Labradors which are sick, over or underweight, crawling with fleas, suffering from mange, you name it, Labrador Rescue carers have seen it all. Sometimes when we look at a new arrival it makes you cry to see how bad they look. 

For most dogs, a bath, flea treatment, antibiotics (sometimes for ear mites, mange etc) and a good diet makes the world of difference. However chocolate labs in particular show the effects of any or all of the above in the condition of their coat much more than the gold or black labs do. The coat of chocolate labs under stress has quite a dramatic colour change as well as the texture change of all labs. The dry, harsh coat which sheds amazingly in all the labs only seems to have a real colour change in the chocolate labs.

 The photos of poor Lucy show it all. Lucy (around 10 years of age) came into care extremely thin with legs unable to take her weight due to muscle atrophy from starvation and wearing the typical “stressed coat” look of chocolate labs in trouble. You can see from the photos of Lucy, how thin she was and how her coat was a light tawny shade of brown instead of a healthy glowing walnut brown. Lucy had 7 rotting  teeth extracted immediately to allow her to eat and was placed on an appropriate diet and other medical care she desperately needed. In one photo you can see her ear, which had been shaved to deal with an infection in the skin, is showing the new growth in the chocolate she should have been all over. As well as looking a bad colour, Lucy’s fur was dry to touch, you almost felt it would snap off in your hand.

Anna, the dog in the other photos came into care extremely stressed. She was overweight and so afraid of people that she would bolt outside to hide whenever anyone came into the house. Her colour was very similar to Lucy’s and every morning, the laundry where she slept was covered in a carpet of shed fur. Jess the other chocolate lady who sneaked up on the other end of the couch also came into care weighing over 40 kilos with similar sad looking and feeling fur. Their coats demonstrate that with correct care they can go in a few months from dry harsh fur the colour of Lucy’s to soft glossy coats, chocolate (or really walnut) brown that we all love to see.

Correct diet and exercise, weekly baths (Labrador Rescue uses Medicated Dog Soap by House of Carteret ) and daily grooming are essential to all our dogs with skin and condition problems. I have found that dietary supplements such as Flax seed oil or Omega 3 fish oil (capsules or liquid) together with a reasonable quality of pet food choice all help bring the shine back to choc labs.

The other essential ingredient which ALL labs need to keep their gloss both physically and mentally- to be well loved. Combine all of the above together with clear boundaries and appropriate discipline and your lab will look good and BE a fabulous family member.

Eukanuba are a fantastic brand of dog food. They donate palates of food to Lab Rescue and Labradog Rescue. My lovely dog Dorrie and her foster sister Lizzie REALLY love Eukanuba. So much so we had a bit of laundry raiding today...

Both dogs are feeling a little bit sorry for themselves! 

Oh and the dog farts they are both producing are outrageous!

We need some more dog coats to tell the world about Lab Rescue so I’m combining my love of sewing with my volunteer work for Lab Rescue.  Please feel free to contact us to offer your help if you’re also keen to sew for a non-profit organisation.

I was inspired by two sites in particular when working out an easy design that would fit a variety of Lab sizes.

http://prettylittlethings.typepad.com/lori_marie/2008/02/this-little-pig.html

http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.3a0656639de62ad593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=139e809dc732f010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=92f9cf380e1dd010VgnVCM1000005b09a00aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&rsc=&lnc=92f9cf380e1dd010VgnVCM1000005b09

I thought buttons were a little impractical for active fidgety Labs so decided on a Velcro closure instead!

I am a member of a quilting club which learns a new strip pattern once every two months, http://www.patchworkshop.com.au/. The most recent one struck me as eye catching and I thought it would make the coats really stand out on dogs wearing them; in black, white and red (although I picked a bright orange!).

The blocks are about 10 x 10 inches (sorry most measurements are in inches in the quilting world and I might leave it that way) so 4 sewn together is about the right size for a Lab. I can make 8 coats in this fabric using my current strip club fabrics. If you love it there will only be 8 available so put your hand up if you want one!

I thought the words ‘Adopt Me’ would be suitable for a foster dog to wear when out and about, short and fairly quick to appliqué. I think on the next one I’ll use something like ‘Rescue A Labrador’ to make it a little more flexible so that the coat can be worn by our own dogs or newly adopted dogs to spread the word and it is similar to our website and email address www.rescuealabrador.com and This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

I chose a font and font size that would be easy to read from a distance (and substantial enough to appliqué, and with more straight lines than curves as this makes it easier for me to appliqué around the edges).  I used GIMP (available to download off the internet for free) to reverse the letters and traced them onto an appliqué sheet. When the letters are ironed onto the fabric and cut out and affixed to the coat they’re the right way round again!

I cut some orange strips (about an inch wide) to sew around the edge of the blocks to help them look finished and act like faux binding.

 I bought some cheap light white polycotton for the coat backing as I’m not really keen to make these too thick and hot for the dogs to wear. Labs are pretty energetic and have a double coat so don’t need anything warm to wear when running around outside!

I cut 2 ½ inch strips of fabric (length the width of the fabric from one selvage to the other) for the straps, one strip in orange and one in white. I interfaced the white fabric and cut each strip into 4 even lengths, a little over 10 inches each. I sewed right sides together leaving one end open and shaping the closed end slightly. Turned the straps the right way out and ironed flat and tidy.

