Puppy!

[BlingDreams]

We're getting a puppy! It will still be 2-3 months before he's here, but I want to start preparing.

I've had dogs most of my adult life, raising most of them from a puppy, but it's been close to four years since I lost my last (and favorite) four-legged friend and over 15 years since I've started from scratch so feel very out of touch with what it takes to raise and train a puppy. That being the case, I was wondering if anyone on here has good websites or books they recommend, know what's now recommended for feeding (I've heard there's a "raw food diet", gluten-free food, etc.), training guidelines (ages/stages), helpful reminders about what we're about to go through and all the patience that will be needed...

TIA

 

[azstonie]

Book on puppies by The Monks of New Skate is wonderful must get.

Subscribe to Whole Dog Journal.

Cesar Millan, his books.

Patricia McConnell. Fantastic.

Dr. Pitcairn, get his 3rd or 4th editions.

Congratulations and please introduce us when puppy comes home!!!!

 

[azstonie]

While Dog Journal and most especially Dr Pitcairn for diet. Start puppy on Dr. Pitcairn's diet for maximal health. My Westie, Finn, is 15 and I've had him on both raw and cooked food per Dr Pitcairn.

The one thing I will never do is rabies vaccine. I've discussed it with a canine internist and the nation's foremost canine allergy specialist, they say don't. The ortho surgeon we took Maggie to in Houston won't vaccinate his family pets either. (I'm not telling anyone what to do here, I'm just stating my experiences with my dogs and what I've seen over their lives.)

 

[Scandinavian]

We got a new puppy 2 weeks ago! So much fun! Will try to make a long post for you tomorrow

 

[Austina]

Lots of Spinone people will only feed raw, only have the first set of vaccines then titer test to check immunity,

A lot of people are also now very anti Cesar Milan's methods. We don't use chemicals for worming, flea and tick treatment, we use human grade Diatomaceous earth.

What breed of puppy are you thinking of @ILikeShiny ? I know I don't need to say this, but there might be other people reading who've never had dogs before, but health checks on the parents are essential. Friends of ours got a 'designer' crossbreed, and they'd have been bankrupt by now if they hadn't taken out insurance. It's been one health problem after another. I know getting a pedigree doesn't guarantee health, but if you get a pup from health tested parents, it does at least help mitigate some problems.

Can't wait to see your new pup We haven't had a pup since 1986, our last 2 have been pre-loved (or in their cases, not loved enough).

 

[december-fire]

Very exciting, for both you @ILikeShiny and you as well @Scandinavian !

No advice (its been years since I had a puppy), but I'd love to see photos!

 

[foxinsox]

Ooh! what breed of puppy? Much excite!
Food - we raw feed using a local company's raw mix. We split this with dental biscuits because the pugs are really susceptible to plague/tartar despite being raw fed and having antlers and chew toys to chew on. Not our preference - the breed seems to get skin, joint and gut issues from grain-based diets frequently hence why we started with raw in the first place. But I'm hopeful the biscuits won't be a long term thing.
I would recommend Dr Sophia Yin's training approach as it's backed by actual behavioral science and works. I really dislike Cesar Milan's training approach. It's based off shoddy pseudoscience and his emphasis on being the dominant pack leader is an outdated theory of animal training which relies on fear to control the animal which makes for an unreliable sort of control. I prefer to work with their enthusiasm to make me happy - we've got two solidly reliable, sweet, cheeky but not defiant pugs this way.
I have to second Austina's recommendation to check on the parent's health status - depending on the breed, there will be conditions they're more likely to get that can be tested for and any reputable breeder will do that.
See if you can visit the puppy a few times once it's born and take a bed or toy with you before you come to take it home so it can have something that smells of home when it comes to you. Our two boys still have (and love) their original toys even tho they've been sucked and chewed half to death!
Regardless of whether you want to crate them during the day or not, consider crate training them from day 1 - it gives them a safe space to chill out which is useful if you're visiting people, have lots of visitors to the house or just need them to be able to have a time out without stress. Puppy school is a really great idea - it gives them exposure to other dogs and situations at a time when their brains are as plastic and adaptable as possible. The correct sort of socialisation when they're young will pay off in spades later in terms of you having a calmer, more relaxed dog.
oh, and come back and post about a million pics please!!

