One reason many Labrador Retrievers are abandoned to animal shelters is because they jumped on small children, knocking them over or scaring them. A lot of people don't understand how to manage jumping and when their Lab gets big, jumping isn't so cute anymore.

People don't know how to deal with it so they give up on the dog. Once a Lab has reached its full adult size, jumping can become a real problem, but that's also an easy problem to fix. All it takes is one little word: "Sit."

"Sit" is the solution to over 90% of behavior problems. The sit command is the answer, and it's the easiest thing in the world to train a dog to do. When a dog is sitting, it can't be jumping up. Train your newly adopted shelter Lab to sit with big rewards and you'll see a huge difference in behavior.

Many adult Labs already know the sit command so using it frequently can nip jumping quickly. Even Labs that don't know the command to sit know how to sit. If you teach the dog to sit on command, you've solved all kinds of problems before you ever get to a training class. Labs are so trainable because they want to please you and they want rewards. They really do want to sit for you!

Out Of Control Jumpers

Teaching your dog the "off" command is necessary for those out-of-control jumpers. Jumping up is the way the Lab expresses how desperate it is for attention. The more hyper you get in response to this behavior, the more excited your Lab becomes. Even yelling is attention to your Lab. Teach him that the only time it will get love and attention is when it is sitting. Ignore it when it jumps on you - become a statue, literally.

To teach "off" you will actually want to invite this excitement from your Lab by acting excited yourself. Then, when it jumps up, cross your arms, turn away and quietly say "off." Then wait - don't move, talk or make eye contact.

When the dog realizes it's not getting any sort of attention, positive or negative, it will get back on the floor. Immediately praise him. Your Lab will get bored fast and try something else, like sitting. That's when you pour on the praise.

After only a few times, if you are quick and consistent, your Lab will learn that it gets what it craves - attention - when all four paws are on the floor instead of jumping all over you.

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There are too many puppies being born and sold by amateur breeders and not enough homeless dogs being adopted and raised in a good homes with loving families. If you are a true dog lover and have a passion for these animals, consider visiting your local animal shelter instead of purchasing a new puppy from the newspaper or pet store.

I realize that most families prefer to have a puppy raised from birth, but there are thousands upon thousands of well mannered, healthy dogs that need a home like yours. Most of these dogs and puppies that are living in animal shelters are there for various reasons that do not include acts of violence or sickness.

In fact, it seems to be a common thought that dogs from animal shelters are tainted. Yes, there are many of them that have had problems in the past with abuse or have developed survival instincts from living on the streets, but these animals can all be trained to perfection in most cases.

How To Interview The Animal Shelter

Like any service or product, animal shelters are there to provide a specific function that you, as a consumer, should investigate before making your decision. There should be specific questions asked which are directed straight to the animal shelter that you are considering adopting a dog from.

Very important questions that should always be asked are about how they take care of the dogs. Do they get more than just food and water? Does the animal shelter place emphasis on socialization? Do they allow the animals to move around and interact with the other dogs?

Dogs To Avoid

The last thing you want to do is adopt a puppy who has been crammed up in a small cage during its entire stay at the shelter. This kind of treatment can certainly induce traumatic anxiety disorders, stress, and fear of the outside world.

If the shelter does indeed allow their animals to socialize and spend time outside of their cage, ask the staff how long they are allowed to enjoy this free time and how much human contact is received.

Another addition to your bag of questions when considering dog adoption from an animal shelter is to find out about any types of services that are offered after you bring home a new dog.

Do they provide pamphlets or brochures that explain the best way to handle an adopted dog or puppy? Are there tips in the form of a newsletter or website information that can help your adopted dog adjust easier? What about training, can they refer you to a qualified dog trainer that specializes in shelter animals?

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Unfortunately, many dogs, who are otherwise healthy and happy animals, wake up one morning to find themselves without a home and quickly become guests at the local animal shelter or pound. This happens every day, all around the world, when dog owners are not able or no longer willing to care for their pets.

