for grooming should be convenient and enjoyable in order to be conducive to the regular practice of grooming your dog. Consider the following factors when determining the best place to do your dog grooming:

1. How much clean-up will your dog require? The mess your grooming sessions will make can determine the best location to groom. For instance, long-haired dogs whose coat stays in the comb are easy to groom indoors, but brushing your short-coated dog may release tiny hairs into the air, so you may have to find an outdoor location.

2. A harsh climate makes outdoor grooming difficult during much of the year while a temperate climate is more conducive to outdoor grooming.

3. A spare room or basement might be a great grooming studio as long as it is bright, comfortable, and spacious.

4. The ideal grooming location should have enough space to move around in, and is easy to clean.

The following are tips on finding a reliable dog-sitter:

1. Begin the process of finding a pet-sitter well in advance of your trip. Pet-sitters, like boarding kennels, are booked early, especially over the holidays or during prime vacation time.

2. Ask your veterinarian or pet-owning friends for a referral. Finding a sitter who is trustworthy and has a good reputation is important for your peace of mind.

3. Check the Yellow Pages of your telephone directory under “Pet sitters.” Call several and set up appointments to interview them. As an alternative, call the locator lines of the two major professional pet-sitting organizations for a list of member pet-sitters in your area.

4. When you call a pet-sitter, ask if he or she is bonded and insured and can supply you with references. Ask how long he or she has been in business and what experience with animals the person has beyond pet-sitting.

5. Set up a meeting with the pet-sitter so that you and your pet can meet him or her. The sitter should be interested in your animal and attempt to establish a rapport during the first meeting. Getting to know the pet sometimes takes a while if the pet is shy, but the sitter should make the effort.

6. Expect the sitter to ask you questions about your dog’s care, including feeding, walking, cleaning up, disposing of doggie wastes, recycling pet food cans, and games your dog likes to play.

7. When you decide on a sitter, expect to sign a contract covering the dates of core, cost, and liabilities. Some sitters, like housekeepers, require payment up front, so don’t be put off by a sitter asking for payment in advance.

8. Be sure to let the sitter know of any illnesses or idiosyncrasies that your dog has so that the sitter is not surprised if he behaves in a particular way.

9. If your dog eats little while you are gone, let the sitter know and offer suggestions of what to do if he decides to go on a hunger strike.

10. Provide the sitter with important information such as the phone number of where you will be, anyone locally to notify in an emergency, and the name and number of your veterinarian.

11. Inform your veterinarian that you will be away. Have your veterinarian keep a letter on file from you that says you are going away and names the pet-sitter and service as your dog’s temporary guardian. If there is a problem, the sitter will have the authority to bring him in and you will be responsible for any fees.

12. The sitter should give you a business card to take with you so that you can call the sitter if you need to for any reason. If your return is going to be delayed, contact the sitter to take care of your dog for the additional time.

Once you have decided that a Labrador Retriever is the right dog for you and your family, you are now ready to begin the search for a puppy that will hopefully be an ideal pet for the entire household, one that will be fun training to retrieve and can be used as such during the hunting season.

Whether it would be a male or a female is something that you need to decide before buying a Labrador Retriever. For those who want to acquire a hunting dog, a male is preferable because a female may come in heat just when she is needed as a retriever. However, in other circumstances, there is really not much difference; each sex has advantages and disadvantages. Either will wander if enticed away by neighboring dogs, or stay at home to be
with their family.

For the prospective dog owner, a good way to find the right Lab is to go to dog shows. There are dog magazines that you can buy that list the shows with dates and where they are going to be held. At a dog show, talk with as many people as possible, especially with those who will put you in touch with active breeders. Unfortunately, many successful breeders are
“kennel blind,” believing so strongly in their own type of Labrador that they do not see the faults in their stock. However, breeders are flattered when a serious beginner asks their advice; and the more intelligent the questions asked, the more interest there is in helping the new breeder to get started. The successful breeder is the one with many satisfied customers, and it is important for the beginner to talk with owners of Labradors from some of these kennels before visiting the place.

This is a big country, and you may end up buying a high-priced puppy from a person you have never seen, so you have to make sure that you will get what you are paying for. This involves talking with a great many Labrador owners and breeders and eventually deciding
upon a breeder whose advice you believe to be trustworthy. No one is infallible; miracles rarely happen and we never get perfection, but with proper research and planning, mistakes can be minimized when buying a puppy which you hope will be a superior, all-purpose pet.

At first, the beginner can rarely see the difference between one puppy or dog within a breed and another, especially if they are all the same color. It takes constant training of the eye to distinguish various differences between the Labradors one has the opportunity to see. Also, there is more involved than visual appearance in selecting the ideal puppy. A beginner will be more capable in choosing the right breeder than the right puppy and should rely upon the breeder to make the selection.

Allergies: Unlike humans, the first sign of discomfort usually shown by an allergic dog is itchy, irritated skin. Some dogs also get a runny nose or eyes, sneeze or even suffer from vomiting and diarrhea. Uncovering the source of the allergy can be quite frustrating for owners and veterinarians alike.

Some dogs are allergic to components in their diet. A food allergy can emerge early in life; usually the offenders are beef or soy products. The best way to determine if diet is causing an allergic reaction is to feed hypoallergenic food for several weeks and see if the signs regress. To be altogether certain of a food allergy, you’d need to challenge the dog with the prior food and see if the signs recur.

Another common allergic condition is known as atopy. Atopy refers to an inhalant allergy or a reaction to environmental components. Molds, plants, dust, even furniture stuffing fall into this category. Signs of atopy may be seasonal. The only practical way to discover what’s bothering this allergic dog is to ask a veterinary dermatologist to conduct an intradermal skin test, much as is done with human allergy sufferers. Then you can try avoiding offensive material, or attempt hyposensitization. These problems are also best discussed with a qualified dermatologist.