 

[Austina]

+1 for crating. I'd never crated before, thought it was cruel, but our current girl absolutely loves her crate, she will often take herself to it during the day for a snooze, and at bed time, puts herself to bed in it.

I don't know if you will be working and away from the house at all, but you know they are safe in their crate (no collar on) and not chewing up the house, or getting into the something that could harm them in cupboards or damaging themselves.

As soon as our girl knows we're going out, she runs straight into her crate and settles down. We give her a filled Kong, and whenever I check on her via DottieCam, she's always fast asleep. I wish I'd known about crating when I got my first pup 37 years ago, he systematically went about chewing up the house every time we went out!

 

[tyty333]

I'm so happy for you ILikeShiny! Pets are wonderful companions. I have no words of advice. All I have are cats.

 

[Kbell]

So exciting! Research your breed so you know what to expect. Some are easier than others. Our girl is going to take some work due to the breeds sometimes stubbornness but we welcome it. We've both grown up with & had dogs as adults.

We got our new family addition a couple of weeks ago. She's 10.5 weeks now. We saw both parent dogs & the rest of the litter. She's been around big dogs & lots of kids... she's great with dogs of all sizes & all people. We are crate training but I only put her in at bed time. She cried the 1st, 2nd, and part of the 3rd night but now she no longer does this unless she wakes in the middle of the night having to "go". Then one of us gets up & lets her out, then back to bed she goes.

During the day she is at doggie day care. Puppies cannot & should not be expected to hold it all day while people work... that's just cruel. We have a trainer coming this weekend to start obedience. Socialization is so important! Everyone at the daycare says she has the best temperament & I want to keep her that way.

I am feeding her what she was given prior to us taking ownership (Blue Buffalo Dry). The doggie daycare she attends actually has raw food but for now she loves her food & im not changing her diet just yet. Puppies have sensitive tummies. I let her eat a small frozen carrot & just that gave her the runs. So now it's just her food & we have her on a set schedule.

She has plenty of toys to keep her occupied & keep the chewing in check. Puppies chew. I have a baby gate to block off her area when needed like if I'm running around the house doing chores. Puppies have accidents, I want to control where those happen if I don't have my eyes on her. A good cleaner with enzymes is a must!

And patience... yes lots of it! I know she is a baby.
We love her to pieces & have been giving her lots of positive reinforcement & love. I have her on schedule with our Vet.

Before she came home we got the crate (full size to her adult expectation) and divided it off to her puppy size. A crate bed, food, food storage container, collar, leash, toys, treats, dishes, dish mat, baby gate... that's all I can think of for now! Good luck & congrats!!!! Post pics!!

 

[whitewave]

Get a round pen (like a play pen but sits on the ground) so the puppy can have private soace for sleep, olay and time outs. We also crate train. Pic from when Margaery was a puppy and our (now deceased) big dog went in and took the cot. Lol.

 

[luv2sparkle]

How fun! So excited for you IlikeShiny! I don't have any sage advice. We have two mini doxie and haven't had the greatest results in training one. They are the most stubborn creatures. Both were crate trained and that part worked out well. The youngest is six and I can't let her run around on her own too much. She can pee before I can catch her. We have doggie diapers that she wears which is hilarious but keeps her from peeing in the house. Even though see is a pill at times, she is deeply loved. Can't wait to see pics of your new addition!

 

[BlingDreams]

What breed of puppy are you thinking of @ILikeShiny ? I know I don't need to say this, but there might be other people reading who've never had dogs before, but health checks on the parents are essential. Friends of ours got a 'designer' crossbreed, and they'd have been bankrupt by now if they hadn't taken out insurance. It's been one health problem after another. I know getting a pedigree doesn't guarantee health, but if you get a pup from health tested parents, it does at least help mitigate some problems.

Can't wait to see your new pup We haven't had a pup since 1986, our last 2 have been pre-loved (or in their cases, not loved enough).

