We''re getting a puppy! Any advice?

[february2003bride]

We''re getting a puppy! DD has wanted a dog for years and DH was always against it. He finally came around in January and said yes as long as it was a small dog (the ASPCA commerical totally got to him, lol). We asked many friends where they got their dogs from (animal stores and breeders were not an option for us- rescue groups only) and a few of our friends had great experiences with a certain animal rescue organization in our area. So long story short, after watching their website for a few weeks, and attending their pet adoption fairs, we fell in LOVE

with a male Lab Retriever mix puppy! The total opposite of what we wanted but even DH couldn''t resist

This little guy totally suckered us in! We are still in the process of getting approved (there''s about 6 approval steps and we just completed step #2) but we''ve been told there shouldn''t be any issues with us adopting him.

We got to visit him again yesterday at his foster mom''s house and we''ll see him again tomorrow! He''s only 10 weeks old.

His mom was a rescue and she was already pregnant with puppies when given to the organization. So our pup (and his siblings) were born in foster care.

Anyway, I grew up with cats and dogs but my parents we''re the "primary caregivers" of the pets. DH has zero experience with dogs! We''ve been getting some great advice from friends (almost all of whom own labs!) but I thought PS would have the best advice! DD and I have read a puppy care and training book but I feel like I''ve learned more from real life advice than the book.

One question I am getting conflicting advice on is crate training? Is this a good idea or no? They are estimating our lab retriever to grow up to potentially be 54-60 pounds (closer to 50 they think). Once he''s house trained I want him to have the run of the house while we are out but I''ve also heard that some dogs love their crates because it makes them feel safer. We''ve bought everything neccessary but the crate.

Thanks so much!

 

[CasaBlanca]

I am a fan of the crate. In my opinion it is an essential training tool.

Plus, If there are ever any travel plans in your future, and even vet stays a crate familiar dog is going to have far more resilience in recovery than one that is not used to it.

I could go on with experience, but I am counting on the other posters to affirm these thoughts.

Congrats on the impending arrival of your baby. I know you will have many years of joy with your newest family member!

 

[sparklyheart]

How exciting!! Do you have any pics of your new puppy?

I am also a huge fan of crate training for so many reasons. It makes potty training so much easier because they aren''t having accidents when you are gone during the day..they learn not to pee where they sleep (there will be a few accidents at first in the crate though!). Also it does make them feel safe.. My oldest dog is 5 and I stopped making him go in the crate after about 3 years.. Anytime he sees a crate though he will go lay down in there. Just like CasaBlanca said, it makes traveling so much easier.. Mine will hop in a crate in the car and stays at the vet with no problems. In addition to that, I feel like it gives other people a sense of peace. I can take my dogs to their house and leave them in a crate if we leave. While *I* know he won''t do anything, they don''t know that..and they always seem relieved when I say that I will leave him in a crate. I got a puppy a year ago and she is still in the crate when I''m not here.. She loves it though.. if I even look like I''m leaving she will literally bounce over to her crate and sit there.

The thing about crate training is you *have* to be consistent. If you take them out just because they are whining then they will never learn to like it. Any puppy will whine when you put them in a crate at first and then walk away.. They are puppies and scared! But soon he/she will learn to calm down and go to sleep..just be patient!

Good luck!! Labs are great dogs

 

[missy]

YAY!!! How wonderful!! I am so happy for you. No advice but just wanted to wish you the best of luck in this amazing adventure! Nothing is better than a yummy puppy!!
Plus, it should be a nice distraction when the inlaws are visiting!

Congratulations and enjoy!

ps good for you for saving a life!!

 

[february2003bride]

Thanks everyone!! I don''t want to jinx it by posting a picture of him yet since he''s not offically ours until next Saturday but as soon as we get him I will definitely post some pictures!

Is there a recommended crate brand?

 

[elrohwen]

How exciting!!! I can't wait to see pics.

I feel thar the crate is an essential puppy training tool. You can wean away from it with an older dog, but I think it's totally necessary to use during the puppy stage for potty training.

