Dog Cloning. What Do You Think?

Dog cloning is in the national news again. Lancelot, a yellow labrador retriever puppy has been delivered to a couple in Boca Raton this week.

Lancelot is not the first dog cloned (first in the United States for commercial purposes), but he is the most expensive. $155,000 was the price the couple paid to have their former dog cloned. A California biotech company called BioArts teamed with a South Korean company, Sooam Biotech Research, to clone the dog.

The 10-week-old golden Labrador retriever is a clone, created in South Korea by a California biotech firm from the DNA of the first Sir Lancelot, the beloved pet of Ed and Nina Otto of Boca Raton.

The leading scientist was Dr. Hwang Woo-suk who lost his research professorship at Seoul National University in 2004 after fraudulently claiming he had cloned human embryos and stem cells.

The original ”Lancelot” died last year. Five years ago the owners, Ed and Nina Otto, had cryogenically banked DNA samples hoping that some day they would be able to clone Lancelot. They did. His name is Lancelot Encore. You can see the video below.

As a master trainer, I believe it is going to be hard to decide if Lancelot Encore is mentally and physically the same as the first Lancelot. After all, Lancelot Encore is going to be psychological shaped by a totally different world and set of scenarios than the first one.

I don’t think I would ever want my dog cloned. At any rate, my two best friends, Baron and Otwin will be buried with me one day. That is the highest form of love I can show them after they are gone.

At any rate, dog cloning is coming. What will you do?

Electric Dog Fence: Does It Work In The Snow?

Does the Electric Dog Fence work in the snow? The answer is yes … and no. Read on to find out more:
The electric dog fence does actually work in the snow as long as power is to the unit. There are a couple of things that dog and cat owners need to be aware of. They are listed below:

What is the signal field of the electric dog fence transmitter set to? If the signal field is set at 3-4 feet and you have snow drifts of a couple of feet of snow or more, the field range is less than half of the distance it normally is. This can cause a dog to run through a field if he tests the system on a regular basis.

This is why Contain-A-Pet (www.containapet.com) believes that in most instances a dog should be trained not to test the dog fence on a regular basis. If he tests the system and it does not beep or correct him, he very well may be run out of his yard.

Will a dog run through the electric dog fence when snow is on the ground? It is possible. As a dog trainer, I tell my clients that dogs learn in environments and scenarios. When an environment changes, a dog reverts back to his base nature or instinct. Thus running through the dog fence is possible.

In addition, dogs learn their boundaries by sense of smell. The initial electric dog fence training helps them to lay their scent track, thus establishing a boundary. Adding inches of snow over the boundary can result in their scent being lost or covered up.

The best thing we can do is to take the time to show our dog his dog fence boundaries with snow on the ground a few times. That should be adequate with most dogs.

This is just another reason why we feel having certified dog training professionals selling, servicing and training dogs on the electric dog fence is so important. Contain-A-Pet is the only electric fence company in the world that makes its new dealers become a certified dog trainer.

If you have another question regarding snow and the electric dog fence, just make a comment.  We will be happy to try to answer it.

Labradoodle Dogs

What Are Labradoodle Dogs?

Labradoodle Dogs are a cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle. It was the most popular breed of “designer dog” in the United States until the Puggle burst onto the hybrid dog scene in 2005. The goal of the breed mix is to retain the intelligence, aloofness, and non-shedding coat of the Poodle, along with the loyalty, loveability, and cheerful high energy of the Labrador.

Today’s Australian Labradoodle breed is different from the early crosses in that it doesn’t limit parentage to strictly the Labrador Retriever and Poodle. Australian Labradoodles may also have Irish Water Spaniels, English and American Cocker Spaniels, and Curly Coated Retrievers among their ancestors. An ancestral mix of temperament, easy trainability, non-shedding coat, and sturdy body type is the common goal of Labradoodle breeders. Australian Labradoodle Dogs can have one of two coat types: wool or fleece. The wool coat is completely free of shedding, while some fleece-coated dogs may exhibit very slight shedding.

There is a movement among breeders to block Labradoodles from becoming a recognized breed. Labradors are genetically prone to weak hips, and it is believed these type of problems will continue to manifest in the Labradoodle. Neither the Labrador Retriever Club nor the Poodle Club of America recognize Labradoodles, and both have issued statements against the breeding.

Labradoodle Dog size

Miniature: 14 to 16 (not over 17) inches (or about 35-42cm) from the wither to ground measurement. There is no correlation between height and sex in the miniature size . Weight range tends toward 7-12 kg or about 30-45 lbs.

Medium: 17 to 20 (not over 21) inches (or about 45-52 cm) from the wither to ground measurment. The ideal size for the female is 17-19 inches and the male is 18-20 inches. Weight range tends toward 13-20 kg or about 30-45 lbs.

Standard: 21 to 24 (not over 25) inches ( or about 43-52 cm) form the wither to ground measurement. The ideal size for the female is 21-23 inches and the male is 22-24 inches. Weight range tends toward 23-30 kg or 50-65 lbs. Oversize is a major fault.

Traning: Labradoodle Dogs are very easy to train in basic and advanced obedience. With the traits of the Labrador and Poodle the Labradoodle is quick to learn just about any command taught.

Electronic pet containment is a breeze with Labradoodle Dogs. The key is to find a dog fence company that uses true dog professionals not just another fence company. The Labradoodle can be ruined by an inexperienced trainer or by a “just shock them into staying in the yard” mentality.