I'll be bringing my 9wk old lab home this weekend, and was wondering if anyone had any tips? Also, does anyone know of any decent outdoor dog houses? Thanks in advance
Hi @JZSmooth Congratulations Strongly suggest you crate train. https://thehappypuppysite.com/crate-training-a-puppy/ So idea of kennel is off the agenda. To add to that argument puppies need human company. Need to feel safe, secure, and warm. Labs in particular are particularly social dogs. My Lab sleeps in our lounge room
Totally agree with Michael. Please don't house your puppy outdoors. It is a pretty outdated way to raise a puppy. Research shows that dogs benefit from just relaxing in the same room as their owners - being merely in the presence of their owner reduces cortisol levels and is soothing. Have a read of John Bradshaw's 'In Defence of Dogs' which covers some of the research into how dogs are genetically programmed to relate to people and NEED people, and contact with people.
Our neighbours dog lives in their garage and we can hear him barking a lot. It's like living in solitary confinement a type of torture. They can't let him in the garden he is very destructive doesn't listen to them at all. It's just cruel.
I agree. Please house your dog indoors. Dogs are pack animals and their owners are their pack. Your pup will be much happier close to you.
We got our puppy on 22nd Feb. I’m sitting in our back bedroom typing this with him in his crate inside his pen. He hasn’t been able to go to sleep without one of us present and is 10 weeks old today. He needs the toilet roughly 3 times in the night and will cry to go out rather than do it in his crate, which is great. He doesn’t like to be left alone and I took him to work with me today.He was good and slept next to me in his pen. I’m feeling exhausted with lack of sleep and constant biting,but I know he will get better. He’s only a baby and I think we forget, bless him
I appreciate the info and concern, but he will already be accustomed to living outside, because he's been doing so since he was born. I appreciate the advice and will take it into consideration, but other than that, does anyone have any tips or advice that doesn't involve whether or not he's outside?
All of our pups lived outside when they were at the breeder, but immediately became house dogs when we picked them up. We kennel them when we are on vacation some times. Read Pipa's article on Socialization. From about 7 to 14 weeks the priority job is to socialize your pup to all manner of people, places, dogs and other animals. If he is going to be an outside dog you need to spend a lot of time outside with him.
Everyone please understand that I am not putting him outside to neglect him. I fully intend on putting the time in with him that he deserves. He will not only interact with me,but with my family and friends as well. He will have proper shelter,food,water,toys, and plenty of room to explore when I'm not around he'll be fine. @Ski-Patroller I will read the article from Papa, thanks.
Mine will be born around first of May and am leaving her at breeder/trainer for an extra week and a half or so she'll get her third puppy shot there. Only costing me $200.00 to do this and they will have her crate trained when I pick her up about mid July. I plan on keeping her in the house with crate till she's about one year of age. Have built a 5'X10' welded wire outside kennel on a trowel smooth finished concrete pad with a drain. Well shaded kennel with dog crate/house built in and auto waterer. I'll kennel her outside when I'm gone for extended hours and lawn service days. Figure it would be cruel to leave her inside 8 to 10 hours at the times I have to be gone that long. When I'm home, however, she'll stay in at night with crate. Also, have a couple of ladies that would come over once a day to walk the dog around a bit. For times I leave for extended periods of time, days weeks etc. The breeder/trainer offers kenneling at their place of business. Think I may have it covered and time will tell.
Make absolutely sure the breeder is properly socialising your puppy during that period. And proper involves seeing the world not just being confined to the breeder's place.
It's a bit of a vague request - what specifically do you need information or advice on? It is hard because every puppy-related subject relates to having a puppy INDOORS. Toilet training - take the pup outdoors frequently and reinforce outside. Not possible in a kennel, the pup will just toilet where they are and won't be toilet trained. Crate training - well, you won't be doing that if you are kennelling the puppy outside. Puppy chewing the wrong things - well, the pup won't be able to have that problem as they'll be outside... Please keep your puppy indoors. Two of my puppies have come from litters raised in kennels outdoors and immediately became house dogs when they came home to me at 8 weeks.
Breeder is AKC certified facility in Walnut Grove, California and about 45 minuet drive from my place in Sacramento. They train Trial and gun hunting dogs as well. Probably will pay for some hunting training if needed when I'm gone abroad for extended periods of time. Several hundred of acres there and they are a upland hunting reserve too. Wouldn't mind if they hunt her a bit.
If you do this, I would make sure they use positive training methods only and do some training with you present. A big part of dog training is also human training after all. And regarding the OP, I strongly feel that labs (dogs in general, but labs in particular) need access to their people and personally don't understand keeping one as an outside dog, especially as a puppy. My favourite place for my lab is fast asleep on the sofa with his head resting heavily on my lap.
Hi i " chat " and interact with my pup all day as we go about our business, we do training at every opportunity and she makes me laugh every day. I think you and your pup will really miss out on so much if she is outside