My other recommendation is to find a good puppy training class. My parents and I always said we would train our puppies at home, but they were always bad (pulling on the leash, barking at other dogs, etc). We always always regretted not taking a puppy training class. Even if *you* know how to train, it's so helpful to have other dogs around to provide a controlled distraction and socialization.

 

[lulu]

Lots of chew toys. Labbies are chewers so you have to watch out for socks and shoes etc. That''s another good reason to use the crate. I think a lab mix is a great way to go. All the great lab disposition without the health issues.

 

[Mrs Mitchell]

Another vote for the crate! I think it gives a dog a safe place of their own to retreat to when things get noisy or overwhelming, too.

My friend got a gorgeous beagle puppy a few weeks ago and he goes to his crate when he wants a break and when he''s ready to go to sleep at night. It''s a few years since I''ve had to train a dog myself, but watching this little guy is reminding me just what a useful thing the crate can be when it''s used properly.

Good luck - how exciting for you!

Jen

 

[Haven]

Yay for you for rescuing a puppy!!!!

If you put the time into properly training and caring for your pup, you are going to be rewarded a million times what you put into him, I promise! Labs are wonderful dogs, too. I grew up with a lab and she is a total sweetheart.

I''ve always crate trained my dogs, I think it''s a wonderful tool to use.

I would also find a *good* trainer to work with, and preferably one who runs a puppy class nearby so you can bring your little guy to class with other pups and work on his social skills while you''re training him. In my opinion, good trainers are the ones who address your dog''s needs in class, and *not* the trainers who just teach a particular skill each week. The latter trainer will likely only leave you with the ability to have your dog sit, stay, and come when he''s in a very controlled environment. The former will show you practical ways to deal with your pup in any situation.

I''ve never been a fan of clicker training, either, but I think that''s a personal preference.

If you''re up for it, watch some episodes of Cesar Millan''s The Dog Whisperer. I''m sure your pup isn''t going to be a red zone case like the ones Cesar deals with on his show, but you will get some great insight into the basic relationship you should forge with your dog. Once you understand what he means by Exercise--Discipline--Affection, you''ll be better off than most dog owners today! Cesar''s books are great too, if you have the time to read. (With kids and a dog, I imagine time is going to be a rare commodity!)

Also, your pup is going to need a lot of walks and exercise. The walks are essential for developing the owner/pup relationship, and they''re not something a responsible dog owner can skip out on. I would figure out a schedule of who is going to walk him in the morning, after work, and at night, and for how long. We walk our dog for a couple miles each walk. Exercise is really key for pups, too.

You''ll need to find ways to help him release all that energy he''s going to have so he doesn''t release it on your house.

We have a treadmill for our pup to use in the winter, but in the summer months we play fetch, take her with us on bike rides and while we''re rollerblading, and go running with her. We also take her to my mom''s house so she can play with my mom''s dogs.

I''m so excited for you, february! Puppies are so much fun. I hope you guys put the work into raising him that''s necessary to help him become a well balanced dog, and to forge a really special relationship between you guys. I can''t wait to see pictures!!!!

 

[elrohwen]

Haven mentioned clicker trainng and I just wanted to throw in my two cents say how amazing it can be. You have to know what you're doing with it though - it's not a hard skill at all, but it's very misunderstood. I think the clicker is fantastic for potty training especially, but also teaching tricks (sit, stay, go over there, and more complex things). I don't think it's particularly helpful for leash training, however. And your puppy probably won't have this issue (being a lab mix), but clicker training is fantastic for animals that are nervous or scared, especially in new situations. It can really help an animal come out of his shell and start responding positively to the world.

I have clicker trained my rabbit (and he's not the brightest bulb either), so I can attest to how clear of a communication system it is. It really just allows you to develop a form of easy to understand communication with your dog so that he understands exactly what you want from him. There are absolutely other methods of accomplishing the same training, but I've found clicker training to be very fast and fun for both trainer and trainee.

 

[february2003bride]

Thank you thank you thank! I knew I would get the best advice on PS!

I will definitely get a crate and will put the Dog Whisperer into our DVR! I''m actually really excited about walking the puppy. We have a big fenced backyard but I firmly believe in walking a dog(s) everyday. I have about 20 pounds to lose and am glad I will soon have no excuse not to go get my walking in! I have not heard about the clicker method, but will read into that. We already have a puppy training school picked out but he needs to have goine through 2 rounds of shots before puppies are allowed into the program. So he''ll probably be 4 months old when we do that.

