Dog owners, I have a predicament..

Eaglesfanintn

i also have a black lab mix who sheds like crazy, i often wonder where all this hair comes from. But yes, baby gates work well to contain the mess.

Have you shaved him? I want to look into this, especially with the weather starting to get hot.

I own a grooming shop, I get countless people wanting to shave labs/goldens/other large double coated breeds, Please do not do this!
Cutting off the guard hairs, (the longer silky top coat), usually means it will not grow back. What you get left with is the fuzzy undercoat, which grows in thicker every single time the dog gets shaved.
Eventually it gets so thick you cannot brush it and it will literally fall off in clumps leaving your dog with big bald spots and skin conditions. (I see this ALL the time!).
Also, the double coat acts as insulation for the dog. It keeps him cool in Summer and warm in Winter.
People think it is a quick fix for shedding, which it is... for a couple months. Until you realize that they shed twice as badly once it grows back and you have ruined their coat.

*rant over*

Thanks for this. I hope people read it. I had always heard it was bad to shave labs - I never thought of doing it with mine. We brush her and get her groomed and vacuum. yeah, I have dog hairs inside my shoes, on my bed, on my couch still but I would never shave her.

tabbydog

i also have a black lab mix who sheds like crazy, i often wonder where all this hair comes from. But yes, baby gates work well to contain the mess.

Have you shaved him? I want to look into this, especially with the weather starting to get hot.

I own a grooming shop, I get countless people wanting to shave labs/goldens/other large double coated breeds, Please do not do this!
Cutting off the guard hairs, (the longer silky top coat), usually means it will not grow back. What you get left with is the fuzzy undercoat, which grows in thicker every single time the dog gets shaved.
Eventually it gets so thick you cannot brush it and it will literally fall off in clumps leaving your dog with big bald spots and skin conditions. (I see this ALL the time!).
Also, the double coat acts as insulation for the dog. It keeps him cool in Summer and warm in Winter.
People think it is a quick fix for shedding, which it is... for a couple months. Until you realize that they shed twice as badly once it grows back and you have ruined their coat.

*rant over*

Thanks for this. I hope people read it. I had always heard it was bad to shave labs - I never thought of doing it with mine. We brush her and get her groomed and vacuum. yeah, I have dog hairs inside my shoes, on my bed, on my couch still but I would never shave her.

Yes, when I vacuum the house I vacuum the lab too. Much to his dismay! :laugh:

niss63

I guess the polarized opinions are to be expected when it comes to something people care about. You've received some good advice in some of the previous posts, so I'll not beat a dead horse, but I would like to make a couple of points:

Crate training is a good thing. Yes, any dog can be crate trained. If the dog reacts negatively to it, you can trace it to some other issue that has not been dealt with, such as separation anxiety, or something similar. Fix that and the dog will adjust well to using the crate. It is truly a safe place for the dog. Working 9 hours is fine for the dog to be in the crate, as long as he gets about 30 minutes at lunch to stretch his legs and run around.

Gates work great as long as the dog can't break them or jump over them. If he jumps over them, avoid the temptation to tie him to a long leash in the enclosed area. Too many dogs hang themselves from leashes attached by well -intentioned owners.

Outdoors in a secure fenced yard is best. Don't have one? Move to a place that fits your new lifestyle. Leave the dog outside during the day until you get home - just make sure water and shelter are available. Also arrange for water and a towel to be available to wash and dry the dog's paws when he comes in from outside, when it is wet and muddy.

Don't shave the dog - any dog. A rough coat can be trimmed, but smooth coats shouldn't even be trimmed. Frequent brushing will minimize the shedding.

Forget about trying to walk or jog with the dog to tire him out. You'll tire out long before a lab does. A walk just takes the edge off - that isn't a tired dog. Fetch is good, but I'd suggest teaching him "hide and seek" for those days when you can't go outside. A mentally exhausted dog is as good as a physically exhausted dog.

Bathe the dog about once a week.

Follow your vet's advice on scheduled visits, healthcare and heartworm and flea/parasite control. Miss this one and expect to spend $$$$.

Read up on dog training. It is harder to train the humans than it is the dog. One thing you mentioned was scolding the dog for being on the couch and how he slunk away, proving "he knew he was wrong." This is a classic error we humans make in understanding dog behavior. He is responding to the energy that you are giving off - not his misbehavior. Learn a little dog psychology to help you understand things from his POV.

Your dog can be trained to do almost anything. He'll be able to learn about 150 different commands. The real limit is your imagination in teaching him. Sit, down, heel, fetch, come, off, kennel, wait, etc., are just the beginning. You can also teach sit pretty, stand, stand up (hind legs), walk (hind legs), spin around (hind legs), play dead, roll left, roll right, let me see (means be still as I'm invading your personal space to check ears, take temperature, look in his mouth, etc.), get busy/go potty (makes them potty on command so you aren't standing out in the rain while he sniffs out the latest doggy news), etc., etc.

If it becomes a real problem, you may end up having to re-home him. Not the best, and certainly not what I would advise in most situations, but in some cases this is the best solution for the dog and the people involved.

Last thing that really bugs me is what you said about it being the boyfriend's dog, but he is staying at your house and you're caring for him - why? The boyfriend made the commitment to the dog and should be the primary caretaker. If you aren't careful here, you could end up resenting the dog because you end up being the primary caretaker of a dog that you really didn't want.

Dogs are wonderful creatures. Yours will win your heart if you give him the chance. And there is no better friend to talk to when you need to complain about your boyfriend.

HTH