I think the straps at the front need to be a little shorter and the straps around the body a little longer so will probably modify the next ones to be 8 inches around the front and 12 inches around the body. It may even be easier to do up with two long straps that meet two short ones or just attach one strap each way straight onto the body of the coat (but then the Velcro would be more visible than I would like).

I laid the straps orange side down on the coat body right side up and covered with the backing fabric (white polycotton), cutting around the edge (approx 20 x 20 inch square). Sew the two together leaving an opening of at least 5 inches so that you can turn the coat right side out. Topstitch around the outer edge closing the opening and reinforcing the strap attachment as you go around.

Sew Velcro onto the straps. I sewed the soft sides of the Velcro to the straps that face down toward the dog’s skin and the harsh prickly side on the straps that faced away from the dog’s body. I’m sure their double coat would protect their skin but prefer to be safe than sorry!

I’ll take some more photos of the construction process as I make the next one. Stay tuned :)

Post written by our very talented and enthusiastic carer - Linda!

What's that saying? Never trust someone who says trust me? Well, maybe there's a little more to that when it comes to rescue dogs. 

We've had a busy month and a half over January in February, mainly due to all the applications that are coming in. We get over 10 applications a week! I counted 71 applications since Jan 1!

Since we usually rehome 2 dogs each week that means we're disappointing 8 people each week. Some of these will stay on our waiting lists for incoming dogs. They may have specified that they want a dog in an age group, or sex that we just don't have at the time. 

Unfortunately, most people don't get a dog from us because they haven't done their research into the breed before contacting us. We're often the first person to tell them that labs shed hair, puppies chew everything in sight and they don't do well as 'outside dogs'. I think everyone at Lab Rescue will agree with me here in saying, turning down a prospective home because they have the wrong expectations about a labrador is the second hardest part of our job. (The hardest part is when a dog doesn't make it, but that's another blog post)

I wish people would understand our background when applying for a dog. We see hundreds of labs each year advertised on gumtree or surrendered directly to us. 99% of the time their stories are exactly the same. He/She is just too much for me. They have lost the bond they wanted to have with the dog, it's developed bad habits and the situations out of control. The last thing we want is for the same scenario to happen in a Lab Rescue dog's home. We're SO careful about where to place our dogs that it can come across as being fussy, or self pretentious. 

Please, if you are considering a lab research the breed first. We don't care if you've had 10 labs in your life before or if you've had none, we still expect that you know enough about the breed to give them a good home. If we think you're not suitable, please trust our reasons for this. It's based on placing over 500 labradors into great foster homes and then into their forever homes. It's what we do, it's what we're good at.

So trust us. 

Training to be a Lab Rescue Foster Carer

Labrador Rescue takes wonderful Labs that, through no fault of their own, have ended up on death row at the pounds or are surrendered to us directly by their owners. These lucky Labs are placed in foster homes to live with the families whilst they wait for their new homes. Our foster carers treat them as members of their families and begin their training on what it is like to live with a real family. Some of these Labs have never had any training at all and have never even heard the word "sit"!

As a thank you to our foster carers for all of their loyal support and to help our Labs learn their manners even faster, we have asked the wonderful "Pawman" to come to Canberra and host a training day for all of our foster carers. Whilst he is in Canberra, he will also be doing a training seminar and one on one's for the general public. Labrador Rescue are asking for donations to help cover the cost of this valuable training for our foster carers. This will allow our foster carers to not only train their Labs in basic manners and solve minor problem behaviours such as jumping up but will also give them the knowledge to support the new families when they take their new Lab home. A beautifully mannered Lab has a much better chance of finding a wonderful new home as quickly as possible. It also opens up many new homes to a Lab that may otherwise need a very particular home.For example, not many homes could cope with a 35kg Lab that jumps up on them every time they want to say hi!

Can you help?

We will be bringing all our foster carers together for this event, which is quite a task! Our foster carers are located all around NSW, from Newcastle to Yass. Our main challenge is making sure we have enough money to fund this training course. If you would like to donate to Labrador Rescue and to help train our foster carers, our bank details are below. Every dollar helps!

Labrador Rescue Inc

Defence Credit Union

BSB: 803-205

Account: 2077 9092

But I want to go!

If you wish to learn more about doggy behaviour, fix a problem issue with your best friend (only of the canine variety!) and see why we think The Paw Man is the most fabulous dog trainer, the details of his public training are below:

Event: Canine Behaviour Seminar by 'The Paw Man', "Understanding and Dealing With Difficult Dogs"

Presenter Bio: 'The Paw Man' has been a qualified Police Dog Handler, Trainer and Instructor for the last 33 years. He specialises in solving canine behaviour problems especially those involving disobedience, dominance and aggression. His Brisbane based business 'The Paw Man' has been operating for over 12 years and boasts a success rate of over 99%. Visit 'The Paw Man' web site at www.thepawman.com.au to find out more about the man and what he does. Seminar Content Description: Seminar attendance is strictly limited to 50 persons. This ensures the maximum amount of interaction with the group. The Paw Mans straight shooting but light hearted style will shatter many myths about dogs and their behaviours that abound in these Politically Correct times. He will simplify the understand of canine behaviour to a level where even the most difficult of canine behaviours will be understood with ease. He also teaches the correct use of aversive in behaviour modification and discusses various other dog training styles and their advantages and disadvantages. The Paw Man also has a strictly limited number of 1:1 consultations available in the two days following the seminar where he will come to you in Canberra and deal with your dogs problems in the home environment. His 3 previous Canberra seminars have all sold-out before the event so book early to avoid missing out.