One thing the foster mom suggested was using a harness over a collar? Any opinions on that?

Also every lab owner has said we HAVE to get a Dyson Animal vacuum cleaner? We have a Hoover that we just bought a couple of months back and I don''t really want to spend $500 on a vacuum right now! I am kind of a clean freak and expect my vacuuming to double because of the dog hair, but is a new vacuum cleaning really neccessary?

 

[decodelighted]

We use both a harness and a collar. Collar stays on all the time. Harness is for longer walks, public places, and it attaches to her car seat (you probably won''t have one of those for a LAB, lol).

Harnesses but less pressure on the dog''s neck -- if you pull them by the collar alone, the neck takes all the force. Harnesses spread out the pressure between the neck and chest/back. Especially valuable with untrained dogs which you''ll have to rely on pulling more than commands, until the training takes hold.

GOOD LUCK!!! FUN!!! EXCITING!!! Can''t wait to see pix!!!!

 

[elrohwen]

Harnesses can be great. My only reservation about them is that they can actually train dogs to pull, especially big strong dogs like labs. If the harness is too comfortable, it allows the dog to lean into it with all of their weight as if they were in a pulling competition. Often the best harnesses are the ones that prevent pulling. Some have the leash attach to the front, so if the dog pulls they're forced to turn to the side, thus making pulling unsuccessful. Another harness causes their front legs to come off the ground a bit when they pull - instead of the weight of the pull going against you, the dog is basically pulling against itself.

For a well trained dog I do prefer a collar because I think it's easy and non-fussy (except in the case of very small dogs - collars can hurt their necks). For an untrained crazy pup, I would put on some sort of harness when you walk, but make sure it's not teaching your dog to pull more.


Also, can I recommend the show "It's Me or the Dog" on Animal Planet? I feel that Victoria Stillwell's training techniques are far more humane and scientifically proven than Ceasar's. I don't doubt that Ceasar is a good dog trainer, but I feel that his methods are usually not easy or practical for owners to implement and are often based on very old theories (ie dominance theory) that have long been disproved. I would look for books by trainers such as Ian Dunbar who specialize in positive reinforcement and watch some episodes of "It's Me or the Dog" as well. I do think Ceasar's basic preminse of exercise-discipline-affection and being a leader are great and very useful - it's more the details of his program that most dog trainers disagree with.

 

[PumpkinPie]

I have no advice (I have a serious dog phobia!) but I wanted to say congrats - I''m sure your DD is super excited!

 

[deegee]

Oh, yay!!!! Congratulations!

Hubby and I adopted a rescue puppy last year, after I did a whole lot of begging. We had been married 14 years and never had a dog, and he kept insisting that we couldn''t take care of a dog. I won, and Lily has been with us for exactly a year. My family always had dogs as I was growing up, but they were outside adult dogs my parents took in. Never a puppy.

I agree with those who suggest a crate. We started walking Lily right away, and when she got a little bigger we bought a gentle lead head harness to keep her from pulling so hard. It looks like a muzzle, but it totally isn''t and it keeps her from lunging and pulling. You also need lots of sturdy chew toys. Don''t leave shoes on the floor!

Congrats again. I can''t wait to see pictures!!!

 

[Allison D.]

Date: 3/27/2010 9:18:17 AM
Author:february2003bride

One question I am getting conflicting advice on is crate training? Is this a good idea or no? They are estimating our lab retriever to grow up to potentially be 54-60 pounds (closer to 50 they think). Once he's house trained I want him to have the run of the house while we are out but I've also heard that some dogs love their crates because it makes them feel safer. We've bought everything neccessary but the crate.

Definitely crate train.

I always had a mental bias against it; it felt inhumane, blah blah. I will tell you that when I actually DID crate train, I had a DOH moment and realized it was nothing like I had imagined and my dog was much happier for it.

Dogs are den animals; they feel safe and secure in a small confined space. It is US humans that attribute negative feelings to it.

