Hi! My name is Janessa and I'm from New Mexico. After a nearly 2 month wait, we are bringing home our black lab puppy on Thursday !! He's a boy and we've decided to name him Max. He'll be just over 8 weeks old. I am a teacher so I am really excited to have the summer off to play with and train our new baby. We also have two older dogs-Harvey (beagle mix) and Otis (miniature schnauzer). I've had puppies before but this will be a first for my husband and 7 year old daughter! We are looking forward to having an active dog that we can eventually take on hikes and camping. We have done a ton of research on labs and we are super excited to finally have him home! Just wondering, would it be ok to take him to the dog park once he's fully vaccinated? What are some other options for socializing outside of puppy classes/stores?
Hi Janessa! A very warm welcome from me and Lilly. Lots of people pop their puppy in a bag - a small rucksack, holdall, baby sling (obviously head out the top and towels in the bottom just in case!) - and take them to public places for short visits - I am sure your daughter would LOVE the new boy to come visit her friends at school Even sitting on a park bench, or a trip to the shops is possible this way. Normally your pup will be able to hold its bladder while up off the ground, but you will have an idea how long he can last to know the length of trip. jac
Welcome Janessa from Hattie 8 years and our rescue boy Charlie 5 years. Wishing you lots of fun with Max! Helen xx
Welcome to the forum I'd wait and see what your pup's temperament is like before making a decision on the dog park. If your pup is pretty confident and the dogs at the park are nice then I'd give it a try, but he prepared to get him off the ground if you're not 100% happy with the behaviour of any dogs there. Other options are seeking out friends with friendly dogs, or puppy classes at a good training club or vets. It's great that you've got the two older doggies - built in socialisation right there
Hi and welcome to you all from me and nearly 3 year old Harley . Look forward to hearing lots about Max
Hi and welcome from me and 11 month old Dexter. Looking forward to hearing all about Max and your other two dogs.
Hello and welcome to the forum Janessa, from Fred, Annie and me. Lots of fun ahead for you and your family with Max
Thanks! I'm crazy excited! I've been reading about everyone else's labs on here to help pacify my puppy fever. We decided to wait to get him until I'm out of school for the summer so I can be with him pretty much 24/7 for the first 2 months of him being home. It works out perfectly because he turns 8 weeks on Tuesday and I get out of school Wednesday. We've made arrangements to pick him up Thursday so that I can make sure everything is ready for him. The people we are getting him from have already started calling him by his name which makes me super happy!
Welcome to you and Max. You can look forward to a lovely summer with your new puppy! Take lots of photos.
Hi janessa , I'm getting excited for you ! Your post perfectly captures the feelings of waiting for a new pup . Look forward to hearing about Max's adventures xx
Hi Janessa,great to 'meet' you on the Forum...sounds like you've put a lot of planning and thought into your new puppy.Hope you all enjoying getting to know one another ,please let's us know how Max settles in with you all x
When we got Baxter last year it was a week before we went on holiday. He hadn't had his final jab so was mainly carried about but we took him everywhere with us on a train, a boat, in cafes and pubs. We would take him around the busy towns and villages. I must admit when i realised how close to the holidays we were picking him up i was worried but it turned out fab. The only thing was getting anywhere as it took double the time as you got stopped all the time so people could pet him
That's pretty much our plan too. We want to go on a few close road trips but we can go whenever we want and we aren't in any hurry so we'll get all of his shots current and maybe have a puppy class or two under our belt before we go. He's going to go on many adventures with us! My city is getting a lot more dog friendly so there are several restaurants and cafes that allow dogs outside on the patio areas. My goal is to start him young and train him to have manners so he can always be welcome.
Hello and welcome! Sounds like you have a plan well in place to welcome your new addition. Look forward to hearing more about Max and his adventures!