Event Date: Easter Sat 7 Apr 2012

Location: Olims Hotel, Braddon Time: 0800-1200hrs

Cost: $100- per head includes light refreshments and reference manual at end of seminar.

Booking Inquiries: For seminar inquiries send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

We wish to take this opportunity to thank The Paw Man for all of the assistance he provides us on a daily basis with our rescues and we are looking forward to being able to spend Easter Friday with him learning so much more.

Come meet our cuddly dogs and their foster carers this weekend at Canberra's RSPCA Adoption Drive!

Puppies often come into our care needing training. All of our dogs get toilet trained because they all live inside the house. Linda kindly wrote down a few tips on toilet training that I thought I'd share. Feel free to add your own in the comments below. 

Toilet Training ideas from my experience that might help you with new dogs - Linda

Body Language 
Learn the body language your dog exhibits before toileting. This can only be done by observation. Watch your dog until it toilets.

Constant Supervision
While housetraining a dog not to toilet inside, constant supervision is a must. If you can't supervise for a time pop the dog in a crate or outside while you're busy. Remember not to leave the dog in a crate for too long as you want to set up the dog for success not failure . If you keep getting distracted tie the dog to you with a leash so you don't forget (Labs won't mind a bit)! If you are supervising you will be able to catch the dog in the act of toileting, then you make a loud sudden grrowly sound , 'no' or 'bah' to shock the dog into stopping and take it quickly outside following the toileting routine below. 
Note: You cannot punish a dog for toileting inside if you find the evidence more than 10 seconds later, it will have no idea what you're trying to teach it!

Routine
Develop a toileting routine. Dogs generally toilet after a meal, after a drink, upon waking or becoming active after a period of relaxation, like greeting you. At these times take your dog to the same door and walk out with them to the garden and take the same route to the general area you'd like to encourage them to toilet in. Keep wandering around slowly and watch your dog's body language until it goes. When finished give the dog a treat and some lavish praise or a game of fetch or something you know the dog loves.
If you get sick of waiting for the dog to toilet , take it back in and continue the constant supervision while inside, put a timer on and go out again in about half an hour, keep doing this until the dog toilets either inside (and interrupt it) or outside (and praise it). 
Hopefully the dog will start to follow that routine before it toilets and you will notice it trying to tell you that it's time to go. Give yourself a pat on the back when you realise you can understand what the dog is trying to tell you .

Cleaning Up
For a dog that is new to toileting outside on grass, you may like to clean up the mess and transfer it outside to an area of the garden to get an area to start smelling like a dog toilet. If that is not necessary then wipe up inside and spray with vinegar. This will neutralise the smell so that the house doesn't smell like a toilet to the dog.

We're so lucky at Lab Rescue to have such talented people using their gifts to support us. Late last year a lady contacted us about a painting she had created. 

Hi

Labradors are notorious for suffering arthritis. One of our volunteers Angel has just reported that her young, fit healthy girl has just been diagnosed with early onset arthritis. We've currently got two dogs in our care who have suffer from arthritis, but at times we've had a lot more.

If we get a dog with arthritis it's CRUCIAL that we keep the dog at a healthy weight. (i.e. when the lab is standing you can feel it's ribs under a layer of skin. The ribs shouldn't be visable.) We also keep the dogs fit, usually by swimming or slow long walks as it puts less stress on the joints. The muscle build up supports the joints reducing arthritic pain.

Katherine's been looking into a couple of products who help arthritis. She's been talking to other rescue groups getting their advice, as well as talking to some of our vets. We will be bulk ordering some drugs to help our rescues. If you are interested in finding out about what we use, feel free to email Katherine ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) and discuss these options with your local vet.

We are not vets and we don't know your dogs history. Please note that any advice you receive from us should also be discussed with your local vet.

We've seen many dogs who come into care with arthritis and although they are all different in personality, they all share the one thing. They love life, and don't let a bit of arthritic pain get in their way. Playing, swimming, tummy rubs and chewing a big bone are DEFINITELY not inhibited by arthritis!

Bit of a life lesson for us huh? I complain and swear at the mere thought of a paper cut....

Lucia's owners emailed us over the new year with an update. It had such a funny picture in it, I just have to share it!

Apparently Lucia's learnt how to loop herself into the seat belt when in the car, how clever! Very sensible of you!

Here's Gregi's update on Lucia:

About a week ago we got an email from someone asking how expensive it was to have a lab. I though this would be a great opportunity to write a blog post on the expected costs of labradors. 

I've only owned a lab for 9 months, before then I'd never owned a dog. My hubby and I are still learning what to put aside for the dogs so there was no way I could write an article based on my own experience. So instead, I asked a few foster carers with dogs of their own to tell their stories. 

Some foster carers don't own their own labs, some own golden retrievers, some curlies some wolfhound crosses. But they are all relatively big dogs with similar common health issues.

So firstly I'll introduce everyone. 

Kim - Kim is a holiday foster carer, helping out when we're really busy in the holidays. Kim's recently adopted Bronson to befriend her lab Ella. 

Linda - Most of you will already know Linda, she's the one who matches dogs with people. Linda owns a Brittany, a Curly Coated Retriever and a tabby cat, all who have seen many fosters over the years. Linda's passionate about responsible dog ownership and loves reading and sharing her dog training tips.

