How much work is a Puppy? Training etc?

[Pigleychez]

We are looking to get a dog for our family. Prob a Labrador.

There is a possibility that we could get a 4 mnth old one that already been professionally trained ( toilet trained, sleeps through, walks nicely on the lead, recall )which sounds great but we would be paying a massive premium for this.
Do you think its worth it?
I have Dd's 5 and 7 and Dh works in London so it would be down to me for the day to day stuff.

How much work is toilet training, night crate training etc?

I would want to know why the 4 month old is being sold on, and why you're paying a premium for the pup?

It is a lot like having a baby but you go through all the phases a lot aster.

I'd be a bit cautious about getting an older puppy. You'd have to trust the breeder to have done all the socialisation and introduced the puppy to everything that is relevant to your life. Getting someone to train the puppy for you is a very outdated idea, mainly because it doesn't work. Expecting a 4mo to know the things you list is ambitious; if the breeder has promised you this they are talking rubbish do not buy off them. You never know how long toilet training will take, for example, and having a reliable recall at 4mo is none sense.

They are a lot of work, and the work continues for a long time (well, training never stops really) - at 4 months a puppy will need a lot of input for a year.

If all dog care will be down to you, then ask yourself very carefully if you are willing to have such a big commitment, especially a lab who will need a lot of walking and stimulation.

Training a puppy is hard work, as pps have said it's like having another baby and as far as getting one that's 'professionally trained' that is rubbish. Training is not a one off thing, any dog's training needs constant reinforcement throughout a dog's life, are you able to do this? Reliable recall at 4 months? Not in a million years.

Would also wonder why you would have to pay a premium for a puppy that has probably already been sold once and been returned to the breeder. Surely it should be cheaper.

we have a puppy. so far it is nothing like as hard as having a baby but maybe we had difficult babies the things you list, to the standard of a 4 month old, do not take long to train but the standard of a 4 month old is pretty low! eg ours comes when called, unless he sees a dog he wants to play with!! so looks great but not much use really. i wouldnt say it is worth paying more for those 2 months when you dont know how he has been treated those important baby months

Housetraining is pretty time consuming, but, I'm not sure it's worth losing those two months for...in that, if you're going to get a puppy, one of the reasons is usually so that it's grown up with your family and you'll have missed the socialisation window.

If that's not as important...there are hundreds and hundreds of 6 month old puppies in rescues, many of which will be housetrained.

I'd want to know why this pup is still with breeder and at the premium.

We got ours at 5 months old, she had been rejected by first buyers for being to meek and submissive (she was almost fearful, a real wuss), so we got her from the breeder where she was returned.

On the plus, we got her cheaper (not at a premium!) as breeder thought our quiet home would be ideal for her.

She has become a lot more confident which is lovely to see.

But anyway, you need to find out about the history of this pup.

There can be legitimate reasons why a responsible breeder would still have a pup at 16 weeks but the "professional training", the level of training the pup is being touted as having and the fact it's being sold at a premium raise major red flags.

It could also be that this puppy is with one of those outfits that profess to sell "ready trained" dogs and puppies, in which case I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole.

Think baby and toddler rolled into one but 10x worse.

Weeing and pooing everywhere.. Not even a nappy to catch it in. lol
Feeding 4 times a day.
Walking it a couple of times a day, even in rain, snow and freezing temps.
Chewing and destroying everything.
Sleepless nights and early mornings, then having to clean up wee/poo straight away.
Barking.
Can't go out all day.
The expense.. Jabs, worming, flea treatment, insurance etc.

Its great really

I'd very much like to know who can train a lab puppy to do all of that reliably at only 12 weeks. Particularly lead work and recall.

I know many top flight Labrador trainers/breeders and not one of them could or would claim to achieve this.

Are they offering it as ready now, or is it a deal they'll keep it for an additional 4 weeks and 'train' it and then charge much more money? Incidentally, how much?

Thanks everyone.

I don't know details at this point, just that the breeder kept a male and bitch puppy from the litter to train herself. She is a proffessional trainer and runs classes. She states it is foundation training and further training is needed.

Haven't enquired any more yet as currently enjoying the sun in Menorca!