A few comments about some common dog allergies: many dogs are sensitive to flea collars, flea bites or dyes in plastic food dishes. These things are easily identified and corrected. If a flea collar irritates your dog’s neck, remove it and wash the area thoroughly with a mild shampoo. Switch to another type of product. And if your dog’s red, irritated nose is caused by an allergy to dyed plastic by replacing the plastic dish with metal or glass. If it’s an allergy, the condition should be resolved.

Hot Spots: One of the most common summertime complaints seen by veterinarians are hot spots - round hairless patches of tender, red, oozing skin which seem to erupt overnight. They are usually found on the rump, although they may appear anywhere on the body. Hot spots are especially prevalent in heavy-coated breeds and in any dog with skin allergies.

Hot spots probably begin as a focus of irritation caused by a flea bite, impacted anal sacs or other small annoyances. However, the more the dog licks and chews at the spot, the worse it feels, so the more the animal licks and chews. A small problem explodes into a large one. These lesions need to be treated promptly before you have a dog in agony.

Treatment of a hot spot begins with clipping away the surrounding hair and cleaning the surface of the wound. The area is then covered with a soothing spray, liquid or ointment. The veterinarian will attempt to find and eliminate the source of the complaint. Your dog may need to wear an Elizabethan collar (a plastic contraption similar to a lampshade) around his neck, to prevent it from attacking the area further, until the skin begins to heal. Antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications may be prescribed as well.

Is your dog having a problem with diarrhea? Does he have “accidents” while trying to get outside to go to the bathroom? While your dog may not loosing too much sleep over the problem, there is no doubt that you are not happy with the runny mess being made in your house!

Diarrhea in dogs often happen because of eating something rotten from the outside, or even from getting into a chemical inside of the house. There are times when he may have an intestinal virus that could be the cause. Perhaps you suddenly changed his diet which may be a contributing factor to the problem.

Below are several tips in which you can use to effectively help your dog recover from diarrhea:

1. Do not let your dog have a continual feeding of food in the dish. If you stop putting food in your pet, then he will stop having to use the bathroom. So it is obvious that once you notice your dog has the runs, simply stop feeding him for 24 hours after the onset of diarrhea. This alone could be enough to knock out the problem. However, if after 24 hours have gone by and there is still a problem with your dog’s bowel movement, then contact your vet immediately because something could be seriously wrong.

2. Try feeding your dog bland foods for a while to keep her stomach calm. When your dog is ready to begin eating again you may want to have a week at feeding bland foods to keep her digestive system calm. Such bland foods may be skinless chicken or cooked white rice. Another ideal food that fits perfectly for the sour stomach is boiled hamburger meat.

3. Remove any dairy products from your dog’s diet. Because most dogs lack the enzyme “lactase”, they have a very difficult time digesting milk. Lactase is needed to properly digest the sugar in milk.. If you are feeding your dog any type of milk product and she has diarrhea, then completely eradicate milk from her food choices. You will see dramatic improvement within days.

4. Keep your dog’s system flowing with plenty of liquids. When your dog has diarrhea, his body is depleted of liquids and essential fluids. Be sure to keep your dog’s water bowl full at all times. And like people, dog’s also loose a lot of minerals when their body is depleted of fluids, so it is a good idea to keep a separate bowl filled with Gatorade. Gatorade is an excellent liquid that will help your dog’s body with getting enough of the potassium and sodium that it lost.

Perhaps you’ve decided that you want to adopt a certain kind of dog that you can’t seem to find in a shelter. Or maybe you just don’t feel quite comfortable adopting from any of the shelters around you. That’s okay; there are other ways to give a good home to a needy dog, like breed rescue societies. It may take a little more innovation to find one of these, but they’re becoming more popular and easier to locate all the time, and they can help match you up with a great pup.

For practically every breed of dog, there is a national breed club with lots of local chapters. And in the last few years, many of those clubs have taken on the challenge of rescuing dogs of their chosen breed from shelters and pounds and placing them into secure adoptive homes. Now there are clubs devoted entirely to breed rescue, and if you’re interested in adopting a purebred, they’re a great resource.

Breed rescue societies rely on their volunteer members to rescue dogs from adoption facilities or from people who can’t or shouldn’t keep them. These volunteers, who are usually knowledgeable “dog people” who have experience with dog raising and training in general and the breed in particular, serve as foster parents to the dogs until permanent homes can be found. Ideally, they not only feed and groom and exercise the rescued dogs but also give them some socialization and basic education.

The foster-home system can translate into a big advantage for you when you adopt a dog through a breed rescue program, since your pup will have had at least some experience living in a household and learning rules by the time you get her. She’ll probably have begun to get used to other dogs, too, since most breed rescue volunteers already have dogs of their own. And her “foster parents” will be able to tell you a lot about her personality and her needs, since they’ll have lived with her day and night for some time. So it’s important to adopt from a rescue society whose members you trust and whose foster parents know what they’re doing.

You won’t find a breed rescue society for every single breed of dog in your area; sometimes there’s just not enough demand for one (after all, a Karelian Bear Dog Rescue Society in central Texas probably wouldn’t be very busy), and sometimes there’s not enough interest or person-power. But most areas will at least have rescue clubs for the breeds that appear most frequently in animal shelters - that is, the most popular breeds at any given time. (Remember, if you want a dog of a very popular breed, be very patient and judicious in your selection, since popularity usually leads to overbreeding, and overbreeding usually leads to dogs with temperamental and physical problems.)