A puppy is like a baby; they can't have full access because they can get into things that will hurt them. Just like babies cry at being confined, puppies cry at being confined when they want to be out getting into things. That doesn't mean it's the best thing for them, and it really doesn't mean that they're *suffering* from the confinement.

When a dog is crated appropriately, it's the safest place for him to be. Nothing can hard him in there, and he can't harm anything. One night, I came home to find my sheltie in his crate, his face swelled like a cantaloupe. Because he was crated and he'd been fine when I left, I could say with certainty to the vet that he hadn't been able to get into anything. From that, the emergency animal clinic I phoned knew instantly knew that it had to be a beesting and it was easily taken care of with a bit of benadryl.

Crate training is usually pretty easy. Don't put him in there for punishment; that's where the negative associations will come in. Give him something special that he only gets in the crate so he'll willingly go in it himself. I used a banana flavored Nyla bone. I tossed it into the back of the crate; my dog Nicky ran to get it, but when he tried to come out, I took it from him and tossed it back into the crate. About 5 repetitions later, he thought about it and laid down in the crate to chew it. I let him enjoy it, so he learned that what was his was HIS when he's in the crate. I'd sit while he chewed his bone for about 2 min, then closed the door and stayed next to the crate for a few more minutes; he went back to chewing. Then I got up and moved around the house, letting him see me walk back/forth. If he carried on, I ignored him until he quit squawking. Once he was quiet for 2-3 min, I'd casually open the door and let him out *without* a lot of fanfare.....just opened the door and kept walking toward LR or kitchen, etc.

He learned that he's ok when he's in there and that he'll be coming out if he's behaved.

Now, as you can see below, I can't get him out of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That was taken on a Saturday afternoon - I had taken his sheepskin bed out to wash it, but he didn't care - went in there to nap anyway -LOL. He's older now and has free run of the house, but he often prefers to go hang out in there. On the weekends, hub and I will realize he's been quiet, only to go downstairs and find him in his crate napping. The few times we've moved the crate, he hangs out under the coffee table. He prefer the security.

 

[Allison D.]

As you can see on the left, loves to just hang out in there.

On the right: after being home for 2 days from vacation, we hadn't gotten around to bringing his crate up from the garage. Apparently, he was missing it. We laughed our butts off when we realized what he was doing.....we snapped this picture, and then promptly got his crate (which he ran into once it was back in its customary spot in the dining room.

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 3/28/2010 12:40:08 AM
Author: Allison D.
As you can see on the left, loves to just hang out in there.

On the right: after being home for 2 days from vacation, we hadn''t gotten around to bringing his crate up from the garage. Apparently, he was missing it. We laughed our butts off when we realized what he was doing.....we snapped this picture, and then promptly got his crate (which he ran into once it was back in its customary spot in the dining room.

He''s so gorgeous...

Good luck with the puppy. How exciting. Crate training is what worked for us, but with the second dog. Not so much.. We let Casper teach Callie the way to go, and that was outside and not on the rugs or floors.... I still owe him money for that...

Have fun with your puppy. A lab mix sounds awesome. They are soooo loyal and friendly.. I love that you are getting a rescue. I can''t wait for pics!!!

 

[Puppmom]

Congratulations! As far as advice, I''m an advocate of crate training too. My dog loved his crate and would go in there when he needed some down time on his own. I also recommend training your dog not to pull without the use of a harness. We learned this the hard way. We used a gentle leader and not only did our dog eventually learn to "beat the system", it didn''t teach him NOT to pull. It taught him to pull harder and in a different way. So, instead of training our 30 pound puppy not to pull, we had to train our 80 pound dog not to pull.

It took us months to really get to a comfortable place. Now, we couldn''t be happier with his leash skills but wish we had done the right thing from the beginning. We have one of those harnesses that hooks in front that we use when we''re taking him to places with food. Our boy is still not perfect when around food and the harness gives us a little more control. It also prevents us from being caught off guard by that unexpected yank because some kid has just dropped his soft pretzel on the ground.

Just know that your dog doesn''t have to be perfect - a house trained dog, who knows how to greet people and other animals appropriately and walks well on a leash is a great companion.

