Lab Puppy search

[Lolly2803]

I am looking for a Lab puppy. We are a family of 5 with 4year old twins and a 2 year old. I want to make sure I get from the right place with the right parents and breeder but beyond the kennel club website I don’t know where to look, or what’s good and bad. Can anybody offer any help or advice?

I wouldn’t have a lab pup with young children. I’ve had 3 labs over the years and until they are 4 or 5 they are just bundles of energy.
Our second lab was 5 when DS was born, perfect age. Lab was DS’s best friend growing up. He was 7 when she died but we chose not to have another one until he was nearly 12. At that age he understood why she constantly mouthed.
Labs are easy to train but they need more time than an average toddler in the first twelve months.
Wait until your children are school age then you will have time to train the dog.
If you can borrow a youngish lab for an afternoon.

Also if you wait it gives you plenty of time to research. Most good breeders have waiting lists of over a year.

So my 4 year olds will go to school in September and are at pre school every morning. And my 2 year old. I am a stay at home Mum.
I thought that a puppy would be good so it’s used to our house from the get go. Do you think a slightly older one would be better?
I have time in the day to focus directly on the dog.

If you are in the country, where people shoot, ask if anyone is planning to have a litter now the game season is over. Our puppy came via an introduction from a friend's game keeper. But they are energetic and mischievous until they are 18 months or so.

Labrador puppies are hard work, they are so full of energy and need a lot of time and attention. The are boisterous as well and have sharp teeth and claws, I would think really carefully about having one around children so young. Of course once trained they are so docile and loving but they are big and a Labrador having zoomies will knock the children flying.

Have you had dogs before? Labs can be brilliant family dogs, but are a lively breed for a novice.

All puppies are hard work, assuming you want to end up with a well-behaved family dog. A friend's JRT has been more difficult than the three labs we've owned rolled into one.

We have a labradoodle and a toddler and they are amazing together, the dog is very gentle with the toddler and vice versa. They largely ignored each other for first 6 months which is what you want. Although we did a lot of work with them both in the early days, separated them with room dividers, taught the toddler to not approach the dog in her bed and only touch her back, gave her treats to give the dog, we never ever leave them alone together and always make sure one of us is physically between them if dog is getting zoomies etc etc etc

Dog is still bouncy but wonderful around child and not bouncy at all with her, and it’s beautiful to see them together in the garden for example. We also exercise the dog a lot, sniffy walks, long runs in the park, snuffle mats etc.

Don’t be put off by the comments up thread , labs can be brilliant family pets but just make sure you do your research and introduce them to each other in the right way.

We have a two year old lab and DCs were 6, 9 and 12 when we got him. The 6 year old really struggled, he was so mouthy. Lots of her clothes got ruined. We worked hard to train him and they get on well now.

I grew up with a dog. But have never owned my own. Am fully prepared for the training and planned to do that while they’re at school. Puppy classes and then more. We live in a semi rural village and love walking and live near lots of walks and woods so that side of things isn’t an issue. I think a lot of the issues are dog related rather than Lab specific from what I’m reading. An plenty of families have dogs so it’s more advice on where to go to get it right I’m looking for. I know they’ll be hard times, accidents and work needed but I think that’s the case with every animal.

Have you had dogs before?

If not, I would be waiting until the youngest is at least 5 years old.

Labradors can be great family dogs, but it will take 18 months - 2 years at least of intense training before you get that dog. Prior to that there will be mouthing, there will be chewed up toys, there will be tears, there will be intense "puppy blues" to deal with. It's easier with older children who can understand what's going on and can see the end point - not just see this scary land shark that's eaten their favourite toy.

@Pyri

We have a labradoodle and a toddler and they are amazing together, the dog is very gentle with the toddler and vice versa. They largely ignored each other for first 6 months which is what you want. Although we did a lot of work with them both in the early days, separated them with room dividers, taught the toddler to not approach the dog in her bed and only touch her back, gave her treats to give the dog, we never ever leave them alone together and always make sure one of us is physically between them if dog is getting zoomies etc etc etc

Dog is still bouncy but wonderful around child and not bouncy at all with her, and it’s beautiful to see them together in the garden for example. We also exercise the dog a lot, sniffy walks, long runs in the park, snuffle mats etc.

