Black lab puppy arriving on Friday. Erm, I'm very anxious!

[WinkyWinkola]

More anxious than when my dcs were born. I've not got a clue what to do. My dh reckons he does but he's as soft as butter and I reckon pup will be leader of the pack if dh has his way.

Any top tips for new, inexperienced dog owner, please?

[NFTA]

i would be anxious too! In fact, I was going to rehome a black lab x pup and backed out because it made me so anxious. I hope you get some good advice soon. I'm sure you will be fine

[Yoghurty]

Do you want tips for caring for your new pup or guidance on training him?

I can only tell you what we did with our 2 - our oldest dog was the first dog we'd ever owned that was our responsibility (dp had dogs growing up).

With first pup, we enroled her in puppy classes as we weren't 100% sure how to train her ourselves. We picked a class that used positive training methods (no choke chains/check collars or 'dominance' training) It was a fun experience for all of us, and our pup got a lot of socialisation with other dogs.

We also had a clear routinue re: housetraining. As soon as she woke up, finished playing, had eaten etc, we put her in the garden- and every hour whether she needed to or not! We taught her 'do wee-wee' as a command- she doesn't need it now (she's 3) as she knows whats expected of her! We also crate trained her immediately. She now goes to the crate in the evening when she's tired and ready for bed- and its useful for when we hoover!

I read lots of books about her breed before we got her (she's a pedigree so needed to know about health problems etc)to get an idea of what to expect.

2nd dog was a lot easier- we knew more about what we were doing and he is very clever and picked up commands and housetraining almost immediately.

I'd suggest either buying a puppy book or going online to somewhere like the RSPCA that has guidance for new puppy owners, finding out about puppy classes and making sure that you have a routinue for walking, playing, sleeping etc- all things you can find out about at classes and from the books.

Good luck and enjoy!

[livelaughlovevintage]

Start as you mean to go on with regards to training ie. if you don't want large adult lab sitting on your lap on the sofa then don't allow cute small puppy on it from the start (hard I know )
Read a lot of books, socialise a lot! You could even take him/her out in stroller while waiting for injections just to get used to noise/busy roads, schools etc..
Puppy training classes are a must, oh and when housetraining if you miss an accident don't shout at puppy coz it'll have no idea what your on about just clean it up and ignore him. If you catch them about to do it just quickly whip it outside and lots of positive praise when they do go outside! :)
And be prepared for a few first nights of crying

[suburbandream]

Hi, we got our puppy last week so I'm no expert regarding training etc yet, but from a practical point of view - get stairgates if you haven't already, and stock up on kitchen roll for mopping up accidents . Luckily we have wood floors downstairs and most of the rugs have been removed as our pup quickly decided he preferred weeing on rugs than on wood! Even if you wash them, they still seem to be able to smell their scent. Remove anything that the pup can get at as they will chew EVERYTHING, and get as much sleep as you can because you will be up in the night to start with (my DCs are 8 and 10 so I had forgotten how hard that is )

[D0oinMeCleanin]

Dogs don't live in packs. Wolves do. Labradors are not wolves. My head is begining to hurt from all the head/desk incidents everytime I see/hear this, which is often lately.

I second puppy training/socialisation classes. Without wanting to add your anxieties Labs are very clever dogs, not something I would have thought would be good for inexperienced owners, but it's done, so best get reading up. Gwen Bailey is one I keep hearing good things about and karen pryor 'don't shoot the dog'

Please don't try and be 'leader of the pack' treat your dog kindly, with patience and clear boundaries (but do not punish for pushing those boundaries, just reward the good) and all will turn out well.

[suburbandream]

Oh yes, and another recommendation from me for the Gwen Bailey book

[daisydotandgertie]

I'm with Dooin. If I hear one more thing about 'pack theory', leader of the pack, dominance I may just collapse. It has been thoroughly proven to be nonsense.

But, clear, kind, CONSISTENT boundaries are what you need to work with, and decide from the beginning which behaviours you're happy to accept and which you're not.

I'd also recommend visiting this forum and reading as much of the puppy section as you can, especially the stickies. Particularly the one about labrador puppies biting a lot, and hard too.

Learn, learn and learn before she arrives so you don't make mistakes which are hard to rectify.

