I have a Chocolate Lab who has enough energy for 5 dogs~!
And he walks me.. I am only 5'4" and it feels like I am skiing more than walking. YUCK it is kinda embarrassing. I need to work on that and take him for walks...
~Ali
Ali- I wanted to jump in on this comment. As a foster care provider for homeless dogs (mainly lab crosses) and a mom to a chocolate lab.. they do have a TON of energy. They are much better behaved (if that is possible) when they are exercised daily. If your lab is walking you (which I know all about.. mine is almost Great Dane size in height & over a 100 lbs)
Get a collar called a 'gentle leader'. You can find them in petco or similar stores.
They wrap from the back of the neck behind the ears, around to the front over the nose in front of the eyes and the leash hooks under their chin.
When they pull on the leash the collar puts pressure on the back of their neck and stimulates a nerve there that 'causes' them to sumbit (like when their mom's pick them up by the scruff of the neck when they were puppies & they just hang there). They quickly (like within a block or two) elminate the pulling. It is not like a choke chain where you give a hard yank, you just provide gentle pressure (or they provide it for you when they pull against the leash).
Now a word of warning.. I have yet to meet a dog that likes to wear it initialy and they rub & rub & rub, with their paws, or with their head on the groudn, tryhing to get it off their nose, so when I use it on foster dogs for the first few times I put it on loosely for them to wear around the house. Within a few days of wearing it an hour or so, they accept it.
Good luck! Bridge
Divorced 03/2010 Mom to two amazing kids
Taking the road less traveled because those encountered on the way may be just as unique.