Kylie - If you have ever adopted a dog off us, you would have recieved a congratulations email. Kylie finalises all our adoptions and sorts out our paperwork. She's adotped two labs off us, Bella and Zippah who joined Sammy J and Emma, Kylie's other labs. She also owns two rabbits and a cat. I think it's fair to say Kylie knows a thing or two about the costs and benefits of keeping animals!

Frances - Frances is one of our more experienced foster carers. She's had many through her doors and has lots of stories to tell. She and her family all love dogs, you just have to hear her strategy of walking three dogs at one time! Frances has a cocker spaniel who teaches fosters manners, and sadly has recently said goodbye to her beloved goldie. Frances also has a cat.

Karen - Karen's a foster carer we pinched from Golden Retriever Rescue! She has a 9 year old goldie and a gorgeous king charles spaniel. Like Frances, Karen has been with lab rescue for a while, fostering many dogs. She's always a sucker for a good dog story and loves to hear how her fosters are going in their new homes.

Carole - Carole is our WA rep who adopted Roxxi and flew her all the way from Canberra to Perth. After spending all that money transporting Roxxi, Carole quickly found out she had an ectopic urethrea. Despite all that, Carole's family love Roxxi to bits and think every cent is worth it. Carole helps out by responding to emails in our email box. She's often everyone's first contact with Lab Rescue. 

Shalini - Shalini is a foster carer and event organiser for Lab Rescue. She's got two boofy lab boys Lynx and Viper and if she had her way, she'd have a lot more! Since Shalini's joined Lab Rescue late last year she's organised a stand at the pet expo, rehomed half a dozen labs, made countless trips around Sydney and Canberra and various phone calls. Shalini's passionate about rescuing labradors and has a real soft heart for them.  

Food

How much do you spend on food every week? How many dogs does that cover? What is it that you buy them?

Kim: We buy the biggest bags of dog food, which last about a month or so - $100 a bag? I must admit I don't keep close track of how long it lasts although with our new lovely Bronson we are certainly going through the food. Extras would be $10-15 per wk on top of the dry food, max.  

Linda: Our Pet Barn bill came just under $900 (generally food, toys & grooming needs for 3 dogs & cat) which adds up to about $12/week/dog. Food varies from low end Bonnie or Supercoat to high end Eukanuba or Nutro

Kylie: We have Royal Canine (Obesity) for our oldies $140 for a 20kilo bag, with joint formula but Supercoat $20 10 kilo (I think) for the Jnrs. With bones and chicken wings, carcasses I would say similar to Linda around $12-14 a week per dog.

Frances: I use Bonnie Lite as i have oldies and buy a 20 kilo bag at about $42 I think which last 3 dogs (and sometimes a sneaky cat) about 3 weeks. I add a large bone, treats etc and would agree it would average out at about $8 to $10 a week.

I add Omega fish oil capsules (3 X2000) per day  and 1X glucosamine tablet per day for any dog over 7 years of age or in poor condition plus a splash of sunflower oil per day for all ages. I buy the tablets in woolworths in jars of 200 each. Approx $40 ish dollars a jar.

Karen: Per year I'd spend about $500 on Science Diet for Heidi my 9 year old goldie. Treats will probably add up to $500 per year too. I give her bones when I go to work each day. 

Carole: We buy big bag of weight control eukanuba. I'm not sure how long last for but costs around 120. I guess I'll probably go through at least four a year.

Shalini: I spend about $25 a week on my two boys. That covers canned dog food and dry pedigree biscuits.

Toys!

Do you buy toys for your dogs? How much do you spend, say per year? What is it they like to play with?

Kim: Yes we do! Especially when they are pups, or if their favourite 'breaks' (i.e chewed to bits). We spend maybe, $20 per year? I suppose most years they get nothing new, really, they have heaps of toys. They love to play with tennis balls! Kmart sells packs of 6 cheap, and we got some bigger, squeaky ones from PetStock. Also fans of the tug of war rope, and soft toys to carry around.

Linda: My dogs like to play with rope toys, kongs, larger sized balls, squeakies. Our toys are included in the Pet Barn bill, under $900 a year. 

Kylie: Toys.. tennis balls, anything that squeeks. I usually buy them from the cheap shops and they last as long as the expensive ones. Kongs have survived but they are not interested in them unless they have food in them! Clam kids pools are an annual buy $15 from big W.. they all love splashing around in them anytime of the day.

Frances: I bought a shell for paddling from Bunnings for $18 dollars recently. Noticed last week they had them on sale for $12! 

Karen: Heidi likes playing with the tug of war toys like the Kong Wubba. We probably spend about $50 a year on toys. 

Carole: Roxxi loves the squeaky chickens, we probably spend about $40 a year. 

Shalini: My boys love anything with stuffing in it! So we go through about $100 a year on stuffed toys. 

Medical Expenses

Do you have medical insurance for your dogs? What's the largest vet bill you've had for your dog/s? How much do you spend per year as a minimum at the vets?

Kim: No insurance. 

When we lost our lab Satchmo to hemangio sarcoma (sp?) new years day a year ago, we dropped $1400 at the emergency vet just in one night on all the tests trying to figure out what was wrong with him. Then there were extra costs for the final, horrible chest xray, the cost of putting him to sleep, and disposal. I don't know how much that was, we just handed over the credit card distraught in tears.

Being big dogs, the cost of vaccinations and such (based on weight) is not cheap. We would budget around $500-600 for the yearly checkups and jabs? I think? I know it's a lot but again it's not something I fret over. We're not made of money by any means but the yearly checkup and jabs is just a must do. If we're going to the coast, I think it's about $70 for a few doses of Frontline for the ticks. That stuff IS expensive.

