Blog | Hidden Pond Labradors

Tips for Training Labrador Puppies

Posted on November 11, 2019

Bringing a Labrador puppy home can be an incredible thing. They make amazing family pets because they become a part of the family as soon as they enter your home. Training them the right way will cause less of a struggle in the future for you and your family.

Here are some tips to help you:

Obedience is Key – Labradors tend to be good learners when you teach them the right way. If you work on basic commands as soon as you take your puppy home, it will help with the training process. Sit, stay, come, drop it, and fetch are all good basic skills to teach at the beginning. Also, when eating, don’t feed them table food. Make it known that their food is in their bowl. If you start with this, they won’t end up taking advantage of begging or stealing any human food.
Exercise Helps – Labradors tend to be high energy dogs, and when they need to go out, they need to have some sort of activity and exercise to keep them active. Make it a priority everyday to take them to a dog park, take them for a walk, or go to a park to play fetch. If you don’t, they’ll end up exercising their energy in the house, which will cause problems with behavior and obedience.
Socialize – Labradors are great socializing dogs, which means it’s important to take them out to meet other dogs and friends and family. This is vital to their training because it will get them comfortable being around other people. When you have visitors, you can train them to not jump or get too excited at the door. Having them around other dogs and people won’t make them so anxious.

Hidden Pond Labradors

Hidden Pond Labradors trains search and rescue dogs for these types of cases. Whether there is a missing person, natural disaster, or you’re looking to track a loved one who is lost, we have those loving and caring dogs for you. Please contact us at 607-857-1461.

Why Labrador Retrievers are Good Family Dogs

Posted on October 30, 2019

Having a Labrador as a family is an incredible experience. Labrador Retrievers are amazing family dogs, and we want you to know why they are.

Labrador Retriever Behavior

Labs have low aggression, even though they are highly energetic when playing. This is good if you have kids because labs always want to play and have fun. Plus, they will get the exercise they need with your family.

Labs tend to be very friendly, even with people they have never met, so don’t count on them being a good guard dog for your home. They are kind and gentle towards children, which is a relief because young children like to pull and climb on dogs. Usually they will be open to the playfulness of your children. They also are a type of dog that loves attention, which means they will be a great part of the family.

Labs are very smart dogs, They are trainable, and they are considered the number one breed for search and rescue dogs. If you’re looking for a well-behaved dog, labs are willing to learn new tricks lessons.

What They Need

Labs need exercise because they are a very active breed. Regular walks, as well as playing fetch or going to dog parks are the best for this breed. Having a Labrador as a young family will be good for everyone because it will help everyone stay active outside. Labs do shed quite a bit, so having their coat all over the house means they play a big role as a family member.

You will love your Labrador retriever if you have a family. They are even-tempered dogs, who just want to be loved as a member of your wonderful family.

Hidden Pond Labradors

Hidden Pond Labradors breed beautiful and healthy Labrador retriever puppies from a long line of black, chocolate, and yellow Labs. If you’re looking for a family member who’ll improve your life and theirs, contact Hidden Pond Labradors at 607-857-1461!

Keep Your Labrador Happy!

Posted on October 15, 2019

It can be tough owning and taking care of a Labrador Retriever. Labradors are extremely friendly and loving dogs, and they love to play and exercise. You have to make sure you’re keeping them happy by getting out and staying active.

Tips on keeping your dog happy and healthy:

Exercise Your Dog – Get outside and be active. Take your lab to the dog park, go for a run, play fetch, and walk your dog twice a day. This will be beneficial for you and your dog because you will also be getting out and staying active.
Spend time with them – You may get distracted with daily life, whether that’s work, family, dating, etc. Don’t let that get in the way of spending time with your lab. Take time during the day to not only stay active and play with your dog, but to just relax with them.
Travel with them – There is no better travel buddy than a dog. Take a short road trip somewhere and bring them along. This is a bonding moment you will always remember and enjoy.
Healthy eating – Make sure to feed your dog their own food. Give them treats, but don’t feed them from the table. They will get into the habit of eating human food, which will not be great for them.
Clean Regularly – Clean your dog often because they will get smelly and dirty. Use a wash cloth and towel to get rid of the dirt. You can buy dog wipes for this. You don’t have to give your dog a bath regularly, but make sure to make time to bathe them occasionally, especially in the Summer when they are active playing outside. In the other seasons, make sure to wipe them down with a wash cloth and towel when they come into the house.

Hidden Pond Labradors

How a Labrador Retriever Can Change Your Life

Posted on September 11, 2019

Labrador Retrievers are incredible dogs for people. They are very friendly and energetic and love to be around people. But dogs can be a very big responsibility. Is this a bad thing? Absolutely not! Getting a Labrador Retriever could change your life forever.

Labs make our lives better

If you’re living alone, a Labrador Retriever can be a great companion to come home from work to. It’s nice to be living alone when you’re young, but sometimes it can get lonely. Anyone who lives on their own will get lonely at some point, and a lab will change that completely. They rely on you for food and shelter, which means their loyalty to you is unwavering.

