Last minute advice - picking puppy up 2 weeks earlier than planned..

Hi

I'm new to the site and after lots of discussion with my husband we agreed to get a dog and a lab it is. We haven't told our son as this is going to be a surprise for him. He is 12 and has always wanted a dog.

We had everything planned for when we were due to get the dog in 2 weeks time as it worked in with the Easter school holidays, however we are now collecting the dog this weekend and I'm starting to panic.

We already have the crate, bedding, food etc but just looking to see if there are any last minute tips and what to do the first few days and how to deal with not taking it out/ letting it walk on pavement in first few weeks. It will have had 1 injection so far.

The last time I saw the dog I did take a blanket from my son's bed and an old cuddly toy so that the dog knows his scent.

Thanks

 

Hi Penny and welcome to the forum.
Has the plan changed because of the breeder?
How old is your puppy going to be at the time of picking up?
And how are you going to manage until Easter - have you managed extra time off?
Sorry for the interrogation, but it sounds a bit unusual if the breeder has changed the pick up
jac

 

Thanks. Yes personal health issues. The dog will be 8 weeks old and they were doing us a favour by keeping it those extra 2 weeks longer I suppose. I can work for home for 2 days and my husband works from home also when he isn't out on appointments so we have managed to jiggle our diaries for these 2 weeks

 

Hi and welcome.
It is advised that you don't take pups anywhere other dogs might of been until about 7-10 days after their 2nd injection. I would have a chat with your vet about the 2nd injection as some start again as they might use a different brand from the breeders vet.
Have you read the Happy Puppy book? If not I would highly recommend it.

 

This may seem really useless advice but we were totally unprepared for the level of nipping/biting from our puppy who we have had 6 weeks today (she is now 14 weeks). We stupidly came down that first morning with nothing on our feet and dressing gowns. Never did that again!!! She went for our ankles, hung off dressing gown cords - drew blood. From then on we quickly dressed before letting her out of her crate. Looking back, those first few days, she must have been very stressed.

 

I would second reading The Happy Puppy handbook for definite.
Lab puppies are really hard work in the early days.
You sound like you are panicking a bit.
It might be a bit of a tough ride for you.
Definitely read the book and the puppy section on the website and keep in touch.

 

Get some skinny jeans, tight sleeves and sturdy shoes! Warn your 12 year old that pups are only cuddly when very tired - the rest of the time they are crocodiles and need managing - he can help a lot with this.

Here is an excellent article - http://www.thelabradorsite.com/labrador-puppies-biting/

This one, imo, is essential reading - http://www.thelabradorsite.com/what-to-expect-of-a-new-labrador-puppy/

Be ready for many widdles. Simple Solution is the best stuff for cleaning up - other cleaners smell of wee to puppies. Puppy pads, cut in half, are great for clearing up accidents - the plastic back stops hands getting soaked! I adore the new baby pups, but it's always a relief when the widdle widdle widdle widdle stage is over (it eases off at about 15 weeks and they always , in my experience, completely house trained by six months)

And welcome to you from Mags, Tatze and Mollie from Manchester UK

Tatze is my pet dog, a black Lab and she's three years old. Tatze means 'paw' in German.

Mollie is my fourth Guide Dog puppy, a black Lab who is nearly six months old.

 

PS. after a day or two settling in take him out lots - carrying, this will be essential socialisation, the more and the sooner the better x


,,,

 

Welcome Penny and congratulations on your new member of the family. I am very keen to see cute puppy photos! I was a very novice puppy owner even though I thought I had prepared. My biggest learning curve is that like Jon Snow, puppies know nothing I have been a cat mommy for 8 years and cats are so independent. Puppies...not at all. So they have to learn about themselves and their bladders and bowels and than can take a few weeks. Until then you will be there inner wee and poo voice. And the little ones are like a sieve. Water or food in one side and 15mins - 30mins wee or poo out the other side. With no warning. Sometimes she really looked as surprised as we were. And often it would happen mid play.