At this very moment, there are millions of homeless animals that are confined to cages all over the country and awaiting the day they are put to sleep unless a generous family comes along to adopt them. Mixed breeds and purebreds; young puppies and aging dogs; male and female; all of these canines are available to anybody, and at a low adoption fee.

While purebred puppies and dogs are the exception to what's available, rather than the rule, there always intelligent and beautiful mixed breed dogs that range from all ages, just waiting patiently and hopefully to be taken home.

If you are interested in a show dog or a rare purebred with the look of nobility, then the adoption arena is probably not your best choice. If this is the case then your best bet is to visit with a professional breeder or a kennel that allows you to purchase a dog that fits exactly what you are looking for.

Healthy Dogs Only Please

Selecting a dog from an adoption center is just like choosing a pet from any other source, with just a few additions. You want to make sure that the dog or puppy you are considering is healthy. His coat should be shiny and free from bare patches. The eyes should be bright and his attitude alert. Check for discharge coming out of the eyes or nose, which is not a sign of a healthy dog. Their should be no coughing, diarrhea, or vomiting.

The dog you are considering for adoption should be at a decent weight. Rest one of your hands across the dogs' hip bones on his back. If you can feel the spine in between them, he is considered to be underweight.

Unfortunately, just like buying a used car, it is impossible to know precisely what you are getting until you take your puppy home for a "test drive." While the odds are high that your newly adopted dog will be perfectly fine and healthy, there is a possibility that he may be equipped with idiosyncrasies and emotional issues that were developed from living in the shelter.

Most frequently, these types of dogs arrive at your home full of insecurities from the past experiences of being homeless and then forced into living inside of a cage at the shelter. The good news is that these troubles are usually temporary and will fade away in time, provided that you surround the newly adopted dog with love, affection, and without any harsh dog training techniques.

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One the most remarkable features about adopting a dog from the animal shelter is the diversity in the types of dogs that are available, their size, as well as the different temperaments. It is truly a fun experience for the family that is intent on going home with a newly adopted dog to choose from hundreds of different mixed breeds, all with interesting characteristics.

Another positive note about adopting a dog from the animal shelter is that most of the dogs are already older and housetrained. This is good news for the busy mom or dad who does not have the time to devote to a new puppy every day until the animal is properly socialized.

Not only are many of these dogs housetrained, a large majority have also had some level of obedience training. Between being house trained, been through obedience training, and already spayed or neutered, an adopted dog from the animal shelter is a prime choice for many people.

Congratulations, You've Made Your Selection, Now What?

Once you have selected a dog, be prepared to pay a small adoption fee. This money goes towards the support of the animals that have not yet found a home, as well as the staff that takes care of them.

In the past there have been numerous shelters of the Humane Society that have provided dog adoptions free of charge, however, through trial and error, they have come to learn that most people do not appreciate and take care of something they received for free.

It is sad to say, but the truth is that pet owners that do not mind parting ways with their money in exchange for an adopted dog will always treat the animal much better than those people who receive dogs at no charge. Many cases of neglect and abuse led authorities to owners that received their dogs for free.

Health Records

Many animal shelters provide a thorough history of the dog's health records. But when it comes to stray dogs that end up at the shelter there is typically very little information that can be provided. Regardless if the dog you choose for adoption has detailed health records or not, you should always take him to the veterinarian immediately for a checkup.

Arrive at the veterinarian's office with not only the medical history that the adoption agency supplied you with, but also a sample of the dogs fecal matter for tests that the vet will give. There should also be both vaccination and worming information included with dates and any product that was used at the animal shelter. If for some reason you are unclear if the dog has been vaccinated or not, it never hurts to re-vaccinate him.

Having your adopted dog vaccinated a second time, if need be, is a much safer procedure than assuming he is clean and free of diseases which could end up harming his life. And unfortunately, most shelters are overcrowded and may expose dogs to more communicable diseases than other kennels. Therefore, it is that much more essential to have a prompt, detailed examination and vaccination of your newly adopted dog.

