Firstly I'm so pleased I found this forum. A lot of what I've been getting upset about sounds like a normal lab puppy. It's been a lot harder than I thought and spent 3 out of the 6 nights having a cry. We've only had our puppy 6 days so I think I'm expecting far too much, I've always adopted older dogs before now and the last one was my absolute world and I miss her so much. He's soooooo bitey which I see now is to be expected. He's worse when he's tired. The first day we brought him home was windy and raining and a helicopter went over which spooked him so he doesn't willingly go in the garden unless you have a treat. He doesn't let us know when he needs to go out, I don't know when that usually kicks in. He's not to bad for urinating because we take him out regularly but he tries to hide in the house to pass faeces and gets upset if you try wait it out in the garden when it's really obvious he needs to go. I'm not convinced he's bonded with us yet. He can probably tell I'm upset and stuff. I have to go back to work next week after having had this week off intending to have a great fun puppy time. Dreading it. Sorry for the big rant that probably doesn't make much sense
It does make sense and I do understand. There is another thread on here that is mine called Puppy Blues so I understand what you are feeling. I have a 10 year old Lab who came to us at 5 months so she was toilet trained and past the croco pup stage. Getting my 8 week old puppy earlier in the year affected me badly for lots of reasons. This forum is a great place to be .
I'm really struggling. I keep thinking about returning him but tell myself it will get better and shouldn't give up on him. It seems to be one step forward 2 steps back. What is normal for a 8-9weeks old pup. He doesn't respond to anything. Try to play with him which he does for a couple of minutes at most and he wanders off most of the time or tries to climb up and then starts biting. I try to make it fun and rotate the toys but he doesn't seem to care. I don't know what to do to bond with him more. Woke up really early and couldn't sleep for worrying about the day ahead
OK, stop. Take a deep breath. Count to 5 (quickly if you can't hold your breath very long!). Exhale. Repeat. Now, I think you need to adjust your expectations a little. Try not to put so much pressure on your pup and on yourself. He's 8 weeks old - what could you do at 8 weeks old?! It's OK to feel a little 'wtf I have I done!' - we've all been through it. He probably doesn't let you know about the toileting because he doesn't know himself until the last second - pups have poor bladder control generally, it is something that they have to work on as they grow. Help him out by putting him outside at regular intervals before you think he may need to go and then praise, and treat, him heavily when he does toilet outside. He and you will get there in no time. Keep posting on the forum - it helps keep you sane (ish! )
It definitely does like better, and you are not the first person on the forum to want send their puppy back after a few days @Beezette , myself included. She's 18 months now and it makes me cry to think I ever thought that. Try to remember he's just a tiny dog baby, communicating in the only way he knows how, having left behind his dog family. Have you looked on the mainsite? There is lots of advice for dealing with biting and things you can do to build up a positive relationship with them, I think the bond takes time.
It will get much better but it takes time, a lot of time. Pups have a very short attention span. Think of an 12 month old child. Pups grow up much quicker, thankfully. Maturity that takes 16 years for a child will take about 8 months for a pup. ‘He doesn’t seem to care’ is the entirely wrong attitude (sorry to be so blunt, but this is the biggest thing you can change), he’s just a baby and has a lot to learn - and the person to teach him is you. Don’t take any of his behaviour personally, he’s just being a puppy. This article and its links will be a great help https://www.thelabradorsite.com/what-to-expect-of-a-new-labrador-puppy/
There are many times I thought about calling the breeder and handing him back, I even disgustingly during a delirious moment in the woods hoped he would run away from me! What a monster! No its all normal, its a very hard time, but you will be okay and you will have an all rounded loving funny dog soon! It passes quickly! The toilet training seems like a long winded process but one day it just clicks! Keep at it, you will get there, when it seems hard imagine collecting all your dogs things, and taking him back - Thats what stopped me!
Yes it does but it will change, honest. He is so very young. Yup, I did loads of that. I found every day so terribly long and such hard work. Really thought I had made a ghastly mistake getting her. Seriously thought about returning her many times. I am so very very pleased I didn’t. I would have felt such a failure and would not have been happy. She’s a fantastic dog and we love her so much. I look back on it as being a very dark time (one I never want to repeat) but now feel such an achievement. People on this forum helped me so so much - we are all here to help you .
