Ginger: My British Lab

by Howard Luttrell
(Owensboro, KY)

I got Ginger, my female British Lab, when she was 11 months old. She is now just a little over 3 years old.

She came from a family that raises only British Labs and trains them for various things. They were in northwest MS. I have now moved back to KY.

Occasionally they had a dog that would rather be a pet, thus I got Ginger.

Just like all labs she is a very sweet-natured dog, incredibly intelligent, and doesn't have a mean bone in her body.

She has quite a "vocabulary" of words she understands and knows.

Sometimes she knows what I'm about to do. This includes taking her for a ride in the car, going for a walk, and of course treats and food.

I had never owned a pet before getting her so we've learned together.

She is now trained where she has the run of the house when I'm gone.

But, early on she chewed up things such as cds, remote controls, and a big stuffed chair.

Her favorite toys are stuffed animals. I usually buy the ones that make sounds, but her bite is so soft she rarely makes them sound! She has approximately 15 toys and knows them all by the name I give them when I give them to her.

Sometimes having a mind of her own, when I tell her to go get a certain toy she'll walk by it and touch it with her nose to let me know she knows which one it is, but that another toy is what she'd rather have at the moment!

One of her favorite things is to play keep-away. She acts like she is going to bring it and release it but at the last second she turns to keep me from getting it.

I have to be very patient when I take her for her daily walk as she likes to stop and sniff a lot "smell the roses".

Once we've gone a certain route a few times she knows all the scents and moves along.

Obviously I'm very fond of Ginger. She's a loving dog that loves everyone she meets, and they love her back. People say that she has "very kind eyes".

Hopefully I can upload a picture of Ginger. Not a great picture because I took it with my cell phone, but it looks as if she's smiling for the camera.

Wish I had another, probably a male, of the same breed as a friend for her.