Long Drool of the Midwest

People who visit our home continue to ask why we cover our beautiful wood floors with big black indoor-outdoor mats. Instead of answering, I figure a video is worth a thousand words. *laugh*

No, she doesn't have a glandular problem - she's a Labrador Retriever. Watch this chocolate Lab beauty (our own Dakota) drool 70% of her body weight while waiting to eat her cookie.

Baking with Labradors

I love to bake anything from breads to cakes. When I decided to bake yummy banana bread last week, my dogs were eagerly waiting at my feet (and causing me to stumble here and there as I crossed the kitchen for another ingredient or baking tool).

Depending on what I am baking, my Chocolate Labrador Retriever girls get to join in on the tasting. It is a wonderful experience to bake with dogs at your feet (and drooling all over the floor) but it is even better when they help you clean up as my girls demonstrate in this latest Lab Brats home video entitled: Labrador Baking Help! Enjoy!

Bring in the Ducky!

I am such a happy Labbie! Mommy went out into the extreme cold yesterday and gots me my barkday pressie! Of course, she couldnt leave little Sis out so Cheyenne gots a pressie of her own. Then she had the Lab gaul to steal my ducky from me. Wanna see? Take a look at the video evidence mommy gots on the camera thingy below!

Thanks mommy for the ducky! I am definitely one loved Lab!

Lab smiles,
Dakota

Retrieving Skills

Some think this blog is just about our beloved Dakota and Cheyenne. Actually, that is half-true. You see, given our love of the Labrador Retriever breed, we feel that it is important to help inform other people about this specific dog breed. Too many people run out to buy a Lab from a breeder around their block and when they get it home, they are usually pulling out their hair.

Labrador Retrievers are a very particular breed. They are bred to innate skills that must be catered to in some fashion or the dog just isn't happy. That is why I like sharing video clips that I find on the dog breed itself.

This video helps give further insight into the Labrador Retriever dog breed and its need to use its mouth and retrieving skills. It is a great window into yet another aspect of this beautiful dog breed that all prospective dog owners should watch.



Sure, the video may seem a bit cheesy but the message is still real. Labs use their mouths and if you do not train them properly, they can easily train their mouths on your shoes, furniture, and other household items.

Long Lost Sibling?

My ventures online found me once again at something so funny that I had to share. If you remember an earlier post on "The Lab Brats vs. Bubble Wrap", then you will truly understand this. It seems, my good readers, that the Lab Brats have a long lost black Lab sibling. Watch the following clip and see if you can figure out who we are talking about.


The proof is unmistakable. Well, either that or bubble wrap is the arch nemesis of Labrador Retrievers everywhere. Ok, so we don't really know this Lab and we are pretty sure that this black Lab pup is not related to the Lab Brats. But, it makes you wonder; is it a Lab thing or a bubble wrap thing? Maybe it is just one of those life questions that we may never find an answer... (laugh)

Dogs vs. Bubble Wrap

The Lab Brats' daddy surprised them last night when he returned home from work. In his arms lay a number of doggy Christmas treat bags from their doggy daycare and you would think that was enough but 'lo and behold - there was also bubble wrap!

The minute I saw him lay down the bubble wrap on the counter, I knew that the Lab Brats would not stay quiet after they were done eating dinner. Instinct kicked in and I ran for my camera to show the world exactly what our own Labrador Retrievers think of bubble wrap. So, without further ado, I give you the Lab Brats vs Bubble Wrap!



Note: Neither dog actually ate the bubble wrap. They love to tear it apart and spit it out. Please do not attempt unless you are 100% positive your dogs will not ingest the bubble wrap.

Dyson and the Lab Brats

Do your dog watch television? Well, our Cheyenne does and it is a hoot!

We have a 32" wide screen flat panel television and ever since we brought it home, Cheyenne has been mesmerized by the pretty pictures and moving objects. Dakota could care less at times but Cheyenne is sitting right at our feet and glued to the tube. Why? They are Labs and Labrador Retrievers love two things; moving objects and squeaky noises!

Their favorite commercial? The Dyson commercial of course! I wasn't able to get Cheyenne or Dakota on video reacting to this commercial so I went to YouTube to share the commercial with all our readers. What I found was amazing! There are more than a dozen other families that have caught their dogs insane reactions to the same Dyson commercial. While I continue to wipe the tears of laughter from my eyes, here is one I thought I would share with you.



Of course, this was not either of the Lab Brats but this is how they react every time that commercial comes on the tube. Want to know something even funnier? While checking out all the clips on YouTube for dogs reacting to this specific commercial, Cheyenne and Dakota both ran into my office and flipped out while they were watching the clip. They thought there was a toy party in my office and I forgot to invite them!

We hope you enjoy the clip as much as we did. Now, if you don't mind, I am going to find a box of Kleenex because I just can't stop laughing!

The Labrador Breed

So many people post questions online about the Labrador Retriever breed and what to expect when bringing one into their homes. I applaud those people that do research on the breed before attempting to include one in their family. Often though, people bring home a Lab puppy because they are cute and cuddly or they see a 5-year old well trained Lab and think that is the way their puppy is going to come. Yes, the Lab breed is the perfect breed for a good number of home (I know I am bias) but you should really know what you are getting into before bringing one home.

When I watched this video, I knew I had to share it. Sure, it is from a specific dog food company, that we don't use, but everything else stated in the video is dead on. Even down to the pup that won't come to greet its owner home until I runs to retrieve something to bring to its human. That has Cheyenne written all over it!

So, sit back and watch this great video. You may already know everything they cover but just watching all the beautiful Labs is well worth it! Enjoy!

Remember the Days of Pups

With Dakota weighing just around 84lbs and Cheyenne weighing in at 70lbs, it is difficult to remember when they were just wee pups and nothing more than 10lbs each. Those days have long gone and although I feel blessed every day that I see my own Labrador Retrievers, I can't help thinking back to when they were puppies. Alas, my online search for Labrador Retriever puppies came to this cute video of a puppy pack. Sure, they aren't my own pups but they are too cute not to pass along. Enjoy!

Labs Don't Like Clothes

A nice person sent our Labs a couple of t-shirts. Unfortunately, they were a little small so I just put it over Dakota's neck and I don't think either Dakota nor Cheyenne really liked it that much.

*laugh* Well, it was a nice gesture anyway. :)

Sore Lab Pup

Alas, my Cheyenne is worse today then she was on Tuesday. At first I felt it was my fault since we let her go to doggie daycare yesterday. However, my wonderful husband was supposed to tell the daycare that although Cheyenne looked fine, she needed to take it easy for the day. If you guessed that he forgot to tell them, you would be right.

When she returned home last night, she was at her worst. Still no crying or protecting her leg by keeping it up in the air, but she was hobbling worse. We gave her a couple of pieces of "special cheese" (aspirin wrapped in sliced cheese) last night but that doesn't seem to help. This morning I got down on the floor with her and pushed her paw down into my hand to see if it was truly her paw or some other part of her front right leg. After some pushing and moving of her leg, she turned her head to lick my hand when I started to rub her elbow. Usually this is a sign that someone is on the right track and I just pray, once again, that it is nothing serious.

[Video Clip of Cheyenne Limping]

I have finally had enough and will be calling the vet this morning when they open and have decided to take the day off in order to get her to see them and watch out for her. We haven't given her anything for the pain because I want her to walk the same way for the vet and have the same amount of pain so to assist him in figuring out what is wrong. Sure, I feel bad about this but since she can't talk, this is the only way to help figure out what is wrong. She is, after all, my Lab baby and I want her back to normal as soon as possible!