What you’ll be getting with a Labrador Retriever:

Companionship
Loyalty
Enthusiastic and Energetic
Loving and Friendly

They are also great family pets. They are gentle dogs who just want to be loved, and they will stick by your side at all times. One thing to think about when considering getting a Labrador Retriever is will you be better off in life with one? These are all great traits for a dog, and if you’re having a tough time in life with all the stresses that come with it, a Lab might just be the answer for you.

Depression and Anxiety

We see more and more of the younger generation struggling with stress and anxiety that is leading to depression and loneliness. It could be the amount of digital content and social media influencing that’s out there. A connection to all information can be dangerous at times. We reflect on ourselves and make baseless judgements about our own lives. If you feel lost and alone, your Lab will always be there to make you feel loved and wanted again. When you have a terrible day at work, you can come home to the most loving person in the world.

Why is Having a Dog so Great?

Posted on August 26, 2019

A person’s situation in life can be very delicate. Whether you’re lonely, anxious, depressed, or even happy and content in your own life, a best friend makes everything all better. A dog can give you the relationship you need when life gets difficult. They also can make you appreciate the life you’re living already. Just imagine coming home from work and opening the door to a beautiful Labrador excited as hell to see you. It’s a tremendous feeling.

The Benefits of a Dog

There are plenty of benefits of owning a dog. Of course, with all pros there are cons, but it’s safe to say that the pros outweigh the cons. Here are the benefits:

There’s always love – your dog relies on you for shelter and food. They are depending on you for everything they need, which means they will always be loving to you. They get excited to see you come home because they want to spend time with you.
Relieve stress and depression – If anything is going bad in your life, your Labrador will be there to comfort you. They will listen to your issues without talking back(obviously). The best part is they can sense when something is wrong. They will curl up next to you on the couch, and make you realize you’re not alone in this world.
Keep you active – Labs are loving and playful. They’re going to help you get out of the house and run around with them. This will also make you appreciate the outdoors because you’ll have to take them for walks every day. Going to the park and playing fetch can help you get fit as well.
Social life – Your social life will improve significantly. Dog parks, dog bars, and pet-friendly places are everywhere. This is a great way to get out and meet people. Everyone loves an adorable Labrador dog, so you’ll most likely have people coming up to give some love to them.

With the pros, there’s always cons. You’ll have to support another being, which means buying food, vet visits, and babysitting. Your life changes because you have another responsibility in your life. It’s worth it though because you’ll never complain about the minor issues of having a dog when you come home from work and see your Labrador excited as ever to see you.

Document and Cold Case Research Service

Posted on August 16, 2019

Searching for a missing person is a very grueling task for anyone. We understand that these cases are extremely sensitive, and that is why we don’t just train search and rescue dogs, we conduct deep research to get to the bottom of the case.

At Hidden Pond Labradors, John Bellocchio is a professional academic with more than 20 years of document research experience at the local, county, state and federal level. He has become an expert in the delicate process of searching for missing persons. Solving a cold case is very difficult because we know at this point the authorities haven’t been able to solve it, which can give us a very discouraging attitude. But John’s, knowledge and experience, we can give you everything we have to help you solve the case.

Search and Rescue Dogs

At Hidden Pond Labradors, we are partnered with John, who runs the K9 Search and Rescue Academy. He has the reached the highest levels of certification for search and rescue training. These puppies are bred specifically for this job, and that is why we have the best of the best to run the program. We want your case to be solved as quickly as possible.

Why is both necessary to solve the case?

Let’s say your loved one has been missing, and the case is unsolved due to other circumstances. The feeling of hopelessness and discouragement is through the roof at this point. You have no clue of how to go about finding them, and you don’t know where to turn. That is where we come in. We are dedicated to getting to the bottom of the case, and we are able to use our resources to do so.

If you have a loved one who is missing and you need help, contact Hidden Pond Labradors at 607-857-1461 today to find out how we can help you solve your case. We have search and rescue puppies for sale including a week-long training class with John. John also offers his document and cold case research services!

UMBC Police Department to Recruit a Trained Labrador Retriever

Posted on July 25, 2019

We are very proud to announce that one of our little pups is moving on to bigger and better with the UMBC Police Department in Baltimore, Maryland! He will be working as a comfort dog with the police department, and we couldn’t be happier!

Hidden Pond Labradors

At Hidden Pond Labradors, we are training our Labradors to become emotional support canine companions, as well as comfort dogs with the help of John Bellocchio, who is highly-trained and credentialed. He can help develop a dog’s abilities in order to stay close to the person dealing with re-lived trauma, emotional distress, or panic. There can be times in police work where a dog can be of great help. Dogs aren’t just companions, they aim to serve as well.

College can be a very stressful time, and the main priority is to provide comfort in times of need all around the entire UMBC campus.

We are proud that the UMBC Police Department is ready to take on one of our own academy members, and we hope that he treats them well. We believe he will!

If you are looking to train your pup in emotional support, anxiety and PTSD, please contact Hidden Pond Labradors at 607-857-1461, and we will make sure to get you and your pup comfort ready for you or your loved ones.

