HomePuppy 101
What do I need to prepare for puppy's arrival? What kind of food do I buy? Grooming supplies? Here are some ideas, supplies, and advice, I have come up with to help you welcome your new friend home.
1. Find a Veterinarian now. Nothing beats the relationship between you and your Vet. If you don't know of one, ask for a referral from neighbors and friends. Your puppy will be sent home with 6 week shots, with another series due at 9 weeks. Your vet will supply you with a complete vaccination schedule.
2. Find a puppy kindergarten class or puppy obedience class. You can do a basic search on the Internet like "puppy kindergarten Houston, Texas" or "canine obedience classes, Ft. Worth, Texas." Many pet stores even have their own classes. The fee is nominal. Usually $10 per session. The whole family should attend.
3. The entire family needs to agree on the command words you will teach puppy. For example, if Billy says lay (for lay down) and mom says down, puppy is going to be confused. Command words should be very short and the whole family needs to agree. For example:
sit = sit down
down = lay down
stay = stay in place
come = come to me
No! = No!
shake = give me your paw
heal = come close to my left side
4. Decide: WHERE and WHO will feed puppy also where puppy will be taken outside to relieve himself and where puppy will sleep.
5. Decide where puppy will stay when you are away at work or running errands ** I do have info on crate training. If you are going to crate train you need to go ahead and buy a crate. I would buy the largest they have (but be sure if it is very large that it comes with a divider). A puppy should be in the crate a maximum of 1 hour per month of age- then once he is trained no longer than 4 hours at a time.
6. Puppy proof your house. Lay on the floor and get a puppy eye view of the surroundings. Make sure there are no electrical cords are laying around and pick up anything you don't want chewed up! Also don't forget about your plants. They can be deadly to a puppy. Check out the following link to see if you have any toxic plants www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pro_apcc_toxicplants
7. Decide now that an occasional game of tug of war is okay but not all the time!!!!!!!!! This is how I got half of my lip torn off when I was a kid (by a Maltese). Even Labs as sweet as they are can be aggressive IF all they are use to is aggressive games like tug of war. You and puppy can play chase, hide and go seek, ball games, bubble popping.... just not tug of war. It is just not a good idea.
Supplies
BOWLS
Food and water- no tip is the best- they won't tip over and make a mess. I highly recommend you get a RAISED food and water dish. It is basically a stand that you place the food and water bowls on so puppy does not have to lean all the way over to eat. This is very important for large breeds to help ease joint pressure.
CHEW TOYS
Raw hides, sqeakies, treats, tennis balls.... A treat Kong! This keeps puppy busy for hours!
GROOMING SUPPLIES
Shampoo (I like oatmeal the best) Also a slicker brush to collect shedding hair.
COLLAR
You may want to wait and take puppy to a pet supply so you can actually outfit him correctly.
LEASH
As soon as you bring puppy home put the leash on him- this is totally foreign to him so it may take a few days for him to get the hang of it.
ID TAG!
Provides peace of mind if puppy ever strays away from his home- you can also talk to your vet about microchipping/tattooing.
CRATE
If you are going to crate train you will obviously need a crate. If you buy a large crate be sure that it comes with a divider. If you buy a huge crate for your puppy he will most likely use the front as his den and the back for his bathroom. The crate should be just big enough to stand up and turn around.
KIDDY GATE
This is necessary if you plan to leave puppy unattended for periods of time in a specified area of your house.
FOOD
This is a very complicated issue believe it or not. Your puppy will come home with a large bag of puppy food. If you wish to switch to a different brand, you will need to mix a ratio of 1/2 mixture of the old food with 1/2 mixture of the new food for several days and then 3/4 new food with 1/4 old food until puppy is weaned off of the old. This will help prevent loose stools and/or diarrhea.
I have spent about 100 hours researching dog foods. You can do your own research too. I strongly believe "off-brands" or grocery store foods can harm or kill your pet. If you are not careful you may choose a brand that has way too many fillers. Fillers are fillers. They contain nothing wholesome or nutritious for you dog. Another thing to watch is soy, many dogs are allergic. The following are foods that have been highly recommended by our vet, by us, or other Lab enthusiast.
Remember to purchase a Large Breed Puppy Formula if the brand makes it. If not then a puppy formula until puppy reaches 15 months. Then you can switch to an adult food.
******
Your quality pup deserves a quality food!
Remember to rotate between foods- every 6-8 months or so. Why?? Because if your dog only eats x brand food it is only getting the nutrients from that food. It would be like if you ate steak and potatoes every day for 6 months. You are only getting the nutrients from steak and potato.
Innova - A holistic pet food www.innovapet.com A++++ equivalent to feeding raw food but its a kibble.
Solid Gold - check their site to find a retailer near you www.solidgoldhealth.com A++++
Eagle Pack the Holistic blend- check their site to find a retailer near you www.eaglepack.com A+++
Premium Edge- sold at Feed Stores. A high quality food used by MANY breeders including myself. It is not commercialized so it is very affordable. www.premiumedgepetfood.com to locate a dealer near you
Pro Plan the Select line - sold at PetsMart and Petco www.proplan.com
Blue Buffalo - sold at Petsmart and Petco www.bluebuff.com/
Canidae- check for a retailer near you on their site www.canidae.com
SCHEDULES
Just like babies, puppies like schedules too. Make up your schedule according to your current family routine.
CHEWING
Don't call me and say Tina, "puppy has chewed a hole in my couch or dug a hole to China in my backyard!" If puppy is acting like that he is more than likely attention deprived. I will tell you that it is not puppy's fault. Labs are very social and if you are not making them priority one- they are going to let you know about it. You should encounter very little, if any, mischievous behavior if they feel like they are part of the family and receiving adequate daily exercise. It is always a good idea to have your lab "working" in some fashion. Check into agility, hunt test, pet therapy, rally, obedience,.... this will help your little fellow and you form a bond and sometime can offset unwanted behavior.
Well, I hope this helps. Remember along the way if you ever have ANY questions just email or call. For my undivided attention just call or email after 9:00 pm. You are in for the surprise of your life. Nothing feels better than a Lab's tail beating you up side the head because he is so thrilled to be hanging out with you. With proper attention, exercise, and care, your little puppy will shower you with sloppy kisses for many years to come. I just hope that you keep me updated with all the fun & adventures along the way!