Mmmm, labrador or labradoodle?? Or open to suggestions!! Pleeeease help!!

[mamayaya]

Posted previously about getting a puppy or not. We are now fully decided that yep we're getting one.

Here's us:

1. I work 3 days / wk but CAN work from home in afternoons for at least 6 weeks.

1. Can pay for dog-walker after that.

1. Like walking, running etc.

1. Here's the basic plan: Mon & Weds DH takes puppy for a 30 mins - 1 hr run before work, Tues I do pre-work run, Mon - Weds I work from home in afternoon / dog walker comes during day + I / DH walk dog in evening. Thurs & Fri I'm off work, dd and I walk puppy basically most of day. We live in a village and tend to walk around loads anyway. Weekends walking.

1. We're ok with holidays being based around where we can take puppy.

1. DH mad keen upon labrador. I just worry about a lab being alone even for 4 hours max / day??? He thinks labradoodles are too silly (I kindof agree). Have found couple labradoodles to go and look at..

Questions:

1. Should we go and look at labradoodles?
2. Are we mental?
3. Tips?
4. Should we look at other breeds instead? People previously suggested pugs & Cavalier King Charles but I don't know if they'd be up for long walks / runs? If CKCs would be then they would maybe be easier? Pugs are def out - just too small.
5. DD will be ok with all this, right.....? We have a cat who she is lovely with.
6. What if we have another baby? Will doggy be ok?!

Eek that was long!! Sorry!

Why not try going to a rescue and see what catches your eye? I wouldn't be too hung up on purebreds when your only looking for a family pet.

If your thinking of a lab, you'd need to find a very good breeder who has done all relevant health tests, they are a popular breed thus overbred and prone to lots of health problems. same with CKCS (brain, heart, eye problems to name some) and Pugs (breathing difficulties, eye problems)

Labradoodles, well, you can get a lab mix anytime from a pound so I don't see the poiny in buying one.

Tried rescues already but not much that they will approve for a 21 month old child!

I've just had this "conversation" with Travelling Wilbury, who had difficulty finding a rescue who would rehome to her as she has 2 young boys. I put out a call to my contacts in rescue across the country and received a surprising number of positive replies, offers of advice and suggestions of possible matches to say nothing of annoyance that the big rescues have what amounts to a blanket policy on those with children thus denying nice dogs good homes.

If you'd be willing to consider a rescue dog I'll happily see if those contacts can help. Some only rehome locally, some will rehome nationwide providing that they can find a homechecker local to you. Please let me know if you're interested and tell me your area (nearest town if you're ok with that, county if not) and I'll do my best.

Please bear with me though as I'm in the throes of moving house and am mega-busy and in chaos.

(All offers of sympathy with this gladly accepted, am goinng mad and haven't enough hours in the day!).

Personally with DD being the age she is and you thinking of having another baby at some point I wouldn't get a puppy and would take Valhalla up on her offer to find a suitable rescue.

A friend and I both got pups after a good few years of deliberation. We got them in Oct, both first time dog owners, mine a labradoodle, hers a retriever. My children age 6&11, hers 11&13. It has been very very hard work, she is extremely close to rehoming hers but won't as her youngest DD adores her. The puppies are 8 and 9 months now (mine is older) and I can see light at the end of the tunnel. We walked past a group of nursery children on a narrow path yesterday and she was fantastic, just walked calmly past, not looking or trying to bounce which would have been unthinkable previously. But it has been very hard work and we have many more training classes ahead of us to achieve one if those lovely calm dogs you see who don't go up to other dogs on lead, chase joggers or cyclist , walk nicely to heel off lead.

There are increasing numbers of labradoodles ending up in rescue atm. A lot of people have been breeding to make a fast buck and saying they are non shedding and suitable for people with allergies, which can sometimes be the case but is often not. Also the standards are big dogs and generally labradoodles are quite mad as puppies, until they are 3. They are often pretty intelligent having the poodle in them and can be quite a handful, they are very bouncy. Generally a lovely temperament but do need a lot of training. My trainer was saying how much progress our dog has made, her polite way of phrasing how she was at the beginning was "quite a handful".

