Hi everyone, I am a mum of 2 children. My son is 5 and my daughter is 3. We are planning on getting a puppy in around 2 years time. We hope to get a labrador and as I am a completely newbie when I comes to owning dogs (and I'm a bit OCD/PERFECTIONIST) I'm starting as early as I can to get advice and info. Sounds crazy but I just want to do all my research, save money and know exactly what I'm doing before we even start thinking of looking!
The best advice is to read all the old pupoy threads and don't think a Labrador is a easy dog to start with. They do settle with training and patience to be a wonderful family pet, but it takes some time. They are well known for being little crocodiles to start with and this is challenging for you children. My twins were 6 when we got our pup and I kept them apart for quite some months, so not to risk a child being bitten inadvertently. They are super boundy strong dogs in early adolescence, so you also need to think about that with young kids about. They are challenging, and you will struggle if you have a perfectionist view of a puppy, but if you can sign yourself up to a good year or so of hard work, they are certainly worth it. Meg is my boys best friend and she is the most perfect family pet.
This is why I'm starting my research so early on lol I do not have a perfectionist view of a puppy, I meant I was a perfectionist in getting things right for the puppy. I understand the challenges involved and the work that needs to be done, again, why I'm starting now! I feel like a need to know exactly what I'm doing before I even think about doing it!