Linda: Last year we spend $325 at the vet, that covers two dogs and a cat. 

I think you would need to spend at least $300 a year to keep a dog C5 vaccinated, free of heartworm and intestinal worms and fleas/ticks.

I don’t have pet insurance for current dogs but will for next dog from 8 weeks!

Gus had a $240 vet bill this month (for teeth/ear clean/nail clip), has had a $1000 emergency vet bill and a $1200 vet bill for mast cell tumour removal in the last 2 years.

Kylie: Vet bills for 3 dogs had been around $1500 for the year. Then again our oldies have daily anti inflammatory at a fair cost but it makes a huge difference to their mobility and happiness. (our rabbit has just hit $1800 in 6 weeks after 2 surgeries!) The largest bill we got from the Vet was for our 14 year old lab who had spleen cancer 4 years ago. All up the operation and the 6 months on chemo was roughly $10k. BUT she is still with us and has been a great help for cancer research in Labs. The bill was payable as we went so after the initial operation it was payments here and there over the 6 months.

Frances:  Our dogs get annual check up, C5 and annual heart worm injection. Then add monthly Frontline for flea protection. Logan's cancer investigation and then euthanizing cost close to $1800

Karen: I think something that people who are getting dog of any age need to realise that a large vet bill could come at anytime. eg. when my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was 3yo, she had OCD in her shoulder (extremely unusual for her breed) - the operation and associated treatment cost atleast $2000.  Without the operation, she would have been in a lot of pain.  As Linda said, pet insurance is a good idea and I will definitely get it in the future...

My breakdown is:

Annual Vaccination & Heartworm - $200

2011 Vet Bill (covers a lump removal, skin irritation, yucky eye) - $1,000

Allwormer - $50

Advantix/Frontline - $40

Carole: No pet insurance, sigh! 

So far since adopting roxxi 2 years ago we have spent $ 6500 on knee reconstruction and associated xrays and costs. We have also spent approx $5500 on trying to determine why she leaks all the time which we discovered she had when she arrived – there is still no answer so we will probably be up for at least another $2000-4000 to discover what it is and fix it if possible.

These amounts are in addition to the usual vaaccinations, worming etc – she also is on catrophen injections and is also on sashas blend. 

This is on top of the $400 adoption and the $550 air transport cost to get her to Perth.

Shalini: I have pet insurance, it costs me about $15 a week. The largest bill I've ever paid was about $1,000. The minimum I'd pay in a year is about $200.

Other Expenses 

Have you had to modify your backyard for your dogs? (Fosters don't count!) Have your dogs ever destroyed something you had to fix/replace? How much do you spend per year on holiday arrangements for your dogs?

Kim: Our dogs haven't really done much damage. We've done a bit of fence patching in the past. We've picked past rentals and our current (own) home based in part on their dog friendliness! 

If we can't take the dogs with us, we use pups4Fun pet sitting. They come and walk, feed, water, check mail, take up bins, water plants, etc etc - that is $40 per 30 mins visit for two dogs ($65 for 60 mins), though we usually need to pay a holiday surcharge on top. We generally don't leave them for more than 3 days in these cases, any more and I ask my brother to actually house/dog sit for us (well, I always ask him to do it in the first instance, so I can save money!). So, pet sitting might be $150 a year, give or take, if we really need it.

Gus pushed through three palings of wooden fence, easy to fix. My dogs are quite easy on the garden but they’re not Labs! Kaeli likes to dig but that has very little impact and doesn’t bother us. Already had sandpit for the kids, Kaeli encouraged to dig there but prefers bug hunting in the grass! We did build a large new deck with weatherproof roof with the dogs needs in mind, as well as ours.

Kaeli chewed the pedal off my sewing machine but that was easily replaced!

Kylie: We take our animals with us to visit family but also have family animal sit if we need to go on an extended trip. We have hired animal friendly houses by the water a few times on average $200 - $250 a night depending on where it is and we have shared with other people to keep costs down. There are loads on http://www.stayz.com.au/pet-friendly-accommodation

They have destroyed beds and washing, shrubs but nothing like a lounge or big ticket items.  Leads and collars last many years even with washing them (as long as they can’t chew them off). Initially maybe $30 per dog and then a tag for $20. We have had the same leads for years and they still look like new. We do put them away each time so no teeth can chew so am sure than makes a difference. Guess we have been lucky too!

Anything else? 

Kim: There are usually unexpected vet visits. Ear infections, weird lumps, etc we get checked out.

Set up costs if you haven't owned a dog before or getting a second one - collar, lead, ID tag, dog poo bags, dog bed, registration. You can save money though, e.g. We use ice cream containers instead of dog bowls! If you buy a pup I suppose there is desexing, microchipping...

There is no getting around the fact that owning labs is not cheap. You HAVE to expect some major vet bills in your future: dog gets hit by car, dog needs a knee replacement, dog gets cancer, dog gets chronic illness...all awful things but if the vet assesses there's a good chance for recovery / a good quality of life, you have to be willing to spend the money, or honestly don't get a dog in the first place. I'm pretty harsh about that I think. A work colleague just spent around $5000 on her lab getting his leg amputated because of cancer, plus the treatment, and now he needs some tooth extractions for an abcess - as she said, 'he gives us more than $5000 worth of love a year, and as long as he has a good quality of life the money doesn't matter'

Linda: Bedding can be something that needs regular replacement!

