Labrador puppies - how to start, any tips ??

[emu 0]

Me and my girl are planing to buy a labrador puppy. Any of you had one from small. How to feed them, how to train etc ?? She had a dog before but it will be my first one. We both read few things about them but maybe someone of you can give some tips ??

[Critical_Mass 10]

You can treat a labrador puppy like any other young dog in regards to how often you feed them and training. Once in the morning and once in the eve/late aft. THough obviously smaller portions and meat in the eve and biscuits or what ever in the morning.

 

As for training, buy some treats and it will be a case of telling the dog a command, showing it what you want it to do (like push its bum down for sit) and giving it a treat. Make sure you're precise and desicive with commands, repetition should eventually pay off. One thing that annoys me about some dog owners is they wont tell their dog off when it does bad. I feel this is important part of training the dog, they need to know when they've done wrong, a slight rap on the nose when and a "NO!" or "bad dog!" is important in the dog knowing when its done something wrong. HOwever on the other end of the scale, praise is also important.

 

Sorry if ive told you anything you already know.

 

One thing about labs though (my uncle has one), friendly dog, but they never stop eating - more so then other dogs!!! Oh and they can get quite big.

Edited June 15, 2011 by Critical_Mass

[emu 0]

Thanks, most what I like to know are the meals as I heard many things about labs and food. Will see a vet and ask him anyway but I've heard if you feed them wrong they could have problems with growing up etc.

 

I'm aware as well about damage they can make, wouldn't like any of my furniture to be eaten.

 

Puppy will even have his own room. We were thinking about the metal cage for the time when nobody is at home but decided to clean my cupboard and make him a room. Big enough for grown dog, so puppy should feel there quiet well. He will be kept there only when nobody is at home.

[Critical_Mass 10]

imo i wouldnt get a cage, but thats cos i dont like them locked up in a cage, though a room would be better.

 

Sorry not heard anything specific to lab diet.

 

just had a look and theres a little info on here http://www.officiallabradorguide.com/lab/labrador-diet-and-nutrition

 

SOrry didnt realise lab diets differed dont think my uncle did anything different to any other dog, but maybe im wrong.

[pumbaa 0]

I've had 2 labs before and both ate like horses! Try not to over feed them as they will get fat, lazy and cost a lot in vets bills when they get older! I've fed them the same food that i've fed every other dog so im not sure you need to worry about a special diet. Labs do need a fair amount of exercise as they are quite lively (when not too fat!).

[iR6 0]

Hi, we have had a lab from a puppy (now 3). We fed him a dry food diet (Purina). As said above dont over feed Labs, they never know when theyve had enough!!

We also used a large cage, he slept in it from the first day he came home, treat it as his own space, leave the door open when possible for them to come and go, and never send them to it when disciplining them.

Be prepared to have your home eaten, ours got through six oak chairs and a table, also likes roses (the ones with thorns of course!) Marley and Me has nothing on our Lab!! though dispite the times when they do test your patients, they are so worth it :)

[moneypit23 0]

Get some insurance. Lady at work was telling me this morning that her friends dog just cost £1700 at the vets after it ate a packet of razor blades!

[pumbaa 0]

As above, get insurance. You won't regret it.

[bristolbaron 10]

do not get a lab if you don't want things eaten!

[emu 0]

insurance is a must, hope it will be a very smart dog and won't eat anything except food and girlfriend's shoes as has them to much :D

[Wendy 0]

Re food - I think it is very important to feed puppies - puppy food, mature dog food is probably too rich for them - and can from my understanding damage their stomachs.

Your vet or specialist books should be able to guide you more accurately. There is bound to be a Lab Club/society - even a Lab Forum !!!!!

[KADVR6 0]

never leave a puppy in a dog cage during the day, its cruel and should not be done, a cage is used as a place for a dog to feel safe and is there place, just like your bedroom is your place. If you dont have the room for the puppy during the day then dont get a puppy, and how long is the puppy going to be left alone during the day?? anymore than a max of 4 hours could make the puppy get bored and start to self harm.

 

and trust me you get sooo attached so quickly, and if you eventually had to part company with your dog because you had thought it all out properly IT WILL DESTROY YOU.

[Walesy 0]

Not to mention the effect it would have on the dog!

 

Think very carefully about whether it's the right thing to do, puppy's are very hard work and hugely demanding and they certainly shouldnt be left alone for any length of time (1 hour per month of age) it's a big commitment which is why you see so many needing new homes at 10 months!

 

As for food, buy a good quality dry food - I have a 7 month old staff pup and she's been on Hills science plan from when we got her home at 9 weeks and she's in peak condition so I'd recommend it although it's quite expensive.

