Hi everyone! We're new to the forum and also new to owning a dog! Arrived here after reading some great articles on the main website and I will no doubt need (and be very grateful for) the advice of all you seasoned lab owners and hopefully be able to offer some advice of my own when the time comes... I'm Dad to an amazing 9 year old daughter and this is our equally amazing 10 week old male lab pup - Shelby! What an experience so far! He's been with us for two weeks and I share every new lab puppy owner's excitement [frustration] and happiness [worry]! A baptism of fire to say that least - but one we're both embracing and enjoying at the same time! Shelby is a real quick learner; he's been sleeping through since his third night and occasionally has a toilet break in the small hours before heading back to bed. He'll sit, stay and go to bed with reasonable reliability already and waits (very impatiently) for his food! And touch wood - we've only had four or five indoor accidents in the last 10 days! And then of course all the good stuff: digging holes, eating everything he shouldn't, mouthing and nipping - and the occasional romantic(?) session with his favourite sweatshirt! I should have read the disclaimer So, hello folks from the three of us! Look forward to getting to know you all! Andrew
Hi and welcome from me and nearly 3 year old fox red girl, Harley Shelby is adoreable Have you had dogs before? How is your daughter getting on with him?
Hi Ternaya! Thanks! No dogs before! This is our first. They get along really well - she obviously enjoys cuddle times more than she does having her ankles harassed and hands nipped, but she's incredibly patient with him and very mature... Do you have kids in your house too with Harley?
Hi Andrew, welcome to you from me and Lilly. Shelby is so cute in that photo! Glad things are going pretty well for you. It is a great opportunity to get your daughter involved in training. My daughter is now 17, so was only 11 when we got Lilly (after years of nagging from her) and she has very much taken the lead on training activities, being the handler at most classes etc. Do you have The Happy Puppy Handbook? - it is SO readable, and would be great for your daughter too if not already in your puppy library! jac
Hi Jacqui and Lily! Thanks She's also looking forward to training him, and is starting to get more involved. We'll be heading off for classes together when he's had his second lot of vaccines (roll on that day, so difficult being confined)... I have the Handbook on order! Along with Total Recall - the quality of the articles on here seem second-to-none and so I hope to find the same in the book!
I don't think you will be disappointed Andrew - the books are so well laid out and easy to read, and so too big so easy to take it all in - Pippa has a knack of explaining things so well. You and your daughter will get loads from reading The Happy Puppy book together.
Hi and welcome from me and Dexter, who is also my first dog. Shelby looks so cute, I'm sure the 3 of you will have the best of times together as you all learn.
Thanks Jacqui - I'll look forward to getting stuck into it! Hi Newbie and Dexter! Thanks for the welcome By the way... does anyone know how I edit a post?! Or do I need a minimum number of posts?
Welcome Andrew and Shelby from Hattie 8 years and our rescue boy Charlie 5 years. Shelby is gorgeous and good luck with the training. Hattie was our first dog, my daughter Grace was 13 years old at the time she did the training and really enjoyed it. Good luck with your puppy classes, you and your daughter will have endless fun with Shelby xx
oh my! Shelby looks as if butter wouldn't melt - gorgeous. Welcome to the forum from me, Belle & Coco.
Shelby is beautiful. I bet you get no work done with him around Welcome to the forum from Fred, Annie and me.
