Labrador Puppy

i-digress

I am about to become the very proud owner of a chocolate labrador puppy this weekend. I am a little nervous because I want to do this right so I was wondering if anyone here had any advice.

I was wondering specifically if there is anything in particular we should get before we collect our puppy. What equipment do we need? Should we buy a crate to transport him in, or will we need to measure him to get a crate that fits.

In particular, does anybody have any recommendations as to what to feed him? I've found a good royal canin brand that is breed specific, but that's for adults. Is there anything available in Dublin that is particularly good for labrador puppies? I've heard that adequate nutrition is really important for them, because they grow so fast and that if they don't get proper nutrition they can damage their bones. So I'm particularly anxious to get this right.

Any advice welcomed by a very excited prospective owner!

ISDW

Have you been to see the pup yet? Ask the breeder if you can bring something to leave with the pup, an old cardigan, towel, anything really, it will smell of you, but if its put in with the pup and his littermates, it will help him settle when he goes home with you, as it will then smell of his mum and siblings.

I think crates are great, both for transport and for the pup to sleep in when he's home.

Ask the breeder about food, its best to keep him on whatever he's used to for a while, he'll have enough change in his life without food being another one. If you change his food too quick, he'll probably get the runs, and that isn't nice in his new home. Be careful with puppy food with too high protein, as that can mean that their bones grow too quickly.

Obviously a nice collar and a lead for after his injections and he can go out and about.

Congratulations by the way:D

ghost_ie

Just make sure you don't give in to his whimpering and crying for the first few nights - resist the urge to bring him in to your own room to make him happy. I did this with the first one 11 years ago as the cries were so pathetic (also she set the dog 2 doors down off as well) and I put her on a blanket beside my bed. All was well for 2 nights when the whimpering started again and I took her up on to the bed. Not only has she never looked back but as the other dogs came along it seemed unfair to exclude them from the bed also. The result is three very happy dogs snuggled under the duvet and one owner clinging with one hand to the edge of the mattress and the other clinging to the small piece of duvet allowed her

morganafay

If you buy a big crate then the puppy will grow into it, and you know it'll be big enough now

spurscormac

Crate training is great to help get them toilet-trained.

Something I wish I'd heard early on was the following...

After a couple of days, get him used to the leash. At first, he will follow you around and will not be able to outpace you. Use this to your advantage, and while he is following you have the leash attached to his collar.
Just let it drag along the ground to start, he'll probably try chewing & playing with it, just pay no heed to that, they'll grow out of it.
Then after a few days more, start picking up the lead & have the puppy following you around the house.

This means that from an early age they learn to walk behind you and will hopefully prevent pulling issues when walking later.
Once fully vaccinated (I think 2 weeks after last injection, vet will tell you) you can start to bring them outside, but remember not to walk them too much at a young age.

Thats the theory anyway - hope it works, but puppies are very curious & explore everything. Hopefully the in-house lead work will help you out on the tugging front, as a Lab grows to a strong dog.

tk123

i-digress wrote: »

I've found a good royal canin brand that is breed specific, but that's for adults.

Congrats on the puppy!!

We have a golden retriever puppy and i've just weaned him off RC and onto Burns - much better quality and the poop difference is amazing - you may find this disgusting now but over the next few weeks you'll become obsessed with poops! :pac: Our guy got huge all of a sudden - as in muscly not fat and I think the high protein content in the RC was a factor. He has growing pains now because of it.

crotalus667

i-digress wrote: »

I want to do this right so I was wondering if anyone here had any advice.

Puppy proof the rooms he will have acess to , take as much stuff as you can off the floor/out of reach , tuck away wires ect . when i brought my puppy home i had not to let leave him in to wonder room to room on his own (this is very important for house training) , this turned out not to be a prob as he stuck to me like glue (and yes that means came into the loo with me)Also push the couch ect against the wall so he cant get behiend them.

i-digress wrote: »

I was wondering specifically if there is anything in particular we should get before we collect our puppy. What equipment do we need? .

lots of chew toys , a few dog blankets (you will be washing them alot the first week depending on how house training goes) Bowls , puppy treats I started by useing cheese cut into tiny bits but to be honest they are messy to work with , i like useing coachees (i know i spelt that wrong) most decent pet shops should stock them.

i-digress wrote: »

Should we buy a crate to transport him in, or will we need to measure him to get a crate that fits..

I used a crate to transport mine home because i had no one to come with me , i had a big one from argos which he grew into very quickly but saying that mine is a large breed the idea behiend the carte is that the puppy does not have any where to poo/pee that it does not consider part of its bed large crate + small puppy = loss of effect so if you are getting a large crate try and get one with a devider , I tried the puppy pads to start with but gave up after a few hours and whent strainght to going outside . If you can it is best to skip the pads .

i-digress wrote: »

I've found a good royal canin brand that is breed specific, but that's for adults. Is there anything available in Dublin that is particularly good for labrador puppies?..

royal canin do puppy food based on adult size I use it for mine and it is very good

i-digress wrote: »

Obviously a nice collar and a lead for after his injections and he can go out and about.

What i will say about this is dont make the same mistake i did , I got a collar and and though ahhh it's ajustable so it will be grand , turns out it could not go small enough so the puppy sliped the collar before we left the breeders house , it turned out that he would not walk on a lead any way so he would of had to be carried to the car either way ,I had the breeder put him in the cage which i think helped (be prepaired for bowl movements in the car ) IMO it is best if you can get some one to sit with him on the back seat my fella setteled pretty quickly but he did seems to be the excption ( he did poo as i was programing home into the sat nav)

ISDW

crotalus667 wrote: »

What i will say about this is dont make the same mistake i did , I got a collar and and though ahhh it's ajustable so it will be grand , turns out it could not go small enough so the puppy sliped the collar before we left the breeders house , it turned out that he would not walk on a lead any way so he would of had to be carried to the car either way ,I had the breeder put him in the cage which i think helped (be prepaired for bowl movements in the car ) IMO it is best if you can get some one to sit with him on the back seat my fella setteled pretty quickly but he did seems to be the excption ( he did poo as i was programing home into the sat nav)

The pup shouldn't touch the floor outside of the house until after his vaccinations. When taking him to the vets, carry him in and hold him on your lap, you don't want him picking things up on his feet.

crotalus667

ISDW wrote: »

The pup shouldn't touch the floor outside of the house until after his vaccinations. When taking him to the vets, carry him in and hold him on your lap, you don't want him picking things up on his feet.

TBH when picking pooki up I had over looked the logistics of getting pup to car . I think all in all it worked out better for him having the breeder put him in the car

i-digress

Thank you so much for the replies! There's a huge lot of helpful advice there. I just don't know how I'll wait until Saturday

Whispered

I'm so jealous! Do you have a name picked?
We couldn't find a name for our boy. Then a friend gave us a puppy hat with "Harley Davidson" printed on it. And thus - Harley was named.

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/album.php?albumid=1146&pictureid=5906

i-digress

Aw, he's gorgeous! Our dog is going to be another H, Hector. I think it suits a lab!