Thanks! We're getting an English labrador retriever, most likely a chocolate one . The photo above is a stock photo, but should be pretty representative of how he'll look! I love big dogs. My last guy (a ginormous border collie) was 70lbs and I found it the perfect size for me. And I whole-heartedly agree about the health clearances. That's part of what's taken us so long to find a breeder we liked. For a long time all we could find were backyard breeders who charged $500 for a puppy with no real documentation of parents and those who charged $3500 with four generations of champion show dogs with dozens of titles and exceptional health. We knew there must be a compromise somewhere in between and we finally found it. This breeder has been in business for almost 30 years and concentrates on breeding gorgeous dogs that conform to the AKC standards but with a focus on the best health and temperment possible, knowing that most of the puppies will be companion dogs and not show dogs. They do the standard eye and hip clearances but also DNA test the parents for the past three generations to eliminate the possibility of inherited diseases (EIC, etc).

I seem to cycle between getting my dog from a breeder and from a rescue society. This will be my 5th dog and it's gone pound, rescue society, breeder, rescue society, and now back to breeder. I've learned over the years that I much prefer having one from the puppy stage; even though you have to deal with all of the potty training and chewing issues, you still have SO much influence on temperament which really can't be altered as much in older dogs.

Food - we raw feed using a local company's raw mix. We split this with dental biscuits because the pugs are really susceptible to plague/tartar despite being raw fed and having antlers and chew toys to chew on.

I would recommend Dr Sophia Yin's training approach as it's backed by actual behavioral science and works.

I have to second Austina's recommendation to check on the parent's health status - depending on the breed, there will be conditions they're more likely to get that can be tested for and any reputable breeder will do that.

See if you can visit the puppy a few times once it's born and take a bed or toy with you before you come to take it home so it can have something that smells of home when it comes to you. Our two boys still have (and love) their original toys even tho they've been sucked and chewed half to death!
Regardless of whether you want to crate them during the day or not, consider crate training them from day 1 - it gives them a safe space to chill out which is useful if you're visiting people, have lots of visitors to the house or just need them to be able to have a time out without stress. Puppy school is a really great idea - it gives them exposure to other dogs and situations at a time when their brains are as plastic and adaptable as possible. The correct sort of socialisation when they're young will pay off in spades later in terms of you having a calmer, more relaxed dog.
oh, and come back and post about a million pics please!!

Thanks for the recommendation on the book - I'll have to check it out. What do you like about raw food vs. regular kibble? Is there science to back up it being better? I saw there's a new dog food company since I last bought food called American Journey that looks interesting. Know anything about them?

And YES, it's definitely our plan to visit the puppies asap . We can go out at 4 weeks and then choose at 6 weeks. I've met and interacted with the parents and both are just sweethearts with docile personalities. I hadn't thought of taking a blanket with me to soak up the scent of the home but that's a great idea. I did that with my son's baby blanket before bringing him home from the hospital so that the dogs would start getting used to his scent.

Crate training is definitely on tap. We already bought an adjustable crate, dog bed, feeding bowls, and some starter puppy toys (kong, stuffed animal with a beating heart (supposed to help keep them from feeling alone), teething ring etc.). I'll have to look in to puppy training school again; I last did it with my 1996 dog through PetSmart - lol. I bet it's time from a brush-up

+1 for crating. I'd never crated before, thought it was cruel, but our current girl absolutely loves her crate, she will often take herself to it during the day for a snooze, and at bed time, puts herself to bed in it.

I don't know if you will be working and away from the house at all, but you know they are safe in their crate (no collar on) and not chewing up the house, or getting into the something that could harm them in cupboards or damaging themselves.

As soon as our girl knows we're going out, she runs straight into her crate and settles down. We give her a filled Kong, and whenever I check on her via DottieCam, she's always fast asleep. I wish I'd known about crating when I got my first pup 37 years ago, he systematically went about chewing up the house every time we went out!

Yep, crating is awesome. My son tried to tell me it was cruel but once I explained it was similar to him having his bedroom he understood. Everyone needs a place to relax and chill out! Thankfully I work from home, so I'll be here with the puppy all of the time. However, I still will need to use the crate when I go run errands or we go to bed at night...

So exciting! Research your breed so you know what to expect. Some are easier than others. Our girl is going to take some work due to the breeds sometimes stubbornness but we welcome it. We've both grown up with & had dogs as adults.

We got our new family addition a couple of weeks ago. She's 10.5 weeks now. We saw both parent dogs & the rest of the litter. She's been around big dogs & lots of kids... she's great with dogs of all sizes & all people. We are crate training but I only put her in at bed time. She cried the 1st, 2nd, and part of the 3rd night but now she no longer does this unless she wakes in the middle of the night having to "go". Then one of us gets up & lets her out, then back to bed she goes.

