Eleven - but I don't think that's massively large. I'm sure it felt big enough for mum! I'm not sure what the average is for Labradors. I've googled, and I think about 8. What the breeder says chimes with the Patricia McConnell DVDs I watched (reviewed in books).
Was just wondering, Dexter was from a litter of 9 and was a mega biter to me. I think remembering back, he wasn't a very bold puppy though. He was eating a bone and one of his siblings just came and took it off him. That one was definitely more of a handful for his owners.
Jubilee was raised with one other puppy and 5 adult aunties. She was the worst biter ever. She's still mouthy when over excited. The lab puppy we raised before her came from a litter of thirteen- she never bit or chewed. Is it temperament? Jubilee is very inquisitive and bold.
Ella's breeder said a similar thing to us. When we went to pick her up to come home, I mentioned that I felt awful for taking her from her family but she said that (at 8 weeks - not earlier) it was much better for a puppy to be going to their human family than being left to battle it out with their furry family.
Bramble was one of 13 pups, although 2 were still born. Mum was a 7 years old very calm and experienced mum. There were also other older (and much older) dogs in the household. Bramble was the boldest out of a predominately male litter and has never really nipped having developed really good bite inhibition. I don't whether the maturity/experience of the dam has anything to do with it?
Hattie was one of 11 puppies with Mum and Dad living in the home with other older dogs too, she was never nippy or mouthy but we did collect her at 13 weeks which was the breeders choice, she wouldn't let the pups go to their new homes til they were 12 weeks and she was still with most of her siblings so don't know if that has anything to do with it or it could just be individual characters
Molly was from a large litter, 12 as I recall, and my God did she bite. I wonder if wether they come from Show lines or Working Lines has any effect on that. Whilst I was going through hell with the crock pup with blood dripping off me I thought all the talk about "bite inhibition" was a load of old twaddle. I am now a fully paid up member of the "bite inhibition" brotherhood. Molly is incredibly gentle with her mouth, my 2 year old Grandson gives her treats the size of two grains of rice and the only problem is that as she, oh so gently takes them, her whiskers tickle.
Well, whatever the reason, Betsy is a snappy little thing! It'll wear off. She is asleep now, thank goodness - doesn't bite when she's asleep! She is flaked out after her 'things' socialisation in the garden. A garden hose in the face is not going to be an aversive for this pup, that's for sure. She soaked us all, and thought it funny. Devil pup. paper by julieandcharlie julieandcharlie, on Flickr water3 by julieandcharlie julieandcharlie, on Flickr
Charlie gets all the puppy games that Betsy gets. I can't stand to leave him out. He got soaked too, although he was already wet having been in his paddling pool. pass parcel3 by julieandcharlie julieandcharlie, on Flickr
I have lots of very small puppy toys for the crocapups, in all pockets so that I can put them straight in their mouths as I enter the room. I have a basket full on the landing so that I'm never caught without one! (gorgeous photos)
Well, looks like you didn't get the quiet one then... Now you have a matched pair of hooligans. Fantastic pics!
Betsy is full of character, strong little girl, it shines out of her. Once Charlie gets used to her (poor lad looked fed up in the video with the treat thingy!) I am sure they will be best of friends.