Don’t be put off by the comments up thread , labs can be brilliant family pets but just make sure you do your research and introduce them to each other in the right way.

It’s much easier to keep one dog and one child under supervision. Whole different dimension when you add in anther two children. Labs are not really a novice choice and despite their brilliant reputation any dog is capable of attacking a child or adult if left unsupervised. I would work towards a pup when your twins are at school. I would strongly recommend a great book about bringing up puppies and children so that you understand the puppies behaviour around young children. Training the children in how to behave with a pup is more important than training the dog.

Honestly your kids are too young. A lab is strong and the puppyhood is at least a year and you won't be able to have your eyes on the puppy with a 2 year old walking about.

Once all kids are in school, consider it. They are lively but lovely family dogs eventually.

My parents have a lab puppy now and My youngest is a 2 year old. I have lived with labs growing up and we have a spaniel now ( we had pre- kids. ) I tell anyone young kids and walking or taking them out dogs 2-3 is extremely hard work. I wouldn't recommend it. Lovely having a dog once you can walk without the kids. Although it does get you out and limit your life, how long you can go out for and who can come around.

In terms of what you should look for in terms of health tests etc.: go to Champ Dogs and KC to look for recommended tests: from memory as well as hip and elbow scores you would also want the muscle wastage dna check and the yearly eye test.
Decent breeder will likely quiz you over your home and family/experience of dogs and labs and how much time you can dedicate to the dog when it is a puppy and for walks. Those kind of chats will help you to crystallise your ideas about the dog and whether it would fit into your family.
Lots have long waitlists even now but that might also work well in terms of having two in school.
The Pet Gundog Puppy is a good book to read. Enjoy your puppy!

We have a Labrador that we got when ds was 9.

There is no way I would get a puppy with 3 such young children.

The first few months they are essentially baby crocodiles. ds did not enjoy the puppy phase as they are heavy and strong as puppies and those baby teeth are sharp!

They continue teething until they are around 18months and are well known to be chewers until then. That means you can never leave anything within their reach - toys, shoes, books or they will become chew toys for them. Ours even chewed carpets and sofas overnight.

If you get a boy you should not neuter them until they are a minimum of a year old, preferably longer, it will be at least 29kgs by this stage and will try to hump your children constantly. Being a big dog they could end up with accidental scratches from their nails which can scar.

Labradors in particular are food bins and need good consistent and repeated training not to eat anything that is not given to them (and not to sit, stare and drool at you while you are eating!). Your kids should not eat walking around near them.

You should not leave your young children in the same room as such a big dog unsupervised.

Be prepared for a complete shedding twice a year where you will need to vacuum at least twice a day. If you have never owned a Labrador you don't know how bad it can get, and it lasts weeks!

The dog will need good long walks every day in all weathers or they will become destructive.

My BIL/SIL underestimated the amount of daily training you need to put in with a puppy, dogs need to be trained or they will be a problem, especially with children. They PTS their spaniel last week after bit one them. Even more importantly, your children need to be trained too, how to approach a dog and moderate their behaviour around it, honestly your children are too young for that, and the consequence of getting it wrong are high for your children and the dog.

Saying all that, they are the best dogs in the world! (I would say just not yet for your family)

Another thing to not underestimate is the cost. Our 8 year old Labrador is now £74/month for insurance, £12/month for flea/worm treatment. That is before you even feed them a decent food (not supermarket crap).

Are you thinking show or working lines? The workers IME are leaner, more active and more intelligent than the show lines, and demand more in the way of exercise, recall training and so on.

Red Acre kennels, Cambridgeshire

They continue teething until they are around 18months and are well known to be chewers until then. That means you can never leave anything within their reach - toys, shoes, books or they will become chew toys for them. Ours even chewed carpets and sofas overnight.