During the day she is at doggie day care. Puppies cannot & should not be expected to hold it all day while people work... that's just cruel. We have a trainer coming this weekend to start obedience. Socialization is so important! Everyone at the daycare says she has the best temperament & I want to keep her that way.

I am feeding her what she was given prior to us taking ownership (Blue Buffalo Dry). The doggie daycare she attends actually has raw food but for now she loves her food & im not changing her diet just yet. Puppies have sensitive tummies. I let her eat a small frozen carrot & just that gave her the runs. So now it's just her food & we have her on a set schedule.

She has plenty of toys to keep her occupied & keep the chewing in check. Puppies chew. I have a baby gate to block off her area when needed like if I'm running around the house doing chores. Puppies have accidents, I want to control where those happen if I don't have my eyes on her. A good cleaner with enzymes is a must!

And patience... yes lots of it! I know she is a baby.
We love her to pieces & have been giving her lots of positive reinforcement & love. I have her on schedule with our Vet.

Before she came home we got the crate (full size to her adult expectation) and divided it off to her puppy size. A crate bed, food, food storage container, collar, leash, toys, treats, dishes, dish mat, baby gate... that's all I can think of for now! Good luck & congrats!!!! Post pics!!

She is ADORABLE!!!!! What a face!

I know what to expect with the demands of a labrador; I've been mentally ready for another dog for a few years now, but just not in the right emotional place. It's never taken me this long to recover from the loss of one of my dogs but Dakota (my border collie) was just a once-in-a-lifetime dog and really left a mark on my heart. That being said, with the active life we live I knew we needed a dog with energy but also one that could relax and play the role of the family pet so that's what I focused on when I did my research. It's also why we're getting an English instead of American lab. I like the stockier/blockier appearance of the English ones plus their energy level is lower and natural hunting drive is lower.

Did you have any restrictions on socializing? I seem to recall something about they should be carried in public for the first few months to reduce their risk of contracting diseases? I want him out and about asap to get used to other dogs and people, but obviously don't want to expose him too early to germs. And what cleaning enzymes do you recommend for when the inevitable accidents happen?

I need to read up more on clicker training and reward training. I'd rather do that than corrective collars/scare tactics

Get a round pen (like a play pen but sits on the ground) so the puppy can have private soace for sleep, olay and time outs. We also crate train. Pic from when Margaery was a puppy and our (now deceased) big dog went in and took the cot. Lol.

Adorable! How are things going with your new pup?

I love the idea of a playpen! I was just talking with SO yesterday about getting a second crate for the main level (we've bought one in preperation but were planning on keeping it in our bedroom for nighttime crating) but think I prefer the idea of the playpen; he'll have room to run around while still being contained. Should I cover the bottom with puppy training pads in case he has accidents? If so, the whole area or just a couple for him to seek out?

*******
New questions from me! Which is better to use - a collar or a harness? And riding in a car, should they be harnessed in with a seatbelt? I always let Dakota roam around the backseat but he particularly enjoyed riding around town in the bed of the truck . Did any of you use the leash method where you attach them to your hip during the day so they always stay by your side?

I'm sure I'll have more as this goes along, and please feel free to share any tips you have! Oh, and I promise TONS of photos once we get him!!!! I am just so terribly excited for this to happen. After four years of mourning and knowing I didn't have the love to give, it feels great to be headed down this path again. Thanks for sharing in my excitement

 

[whitewave]

I use a harness and tether for the car rides. Yes, cover the playyard with many layers (you can see in my pic)... start with plastic, lol, then throw away flooring (rug?) then puppy pads...

Mine just turned 2- she is such a good girl.

 

[Kbell]

She is ADORABLE!!!!! What a face!

I know what to expect with the demands of a labrador; I've been mentally ready for another dog for a few years now, but just not in the right emotional place. It's never taken me this long to recover from the loss of one of my dogs but Dakota (my border collie) was just a once-in-a-lifetime dog and really left a mark on my heart. That being said, with the active life we live I knew we needed a dog with energy but also one that could relax and play the role of the family pet so that's what I focused on when I did my research. It's also why we're getting an English instead of American lab. I like the stockier/blockier appearance of the English ones plus their energy level is lower and natural hunting drive is lower.

