Hi All, I am collecting my Labrador puppy this Friday (2 days’ time), so excited After doing a bit of reading from this forum / site, I had started to understand the importance of having a crate (which initially I thought was confining and cruel). That said, I have ordered a crate a large crate (107cm / 42inch). I know its going to be too big for puppy, but I am going to get some sort of divider to allow just enough space for puppies bed. The crate is only going to arrive about 3-4 days after we get our puppy, so I was just wondering what the best sleeping arrange will be until the crate arrives? From what I’ve read, a deep cardboard box, with puppy’s bedding, in our bedroom would be a good idea, especially in the first days, is that fine? From what I have read, puppies wont go to the toilet in the same area as they sleep, if this is the case, will puppy let me know when he needs to go to the toilet (i.e. whining or barking? If he does, where would be the best place to take puppy? i.e. a dedicated area outside OR an indoor “puppy toilet”? Please keep in mind that the puppy is going to be indoor quite a bit as I currently work and he is going to need to be left alone during the day (unfortunately), so we will have a safe / dedicate play area in our laundry. Sorry for all the questions. Regards, Robbie
Re: Puppy Hello and welcome! Do you have a name for your pup? Love some photos when you can, please. Keeping a puppy in your bedroom for a couple of nights would be fine - but, s/he won't feel the need to stay inside a box (unless s/he can't get out, of course). Your puppy won't let you know when s/he wants to go to the toilet - although she might whine if distressed because she wants to go and is confined to her bed. She won't "ask" until she is fully house trained. The desire to go outside comes first, then that prompts the desire to find a way to ask. It isn't going to be possible for you to leave the puppy alone while you work at first. A very young pup needs to go to the toilet as much as every 20 minutes at first - their bladders are very small and immature. So you'll need to put in place arrangements for someone to take your pup out. I wouldn't recommend an inside toilet area at all. I know some people living in apartments with small dogs do this, but labradors are big dogs, and it's impractical for a labrador to toilet inside. So outside it is, and you may as well train that from the get go. Best of luck with your pup, and I hope you get lots of advice and help from this lovely, friendly forum.
Re: Puppys first few nights in new home - advice needed The box sounds a good idea. For toileting I would always opt for taking your puppy outside right drom the outset. I think you might want to pre-empt a toilet stop and maybe consider setting an alarm every couple of hours or so at the beginning and gradually extending rhe time. Hopefully that is the right advice ;D
Re: Puppys first few nights in new home - advice needed Thanks for the advice.. With regards to the post from JulieT, she wrote: I have been trying up updated my profile picture (avatar?) with a picture of Zulu (my pup) but i keep being told that the image is too large (even after re-sizing), any ideas? So I’ll have puppy in a box next to my bed until the crate arrives. I guess I will need to treat him like a newborn child and learn to try pick-up the signs, even if it means me having to take puppy outside every 1-2 hours (through the night) to go to the toilet. With regards to leaving the puppy at home alone, the puppy will be home along from 8am to 12pm (4hours), then from about 12:30pm to 4:30pm(4hours). My wife works reasonably nearby, so would only really be able to come home to check on the puppy during her lunch break. As we reasonably new to Adelaide, we also don’t have any family or friends nearby who would be able to look after the puppy in the day or take him out the the topilet, so need to plan accordingly. With this in mind, what wouild be the best setup, at home, to leave your puppy alone for 4 hours, twice a day, while we at work? I thought of having a crate (with his bed only), which can be placed in the laundry room (decent space). I guess the laundry room will be his “play area” while we away, which will have clean water, chew toys (with kibble in them) and perhaps a puppy toilet?
Re: Puppy [quote author=Robbiep link=topic=4948.msg61838#msg61838 date=1395191041] moderators, could you please delete this 'duplicate' thread of mine? [/quote] [quote author=Robbiep link=topic=4948.msg61835#msg61835 date=1395189197] thanks for the reply.. looks like i accidentally created two threads on the same topic.. This is the correct thread: http://www.thelabradorforum.com/index.php?topic=4949.msg61819;topicseen#msg61819 I will reply on the above thread [/quote] Robbie, I have merged your threads and removed duplicate posts
Re: Puppy Ha ha. I thought I had put a reply....then it was gone. Was totally confused last night. Just assumed I had accidentally deleted it Thanks Rachael.