If you get a boy you should not neuter them until they are a minimum of a year old, preferably longer, it will be at least 29kgs by this stage and will try to hump your children constantly. Being a big dog they could end up with accidental scratches from their nails which can scar.

This just hasn’t been my experience at all. Our puppy very quickly learnt what he could and couldn’t chew. He never, ever chewed furniture, carpets, toys. He’d steal shoes for attention but never chew them.

Never had a problem with him humping us or the children or other dogs. He humped his bed (one of the soft Aldi comfort ones) so we chucked it away and replaced with a harder plastic one with vet bed instead.

Of course OP, do your research etc and your dog MIGHT turn out like that but not all do.

I imagine you're pretty organised and formidable if you've had twins!

However... I still wouldn't consider getting a lab puppy until your littlest is older. The main reason for this is that... they bite. A lot. And steal and consume anything that isn't nailed down, including things that can kill them like raisins, chocolate, chewing gum, and various items that could obstruct a digestive tract ;) Your house will need to basically become a place where nothing is left on the floor or a reachable surface. Of course, training helps but their natural instinct is to pick things up and ingest them.

Plus, they really do need your full attention for the first 2 or 3 weeks at the very least, to sort out toilet training and I imagine that is quite hard with a toddler and two other little ones.

Even things like trying to do school and nursery pickups with a very young puppy can be challenging. Basically, you'll need to leave the dog at home, which may be absolutely fine, or you may have a howler/ barker/ one plagued with separation anxiety. May not be an issue if you have someone else at home who can mind the dog. Getting out the door in the morning with a young puppy and kids is... interesting ;)

If you do decide to go for it, what everyone above has said... basically, hips, elbows are an absolute must for both parents, eye tests, genetic conditions. Don't accept anyone who claims they don't do these because the are 'old school' or because their dogs have no health problems...
Champdogs is really good but not foolproof. Kennel Club has plenty of sketchy litters and wouldn't use as a source. Pets4Homes is largely awful, but occasionally you will find a legit one on there.

We have a female retriever BTW, she humps, but not us. I don't think it's a given they will hump humans and this can definitely be trained out and quite quickly. But it is not just a male dog behaviour, girls hump too.

The picking up stuff is more of a problem. @McOrange, I think you have been quite lucky there :) Or maybe you have a much tidier house or better training than we do. Ours has a toy box that she knows is hers, and knows that filching hooman things is verboten, but she will give it a try when she is bored.

I feel like whenever you post anything dog related people always say basically don’t get one! I don’t understand how all these young families I see at the weekends have dogs and I don’t understand then by reading all the comments, or a lot of them why the Labrador is the number 1 family dog and also sometimes a therapy dog.

@Lolly2803

I feel like whenever you post anything dog related people always say basically don’t get one! I don’t understand how all these young families I see at the weekends have dogs and I don’t understand then by reading all the comments, or a lot of them why the Labrador is the number 1 family dog and also sometimes a therapy dog.

I agree OP, MN doghouse board is just about the most negative place you can come to ask questions about dogs. IRL, people do have dogs with young children and muddle through

@Lolly2803

I feel like whenever you post anything dog related people always say basically don’t get one! I don’t understand how all these young families I see at the weekends have dogs and I don’t understand then by reading all the comments, or a lot of them why the Labrador is the number 1 family dog and also sometimes a therapy dog.

I agree. One in three households in the UK have a dog, they can’t all be struggling or shitty owners 🤷‍♀️

Yes having a dog is a lot of work, and having a dog whilst having children is obviously more difficult, but literally millions of families do it and manage.

@Lolly2803 Our labrador was 6 months old when our baby girl was born. It was hard work but seeing how they are now, really worth it! Our daughter is nearly one and they're obsessed with each other.

You'll get people on here saying you can't leave a dog for more than 2 hours on here but ours is left for 8 hours, Mon-Fri and sleeps all of it.