Hi, in the last month a recently got a new yellow Labrador Retriever - Eddie I will be asking plenty of advice in the coming weeks but initially... I always thought a lab puppy would be highly energetic and keeping me on my toes. Its the complete opposite. He always seems lethargic and doesnt really want to do anything I try to engage him with. Going for walks is the same. I get to the end of my drive and he just wants to sit. There is a nice green at the end of my road I carry him to. He doesnt really want to do much here and then he's much more lively when heading in the home direction. The rest of the time he sleeps. He is eating and drinking well. I guess I just want reassurance that somebody went through a similar experience with a slow\lethargic\easy going pup, but had a much more active dog as they got older. I have plans for long walks and hikes when the lockdown is over
What a cute pup. How old is your pup? Gwenni was quiet ish for a few weeks , getting used to her new home and people was all very overwhelming. Plus puppies do sleep a lot ! She did get into another gear after this , well quite a few and then kept me on my toes big time! As for walking on the lead out and about Gwenni was a little unsure for a while and was always pleased to be home. Puppies do not need to walk far, the guideline is you walk with the pup for 5 mins per month of age. Only since 1 year of age have we been walking our Gwenni for around 2 hrs a day. Before that age it’s suggested 5 mins per month due to their growing joints. You may have a chilled pup, count your blessings! This forum was so helpful for me , hope you find it the same .
He's in his 11th week (so approx 2.5 months). Yeah I'm unsure whether to count my blessings or be worried yet. I am prepared for a lively active dog and its nothing like that (ATM). The green at the end of my road is about 100m away. And like I said, I carry him there and he walks back so understand to take things easy. Today he gets his vaccines (my vet called me up to say they've started up again) so hopefully we can socialise him a bit better especially with other dogs in my area. Can't wait to visit the Ystradfellte waterfalls with him when he's able!
You are not surposed to take an unvaccinated pup to areas and let them walk on ground used by other dogs it's extremely dangerous and you are risking infecting your pup. Walking and socialising outside the home can wait until hes fully covered against diseases like parvo. Most young pups are frightened to go away from home. It just takes time for them to get confident. Just take your time build up walks slowly. A labs not fully grown until about 18 months so long hikes are not advisable before this as you can damage joints and bones.
So you’ll have a few more weeks before you can walk your pup outside , I’m sure the vet will have advised you today if you have just started them? Ystrafellte is stunning, but that may be a while before you can walk as far as the waterfalls on those little legs! Plus you’ll need quite a calm dog to walk there off the lead with good recall , as an adventurous young dog could get into a pickle in that river there in my opinion. We have amazing walks here in South Wales , but for the first year many have been out of the question with my Gwenni. you will of course have years of great hiking to do with your dog once they are grown and have good training
I always take my pups out and about on the ground from 9 weeks old (first vaccination) onwards. I consider the risk of under-socialisation to be far greater than the small risk of catching parvo, especially if you avoid locations where many other dogs have toileted. As the OP is talking about walking to the bottom of their own drive and then carrying him to a green, I hardly think he's exposing his puppy to much risk. @MattyG pups are very different and IMO no breed has more diversity within it, than Labradors. You might just have a laid-back pup.... I wouldn't be worried if the pup seems well in other ways.
Your pup your risk. I wouldn't but then I've seen and smelt a dog with parvo. You don't know who or what's been walking in your area and parvo lives outside bodies for a long time. Carrying a pup Outside is not really a problem but I would not risk an pup I cared about by walking on community ground in this way. Also it goes against vet advise. It's not worth the risk.
@SwampDonkey - yeah my vet said short walks outside were fine as long he doesnt come into contact with other dogs. I think it was a "use common sense" approach. Hmm, its frustrating having conflicting information. He had his parvo vaccine before I got him so he should have been covered for that. He had is next vaccines yesterday that they usually get at 8 weeks and the vet told me to again keep him out of contacts of dogs for another week. Just have 4 weeks for the Lepto vaccines then I think he will be good to go. @SianMJ - yeah I think we are gonna be in lockdown for the rest of the year IMO. Ysradfellte can wait until next summer
Frankly, being a behaviourist and seeing first-hand dogs with behaviour problems around other dogs - the barking, the lunging, the reactivity and even the bites that occur, and the human fallout on the other end of that, the daily stress, the difficulty of exercising the dog properly without running into other dogs, the constant worry about other dogs running up.... and then sadly the dogs that are PTS because the owners can't cope - and I know which risk I would far rather be taking. I can honestly say that, after 15 years working with dogs, I have never first-hand known a dog die from parvo. (I did know one puppy which caught it, but recovered.) Whilst, in the same time period, I've worked with thousands of dogs that have behavioural problems as a direct result of poor socialisation. Even the advice from vets is clear: http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/early-puppy-socialization-classes-weighing-risks-vs-benefits http://www.drjensdogblog.com/socializing-your-puppy-why-later-is-too-late/ https://news.uoguelph.ca/2018/03/pe...UxodOLr9Wy3aOdYVa7nuE3F4xvjADaOcXvz7OplwcxalM
I'm not interested really in the thousands of dogs or how long you have been training or how many quotes you can give. My job is to look after my dogs in my environment. They are healthy happy well socialized. I do as asked by my vet who knows my area. I do wonder how you would stand legally giving such advise to and your customers puppy comes to harm?
Hmm the vet that knows all? Good for you, but I would actually rather take my guidance from some of the experienced people above - but as you rightly point out all to there own. Enjoy your dog and remember socializing is critical, the most critical thing you can do right
