I have a 5 year old chocolate lab that I originally got to hunt with me. With the little kids and other things, I never got around to fully training her. She retrieves things in the yard great, but you have to walk out with her to get ducks, and she is scared of the live ones. :lol3: Oh well. She is a nice dog. Still hyper, but I haven't met a younger lab that wasn't.
In the last year, she developed a nasty skin rash. Turned out to be a persistent staph infection. She was treated last summer, and it went away for a little bit, but came back this December. She has been on antibiotics for 7 weeks now, and the vet wants her on them for another 6 weeks at least. The hair is starting to grow back where she had chewed her skin raw, and from a skin point of view it looks like we are winning the battle.
The real issue now is a sudden aggression that developed. She is not spayed, and is currently going through a false pregnancy that started around december. She is lactating now. We also have a miniature pinscher. The two of them grew up together and always got along great. Suddenly, the Lab turned on the min pin. She got her by the throat, and I was able to get the min pin free. This past Saturday the lab got the min pin by the bottom jaw and ripped her jaw open. I was able to pull the labs jaws apart while my wife got the min pin free, and she is ok. These two dogs can't be near each other anymore because the min pin attacks the lab at first sight and the lab tries to finish it and will if she gets the chance.
The lab has never shown aggression toward any people and the vet said it is unlikely that she will, but our only options are to spend $400 dollars a session with a behavior specialist (ain't going to happen), Put her to sleep, take her to a no kill shelter (they are all full and will not accept her), or put her in a new home.
I hate to put a 5 year old lab to sleep, but that is pretty much where it is at if we can't find someone to take her. At this point, she is pretty much a pet. She knows basic commands, heal, sit, stay (needs some work on this one, but does it well if worked regularly).
I/We plan on keeping her on the meds for a while to try and find a new home for her, but there is a limit to how long as she currently has to be locked in the utility room in the basement to keep her from killing the other dog, or kept outside. She is on a grain free diet as was suggested by the vet. The staph could have came about from an allergy.
This is a tough one to find a home for. It would have to be another pet free home and someone willing to take care of her from a skin issue. (it might clear up, but we are unsure of the exact original cause at this point) .
Figured this would be a good place to post this. If you are interested, or know of a good home willing to take her, please shoot me a pm.
In the last year, she developed a nasty skin rash. Turned out to be a persistent staph infection. She was treated last summer, and it went away for a little bit, but came back this December. She has been on antibiotics for 7 weeks now, and the vet wants her on them for another 6 weeks at least. The hair is starting to grow back where she had chewed her skin raw, and from a skin point of view it looks like we are winning the battle.
The real issue now is a sudden aggression that developed. She is not spayed, and is currently going through a false pregnancy that started around december. She is lactating now. We also have a miniature pinscher. The two of them grew up together and always got along great. Suddenly, the Lab turned on the min pin. She got her by the throat, and I was able to get the min pin free. This past Saturday the lab got the min pin by the bottom jaw and ripped her jaw open. I was able to pull the labs jaws apart while my wife got the min pin free, and she is ok. These two dogs can't be near each other anymore because the min pin attacks the lab at first sight and the lab tries to finish it and will if she gets the chance.
The lab has never shown aggression toward any people and the vet said it is unlikely that she will, but our only options are to spend $400 dollars a session with a behavior specialist (ain't going to happen), Put her to sleep, take her to a no kill shelter (they are all full and will not accept her), or put her in a new home.
I hate to put a 5 year old lab to sleep, but that is pretty much where it is at if we can't find someone to take her. At this point, she is pretty much a pet. She knows basic commands, heal, sit, stay (needs some work on this one, but does it well if worked regularly).
I/We plan on keeping her on the meds for a while to try and find a new home for her, but there is a limit to how long as she currently has to be locked in the utility room in the basement to keep her from killing the other dog, or kept outside. She is on a grain free diet as was suggested by the vet. The staph could have came about from an allergy.
This is a tough one to find a home for. It would have to be another pet free home and someone willing to take care of her from a skin issue. (it might clear up, but we are unsure of the exact original cause at this point) .
Figured this would be a good place to post this. If you are interested, or know of a good home willing to take her, please shoot me a pm.