Also with a lab/labradoodle pup you need to be careful not to over exercise at the beginning, the rule is 5 mins per day for month of life. So mine is currently on 45mins atm. They have a lot of energy so you need to give a lot of mental stimulation as the exercise is often not enough.

Sorry for the long post, good luck with your decision.

also dont take a puppy jogging.
there joints just arent set yet, you will damage them.

dogs arent even supposed to do agility until around 2 yrs of age

I do respect you for doing all this research before you get your puppy it would be great if every dog owner did this.

I do think you will find having a puppy quite hard work with your commitments.

They puppy will need lots of small bursts of exercise to start with. They will also need feeding 4 times a day.

eg out at 6.00 for wee and poo small play session
Breakfast
hour later out for wee and small training session and play

back to sleep for a while lunch

small amount of exercise for 10 mins

sleep

tea and play session

supper and play/training session

This regime will need to go on for longer than 6 weeks. Also inbetween times need to take pup out every hour or so for the first few months.

Labs certainly like a lot of exercise but be careful as jogging is not great for them. They like a large amount of exercise but constant jogging is not recommended (unless you get a dalmation they will run for hours but will not really fit into the rest of of your lifestyle!)

If you could take up Valhala's option of a resuce dog you would miss out on the intensive puppy days and would also have a dog that you can see what you would get! eg if they would love to jog and are happy to chill when you are at work for a few hours. Dogs do love to sniff and mooch on their walks as well so this will need to mapped into your plans.

Good luck with you search

PS dogs can compete at agility at 18 months.

good post mimimu

from the way i have read the OP, she has given a proposed daily routine for the actual puppy, as opposed to the routine when its older?

therefore, jogging with any breed of puppy would be very dangerous for them.

Running - can be put on hold til dog is older, not essential.

Oh my god went to what can only be described as a puppy farm today. The woman reckoned her pups "should have been KC but the border collie must've got in there instead of the stud". They were in an outhouse in a farm (with 16 other dogs). Not vaccinated. No vet checks. I asked her about a pet contract and she said she'd never heard of one. Poor little dogs. Obviously we are not getting one!

Have registered with Leeds Dog Trust who actually said they would be happy to give us a puppy and put us on the waiting list. Yay!

In the meantime (having arranged this before sspeaking to the dog trust) we are off to see some yellow puppies. The breeder sounds 100% better than the one this lunchtime. Unbelievable

Sounds like your average backyard breeder unfortunatly. If the dogs were lacking food/water or in bad condition and kept in a poor environment, maybe you could report her to your SPCA.

And report her to her local council regarding licensing and conditions if you so much as THINK that she may have 5 or more breeding bitches, hers or any other family members, off or on the premises.

Strictly speaking the demands of the law are these:

"If you own 5 or more breeding bitches and they produce 5 or more litters per year OR your premises are used solely for the purpose of breeding dogs then you require a Licence issued under the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973 and the Breeding of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999".

However if I were in your shoes I'd be inclined to call her local council tell them that as far as I could ascertain the owner had more than 5 bitches currently in pup/nursing. That way at least someone would go and inspect her premises, which might put the wind up her, and would be able to take action if they found matters unsatisfactory.

There's no point in contacting the RSPCA, they won't get involved so legally speaking the council is the only chance you'll have of ensuring that this woman's dogs are given the once-over.

Definitely weren't more than 5 breeding bitches there. The poor puppies were in terrible condition.

Well the yellow labs we saw were GORGEOUS they're 5 weeks old. Well kept, fed, will be given vet's bill of health and vaccinations, great pedigree, mum was a lovely dog and very well-behaved and friendly, and looked in great condition. Don't think we could ask more really!

We haven't put the deposit down yet as decided to take a day or two to really think about it and ensure it's the right thing to do. Everywhere I went today I thought about the puppy being with me. Saw a lab being trained as a guide dog, such great dogs!

I guess we would have about 3 weeks until she came in order to get our stuff together, buy a crate, organise holidays, etc. Yay! Very exciting! But we are still listing negatives to each other to ensure we are giving it the proper consideration. Have taken on board all you have all said, thank you!

Think we will be getting one - watch this space!