 

Regarding chewing, give the dog plenty of chewy toys to help with teething - if a dog is chewing stuff around the house like chairs etc then it's basically not getting enough excersise or stimulation - get it out more!

[mjcp 0]

Cages +1, Labs (and puppies in general) can be mouthy or not. We had a mouthy one, the cage prevented the chewing of things we didn't want chewed (Skirting board, shoes, kitchen units... you name it, he did it) They are like children when puppies = teething, chewing feels good!

 

The cage should be his place and he will feels safe there. We stopped caging at c. 18 months by which time he had grown out of chewing things that are not his (he has several bones that get rotated and a Kong (google it) ).

 

Labs that are over exercised when young can damage their bones. The muscles get over developed and bend the bones as they grow. We kept ours on the lead *most* of the time when walking for the first 12-18 months. (he was allowed to run on each walk, but not all the time)

 

Buy from a decent breeder, make sure the mother is visible (check her out, look at eyes, how she walks, is she healthy etc)

 

Food: puppies start off on 3-4 small meals a day, moving to 2 a day, morning and night. Use puppy food (ask the vet or local pet food shop for advice*) then a young dog food then an adult food. *there are a lot of cheap foods and even some mid market foods that have loads of wheat in them, its used as a filler, dogs do not naturally eat wheat and it can cause upset stomachs. Royal canin and Trophy are tow that we have used (RC has a lab specific blend) that have no wheat and use good quality meat, the trouble is, they are expensive c. £37 for a 15Kg bag, we use c. 1 bag a month.

 

These dry foods, with water are all the dog *needs* nutritionally, but we do sometimes treat. Do not give treats too often, as they will get fat!

 

Some people raw feed their dogs (and Labs) (google it). You can give bones to dogs but not cooked! Find a good butcher and ask about dog bones (make the butcher feel comfortable with his bad joke about what breed of dog bone you would like) We gave our dog a whole mackerel last summer on holiday which he loved, I've also seen but never tried, dogs eat raw chicken wings,bones and all.

 

Ours steels off the kitchen counter overnight if we leave stuff out... silly us! He will not do it in the day time though...

 

We had a cat first, the two get on fine, the cat is in charge of the dog!

 

Labs suffer with Hip and eye problems which are inherited, ask about HIP scores when speaking to the breeder. A hip score requires an X-ray; no x-ray, no *real* HIP score. Eyes should be "bright" (tricky one to explain, see lots and get a feel for it)

 

Colour can be anything form Fox red (almost orange) to very light yellow (almost white) and everything in between. Also Black and Brown. (Weimars, grey, lab shaped dogs, are not Labs) Eye lids can be black, brown or pink, depending on the genetics for the other colours carried (ours was the only yellow in a black litter, his eye lids are black...)

 

Labs are fairly intelligent, they can learn C. 100 words. they can learn the members of the family by name, they can learn the rooms of the house, they be guided to a retrieve (back, forward, etc), they love to work! (and be rewarded)

 

They should live for 8 - 14 years so plan ahead!

 

Ours hardly ever barks and only started once he was 2.. no idea why? He only does it when strangers come to the door, so not too unhappy about it!

 

We don't have insurance.... now he's 5 we will be getting it though. The vet's bills we have had are:

 

Annual injections, checkups etc (not covered by insurance anyway) C. £ 60 - £100 (we live in an expensive vetting area!)

Eye check and antibiotics (he poked his eye on a tent peg while we were camping in the New forest) C. £25 all in! (See what I mean about vet costs!) would not have been worth claiming, too low.

Neutering at 10 Months (calms them down) C. £175 (no idea if covered or not)

Stiches removed after neutering (we were on holiday not long after his op and the wound got aggravated by a stitch that didn't dissolve) c. £40

 

However, I know a mate with a new puppy that has done £300 in 4 weeks with bladder infections!

 

We have a credit card allocated to cars and pets... just incase.

 

Ours is happy to walk beside me with no lead on the way to his running ground and the river. In town he is a little more inquisitive (easily distracted) and so we use the lead. Everyone makes a fuss of him in town! He is able to jump into the back of the C without putting feet on the bumper (though hen he gets older, he may need a lift).

 

 

I hope the above doesn't put you off! Labs make great family (or couples!) pets. They are responsive, loyal and loving. They can give you so much if you put a little effort in.

 

Marc

[mjcp 0]

:smug:

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]47390[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]47391[/ATTACH]

[emu 0]

mjcp - thanks a lot for very long answer, you told me everything what I like to know.

[joby 0]

Insurance is a must, We have a Kerry blue terrier and its the nastiest hardest dog we have ever had, my son opened the front door to someone and he shot out and leatherd two dogs and i ended up with a vets bill for nearly a grand! Needless to say he never gets out now other than mussled and on his lead, Labs are usually very friendly so you should be ok but you never know