 

[elrohwen]

Date: 3/28/2010 9:52:06 AM
Author: puppmom
Congratulations! As far as advice, I''m an advocate of crate training too. My dog loved his crate and would go in there when he needed some down time on his own. I also recommend training your dog not to pull without the use of a harness. We learned this the hard way. We used a gentle leader and not only did our dog eventually learn to ''beat the system'', it didn''t teach him NOT to pull. It taught him to pull harder and in a different way. So, instead of training our 30 pound puppy not to pull, we had to train our 80 pound dog not to pull.

It took us months to really get to a comfortable place. Now, we couldn''t be happier with his leash skills but wish we had done the right thing from the beginning. We have one of those harnesses that hooks in front that we use when we''re taking him to places with food. Our boy is still not perfect when around food and the harness gives us a little more control. It also prevents us from being caught off guard by that unexpected yank because some kid has just dropped his soft pretzel on the ground.

Just know that your dog doesn''t have to be perfect - a house trained dog, who knows how to greet people and other animals appropriately and walks well on a leash is a great companion.

I totally agree with this last bit. You honestly don''t need any training beyond these three things to have a happy life with your dog.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 3/27/2010 3:22:38 PM
Author: elrohwen
Also, can I recommend the show ''It''s Me or the Dog'' on Animal Planet? I feel that Victoria Stillwell''s training techniques are far more humane and scientifically proven than Ceasar''s. I don''t doubt that Ceasar is a good dog trainer, but I feel that his methods are usually not easy or practical for owners to implement and are often based on very old theories (ie dominance theory) that have long been disproved. I would look for books by trainers such as Ian Dunbar who specialize in positive reinforcement and watch some episodes of ''It''s Me or the Dog'' as well. I do think Ceasar''s basic preminse of exercise-discipline-affection and being a leader are great and very useful - it''s more the details of his program that most dog trainers disagree with.

First, CONGRATULATIONS!!! And THANK YOU for rescuing!!

Second, HUGE DITTO to what elrohwen says above - Cesar Milan''s methods are based on an understanding of dog behavior that is at least 30 years out of date. While I completely support the message of discipline and affection and exercise for dogs, as someone who has been training dogs (including some with fairly severe behavioral issues) for almost 4 years now, I can say without a doubt that positive reinforcement training, as demonstrated by Victoria Stilwell on her show, is the way to go. Cesar''s methods risk traumatizing a dog, and can result in aggression and other very dangerous behaviors (many of the dogs I''ve seen with biting problems were because someone tried to do the face grab-style training, or the so-called "alpha roll" that Cesar does), especially when used by the inexperienced dog trainer.

I second the suggestion of anything written by Ian Dunbar, and would also add, if you want additional options, Patricia Cornwell and Jean Donaldson. And for a FANTASTIC FREE resource, check out the SF/SPCA library of dog behavior - this page has dozens of FREE downloads on most of the major questions and concerns you may have about your new puppy, and all of it is based on research that is up-to-date and rigorously proven. Please go here and check it out - I think you''ll find it incredibly helpful.

Finally, I don''t know if you''ve given any thought to what food you may feed your new addition. As I''m sure many of your friends with labs have told you, keeping them trim can be quite a challenge (I grew up with labs, so I remember what food lovers they are

), but is essential for maintaining their joint and overall health. A very high-quality food can help with this. There have been several good threads on PS about good-quality dog and cat foods:

here is one with links to great pet food information websites

And here''s another, longer thread, with some good discussion of the topic

Good luck with your new pup!!!

 

[zoebartlett]

I love those pics of Nicky, Allison!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Congrats on the puppy, this is such exciting news!!

I know you''ve gotten a ton of advice, but just another advocate of the crate here. Not only is it the most effective potty-training tool, but it''s simply a great thing for dogs to learn to love.

I was home with our second puppy and was able to watch him like a hawk, but I still used the crate. If they are at the groomers or we are travelling, being able to tell them to "crate up" and it not being an issue is key.

I also recommend a puppy class. Both of my boys have been in puppy training at 12 weeks (after the second round of vaccinations). Between 10 and 16 weeks is absolutely critical for socialization. While I understand not wanting to take the pup to a dog park since he won''t have his full round of vaccinations, I definitely recommend going to a class with other dogs who are fully vaccinated or over to friends'' houses that have vaccinated dogs. Expose the pup to as much as possible within reason during that time.

