Hello All, I am regular reader of labrador site . I have read puppy handbook and totall recall. We are getting a lab puppy (Rocky) in 3 weeks . We are getting him from reputable breeder who had a waiting list for an year since he has only one litter an year , he has 3 bitches . I have been getting ready to welcome the puppy from a long long time We went to meet the puppy when he was 3 weeks and recently at 5 weeks. Breeder mentioned they are almost completely house trained, rocky was calm and well behaved ( he did not bite much, when he did , I could feel that he was not biting hard) , he allowed me to handle him ,pet him, cuddle . He played well with my 3 year old daughter( no barking, jumping, whining) .He was not good at recall( which I would not expect in presence of breeder) . My question is , Is he too calm or is it just me thinking too much due to all the issues I keep reading? ( My husband thinks I am complicating things by reading too much ). I am going to be first time dog owner so appreciate you taking time to read this .
You sound like me on the analysing thing!! He wont be very mouthy at 5 week and I bet youll notice a difference when you fetch him ha ha. Sounds like he is very similar to my Murphy - he was one of 6, 2 were very dominant, boisterous and in your face, but Murphy and one of his brothers were totally different - much more laid back - I remember asking my partner if he thought he was "too laid back" for a puppy - ha ha. I have to say, murphy is 14 weeks now - he is still (on the whole) very chilled, calm and takes the world in his stride. He loves training and is very focused on us (he is def the best behaved at his puppy class!) - the ONLY downside is that when he does something naughty (like chewing the wallpaper one day) its more of a suprise as he is usually really good! sounds like he is a good choice - and try not to read to much as you will end up worrying!
Carry on reading and preparing as it's all part of the fun and you will be gaining knowledge. At the same time, relax and enjoy and don't overly fret. Have you got a safe place for your puppy to sleep in, where your 3 year old can leave it in peace? I'd make that a priority. You can do puppy recall when your puppy comes home, you can't expect a 5 week old (baby) puppy to be trained so don't expect too much of your pup even at 8 weeks. Re-read the puppy handbook as I think it probably has all you need for the moment. Congratulations!!! Excited for you!
When I first met Charlie at 6 weeks, he was a bundle of cute, angelic fur, didn't nip, cuddled quietly, was as quiet as they come.... A few weeks later - hooligan.
Thank you so much for quick reply everyone . Made me feel so much better . @ murphthesmurph: I am always the over analyzing type I read the entire series of " what ro expect.. " before my daughter was born . I can't help it Hope Rocky tirns up just like Murphy @ Jane Martin : I was not expecting total recall, I just was seeing if he will follow me when I moved , he followed the breeder when he moved so I was fine . I have made sure to get the play pen, crate for Rockyso he has his own space and my daughter will not be allowed in his room unless he is ready for play. Thank you so much for your suggestions . I will re visit puppy handbook once he is home. @Julie: ohh noI thought Rocky will be the angel I met all his life ( may be too good to be true )
Preparation is great but then take a breath and relax. I try to relate bringing home a small puppy to bringing a new baby home - we have to learn what they want from their signals the same as they learn from us . Having a chilled puppy can be a real bonus - Juno never was a biter, housetrained easily, went through teething without any problems and hasn't chewed anything apart from her toys. That isn't to say that she doesn't have her moments . As Jane suggested I would read Happy Puppy Handbook again and make sure your husband does as well as it helps to be on the same page dealing with the puppy, it is such a useful book and something you will refer to for some months to come. Don't forget, if in doubt just post a query here and you'll get plenty of advice - all we ask in return is some puppy photos
Willow was a complete angel when we brought her home. It lasted a few weeks. Then.... not so much... Hello and welcome to the forum, anyway, from my two monsters, Willow and Shadow who are a year old this weekend. I remember when I joined the forum, that seemed like forever away, but it comes round far too quickly! I'm a first time puppy owner, too, and thought that they would be perfectly trained adult dogs by the time they hit their first birthday. Aaaaah, the naiveté! If that is to be the case, I have a lot of work to do in the next few days Enjoy your reading. I'm sure I'd read the whole of the internet by the time Willow came home. It still didn't prepare me for the disruption and sleepless nights, though, but it was far better than if I'd read nothing. At least I knew I wasn't alone and everything was perfectly normal! My motto very soon became, "this will pass"!
Hi and welcome . Harley is my first ever pup. We were quite lucky with her in some ways - learned not to bite very quickly, toilet trained quickly, slept well (she came into our room at 10 weeks old), very cuddly and placid at home. But, I failed to teach her to walk nicely on a lead from an early age. At 2 years old she will walk nicely in areas she knows, but I have to use a headcollar in new or exciting locations. I will admit that I never thought that having a dog would be so fulfilling . Enjoy the puppy stages as they grow so quickly. Look forward to puppy photos
Hi there,glad you've found the Forum during your preparation stage there's such a lot to think about and organize,lots of advice and help on here and the main site and of course just general chat about owning a dog..... Let us know when it's Puppy Day Best wishes Angela x
