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  1. #11
    Senior Dog katALlabs's Avatar
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    Welcome to the board and lab ownership, as you can see we are passionate about our labs. Puppies are a lot of work you'll get out what you put into them so if you a want a good balanced lab stick around and ask lost of questions. We'll answer them truthfully although you my not like some of the answers we give you they are all done with the well being of your puppy. It'll take a little trial and sometimes error to figure out what training works for you and you may have to modify them to fit your needs. Don't get discouraged most of us have been there before and know how you will feel and will be here for you.
    At the Bridge
    Pinks - Black Lab/Mix - Got ya 12/30/10 - 5/12/23
    Maddie - Chessie - 3/6/10 - 6/25/22
    Purps (Pinks sister) - Black Lab/mix -(Back with us 1/1/18) 12/30/10 - 4/7/21
    Gracie - Yellow Lab - 10/23/05 - 9/6/18
    Nozomi (Zoe) - BC/Lab - Got ya 9/5/09 - 3/19/15
    Abbey - Yellow Lab - Got ya - 5/8/09 - 4/22/11
    Cheanna - Black Lab/Mix - Got ya 5/99 - 9/21/10
    Buddy (Bubba) - Black Lab/Mix - Got ya 11/2/02 - 3/28/10
    Amber - Yellow Lab/Dobi - Got ya 8/1989 - 5/15/01

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    Bubby82102 (04-05-2015)

  3. #12
    Puppy
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    Apr 2015
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    Ugh Labradorks..I feel awful now. Like I just tossed 800.00 down the toilet. Very discouraged at this point. I see that she does not ever offer a refund, so we are pretty much hosed at this point. Before this puppy, we had 5 strike outs with shelter dogs, so that is why we decided to go with a purebred.

    Even with his papers, does that mean he even IS 100% purebred? I don't know whether to cut our losses and try to re-sell him, or tough it out. I am still in contact with the breeder, she said that she will pay for any eye medication that Baron receives from the vet.

    He is having difficulty with being in his crate, and seems to have severe separation anxiety when no one is in the room with him (briefly of course).

  4. #13
    Senior Dog kelsyg's Avatar
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    Hi and welcome!
    Usually the breeder gives a packet of information about the pups and their needs. Recommended food and amounts depending on age and weight, crate training, shots, etc.,as well as the clearances (eyes, hips) done. You can also buy a book on Labs which should cover these essentials. Your AKC papers will say Yellow Labrador.

    I strongly recommend getting pet insurance as soon as possible before there are any prexisting conditions. Some insurance plans even cover hereditary conditions and since I doubt your breeder performs testing on the parents, such a condition could be very expensive.

    Everything on the floor or within reach of puppy will go in the mouth! Usually it will come out the other end, but if, not it will be expensive, so it is essential that the kids know if they leave it out, they will lose it.

    Get a crate and keep it wherever you are. Family room during day, your bedroom at night. Know that new pups can't hold their pee and walk outside, so you should probably carry him out until you know he can hold it.

    Sign up for puppy class as soon as possible. It is very important to socialize him early.

    Remember- a good dog is a tired dog!
    Enjoy every day with him, they grow up so fast. But when they do, they are AWESOME!

    We love pictures!
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    Cornerstone's Lady Rebecca, CGC (Reba)
    Born to love and be loved on July 31, 2010

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  6. #14
    Real Retriever Archie's Avatar
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    Welcome! I hope you aren't taking these comments as a personal attack it's just important for you and anyone else who may be reading this to have an opportunity to learn about our beloved breed.

    i got Archie from a BYB before I knew any better. He was a challenging puppy and will never set foot at a dog show. We got him insured, went to training classes twice a week for a year, socialized him as much as possible, and he's turned out to be a great dog. If you're willing to put in the work I'm sure Baron will turn out great too.

    I hope you'll stick around, there are a lot of great people here to learn from.

    Baron is very cute!!
    Laura, Archie & Quinn
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    OHfemail (04-06-2015)

  8. #15
    Puppy
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    Hey Laura (and Archie)..Thank you!! For the words of encouragement. Sometimes life teaches us things in harsh ways. Learning is sometimes not done the easy way, I always tell my kids. I don't take anything anyone has said as a personal attack. I'm just a bit frustrated with myself for not researching first. I am usually not an impulse type person, but I think I was in this instance. I am just reading everyones comments and learning from them. I actually thank everyone on here for caring enough to educate me! I think this is a great forum with some great people who know a lot about Labs. I look forward to learning more, and I am not going to give up on Baron. Once I get over the disappointment in myself, I'll be good to go.

  9. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to Bubby82102 For This Useful Post:

    Archie (04-05-2015), coopersmom (04-07-2015), katALlabs (04-05-2015), kelsyg (04-05-2015)

  10. #16
    Real Retriever Archie's Avatar
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    Sometimes the greatest challenges have the best rewards. I bet you'll have a great time with that pup of yours.
    Laura, Archie & Quinn
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  11. #17
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bubby82102 View Post
    Ugh Labradorks..I feel awful now. Like I just tossed 800.00 down the toilet. Very discouraged at this point. I see that she does not ever offer a refund, so we are pretty much hosed at this point. Before this puppy, we had 5 strike outs with shelter dogs, so that is why we decided to go with a purebred.