Did you have any restrictions on socializing? I seem to recall something about they should be carried in public for the first few months to reduce their risk of contracting diseases? I want him out and about asap to get used to other dogs and people, but obviously don't want to expose him too early to germs. And what cleaning enzymes do you recommend for when the inevitable accidents happen?

I need to read up more on clicker training and reward training. I'd rather do that than corrective collars/scare tactics

Thank you! We LOVE her SO much. As far as restrictions, I'm not taking her on walks yet until she's had all her shots which should be completed around 14 weeks. The daycare I use is owned by a former breeder & a dealer of raw dog foods - all the dogs there have to have had their shots & proof of vaccinations so my pup should be safe there... I toured a few before deciding. There are other puppies there for her to play with along with various size dogs up to great dane size. She usually plays with the bigger dogs & naps with the puppies & their mom. Her mom was 70-80 pounds & dad was like 115 so she's used to big ones! Otherwise, she is restricted to the yard for now. I'm of course always keeping an eye on her stools, eating habits, and energy level for the 1st sign of trouble but she's been a happy playful pup except for when I gave her the frozen carrot

I just went through the cleaners at the pet supply store and made sure to buy the ones with enzymes to eliminate odors so she doesn't keep soiling the same spots. It seems to be working - she has had accidents but has never had one in the same spot. I've been vigilant about immediately correcting her to go outside & cleaning up any trace.

Growing up I had a lab mix (probably 90% black lab 10% German shepherd) I just remember up until he was about 2 he was crazy full of energy!! WAY crazier than my girl lol. Looking forward to seeing your new puppy!!

 

[azstonie]

Harness. Esophagus/pharnyx are tender and easily damaged.

 

[Austina]

Definitely harness, I don't like anything that puts pressure on their throats.

Being English, I'm happy to hear you're going to get a English type lab . We see lots of them around here, and the chocolate ones are especially cute.

If you're on FB, there are lots of raw feeding groups who have great tips. The reason why lots of people are very pro, is because it's a more natural diet for dogs, plus a lot of commercial dog food is, quite frankly, full of crap.

Also, please, please, please don't let any vet talk you into neutering too early. There have been lots of studies showing early neutering is detrimental to their development and future health. If I can find the article I read recently, I'll post it for you.

Sounds like you've got everything covered and will be well prepared for when he/she comes home.

 

[Kbell]

*******
New questions from me! Which is better to use - a collar or a harness? And riding in a car, should they be harnessed in with a seatbelt? I always let Dakota roam around the backseat but he particularly enjoyed riding around town in the bed of the truck . Did any of you use the leash method where you attach them to your hip during the day so they always stay by your side?

I'm sure I'll have more as this goes along, and please feel free to share any tips you have! Oh, and I promise TONS of photos once we get him!!!! I am just so terribly excited for this to happen. After four years of mourning and knowing I didn't have the love to give, it feels great to be headed down this path again. Thanks for sharing in my excitement

I have a collar on her for now - it's easier to leash train in the yard with it & it's not choking her or anything. Shes been pretty good on the leash not pulling. I'm not using the leash method... I'm hoping to get lots of tips at our 1st obedience training session this weekend. It's one on one at our home so they can see her environment too & see if I should change anything. I did buy a harness for use on walks later.

For my car I bought this big "tube" thing that attaches to my back seat so it doesn't go flying... it's big (takes up the whole backseat) so she can move around & has room to grow into it but it's soft sided so if she loses her balance etc she doesn't get hurt. She usually just lies down in it... she seems to like it. I take her back & forth to daycare every week day so she's used to it now. I just leave it in my car. It compacts down if I ever need to remove & store it much like an expandable tube hamper that can be flattened.

 

[Gussie]

My first "baby" was a chocolate lab. My husband and I got him before we married and he was the best dog/kid ever! He was also super healthy - lived to be 14. Warning though - they will eat ANYTHING!!!!!

 

[Gussie]

Happy doggy story about the lab in my avatar pic. Two years ago we had to put our other dog down. They were both outside dogs (3 acre lot with a swimming pool). Very happy dogs! When she died, he taught himself to open the door (knobs, not lever!). He shuts it behind him too!!! He now let's himself in and out freely. We leave our garage door open enough for him to get outside and he come in through the house door inside the garage. I have a house full of breakable antiques and he has never broken anything. We even let him have free range when we are out of town! The entire neighborhood knows him and comes by to see him when we're gone. He is the smartest dog I've ever seen!

