Advice on puppy carriers please

[snapdragongirl]

We will soon have our golden retriever puppy and he will need to come out with me on the school run, but obviously won’t be able to be put down/socialise with other dogs until he’s had his vaccinations. So I will have to carry him from car to school and back. He could be quite heavy even at 8-10 weeks! Should I get a carrier for him to make this easier and more manageable? Does such a thing exist for this size of dog?

Do you have to take him with you? The school run will be really overwhelming for such a small puppy.

You might as well get a buggy and keep it. We have bernese mountain dogs and they were big puppies but couldn't walk far for ages. Amazon has a huge range - we have one which goes up to 50kg, which has proved useful over the years as one of our dogs has had a lot of mobility issues over the years. We put a bath mat in it to stop him from slipping all over the place.

I do yes, otherwise he would be left home alone for around an hour which doesn’t seem right when he’s so little.

I just carried my Lab. Perhaps get him used to being left in the car for the time you are walking to and from school. I had a crate with an angled back that fitted under the hatchback of the car so he couldn't do damage.

Personally I would rather leave him at home if at all possible - school runs can be really chaotic with lots of little hands wanting to grab and touch - not great for a tiny puppy who could get very overwhelmed.

I know lots of dogs who are now quite hand-shy around their heads because of people grabbing and touching them as puppies.

@faerylights that's completely on the owners though - the owner needs to advocate for their puppy 'please do not touch him/her.' If they cannot do that, and they let people harass their puppy and bother them, then really any issues that come from that are on them. It might be hard to say no, particularly to children, or parents of those children who you know, but ultimately as an owner you are your dogs only advocate.

Separately, a Golden Retriever should never be shy or timid - that's faulty breeding and poor owner socialisation if that's the case - OP's biggest issue is really going to be getting her puppy to leave people alone. It could be 40KG if it's a boy and from a particular line so it's important the dog is used to people and can ignore them. Starting when the puppy is young, and OP advocating for it and reinforcing people shouldn't bother it, is the best way. It's important that a young puppy can be around people and knows to ignore them ('de-sensitisation' not 'socialisation'). A school run is the perfect opportunity to do that.

An hour is really too long for a Golden Retriever puppy - I've known them get their jaws stuck in the bars of their crate in a panic when left alone, I've known them break legs trying to escape play pens just because a human has left the room. My youngest nearly swallowed the heart beat of one of those stupid heart beat toys - my back was turned less than 30 seconds. And Golden Retrievers are notorious for severe SA if 'alone time' is not handled sensitively and with care - they come from large litters (I've never had one smaller than 9), and usually multi-dog households. Going from that to a new family is an adjustment, and then leaving them alone for an hour + twice a day...it's a recipe for disaster

@snapdragongirl I'd recommend one of these https://www.amazon.co.uk/Carrier-Backpack-Easy-Fit-Puppy-Adjustable/dp/B0D5Y8L49P/ref=asc_df_B0D5Y8L49P?mcid=ec7dab4262183b2faf86b4fbe9602cbd&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=725600531225&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13343773164432140120&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9044870&hvtargid=pla-2335610053669&psc=1&hvocijid=13343773164432140120-B0D5Y8L49P-&hvexpln=0&gad_source=1

What you absolutely do not want is your puppy dangling there with straps under their legs or tummy just hold them. You must be able to support them, so something that straps them to your chest and you can hold them bum for extra support, is essential. Please don't carry the dog in your arms either - at 8 weeks a Golden Retriever can easily weigh 9kg if it's chunky. Which isn't much, but if you're going to be distracted by your child or standing for a prolonged period, it's going to get exhausting very quickly- and the bastards are nippy things that can and will leap out your arms the second they want to.

Best of luck!

Carry the puppy, or we also use a rucksack open on the front. It’s great to start socialising now, so good for you!