Membership of an obedience club can be excellent both for learning training techniques and having access to off leash exercise areas. Often just over $100 per year.

I find dogs very high maintenance money and time wise, much more so than cats, but worth it.

Kylie: We bought expensive beds, around $130 after trying MANY – Kazoo brand. They are soft and the outside is washable which is fantastic! All the puppies love them and choose them over others we have. The extra large can fit 2 no worries.

Towels for washing on days like today. Prob $30 per dog per year. We wash them constantly with swimming and walking. The cheap ones really don’t last unfortunately.

Christmas pressies $10 per bag/bones just for fun. Dare I say reindeer antlers at $3 each! hehehe

Frances: Collars generally last about half a lifetime and leads last a lifetime or more. I keep the knots out of the leads and make sure they are dry before putting them away.

At least 2 tags per dog in a lifetime as the metal wears through approx$10 each engraved.

Add in a car harness per dog for safety in traveling. Probably about $45 each but it's been a while since I bought them. They last a lifetime too.

Bedding for us is the trampolines since Logan ate everything else. Large Goldie size or Goldie plus springer plus cat if a cold night was over $120. Medium for springer plus cat and lab if cold night about $80??? Add in comfort mat which clips to trampoline for older dogs, medium mat was about $60 plus. Cheaper mats which just sit on the top of the trampoline rather than attach can be got from $2 shops. Not much padding however.

Add feed bowls and LARGE stable water containers even a lab trying to swim in can't knock over $20 for both tops.

LOL crikey it does add up!

Karen: The only other thing I would add is bedding, we've spend around $100 on that. 

Carole: I can't think of anything else to add. 

Shalini: Maybe a couple of other token items:

Dog bed- $25 each

Collar- $15

Kennel- pointless but why not $200.00

Dog door in glass panel- $900.00

Conclusion

Phew what blog post! It all looks a little daunting when you add it all up doesn't it? Remember this is just a couple of experiences, yours will be different depending on your lifestyle and the health of your dog. 

One question I didn't ask the foster carers, was the question of worth. Are dogs worth all of this? 

Undoubtedly we think so. We keep loving them despite the hole in our wallets. There's no 'discount dogs' at Lab Rescue. Even if you did manage to get a dog for free, the costs of upkeep with a lab can be quite severe. It's just another thing that needs considering. 

I hope this helps everyone in preparation for their new dogs! Big thanks to all the foster carers who shared their experiences. If you would like to ask a question about anything mentioned above, feel free to leave a comment. 

This is on the the ABC news over the weekend:

The Queensland Government is moving to wipe out puppy farms in the state, saying time is running out for unscrupulous dog farmers.

Regional Economies Minister Tim Mulherin says proposed new registration requirements will eliminate cruel and brutal dog breeders, making it very difficult for them to run inhumane and secluded operations away from scrutiny.

The new system, developed with the help of animal welfare groups, will mean dog breeders must comply with very high standards for canine management, breeding, rearing, health, housing and record-keeping.

Mr Mulherin says every dog will have a micro chip so it can be traced back to the breeder.

"The registration system involves mandatory registration for intensive dog breeders [and] regular monitoring," he said.

"In addition, all microchips will include the breeder's information and the dog's mother's micro chip number. This will allow authorities to more easily identify puppy farms and trace the origins of the puppies.

"These notorious operations generally have very poor conditions, sometimes with hundreds of dogs, and fail to meet any of the dogs' behavioural social needs.

"With the proposed new breeder registration system, these unscrupulous puppy farms will be squeezed out of the market."

January 21, 2012 12:38:21 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-21/time-running-out-for-puppy-farms/3785822

We'd love to get your advice on some new walking harnesses.

Do you think they would work with Labs?

;)

We got this email recently that I wanted to share with everyone. It's an important message that Sammy's old owners wanted to pass on. 

Dear Rescue labrador
 
We adopted through Labrador Rescue two years ago (almost to the day).  And we were one of the success stories.  Sammy (previously called Riley) was a very healthy, happy and much loved dog and member of our family.  But we are the bearer of sad news.
 
Our Sammy passed away on Tuesday, 3rd January.  We were away on holiday and my inlaws looked after her.  They took her the beach for a week to the Coast.  After returning home, she became paralysed and was rushed to emergency vet.  5 paralysis ticks were located included 2 which really did some damage.  She had cardiac arrest hours later and she died.
 
We had only been to the vet a week earlier for her annual check up and were told that she was as strong as an ox.  Needless to say, my husband and I are devasted.  To lose our much loved pet this way, when she had really come into her own, so happy and confident seems so cruel.
 
I am telling you this - not to simply share the sadness but in the hope that you can help spread the news about the high risk of ticks in the South Coast area.  Had we known, we would have done so many things differently but now live with regret.  Ironically my inlaws dog only came back with a case of the fleas.
 
In your network capacity, please warn about the risk out there.  
 
Many thanks.
 
Regards
 
Sammy's owners. 
 

I'm currently fostering Bouncer who's about 10 years old. He's been my first old(er) foster dog and he's been teaching me a lot about the joys of adopting and fostering a dog over 10.

When I first put my hand up to foster Bouncer I thought I'd be looking after a subdued dog who sleep a lot. I had a very unflattering picture of what old dogs were like. I thought they would be so crippled by old age they wouldn't have much personality or show any interest in their surroundings. It's very cruel, but I can't help thinking that if that's what my naive opinion is, then surely others must think that too.

