Spotlighting labs this week...

We are spotlighting labs this week so please send in pictures and/or stories and we will post them!

As you know labs are near and dear to our hearts because of a special someone that can sometimes drive us crazy and also provide us with hours of entertainment and joy, our lab Jake!

Labs are the best of all things dog. Labs are part of the sporting group. This means that they are ideal dogs for people that can give them space and time to run, play and work. They are healthy, vibrant, loyal, obedient, funny and cuddly dogs that just want to fit into our lives. Labs are close to perfection in our eyes but they are full of energy and are easily excitable. Labs like to have jobs even if it's just following you around the house or "helping" you fold the laundry by stepping on the sheets as you're trying to fold them. Labs like to play even more than they like to work, and they like to love above all else...And we like to love them!

Most labs love to go on walks, run around with other dogs, play in the sand, grass, snow, pool, ocean and anywhere else they are let free. These dogs were bred to hunt down birds and because of this they love, and I mean love, to play fetch. I beleive that they think they were put on this earth to retrieve and return to their owners with a present. When you watch a lab retrieve you are witnessing perfection. You are watching a dog that has been bred to the tee to fetch. Watching a lab in his element is beautiful, funny, and exciting.

They will search far and wide to find their toys just to bring them back to us so we can do it all over again. And the funniest thing about this game is that they think that they are doing you a favor! "Why thank you SO much for this dirty, nasty tennis ball Jakey!" Our dog Jake takes this love of fetch to a whole new level. "OK Jake thank you for the present but I'm ready to stop playing...Jake that's enough! Jake No! Leave it.....Leave it! (as Jake barks at us to play more and stares longingly into the eyes of his beloved ball.) Balls and labs are a love story that never ends and anyone that knows Jake knows that he is always thinking of playing! Jake gets so riled up that when he plays in the dog park we have to keep the balls away because if he gets a glimpse of his beloved ball he will have to play. If any dog comes up to Jake when he is in his element Jake let's them know he is working and cannot be bothered...and when he does that it's our cue to leave the dog park before owners start staring at us and our crazy ball fiend dog.

When it comes to fur, labs come in three colors, black, yellow, and chocolate. Our lab is yellow but more specifically people call his color fox red. Sometimes people think that labs come from Labrador but they are actually from Newfoundland and are ancestors to the Newfoundland dog breed which also excels at swimming. Labs are pretty healthy breeds however, they can suffer from bloat (which we read/saw in Marley & Me), hip and elbow dysplasia, and eye problems.

Other than playing these dogs also think about food. Because of this owners need to be aware of rationing out their food. Labs should weigh between 55 and 75 lbs. The food obsession is not all negative though because these dogs tend to be food motivated which also make them very easy to train. Due to the labs intelligence, adaptability, and loyalty they are used in many venues, such as service dogs for the blind and disabled, therapy and hospice dogs, police search and rescue dogs, drug sniffing dogs, dogs for people who have diabetes, and more. Our friend has a service dog Nivek (Kevin backwards) who visits people in hospitals and goes to work with his owners. Nivek is also an everyday hero like Cuddles because Nivek recently visited our dad who was in the hospital after he had a relapse of his previous illness. Mostly though labs stay as family pets and are treasured as one of America's favorite dog breeds so this week we are honoring the lab for all its glory! Please send your stories and/or pictures of your lovable labs! If you want to learn more about the lab watch this video from Animal Planet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cj81wHmfXc







The black lab in the picture is a smart dog that stands in the pool so she doesn't have to work as hard to catch her ball!


Lab below was spotted in Los Gatos California sitting with his puggle sibling