You'll need kitchen roll, poo bags, biological washing powder and germ killer for toilet accidents, of which I expect there'll be many. Don't use puppy pads or newspaper, they're a waste of time. Train to go outside, everytime to avoid confusing her. Take her out after every meal, after every sleep, after every game and probably every hour in between during the day to get house training licked as fast as possible. If you can manage that it'll be done in no time. Praise like mad for every single outside wee and poo. Ignore everything in the house unless you actually catch her doing it - then a firm no, scoop up and outside to finish. The shock of being scooped ususally stops them mid flow.

You need to decide whether or not to crate train - the linked forum has a good thread on it. Buy a very, very lightweight collar and lead and if she hasn't already got a collar on, pop it onto her the minute you pick her up. She'll have so much to take in at that point, she won't notice.

Prepare her bed - and a spare if you can, even if it's just a cardboard box with blankets/towels. A ticking clock, a large soft toy and a hot water bottle will help her settle at night. It's a massive change for pups - from a large warm pile of brothers and sisters to a bed on her own. Be kind to her for her first few nights - I wouldn't think twice about having her upstairs with me for a night or two while she gets her confidence back.

Puppy proof where she'll be in the house and garden. Get down on your hands and knees and look for enticing things to chew - table cloths, cables and wires, house plants (some are toxic - google to find out which).

Book her in for her first set of jabs with your vet asap.

When you get her, take her everywhere you can manage. She will need carrying until 2 weeks after her second jab (given at 2 week intervals), so probably for a month but don't let that put you off taking her out and about to see everyone and everything. It is possibly the single most important thing you can do to ensure you end up with a lovely, confident, happy adult dog.

And enjoy her. There is little better, IMO than a new black lab puppy .

[Scuttlebutter]

Find a good local vet and get your dog there asap after arrival for a check and to get on their books. As others have said, book puppy classes (some vets do these as well). Discuss with the breeder what food pup is on at the moment, and keep on that for a while to minimise the stress of moving, then you can research your own food preferences after that. Make sure you have a good quality collar and lead and bed plus food and water bowls, plus grooming brushes. Many pups come with insurance but this should be a top priority to get sorted out immediately. Insurance is vital - do not skimp on this.

Get a tag made for pup's collar.

Whole family to have agreement on key things for pup safety - effectively rules of behaviour. Examples - some human foods are poisonous to dogs so you and DC need to be strict about ensuring pup cannot access bowls of raisin based cereals, chocolate etc. Door safety - making sure dog cannot escape, particularly before dog is fully trained/has good recall. Agreed standards of behaviour - things like where dog will be alllowed to go (on furniture etc), if allowed upstairs, not begging for food at mealtimes. Consistency very important from ALL family members (including DH!!). Remember, a Lab puppy is probably one of the cutest and most adorable creatures you will ever see so sorting these issues is vital before you get washed away on a tide of hopeless adoration!
Gwen Bailey book is vital - and you will also get lots of help and support on Labrador forums. I know Daisydotandgertie is a lab expert - hope she or someone else can provide link (and further advice).

[Scuttlebutter]

x posted with DDandg

[PurpleFrog]

Our lab "puppy" is now 20 months old. I agree with all of the above posters. We had all read the Gwen Bailey book cover to cover before collecting the pup. I second daisydotandgertie's comments about biting. I wasn't prepared for the "ferocity" of "attacks" and spent the first couple of months living in old clothes, just changing 2 minutes before leaving for work.

Although we thought we were prepared, the reality was a bit different to our expectations - I spent a lot of time ordering stairgates etc. during the first few days. I naively thought that an 8-week pup wouldn't be able to climb stairs. We also had to buy a fireguard, to stop the pup stealing the artificial coals from our (seldom-used) gas fire.

You will probably wonder after 24 hours whether you were mad to get a pup, but hang in there - it gets better! They grow up much faster than children!

[WinkyWinkola]

Right. Thanks all. Have got staircases already and that book is on it's way. The vet has been briefed and weve got an appointment there next Monday. Im still really concerned but will bone up as much as I can. Thank you again.

[WinkyWinkola]

Stairgates I meant. Bloody phone. And all my clothes are rags anyway!

[Avantia]

I have a black lab - 20 months.

When people say expect some whining the first night as it will be away from its mother and siblings I expected a few wimpers , but no had howling most of the night.(and for quite a few !) Did pre warn the neighbours luckily - they did hear her !

If not said already 'puppy proof' your garden - any small hole means escape !

Also get good pet insurance . You may have 6 weeks already from the breeder.