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Be aware that some of the dogs that are up for adoption at your local animal shelter are there for reasons that have to do with specific behavior issues. For example, many of these dogs may have had difficulty with housetraining, messy grooming needs, noisiness, not getting along with other pets or children, hyperactivity, biting, or destructiveness.

These are all typical reasons why most dogs are given up for adoption. Should any of these characteristics prove to come to light with your dog that you have selected when he is home, the best advice is to consult with a professional dog trainer who specializes in adopted dogs. He or she will be able to help solve the problem for you.

However, as what happens just as frequently, a dog is routinely placed for adoption simply due to a lack of space when the owner moves from a large home into a smaller apartment or condominium. And there are reasons of children. Oftentimes puppies are purchased is nothing more than a gift for the kids. But what happens when the children get bored and do not want to take care of the dog anymore? You guess it, off to the animal shelter it goes!

Do Not Be One Of These Owners

When you are ready to take your newly adopted dog home, you should have already asked yourself a ton of questions about how you will take care of the animal.

Will he be an indoor dog or an outdoor dog? Do you have the necessary sleeping equipment for the outside? Do you intend on tying him down or putting up a fence in the yard? Is he fixed already? If not, then do you plan on having him taken care of? Will he be living with other children? How about other animals?

Look For An Animal Shelter With Strict Adoption Policies

Quite often, animal shelters can be extremely selective about the homes in which the dogs will be going to. And it only makes sense to keep a dog at the shelter, or even have it euthanized, instead of it being brought into a destructive home that abuses the animal.

Many animal shelters make occasional visits to the homes in which dogs were brought to after being adopted. Some organizations require certificates from a veterinarian that validate vaccinations administered and proof that neutering surgery was performed.

Any dog or other pet that is adopted under these agreements are generally sent to good homes. It is quite obvious that anyone who does not agree to these guidelines would probably not make a good pet owner. As you can probably guess, these types of strict adoption rules send more dogs to better homes over the long haul. In fact, I wish every animal shelter operated in this fashion.

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When selecting a dog at your local animal shelter it is important to keep in mind that, just like people, animals are not perfect. Whether a dog is a $10,000 show dog or a mixed puppy that is "free to a good home", each will have specific faults in either their physical bodies or psychological makeup.

While it is important to select a dog that seems to be in good health and high spirits, no dog will come with a guarantee. Therefore, should your puppy or dog have minor issues such as parasites or kennel cough, try to be tolerant and understand that these are basic issues that most dogs will have.

With a little care and some extra help from you, your adopted shelter dog will overcome these shortcomings fairly quickly and then blossom into a strong, robust house dog that you can show off around the neighborhood.

And if you insist on finding a dog that must be perfect in all respects, may I politely suggest that you go to the nearest shopping mall and buy a stuffed toy dog, because that is as close to perfect as you will find!

Be Critical Of The Animal Facility

I am certainly not suggesting that you let all negative signs slide from the dogs you are trying to choose from at the animal shelter. In fact, besides common issues and idiosyncrasies that all dogs will have, you should have a good idea of what you are in for when selecting one of these animals and be on the lookout for signs of good health.

In addition, do not just focus on the condition of the dogs themselves. Pay attention to the animal shelter and do not hesitate to be critical about the condition of the center itself.

Is it clean, free from odor, and well-lighted? Do the dogs have adequate space or are they crammed with 2, 3, or more other dogs in the same small space? Is there plenty of fresh drinking water available? Does the shelter staff seem genuinely interested and enthused about the work they do? Take a look at the dogs when a staff member approaches them, does the animal respond positively or back away in a state of fear?

The answers to every one of these questions should be a blueprint in your mind that tells you whether or not these dogs are getting the care and treatment that would make them a good candidates to bring home to your family. There have been numerous shelters in the past that treated their animals very harshly and therefore caused more stress and emotional issues for the dogs when they were adopted.

And let's not be too selfish here on the issue. Don't just look around and decide that you don't like the dogs and go home, help do something about the organization in question. If you are visiting an animal shelter with the interests of adopting a dog or puppy, and the entire place looks rundown with staff that obviously is mistreating the animals, call the local authorities to investigate further.

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