Also, I agree with other posters that this is an energetic breed. I would keep the walks short and frequent until he''s closer to 6 months old. Puppies are used to playing in spurts because they get worn out quickly. Too long of a walk is very hard on their little joints--so while it''s essential for them to get used to walking on a leash, just keep the walks short for now. When ours were young, we''d go out for about four walks per day in addition to the little play sessions in the yard. Our pup is now 15 months and we''re finally to the point where his joints are developed enough to just do one 3+ mile walk per day. He was still doing two walks until he was a year or so. The bigger the dog, the more time it takes to develop.

Lots of luck!! I can''t wait to see some pictures!

 

[kama_s]

No advice - I''ve never had a pet. BUT, I did want to say ''WOOHOO'' and annoy you for pics of the cutie when he comes home! Enjoy the new addition to your family!

 

[Callisto]

AH I''m so jealous!!!! I have puppy fever like you would not believe. That''s so exciting for your family. I''ve grown up with labs my entire life, they are wonderful dogs. Kudos on the lab mix too as the genetic problems that accompany purebreds hit very close to home for me (our black lab went blind at 4 due to a genetic issue).

I don''t have any comment on crate training really. We didn''t crate train and it worked fine for us but that is just my experience.

Other little tips -

Our dog wasn''t allowed in any carpeted room of our house until he was housebroken - this helped avoid a lot of damage. (We just blocked off those rooms with baby gates.)
Invest in a training class (or two!) it is well worth the money.
Get him used to things like handling his paws or brushing his teeth while he is young, that will make clipping his nails and teeth brushing when he''s older way easier.
Labs do shed a lot, we never got a special vacuum cleaner but we did vacuum often. Brushing regularly helps A TON too.
Don''t let bad behaviors become habits - for example if our lab growled at anyone when he had a bone, the bone got taken away. He quickly learned that if he wanted to keep his bone he could not be aggressive over it.

Can''t wait to see those pictures!!!!

 

[Callisto]

Oh also one thing we did with him when he was a puppy that I believe really helped him as an adult was if people wanted to pet him we had them go down to his level rather than let him jump up on their legs. That way he never felt he needed to jump on people to get attention which is particularly important in large dogs.

 

[D2B]

How exctiting for you. Some things that pop into my head

-Yep definately crate training. A puppy wont pee in its den so it will help with crate training, the only thing to remember is that you HAVE to take him out regularly for a chance to wee, walk him to his spot, circle him around on a lead and as soon as he does his business say " go toilet" or whatever word you want to use when he has done it a big fuss about what a good boy he is and pretty soon he will try to wee when you ask him too. Also remember that at the start after an hour they need to be let out of the crate and stretch their legs and go for a toilet stop. I also get scared in case owners dont use it properly and leave the poor dog in for too long, they need to get out and run around etc, get some books on crating, but certainly dont leave them in there for hours. The only time the dog will wee in its crate is if you have left it in their for too long, and it will distress a puppy as they do not want to wee in their den, so take them for a walk to toilet first before putting them in.

You can get them used to the crate in little increments, by putting yummy food in ( we put our food bowl in, feed every dry meal in there with the door open so she thinks it is her den), put some toys in, make it comfortable (soft rug etc)

-go to puppy school and socialise them when they are little, we carried ours around as the vaccination shedule hadnt kicked in but those early weeks up to week 16 or so are crucial for socialisation, we carried her past schools, took her to playgrounds, let old people, young people etc pat her, put her in car rides, got her used to hats, umbrellas, etc

- start with the puppy how you mean the adult dog to behave. Ours is allowed inside, but only on the on carpet areas, so bedrooms, main living room, bathrooms are off limits, we put up baby gates at the start to get her used to where she could go. Cesear Milan has a great book on raising a puppy and not giving them the run of the house at the start as you want it to be their den, so not too big). Bear in mind a lab will get big, so if you dont want your big dog on the couch, jumping on people etc, dont let the puppy do it. We found that if the puppy jumped on us, simply not making eye contact, folding arms and turning around so my back faced the puppy always stopped them jumping up, weird but it works, they want eye contact and attention.