Good luck - it may be tough first few weeks but they are a delight and love mine to bits .

[Avantia]

Also hide and put away any shoes !

[ditavonteesed]

all I would say is move anything that can be chewed, spray anything you cant move with anti chew spray, read gwen baileys book cover to cover twice and be prepared to not get a lot of sleep for the next few weeks. and enjoy lots of lovely puppy cuddles. goos luck.

[cminor]

Gwen Bailey's book is all about training. You need a basic book of puppy care to start with. Read it before getting your puppy to learn about feeding, sleep, house-training etc

[NunTheWiser]

Pet insurance. Seriously.
Have you thought about crate training? Worked well with our lab pup (now 18 months and pic on profile), especially WRT toilet training.
Puppy socialisation classes are one of the best things you can do. Dogs learn lots of the canine social niceties from other dogs.
Be firm and consistent but always kind.
Be prepared to be nipped, have clothes shredded and all manner of stuff chewed.

[WinkyWinkola]

We're going to use the same insurance that the breeder has for him.

[WinkyWinkola]

Also doggy passports. When can they get one of those? Random questions!

[daisydotandgertie]

The rules all changed in January 2012 and I haven't looked at what the changes are.

This is where to read about it though www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/travel/pets/pet-owners/.

[yesbutnobut]

OP when you say a pup 'is arriving' I take it you've actually given some thought to wanting a puppy and have chosen a lab because you think it's a good breed for your family? I spent months preparing for getting my pup and chose the breed as it seemed to fit what we could offer as a family (particularly exercise). I also recommend Gwen Bailey's book and just lurking on this forum will be very informative. Generally people like The Perfect Puppy because it is about positive training methods (i.e. reward based training). Don't go near the Cesar Milan books or any that perpetuate this 'leader of the pack' nonsense.

I'm sure your breeder will give you some advice when you go to collect the pup. THis way you can continue any routines the pup already has, such as any particular command for toileting and what time pup goes to bed.

A crate is a must in my view - I don't know how anyone has a pup without one, and especially when you're getting a breed known to chew table and chair legs when left alone!

Good luck with your puppy - you must be very excited.

[WinkyWinkola]

Got a crate, bowls, lead and collar. Loads of kitchen roll. Bailey book on it's way. Dh has ordered some stuff too like the puppy food Used by breeder.

Yes, we researched which dog we thought best. And our puppy is very laid back. The others in the litter were very springy and nippy. He was calm and relaxed. I was impressed. Mind you, he was last to go.

But I don't want to mess this up! Hence the research and delay in getting a dog because I was nervous of making the wring choice for us.

Dcs will be lavishing this dog with love and attention. Is it possible to give a dog too much attention?

[daisydotandgertie]

Yes! Dogs need to learn to entertain themselves too; not to be entirely dependant on humans for fun. They also need to be taught to settle down and sleep. Puppies don't come with an off switch; they will run and run on adrenaline while behaviour gets worse and worse. They need regular sleep and very careful management.

How old are your children? They'll obviously need to be briefed on what's acceptable behaviour with the dog and what's not. They should never approach a dog who is sleeping, nor invade their bed space.

I'm assuming your children are young, and therefore they must, must, must understand that the dog is not a toy. Cuddles must be while they are sat down, puppy is not to be hauled about or accidentally dropped onto the floor from standing. Puppies can break. Children winding up a pup are likely to get bitten - not because a puppy is vicious, but because it's how pups play with each other. Teeth are like needles, and claws are also sharp.

Once the winding up, leaping up for attention, mouthy behaviour starts, it becomes increasingly difficult to stop.

Have you made time to read the forum I directed you to up thread? It is contains invaluable advice.

Also, have you read the advice to exercise puppies for 5 minutes for every month of age? The reason is two fold - one it is an attempt to build strong joints and two it prevents pups from becoming frantic with exhaustion and impossible to control. They really will run and run and run BUT it will do them no good at all.

[suburbandream]

Hi Winky - make sure your DCs are prepared for puppy's teeth! Of course they will want to cuddle and play with the pup but they can give quite sharp nips even if unintentional. DS1 has a tendency to get our pup over-excited by playing rough and tumble games so I've had to tell him to be calmer and sometimes just give cuddles and strokes as puppy was always running to him for the boisterous stuff. There's a bit in Gwen Bailey's book about kids accidentally encouraging or teaching bad habits so of course make sure they are supervised.