Do you have any friends with dogs? It really helped me to go visit their dogs for a while and see how chilled they were once they had grown a bit. Also make sure you are resting whenever you can and eating well. Pamper yourself a bit. Puppies can be exhausting! Think of it as having a baby in the house. Your puppy will grow quickly and get through the bitey stage. You will have the best friend you could ever imagine and then some!
Thanks for everyone's responses. Some things seem to be improving. He's gone to the back door a few times to tell us he needs the toilet if we haven't let him out already. He's happier going out into the garden. Seems a bit less bitey unless he's getting tired then it's chompy chompy. Settled in his crate when he had to be left this morning in between me and my Husband crossing over from work. Less shouty in the car. He's playing more with his toys. Sooooo overall I'm feeling happier. I read articles off the main site which helped too. Is the book much different. Is it worth getting that too, I have the perfect puppy by Gwen bailey but wondered if I should get the other one too. little man was 9 weeks old yesterday. What sort of training do people do at this age? We've been learning sit. It's 2 weeks until we can go out walking but I've carried him around to see things. There's a building site nearby and he wasn't bothered about the big noisy vehicles that went by which is good.
Hey there, I have a five-year-old female lab and a seven-month-old puppy, and do understand where you are coming from. Firstly, yes - get The Happy Puppy Handbook immediately, it is really the best puppy book I have ever read (and I have quite a library of labrador information...). Secondly, you can train all sorts of things with your puppy already - in fact, EVERYTHING you do is training him, one way or another. You can start walking and playing in the garden with him, so that he starts to think you are the best and most interesting thing in the world - this will start a strong bond between you that will facilitate recall. You can already teach him a little bit of self control, for instance when you give him his food. I found that quite difficult with my puppy Merlin, who was (and is) incredibly greedy and would jump up at me when I had his food bowl in my hand - or if I had anything he thought was edible, so I started very early teaching him he only got his food or a treat when he sat nicely and waited quietly for a second or two. You can start playing little retrieving games in the house or garden with your puppy. You can start recall games in the garden - and so on. It's great that you are taking him out and about for socialization. I'm glad things are feeling a bit better - the first six weeks were a bit of a nightmare for us as far as sleeping was concerned, but once we turned that corner I realized that I loved Merlin even more than before... You'll get there. Don't hesitate to ask questions or just vent on here; we all understand.
Hi there, and welcome! Ditto what everyone above has said. Things will get ALOT better. We got our Ariel in the dead of winter so I was pretty much housebound with her for a couple of months. I had recently retired and was basically her only guardian all day, every day of the work week. And yes, it was exhausting, and frustrating, and upsetting, but the odd day was fantastic. She’s 11 months now, and most days are fantastic. She’s always learning, and will sometimes push boundaries, but she’s a pup, so I expect that. She’s great fun to be around, and always makes me smile or laugh. She is a loving, loyal, adorable family member, and when she looks at me with her adoring brown eyes, I always melt... Stick close to this site...there are fabulous people on here that will help you through your tough days, and will celebrate your good days! Looking forward to following your journey.
Hi and welcome to the forum from me and my boy Bailey (19 month old fox red). Nothing really to add to the excellent advice already given and another voice saying it will get better - honestly. Yes we have all at one time or another wondered what the heck have we done - usually at prime crocopup moments! My personal breaking point was after a day of incessant biting (including my butt when I turned my back on him) then taking him for a walk in the pouring rain where he rolled not once, not twice but three times in fox poo - I sat on a wet bench and cried my eyes out at which point my devil fox poo smelling dog climbed onto my lap and snuggled with me - my heart melted when he looked up at me and gave me a kiss - yes I ended up covered in fox poo (including my hair) but I knew then he was mine for life - it will come honestly. Be patient and consistent and always come on here if you need some encouragement
Welcome you are in the right place. We too had older dogs before so this was our first puppy and first lab. Many times in the first few weeks we thought what have we done. House Training bit of a nightmare but we got there. I used to take Sam on a lead in the garden about half hour after I fed him till he did the business. Yowling at night 4 months that took plus eating everything he could find including slugs .He is now 18 months old an absolute dream and adored by all the family.Its worth it believe me
