Discover everything you need to know about man’s best friend—the Labrador retriever—with The Everything Labrador Retriever Book. According to the American Kennel Club, the Labrador retriever has been rated as the most popular purebred dog in America for thirteen consecutive years. In fact, nearly three times as many Labs were registered in 2002 than any other breed. The Everything Labrador Retriever Book is the perfect introduction to America’s most popular pet. Written by dog expert Kim Campbell Thornton, The Everything Labrador Retriever Book is packed with professional, breed-specific advice that helps readers raise, care for, and train their Lab safely and successfully. Packed full of photos showing Labs in action, The Everything Labrador Retriever Book is perfect for new and seasoned dog owners!

With chapters covering every important aspect of the breed, from origin through health care, and a special section that highlights the breed in its role as guide dog, hearing dog, companion to the disabled, and therapy dog, this book provides an in-depth look at a marvelous canine.

The Dog Owner's Guides are written by experts with years of experience training and working with the most popular breeds. This series is for dog owners and anyone considering the purchase of a purebred dog. Each title covers the specifics of the individual breed: Personality and history Choosing a puppy Obedience training and exercise Grooming and diet Health concerns and critical hereditary conditions Special requirements Professional breeders and trainers provide proven and valuable advice with simple tips to ease a puppy's transition to its new home, games to play with dogs as they develop, and how to spot health problems. Other titles in the series include: Puppy Care and Training: ensuring a happy life right from the start Rottweiler: loyal protector Jack Russell Terrier: the most popular terrier Border Collie: the active, independent dog German Shepherd: famous for its intelligence and loyalty Boxer: faithful, playful companion Golden Retriever: the gentle outgoing family companion The titles in the Dog Owner's Guides series are just right for dog owners as they choose the ideal breed for their family and lifestyle.

The magnificent snow-white coated American Eskimo Dog is the focus of this Comprehensive Owner's Guide, a book that celebrates the appealing personality, unmistakable intelligence, and captivating beauty of this made-in-America spitz breed. Serving as a complete introduction to the breed, long recognized by the United Kennel Club and more recently by the American Kennel Club, this book discusses the breed's evolution in the United States, the special characteristics of the breed, and both the AKC and UKC breed standards.New owners will welcome the well-prepared chapter on finding a breeder and selecting a healthy, sound puppy. Chapters on puppy-proofing the home and yard, purchasing the right supplies for the puppy as well as house-training, feeding, and grooming are illustrated with handsome adults and puppies bursting with attitude and personality! In all, there are over 135 photographs in this compact, useful, and reliable volume. The author's advice on obedience training the smart (but not too eager to please) American Eskimo will help readers better mold and train their dogs into the most socialized, well-mannered Eskie in the neighborhood. The extensive chapter on healthcare provides up-to-date detailed information on selecting a qualified veterinarian, vaccinations, parasites, infectious diseases, and more. Chapters on showing and participating in dog sports as well as solving common behavior issues (such as barking, aggression, digging, etc.) will prove informative and helpful to the new owner. Sidebars throughout the text offer helpful hints, covering topics as diverse as historical kennels, toxic plants, first aid, crate training, carsickness, fussy eaters, and parasite control. Fully indexed.

ABOUT THE BOOK The Labrador Retriever, commonly known as the Lab, was originally bred to retrieve fishing nets from the water, and to catch fish which jumped off the hook. The lab insured a greater catch for fishermen who had a retriever in their care. As the breed evolved, Labs rapidly gained popularity as a hunting dog and as a companion. Today, its intelligence and their ability to be trained which have made the breed indispensable in a wide variety of fields. Raising Labradors is a rewarding experience for a multitude of reasons. First, labs are extremely popular, and thus very easy to market. In fact, according to the American Kennel Club's rankings, they have been the most popular dogs in America for more than 20 years. They are energetic and loyal companions that appeal to a variety of owners because of their varied skill set. They also have a fantastic personality, as they are typically mild-tempered and extremely intelligent. MEET THE AUTHOR Misty B. is an experienced writer and a member of the Hyperink Team, which works hard to bring you high-quality, engaging, fun content. Happy reading! EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK Some of the most unique and remarkable physical attributes carried by the Lab breed are directly related to their early use by fishermen. The distinct interwoven pattern of their coat has unique waterproof qualities. Moisture will bead up and roll off their coat making it easier for them to swim without resistance. It also provides a unique layer of insulation, as water does not penetrate the inner layers of the coat so that labs stay both dry and warm in damp conditions. Labrador retrievers also have webbed feet which make the excellent swimmers, and which make them more sure-footed on rough or slick terrain. Finally, their tail is wide and flat; designed to be used like a propeller behind the body while swimming. Basic obedience training should always be completed before expecting a lab to learn a special skill set. Obedience training should begin at about eight weeks and continue until the dog is well behaved and consistently responsive. New skills, which target specialized purposes, like service or hunting, can then be added. There is a separate and distinct set of standards for dogs that will be used as service animals. Before a lab can qualify as a service dog, it must undergo emotional stability assessments, control and dexterity trials, exams for physical soundness and more. These tests should be performed before training begins for service skills. Dogs are trained for service between eight months and a year old, and generally go into service between the ages of 18 months and two years. CHAPTER OUTLINE A New Owner's Guide to Labrador Retreivers + Introduction + Physical Attributes + Unique Features + Training Labs to Serve a Special Purpose + ...and much more

First-time puppy owners and dog lovers will rejoice at this veterinarian-approved dog handbook! Training Your Labrador Retriever provides advice on physical and behavioral characteristics to look for when choosing a puppy, along with recommended training. Good-natured and affectionate, Labrador Retrievers make wonderful pet companions. As part of the Training Your Dog series, Training Your Labrador Retriever focuses on this unique breed, describing its physical traits, history, and behavior. Best of all, Training Your Labrador Retriever provides essential training methods for owners! Important topics covered include: What to look for when choosing a puppy Living with a dog and understanding breed-specific traits Everyday care, grooming, and exercise Nutrition, health maintenance, and potential breed-specific health problems Puppy and dog training, tricks, and play activities All books in this dog training series are spiral bound and contain full-color photos. Informative sidebars are full of breed facts, helpful hints, and quick tips on training. Plus, every book comes with an instructional DVD with a dog training course for new owners! Want to learn about even more dog breeds? The Training Your Dog series is a wonderful collection of titles focused on pairing owners with the best breed for their family and training each breed in accordance with their characteristics. Other books in the series include, Boxers, Great Danes, Pugs, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Australian Shepherds, Pit Bulls, and more!