There’s Someone Who Wants to Help

Posted on July 23, 2019

Depression, anxiety, and PTSD can all be crippling to our emotions and mental health. Sometimes people have a difficult time finding help or opening themselves up to acquire the right help for their mental health. Dogs for Emotional Support, Anxiety and PTSD are truly special for people dealing with mental health problems.

Let’s take for example a Veteran returning from service who has PTSD

PTSD is a serious issue, especially with war vets coming back to their civilian lives. Many have crippling depression and mental health problems that are extremely difficult to deal with. A PTSD Service dog can save a life in many cases. There’s been cases where a veteran cannot turn anywhere for any help, so they decide to commit suicide, but the service dog comes to the rescue.

Epileptic Seizures can be very scary for the person having one, as well as the people around.

These dogs are trained to be companions. Sometimes people who have epilepsy have recurring seizures that are very unpredictable, which can make it difficult for a trained dog and people to help the situation. If someone is going through having a seizure, the service dog can alert others that something is wrong, so that they can come help.

Hidden Pond Labradors

At Hidden Pond Labradors, we can train dogs for those in need of emotional support from their canine companions. There is no national standard for this work, but our instructor John Bellocchio can develop a dog’s skills that will make the dog stay close to its companion in times of panic, anxiety, re-lived trauma, emotional distress, and seizures.

If you’re in need of an emotional support dog for whatever reason, contact Hidden Pond Labradors at 607-857-1461 today, and we can help you find the right dog for your needs!

Tips for Selecting a Stud Dog

Posted on July 5, 2019

Finding a stud dog is a lot like a lady looking for a man… there are plenty of options around, but how does one select the “right” one?

Female Dog Traits

First, consider your female dog. What are her good and bad points? You’re going to want to find a stud who is a good fit for her; ideally you want a stud who doesn’t share her bad points! If you can find a stud who has helped correct other female dogs’ particular weak points, that’s great.

Inherited Traits

Next, you’ll want to learn about the inheritance of the traits you’re looking to change… and try to find a stud who has ancestors who don’t carry any recessive genes that you don’t want involved in the creation of puppies. When in doubt, check a stud’s siblings out to see what kind of traits they have.

Make Sure the Math Adds Up

Also, did you know you can find programs that help you figure out the coefficient of inbreeding for a proposed pedigree? How inbred would your puppies end up being? You can find that out thanks to science and math. If you want healthy puppies, look for parents with lower coefficients of inbreeding.

A Close Look

When looking for the “right” stud, arrange to meet potentials in person. Of course, you can see pictures and even videos online, but it always helps to spend time with potential studs in person to see their temperaments as well as faults.

Less Popular is Better

When all else is equal, pick the less-used sire over the popular one. It’s also advisable to choose a middle-aged or older sire rather than a young one. If a dog is still alive at an old age, it shows potential for their offspring to live a long life, too.

Location

Of course, location matters when choosing a stud. It makes sense to go with one that’s not too far away, in order to save expenses in getting to that dog, etc. That said, semen can be shipped, so that’s a nice option.

Hidden Pond Labradors in Upstate New York is a certified pedigree Labrador stud service provider. Breeding black, yellow and chocolate labs, some of which are offered as studs, Hidden Pond can ship semen nationwide to meet the needs of breeders.

Service Dogs Aren’t Just Companions, They’re Life-Savers

Posted on June 27, 2019

There is something about a dog’s company that can be uplifting for someone struggling with mental and physical health issues. Whether the problem is depression, PTSD, special needs, or Epilepsy, emotional support dogs can save a human’s life. You are the owner who takes care of them, and they will take care of you.

Trauma Can Be Crippling, but a Dog Can be Your Crutches

PTSD isn’t something to mess around with. There are plenty of causes for someone to have PTSD, and it should be treated with care. Having a support dog by your side when you are in need can lift your spirits and see the world in a different eye. Many dogs can sense when there is something wrong, which may signal for them to curl up on the couch with you. People need ways to cope with their PTSD, and an emotional support dog can be the best way to do this.

Why you should consider getting a trained PTSD Dog?

Alleviate anxiety/stress
Comforting companion
A distraction from negative thoughts
Assists in medical situations

Service Dogs for Epilepsy

Epileptic Seizures can be very frightening for the person who is having them and for the loved ones around. A support dog trained specifically with dealing with people who have seizures can be a best friend to them. Having a dog for epileptic episodes can give a second set of eyes and comfort for the caregivers/family members.

The Training for Emotional Support

There is technically no standard or registry for John Bellocchio’s work when developing our dog’s skills for emotional support, but he can teach the dogs to learn to stay close to its owner or companion in times of panic, anxiety, and post-traumatic symptoms. An emotional support dog is different from a service dog because they don’t complete specific tasks for you. They are companions, and they will be there for you in time of need. Sometimes our friends and family aren’t enough for support. A loving and caring support dog will comfort you when you don’t know where to turn. They will just be there by your side.

For more information on our program for Emotional Support and Dogs for PTSD, please contact Hidden Pond Labradors at 607-857-1461. We care for our loved ones, and we want our loving dogs to care for them as well.