Best Book For New Labrador Owners

[mymugmytea]

Hi, I will soon be frequenting the 'doghouse' as we are getting a puppy!
After years of yearning the time is now right and we bring him home in April.
In the meantime I would like to get a book or 2 about training and general lab care.
Can anyone recommend a book please? there are loads to choose from.
Then we have to start thinking about a name🤔😁
Oh and he's a boy! Any tips welcome!!

The Happy Puppy Handbook is one I always tend to recommend. It's not lab-specific but is written by Pippa Mattinson who tends to work with labs so tends to lean a bit more towards gun dogs than anything else.

Also any tips For the best insurance providers?

thanks missbattenburg

Worth finding out which companies your vets will claim from direct. Always life cover.
Also if you’re on FB there is Dog Trainind Advice and Support. Run by really good and experienced trainers. Files on brining a pup home etc.
And find a good trainer. APDT is a great place to start. Avoid anyone mentioning pack theory or dominance.
Good luck.

re insurance: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_doghouse/3523382-insurance-recommendations

Thank you. Another question....is it worth using a spray to deter chewing? if so what is a good one? I've looked on Amazon and they have poor reviews

Nope. You need to watch your puppy and ensure you stop inappropriate chewing and offer appropriate stuff to chew. A playpen or similar is a good idea for when you can’t watch puppy.

I have a springer - so a mouthy breed - and never used a spray. You literally could not spray enough stuff to deter him from everything he would have chewed - which was literally anything going.

As wolfie says, much better to watch him or contain him somewhere safe when you cannot watch him.

Best puppy book ever easy peasy puppy squeezy

Thank you

Name wise just dont call him Barney or Monty I run a puppy class and have 4 Montys Black labs and 3 Barney's spaniel and 2 yellow labs.

Enjoy your puppy

thanks stanley will keep that in mind
Talking of puppy classes, I am interested in taking the puppy to a class. Is there anything I should look for in a class? Will the person running it have qualifications that I need to look out for?

APDT is association of positive dog training.
I also went to a class (with trainer’s permission) to observe before getting pup.
Also wanted somewhere that offered just a standard six week course.

Look for trainers who are accredited with organisations such as the APDT, IMDT, PPG, APBC or CAPBT.

The FB group Wolfiefan mentioned upthread (Dog Trarining Advice and Support) also has a list in their 'Files' section of approved trainers who run puppy classes.