As you probably know, Labrador retrievers are lively, high spirited dogs who need lots of entertainment and stimulation in order to keep them out of trouble. They can become quite bored and destructive when left alone for long periods of time. Fortunately, there are some ways to keep your Labrador retriever dog occupied when you're unable to entertain him. Here are some ideas:
- Take your dog for a fun day at Doggy Day Care. Doggy day care facilities have sprung up all over the country and are quite popular with both canines and their humans. You can drop you dog off before work for a day of fun and stimulation in the company of other dogs Your Labrador retriever dog will be closely supervised while he plays and socializes with other dogs. Some doggy day care sites even have swimming pools for the dogs to play in. Be sure to check out the facility carefully before leaving you dog. Make sure it's fenced securely and properly supervised with competent personnel.
- Give your Labrador retriever a safe dog toy. There are lots of fun toys and bones for dogs that will keep them safely entertained for hours. Never give a dog a rawhide bone to chew on, as the rawhide could become lodged in his throat when you're not around. Consider a firm plastic ball that won't fragment in your dog's mouth or a firm rubber bone that's deemed pet safe. You can also buy a toy called a "kong" made of rubber with a hollow interior. You can put a bit of peanut butter or other healthy treat in the middle and your dog will be intrigued for hours.
- Buy a wading pool for your Labrador retriever. Of course, Labs love water. You can buy an inexpensive plastic wading pool at Walmart or Target for very little money. Imagine the fun your Labrador retriever dog will have splashing around in the cool water. He'll stay happily occupied for hours. Just be sure to get a hard plastic pool rather than an inflatable one. The last thing you need is your Labrador's toenail deflating the pool.
- Give your Labrador Retriever: "The works" at a dog day spa. Send you Labrador Retriever dog in for a day of bathing, grooming, and pampering at a dog day spa. More and more cities have dog day spa facilities where your pet will be pampered while he gets his requisite grooming. When you pick up your lab at the end of the day, he'll be beautifully groomed, happy, and will smell heavenly.
- Take your Labrador retriever on a pre-work walk. A long walk in the morning before you go to work will allow your Lab to work off some of his excess energy. He'll be more apt to relax for the remainder of the day. Plus, you'll have gotten your own exercise session accomplished.
Now you don't have to feel guilty when you can't entertain your dog, just give one of these suggestions a try.