Follow the advise on here and good luck.

 

It's a great age for your son to be having a puppy but I would tell him beforehand rather than making it a complete surprise. I think things will go more smoothly if he's prepared for the biting and has been told how to deal with it (stand still / offer toy as distraction). He'll still get excitement in the anticipation.

 

I fully agree with Joy. Thinking and being excited about a special event or thing is so awesome! You will definitely get value for money excitement

 

Welcome to the forum! All this is very good advice, I can't add anything. But don't panic! It will all be fine.

Lab puppies ARE hard work at first... even if you are magnificently well prepared.... but they are also incredibly sweet and fun. Just don't be surprised / shocked about the puppy issues when they happen, they are absolutely normal and we've all gone through them...and we all say it is absolutely worth every single moment, nipped finger and pool of pee!

The puppy days pass quickly. The only other bit of advice I would give is TAKE PHOTOS - lots of photos - in a few weeks and months you will want to look back on all of them and you simply cannot have enough. They grow up so very fast.

Enjoy the roller-coaster ride, and come to this forum whenever you need to share / ask / vent / scream (!). We are all here for you - have fun!

 

Why not get the Happy Puppy Handbook (or any of the other books recommended), and give it to him as a present now? Is he old enough to "get it"? Then he could act as your expert on what to expect and how to look after the puppy... (although you'd want to read it yourself too!)

 

PS where are you, @Penray97? Are you UK-based?

 

They pass so quickly! Sadly I didn't take of me with my puppy. Just of my puppy with others. I know it sounds narcissistic to some extent, but I'd love a little puppy and me portrait!

 

It is like some freaky magic how quickly they grow. Harley was 3.3kgs at 10 weeks, she is now 18kg + at 5 1/2 months.

 

Welcome from us. You have had some great advice so far. Your son is a great age to understand and enjoy raising a pup. The happy puppy hand book is a must for him....and you can get him on board with training. He can probably go to classes with you. The first two weeks are a bit of a blur of trial and error. So be prepared for lots of adapting....you might have great plans but your puppy may have others. Rather like a child. Make sure you get lots of coffee in as its a weary phase until you get a routine. It's an exciting time...we got Meg at Easter and had 2 weeks off with my twin boys age 6. it's a perfect season to get a pup...you will be fine and be sure to post lots of pics Emma and Meg .

 

My two cents is to also read and re-read the Puppy Handbook. Then read Total recall. That book pays dividends. Socialization is a very integral part of training. It also saves you tons of issues and training in the future. Lastly, seeing as you've had awesome advice already is to never get excited when you see your puppy, being it when you come home or let him out of his cage. You're gonna be spending a lot of time trying to calm him down in your time together don't encourage the behaviour cause you "love" him and are excited to see him. We all love our pets and do yourself and everyone else the favour of keeping meetings calm with a quick hello and a pet on the back. If not you'll be picking granny off the floor when she comes to visit. Lol. They grow so quickly and essentially you end up with a 30-35kg dogs body with the mind of a toddler. And lastly, I would recommend you don't encourage any behaviour because it's a cute puppy you don't want them doing as an adult. ie. In the bed, furniture. Sitting on your lap. Jumping up on you for kisses. Etc. But most importantly never get mad and have fun. They grow so fast. I really miss the puppy stage already. I'm in rebel teenager phase now. Puppy phase for us was a breeze compared to what we deal with now.

 

Sorry but I disagree about not being excited about seeing your puppy when you come home. I love it when my dog is excited to see me. And I'm excited to see him. Jumping needs to controlled, but you can still be excited without encouraging jumping. With Snowie, he was always on leash as a puppy when guests came so that we could control him. He's an adult now and would never jump up. But that wonderful greeting - I would never stifle it.

 

Agree about the controlled jumping. Train him from the beginning what you want - but we had no trouble training our 17 month old 30kg dog that he does NOT jump up to greet me, but it's OK to jump up to greet OH, and he does that now. We love it.