I can tell you now, Bouncer did not meet my expectations. It's like someone forgot to tell Bouncer that he's 10. He shows every bit of a 3 year old personality, occasionally impacted by sore joints.

For instance, when I picked up Bouncer from Jenny who was going on holidays, I got the impression that Bouncer doesn't need or want to go on many walks. He's arthiritis was hurting him, he can't keep up etc etc... I don't think it was what Jenny was actually saying, it was just my interpretation of the needs of an 'old dog'.

I let Bouncer settle into my house for the first few days before I took him out on a walk. When we finally put him on the lead he was SOOO excited. He obviously knew what was going to happen because he sat in front of me, doing that labbie mini-tail wag that we all know so well. As soon as the harness was on, we were off!

We ended up walking for an hour around the neighbourhood. Bouncer has this determined waddle that he does to compensate for his arthiritis. But apart from his funny trotting, his enthusiasm for the walk never diminished. He focused on Dorrie (my 3 year old lab) and was constantly trying to keep up with her. Bouncer also has this enormous grin which he displayed for all to see. You could just see in all his mannerisms how happy he was to be outside.

We walked for an hour and I was so worried that Bouncer would collapse! I thought he would need to slow down and need a break. But he kept up his little trot following Dorrie and myself. That night he slept well but not as exhausted as I thought he would be. Bouncer definitely walks as enthusiastically as any other 3 year old lab that I've walked.

Another thing that's shocked me about Bouncer is his liveliness around the house. Like most young labs, he's always interested in what you are doing. He wants to know what you're eating, what your reading, what moisturising cream you are rubbing in etc. He's not the "sleeping door mat" personality I was cruelly expecting.

My hubby and I have really enjoyed having Bouncer. He is always around for cuddle, but doesn't squirm or mouth your arm like other puppies. He loves going for walks, but he doesn't run so fast you can't keep up. He shows an interest in what you are doing, which some would call annoying (even myself at times!) but it means you can still train him to fit in with your lifestyle. He still looks at you for guidance and acceptance, and even a little love.

I certainly won't be stereotyping older Labradors anymore. Hopefully if you are looking at adopting a dog, you might consider a dog over the age of 8. What is it that you really want in a dog? What personality traits are important? Would they be more common in an older dog?

Thanks Bouncer for teaching me the joys of having a dog that's young at heart!

I was fortunate enough, along with Shalini, to foster beautiful Molly late last year. She was just a charm. She loved playing, no matter whether it was with other dogs, or other toys or even little kids! She just loved life, and just like most labs was incredibly loyal. 

Molly found a home quite easily. She was rehomed to a family who had a son who was looking for a dog he could play with. I thought that sounded like Molly!

Unfortunately Molly's family contacted me over the long weekend to say that Molly had gone missing. They were distraught as Molly's disappearance also came with some tragic family news. So knowing that Molly was missing, Molly's mum had to fly out of Australia, crossing her fingers that Molly would be found safe by the rest of the family left behind.

I heard that she was missing because Molly still had her microchip number registered in her name. It was the worst time to wander off, she was outside when the fireworks went off which would have spooked her more. Most of the pounds were also shut, so although they were taking in new dogs, they weren't calling any of their owners until the public holidays had finished.

So Molly's family were waiting anxiously. All of us at Lab Rescue were waiting anxiously too!

Finally late yesterday I heard that she had been found! Apparently she was exhausted, but safe! She was found wandering around the neighbourhood. Apparently some of the neighbours had spotted her, but she wouldn't come over to them. The family searched the area and found her. 

Molly was so relieved and happy to be found! I think her relief was only matched by her family's!

Molly's adventure made me think about what would happen if Dorrie (my 3 year old lab) escaped. I know Molly's new family exercise and give her stimulation, and as far as they knew the yard was secure. What would I do if Dorrie escaped? What would happen if 24 hours later I couldn't find her?

We're lucky here in Canberra, we only really have three pounds or shelters that take in stray dogs. That means there are fewer places to check if your dog goes missing. There's the RSPCA, the Canberra Pound (DAS) and the Queanbeyan pound. It's much harder in Sydney with different pounds and councils. Not to mention all the vets that may take in a stray and try to find its home. 

My next blog post will be an emergency plan for if you find your dog missing. I'm sure Molly's family wouldn't want anyone else to go through what they went through on the weekend. I'd like to share parts of their experience, plus some experience of other lab owners on how to look for a lost dog. 

Finally, a picture of Molly safe and sound at home!

Monica

A very guilty looking dog in the Canberra pound, at least he smiles for his mug shot!

As you may have already read yesterday, one of our rehomed dogs Molly ran away from her 

family. Read about Molly's experience here. 

Molly's story inspired me to talk about what to do if your dog escapes and how to prevent it from happening. 

When you first bring a dog home

It sounds really obvious, but make sure your fencing is stable. A determined, lonely dog can easily push aside a loose paling in a picket fence. Also make sure sure your fences are at least 1.5m high on all sides. If not, consider getting an older dog with arthiritis who's less likely to jump.

If adopting a lab from us, be clear about your fences. I know our adoption questionnaire is long and at Lab Rescue we're quite unashamed about it. We want to know a lot about you! You can also use this time to express what type of dog suits you. For instance, if you have farm fencing you don't want a dog who will climb. (like my Dorrie, she won't stay more than 10 seconds behind a farm fence!) If you have a barred gate with gaps in it, don't ask for a small (and slender!) dog. The more you let us know about your backyard, the more we can test suitable dogs to ensure a good match. 