You will love a lab!!!!

 

[alene]

How exciting! We got our puppy last year, very exciting time. For training books, I'm a big fan of Patricia McConnell, her Puppy Primer was great for basic training. Whole Dog Journal is somewhat useful, though very basic, but I've subscribed for 2 years.

I'm a big fan of raw feeding, my puppy has been raw fed since we got her at 9 weeks and has thrived. Our big boy that we got more recently at the age of 4 and immediately switched to raw has lost almost 30 pounds (which was much needed), got rid of chronic ear infections and has as much energy and teeth as white as the puppy now. It has to be done right though. If you're at all considering it, I highly recommend joining the Raw Feeding Community on FB, they're incredibly informative and helpful.

 

[Scandinavian]

OMG so cute!!!

I’m in no way a professional, so read at your own risk but I do have quite a bit of experience, so perhaps some of it might be useful. You probably know all this already, but here goes.

For dog training as for anything else, I believe in the golden middle way. Train with treats (and a clicker if you like) and work on making the dog understand. However, in my opinion, there should be some rules that are followed when the dog is a bit older (not puppy). For example, aggression is not allowed (puppy play-biting is of course something else entirely). Chewing on furniture is not allowed. All trainers will tell you to offer the dog an alternative. But some that are very “positive training” focused, will for example tell you to not say “no” but simply ask the dog to go to his bed, and then reward him with a treat. The problem is that a lab is smart. He will understand that if he chews on your furniture, you are going to come running and he ends up with a treat! So he will start chewing on the furniture to get more treats…. Which might not be what you were aiming for. So I think that a firm “NO” is part of training a dog. Same as for raising children, they do need some boundaries. Example: My dogs live for running free in the forest and in the mountains. To be able to do that, they *must* come when I call and they *must* sit when told to do so. Otherwise, I could not control them and keep them safe. However, they are bird dogs. And when the bird flies, so do they… No amount of treats can stop that. So they have to know that I mean sit when I say sit. So during training, I will say sit once, and then I will go up to her and make her sit. (AFTER she is WELL DRILLED in the exercise, of course). Only treats if she does the sit on her own, not if I have to help her. So if you have some rules that he *must* follow, make sure that he always follows them. Not only when he feels like it. But make sure that he is given challenges he can master, he should succeed at least 9 out of 10 times, preferably more! So start small inside the house without any distractions. Treat in hand, soft voice, etc. Then, after a week or more (depending on how he is doing), try with people in the room, or outside. Baby steps Then when he is older, at a distance. Increase the difficulty (here, distance and distractions) slowly and you will increase the situations in which he will respond to you without difficulty! He is after all a lab and a smart guy!

(True story: One woman that was at a training weekend I attended, asked why she had to “yell” so many times to make her dog sit. So much easier to see what others do wrong… She would stamp her foot when she got angry, and so the dog always sat when she stamped her foot, but never before… LOL So sit sit sit sit (starting to mean it now…) sit SIT SIT SIIIIIITTTT (stamp) dog sat. – point being, be consequent. But I don’t think “be the leader, be the first out of the door at all times” is necessary.)

The other thing is the one I started with before all the blabbering. Only reward the behaviour that you want more of. Like with a crate. I think a crate is fantastic. Not because I use it a lot for my dogs. I almost never do. But if you have a lot of guests, or are staying overnight with friends, or at a hotel that allows dogs and want to go to the restaurant to have dinner – then the crate is a life saver. And for the dog to be OK with being there, he needs practice. For example, start with carrying him in there when he falls asleep. Leave the door open so that he does not get used to barking / crying his way out of there…. LOL. If he wakes up when you try to put him in there, you can close the door temporarily, and then open it when he is fast asleep When he is OK with being there, practice with the door closed. But never let him bark/cry his way out again. The hotel will thank you later…. LOL

And practice makes perfect! Make sure you think about what kind of life your dog will live – perhaps driving in a train is an important area to master? Or perhaps your streets get icy so it might be nice to practice “heal” before the snow sets in?