- check with your breeder re excercising, our golden retriever like most large /giant breeds is only allowed limited formal walking, and no retrieveing games, jumping games for the first year as the developing bones are soft and ligiment and plate damange can occur. Breeds like labs and goldens are also susceptible to hip discplacia and other issues, so again limited walking ( no lead walking until 4 months just training in the backyeard with lead) and then 5 min or so at 5 months, 10 min at 6 months etc, but we were told to be really careful until one year not to do long walks. Lab breeders will be able to tell you the right amount of excercise for the breed

- can you get pet insurance in the states for accidents / major illness. Labs like goldens seem to be accident prone and will swallow anything

- we also bought heaps of different kinds of chew toys for her, being a lab she will most likely love to chew as well as being part of the devleopment process. Despite all the toys we have bought at the moment a favourite is a cheap stuffed teddy that my mum bought her, she carries it around and even snuggles next to it. The hard toys are great for chewing as well, but soft chew toys seem to be needed.

Sorry if I have rambled on, we were at your stage a year ago and did heaps of research, we love our golden retreiver, puppies are incredibly hard work. I have been through the human baby stage and to be honest at the start I wasnt sure wether I could make it past the puppy baby stage, but it gets easier. At the start we had to let her out to go to toilet 2 times a night, once at 11 in the evenning, once at 2 in the morning, once at 4.30 in the morning and then when my husband got up for work at 6. I couldnt beleive it, I thought my sleepness nights were over, but now at 6 months she sleeps through the night without a toilet break she is getting better and better and we love her to pieces.

We got heaps of puppy / dog training books picked up things that worked for us.

good luck with your puppy

 

[honey22]

Don''t use a harness with a big dog for walking, it''s just gives them a bigger surface area for dragging you along! Trust me, I have two big labs and I am a big fan of the Halti. IT IS NOT A MUZZLE!!! They can eat, bite (defend themselves basically) and drink with it on. It works similar to horse reins. When they pull, their head gets turned to the side and they will stop pulling. It''s really magic! I can walk both labs with one finger and don''t need to apply pressure etc at all. Most of the time they are well behaved and go off lead, but for very exciting situations and Mummy is taking them (they are more behaved for Daddy), I will use the Halti. Best money ever spent!

http://www.petsonthepark.com.au/category119_1.htm

 

[february2003bride]

Casablanca, Sparklyheart, Missy, Elrohwen, Lulu, Mrs. Mitchell, Haven, Deco, Maevie, DeeGee, Allison, Kaleigh, Puppmom, AmberG, ZoeB, NELady, Kama, Callisto, D2B, Honey22-

Thank you so much for the advice and well wishes! We saw the puppy again yesterday. The rescue organization had another adoption fair yesterday and our puppy''s foster mom told us she would be there with the pups that were left (our puppy and his sister) in hopes that his sister would be adopted. So we came just to visit the puppy and spend time with his sister! We felt like he was really bonding with us because everytime we put him down he would wimper for us to pick him back up. His foster mom did tell us that the first few nights would be hard because he was so used to being with his sisters. When we visited him at the foster mom''s home, she put his sisters inside so we could play with just our puppy. The poor guy was crying at the back door to go inside with them! I loved that he was so bonded with his sisters because I felt like then there would be no doubt he would bond with us. He''s just the sweetest dog.

I did buy a crate yesterday- an Elitefield 36" (up to 70 pounds) 2 door crate with divider. During my phone interview last night (which I passed! Woot!) the person suggested I use the divider so that our puppy doesn''t use the furthest from where he would sleep to use as a bathroom. And I found out yesterday that the rescue organization does give the first shots!

And assuming the home study goes well, all we have left is the one hour class and we''ll be able to bring our puppy home on Saturday! My kids are so stoked

All that''s left is all of us agreeing on a name. That''s the hard part- we can''t all agree on one yet!

 

[elrohwen]

I love that your rescue requires a phone interview, home visit, and classes. They sound like a great organization!

I can''t wait to see pics of your puppy!