Labrador Puppy

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Hi all. I'm a long time lurker but first time joiner and poster.

I have three young children (ages from 16 months to 4 years) and we've just purchased a gorgeous gold pedigree labrador bitch. She is arriving on Monday and at the moment she is six weeks old. The breeders told us that she has been eating puppy food and drinking whole milk as well as feeding from her mother.

I've had dogs before but this is the first time I've had a labrador and the first time I've had a puppy of my own. What do I need to know? I thought I'd ask here as you all seem to be the most experienced I've read.

Thanks for any answers.

I really am thoroughly excited for you! Do you have a name? Sadie is sleeping right now in the travel cot so I should really sleep and take advantage of the silence now!

Yes we've chosen Amber (middle name Skye to make her a little scottish. She is coming from a breeder in North West England to live with us here in Jockland)

Breeder has told us she is on Wuffitmix puppy food which I cant find ANYWHERE locally. Will get a 3kg bag home with her but need to get some more as I dont want to change her food too quickly

Can you buy it online and have it delivered to you?

Yes its just expensive to have it delivered and Id rather she was on something we could get locally. Will chat to breeder about it on Sunday

I've changed Sadie's food to something that isn't shit already. She's been great so far. Going regularly, no signs of tummy trouble etc. An option for you if you can't get more after the 3kg.

Gilly It's today! What time is she arriving?

She's HERE!!!!!! She has had some grub, a big gallop around the garden and now she is fast asleep in the crate. Fingers crossed. So far she seems to prefer DH to the rest of us, she is following him around. Thats fine by me if it means she cried for him rather than me in the night : ) I will pop a pic on my profile

What a beautiful girl, please do not let her jump off the sofa, put the pillow on the floor, you do not want any strain on her joints as a puppy and this includes skidding on wooden floors. Yellow labs are adorable and are the ultimate cute puppy :)

Bloody awful : ( Shattered. She cried and yelped very loudly til 5am. Kids were awake, DH and I awake. She is only weeks so did let her out to pee twice but she just wouldnt settle. We tried all the usual tricks (lamp on, radio on low, hot water bottle) but she was definitely lonely. GOd I hope this improves fairly soon.

She is so adorable mind you. She's been leaping around the garden with my boys and she follows us around all the time. A bit of separation anxiety maybe?

Gillybobs - oh dear! It won;t last forever I'm sure......... Pretty normal from what other posters have said on here. horrid to feel so tired though. Bit like early babyhood........Good luck for tonight!

Gilly I am so excited for you! Get a blog on the go .

Sadie has been here a week today and is now not crying through the night unless she needs to go to the toilet so I hope things will get better for you as they did for us! How is she in other ways?

xx.

She is brilliant during the day, placid and affectionate, following us around and going to sleep behind our feet whenever we stop for more than 30 seconds She is eating well and doing her business (mostly) in the garden. She is lovely. I am just tired and anxious today and feeling a bit weird

i can understand that. Sometimes the idea of a doggy makes me anxious and weird and I haven't got one yet......

Thanks Allergic

She has been brilliant again today. Here's hoping for a slightly less traumatic night. My DS2 has asked if he can go to his grandparents tonight as he found last night tough, poor wee soul

Gilly Bless him. Our children sleep like rocks (thank God) but DP has come downstairs at least three times as he whines about how it's "like having another baby". He loves her really though.

I have to say that I am very, very impressed with my lovely DP. For someone who said this dog was my dog and my dog only he takes her outside, is helping to take her to the vet tomorrow, picks up dog poo, plays with her, cuddles with her - in fact, I believe they are both quite taken with each other.

An update on the family situation. My dad and his partner visited and loved her. I don't think they left her alone for the entire two hours they were here. My grandfather came around and was a little odd about it at first as he's not convinced about her but has warmed up to her a little. DP's parents are probably not happy because they don't like anything that makes me happy dogs but sod them. They visit for ten minutes once a week. They get no say. :o.

My phone is currently out of action due to a broken charger. Amazon will hopefully deliver me my new one by the end of the week so I can take more snapshots. I keep forgetting about my actual camera! Things are just so manic when Sadie's awake and when it's quiet she's asleep.

CalamityKate

Did I read that right, an injection to terminate pregnancy?

Do they really exist??

I've never heard of such a thing, then again I do own two boys who are neutered so obviously sheltered.

So how does that work? Like a morning afterpill for dogs?

I'm sorry I'm just so intrigued by such a thing that I never knew existed.

Sadie went and had her first vaccinations today. She was brilliant the whole way (a ten minute walk in my arms up a huge hill and a half an hour wait). She scoffed those treats on the table though! Everyone adored her and said how gorgeous her colour was.

I spoke to the vet about breeding. She says she wouldn't and if it was her labrador to get her spayed 3 months after her first season at around 9 months old. She said that if I got her spayed at 6 months old the risks of breast cancer would be significantly smaller than if she was done at 9 months so which is best? Why did she recommend it being done after her first season if the chances are higher then?

Well done Sadie :)

I too have been advised to have amber spayed after her first season, not before. Sounds like you need clarification as that advice is a bit contradictory

Btw, Amber's crate is now in our room and whilst not a perfect night, much less yelping than night one! Ds2 has agreed to return home from grans so hoping tonight doesn't frighten him off agin!!!

A bitch changes a little after her first season; she has a full complement of adult hormones and has physically matured to an extent. Spaying before she gets there will mean those physical changes and hormones and so on never happen, which IMO isn't ideal.

There is a trade off of course, it does marginally increase the risk of breast cancer, but I would rather have a physically mature bitch.

Her first season will happen at any time from 6 or 7 months until 2 years old. My girls have all been different, one at 7 months, one at 1 year and another not until a couple of days before her second birthday.

The ideal is to spay when hormone levels return absolutely to normal following a season, so in the region of three months after it starts - sometimes a little more and sometimes a little less.

I'm interested in why you wanted to talk about breeding. It is a mammoth committment, financially, emotionally and of course wipes out pretty much two months of the year when you do it. I am also very aware of the risk I take with my bitch's health when she is in whelp. Have look through the sticky threads on Labrador Forums on breeding - there's a lot on there about the costs incurred and the disasters that can happen. The information might be useful to you when you make your decision.

And she looks delicious - and very much adored.

I heard that breeding her once would cut down the risk of cancer and just enquired about it as I'm really not prepared to breed pups any time now or in the near future. It would be a huge commitment that I couldn't deal with but for the sake of my dog's health I would make myself ready within two years if it was what I needed to do to bring the chances down. The vet obviously then told me about spaying and how it's just as effective.

New photos up.

Gilly Glad she's doing better. Keep us updated!!