Puppies eat everything. And chew on even more things. Like electrical wires. So a nice little fall-cleaning of the house to remove anything you hold dear might be in order… LOL.

Tons of good luck, though I don’t think you need it. You are thinking about how to make this a success for the puppy, and that is really all he needs! Your loving self!

Re questions, sorry forgot: Harness for walking. More exercise and less fuss/nagging. But practice with collar so that he knows how to walk "nice" at your "heal" also. Car: I think it is important to keep them safe in case of accidents. Personally, I prefer a cage like these to put in the back of the car:
http://www.4pets-products.com/4pets-proline-en

Avoiding accidents on the floor...: puppies needs to "go" after; sleeping, napping, eating, drinking, playing. So make sure to take him outside regularly...

 

[mco312]

English labs (all labs!) are awesome dogs. I grew up with one. Since you mentioned it, I encourage you to look at rescues/adopting. There are so many wonderful puppies that need a good home. My dog is a rescue pup (Portuguese water dog) and she is just the best. Very smart and very loving.

No matter what you decide, I can't wait to see pictures!

 

[jaaron]

How exciting! You sound really well prepared and like you've had some great advice on this thread--I second pretty much all of it. Harness instead of lead, crate, gentle obedience with limits and socialising.

I'm a big proponent of raw food with the caveat that if you're starting a growing puppy on it, it's a good idea to consult with someone who specialises in proportions and amounts (we used a holistic vet) and can help you figure out how much of what you should be feeding. We initially started because our fist dog had a super sensitive tummy, and the first six months were a constant round of sensitive puppy food, chicken and rice, elimination diets, more sensitive puppy food, probiotics and on and on. When the vet started to talk about steroids and IBS, we decided to give it a try and have never looked back. The tummy problems were literally gone overnight. We have two flatcoated retrievers- breed life expectancy is 8-9, and our older one is twelve and acts like a puppy, which I attribute largely to his diet. Another benefit to raw is that if you feed a mix of meat and vegetables and get your dog used to it, it's very easy to control their weight by changing the proportions a bit, which is great with labs as they tend to get chunky which is bad for their joints.

Have fun. Now I want a puppy...

 

[Missy]

Yay!!! So exciting!!! And you are getting wonderful suggestions too. OMG now I want a puppy! Heck who am I kidding I've wanted a puppy since I finished graduate school and somehow we ended up with 4 rescue kitties...still on the radar however. Please keep us in your puppy loop and pretty please post lots and lots of photos when you get them...PS puppy!!! Good luck!!!

 

[rocks]

Our boy, Casey (a chocolate cobberdog ...genuine labradoodle from Australia) has been on a raw diet almost since birth....and he is 11. We have diligently followed the diet prescribed by his breeder since he came home, with occasional supplemental no carb organic freeze dried raw kibble. The vet (very modern and pretty holistic) was skeptical, but 11 years later, she is a believer. Casey has never had a sick visit. He weighs the same amount he did at 2 years of age. No fat on him. We are lucky to have an organic pet butcher in our area (Long Island). We also titre prior to inoculating (lepto and Lyme).

 

[BlingDreams]

It's official... the litter was born and there are enough males for us to get one! The litter was actually ALL males - six of them

We can go see them when they're four weeks old and I'll share photos then. For now, here are some photos I took of the parents when I went to visit the breeder's farm (Dad is on top and left, Mom is right and bottom):

 

[Austina]

How exciting, have you thought of any potential names yet?

 

[Arcadian]

I have a dog that will not walk on a harness, I think sometimes you just have to gauge how they are. She's really a perfect walker. Lot of people thought she was a Assistive Animal because she responds very well to non verbal cues from me. I tell them nah, she just 'wuvs her mawm'...lol

 

[BlingDreams]

How exciting, have you thought of any potential names yet?

Yes! And unfortunately it's a bit slanted

Seven or eight years ago I met the goofiest, lovable lab named Norman. I kind of decided right then that between that dog and Billy Crystal naming the calf he delivers in "City Slickers" Norman (anyone else remember that? I love that movie and it's SO cute how he'd say it!) that it seemed like a great name for for my next dog. And over the past four years, whenever I'd refer to my "one day" dog I'd call him Norman. So it seems weird to NOT name him Norman now that it's actually happening . That being said, here are the names we're considering:

Norman
Cooper
Maverick
Rudy
Duke