Before you plan to pick up your dog, have a couple of dog tags made up. Have a dog name (if you know it, or have a name in mind) on one side and a contact mobile number on the other. It's useful to have a few spare because they do get rusty or lost. 

When you have your dog 

Molly's family recommends putting up a sign on any external gates or doors reminding people to close it behind them. It can be a great reminder for children or visitors. Explain to everyone that the door/gate must be fully secure every time you go out, especially in the first few weeks when your dog is getting used to you.

Once I came home to a new foster and the gate bounced open when I went through it. Cajun was off down the street with me chasing after him in a pencil work skirt and heels. Luckily (for me) Cajun spotted a car parked down the street with a door open. The family was unloading shopping out of their nice clean car. Cajun jumped straight in and sat there waiting for them to come back. They got quite a surprise when they returned to their car!

All dogs that are rehomed through labrador rescue have microchips in our name. When you adopt a dog from us you will get a copy of a microchip transfer form. We will hand in our copy to a pound to transfer the dog into your name, however the pounds aren't always great at doing this. When you take your new dog for a checkup at your local vet, ask them to check the details on the chip. If you want to change it you can use your copy of the transfer form to do so. 

When your dog's missing

The first thing to do is to check the local pound. Research in your area what local shelter/pound is near you. Most pounds are very quick to upload photos and details of dogs that have been picked up. Are you close to an RSPCA? It's worth giving them all a call to register that your dog is lost. Dig out your paperwork and find the microchip number of the dog. 

If you are in Sydney, check the large pounds like Hawkesbury, Blacktown and Renbury. Canberra people can check the Canberra RSPCA, Queanbeyan pound and Canberra pound. Thankfully Lab Rescue routinely check these pounds for labs, so we can keep an eye out too. 

Walk around your typical path where you take your dog. They are most likely to head off in an area they remember or associate with fun. If there are people in the area walking their dogs, ask them if they have seen a lab without an owner. 

Go around door knocking asking people in your street or along your typical walk asking them to keep and eye out. Give them your number to contact if they see anything. This is ultimately what found Molly. 

Search thoroughly around your house. Has there been any fireworks or loud noises? Was the dog scared and found a place to hide? 

Let your vet, or any local vet in the area know about your lost dog. Remember to give them the dog's microchip number. 

Call your local police station. They often get calls about stray dogs and may know of one in the area.

Use Facebook, Twitter and Labrador Rescue to advertise that you have lost your dog.

Finally, if you have another dog, walk it around your neighbourhood. It may pick up on a hiding place that we don't see and since they know the dog they may run towards it. 

Helping the Family Deal with stress

It's a horrible, stressful situation that none of us want to go through. Molly's family were particularly stressed because of how helpless they were. They just wanted to be able to do something to bring Molly back. Most of the steps above resulted in letting Molly's family know where she was. 

Hopefully this article has reminded you about the possibility of your dog wandering off. It can happen to anyone, and like with Molly, it doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the dog being bored or under exercised. Bookmark this article or create your own list so that you can refer back to it if needed. 

Do you have any tips on what to do if your dog escapes? What's worked for you in the past? 

Big thanks to Molly's owners for sharing their experience and tips! I can't express how happy we are here at Lab Rescue that Molly's safe at home again. And we are so pleased that she's found a home that loves her dearly. 

We've been contacted to help our some Perth based rescue groups about some beautiful labradors needing homes in Perth. 

If you would like to know more about these dogs, please fill in our WA specific adoption form. 

Boing

Boing is a lovely, slightly larger boy than his partner in crime, Bing. He is a little bit more confident. He too has clearly had a hard start to life; he is underweight and his ears need to recover from being fly blown. However he is a rough diamond who will be ready to shine his way into your hearts!

Bing

Bing is a lovely young boy who has obviously had a hard life so far. He is underweight and his ears need some TLC to heal from being flyblown, but this is one soft boy with a lot of heart. 

He is the less confident and slightly smaller of these two black boys, who are recent arrivals at the Refuge. Once his assessment is done this listing will be updated. 

Fondue

Fondue is a 4 year old girl. She is a lovely girl with an active mind and must be adopted by a home who are willing to provide her with an enriched, busy and active life. 

She does not cope well if left alone for extended periods of time. Crate training would help her settle and be calm when left alone. 

She is very dog social, but did not show interest in playing; however this may change when she is out of the kennel environment. 

Attending group training classes is strongly suggested. This will help Fondue to bond with her new owner; as well as work her intelligent mind. Her new home must be prepared for a dog who needs to be exercised and stimulated; preferably a home who is experienced in working dogs or Labradors. 

Mambo

Mambo is a strong, exuberant bundle of health. He is a wriggle merchant who takes examination and touch, but in an exuberant manner. He is a young boy with a lot of potential; he is only 15 months old. 

Mambo will thrive in a home who are true lovers of the breed and who are keen to take him on a journey of dog socialisation and dog obedience classes. He is very food motivated but has a short attention span so training will need to be short, sharp and fun! This is a dog who can learn with you! 

He needs an active family who are aware of the exuberance of the breed and who have older children who will be able to manage his joy of life. 

If you would like to know more about any of these darling dogs, please fill in our WA specific adoption form.