    Even with his papers, does that mean he even IS 100% purebred? I don't know whether to cut our losses and try to re-sell him, or tough it out. I am still in contact with the breeder, she said that she will pay for any eye medication that Baron receives from the vet.

    He is having difficulty with being in his crate, and seems to have severe separation anxiety when no one is in the room with him (briefly of course).
    Don't feel awful. Plenty of people get their dogs from situations that are not ideal and love them just as much as any other dog. You're not hosed, you didn't throw the money down the toilet. You have a puppy, not an investment. And, people make mistakes -- though I hate to call refer to the puppy as a mistake, but hopefully you know what I mean. All you can do is learn from it and help educate others.

    I don't recommend selling him. It's not the puppy's fault that he was born into that situation or that you made the choice to purchase him without doing a bit more homework first. If you had doubts when you stepped foot on the breeder's property, that would have been the time to back out. I feel like you're responsible for the puppy's well-being now. This is just my opinion... If you did decide to get rid of him, at least get in touch with a reputable Lab Rescue in your area to find a well-screened home for him. You won't get your money back, of course, but at least he'll be in good hands. Not to mention, puppies from all walks of life can be very difficult and even the best puppy on the best day is a challenge, so whether it's this puppy or the next one, the first several months (sometimes the first two years!) are a mix of heaven and hell.

    Puppymill dogs are also AKC registered. Unfortunately, all it means is that they are purebred. It doesn't mean they are well bred or healthy or temperamentally sound. All purebred dogs are not created equal.

    At this point, it only matters in that you should be prepared for what my lay ahead, especially without the genetic screening that the parent dogs did not receive. As many have mentioned, get insurance. Today. Right now. Online. PetPlan and Trupanion are both highly regarded. Get the puppy into class ASAP, which will also provide you with a local support group. Now that you know what you know, at least you will be armed with some great advice from people who have been there and done that. As another poster said, put the work into him, and he will most likely be a great dog.

    As far as severe separation anxiety when left in the crate, he's still crate training. My puppy, from a great breeder, hated the crate for a long time, mostly when he was in there alone. But eventually accepted it. Some just don't really love it. You can try covering it and music. But I think you have to give the little guy some time, too.

    Besides puppy class, there are several good puppy books that you could benefit from. Ian Dunbar has some good books. Puppies for Dummies is also good. I'm sure others have recommendations as well.

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  13. #18
    Puppy
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    Thanks for the encouragement. We are going to give it our all!

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    kelsyg (04-05-2015), Labradorks (04-05-2015), WhoopsaDaisy (04-06-2015)

  15. #19
    Senior Dog
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    I'm an obsessive researcher, yet we somehow ended up with a puppy from what I now know was a backyard breeder. But at the time of purchase we didn't know what to look for!

    Kimber came to us at 7 weeks, which we now know is a red flag, and she was a horrible biter. She has hip dysplasia, but luckily it never manifested. She's also an incredibly smart, loving, amazing dog. I regret getting her through a byb, but I can't regret getting her.
    Stormageddon, Princess of Darkness, aka "Stormy"
    Birthday 9-13-18, Gotcha Day 11-11-18
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  16. #20
    Senior Dog Halcyon's Avatar
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    Hello and welcome! Lots of knowledgeable people from all walks of life to learn from here.

    Bobby is my first dog and whilst we did our research and got him from a reputable breeder, he was still a spawn of Satan as a puppy! The key to surviving puppyhood is time, patience, love and persistence. Puppy biting is completely normal. In fact, we affectionately call our Labs "landsharks," "furry piranhas" and "spawn of Satan" quite often.

    Lots of great advice already given. Do have a thorough read of the sticky Labradorks posted.

    Don't feel awkward and discouraged. Lots of people start out where you are. As Randy Pausch says, "Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted." You'll be better prepared next time. Cut your losses and chalk it up as a learning experience. Cherish Baron for who he is, not where he comes from. What's done is done.

    Quote Originally Posted by Bubby82102 View Post

    Edit: What does CGC, CNM, and EIC stand for?
    CGC is a basic pet obedience title that stands for "Canine Good Citizen." Handler and dog undergo several classes to prepare for the evaluation by a certified trainer and if they pass, they earn the title. I don't know much about it but there are many members here who have gone through the CGC. I'm sure they won't mind helping you out to learn more.

    CNM stands for CentroNuclear Myopathy. It is a recessive hereditary disorder, meaning that both parents need to be carriers or affected. Thus, if sire is clear but dam is a carrier, pup will not be affected but further testing is needed to determine whether it is a carrier or cleared if intended for breeding. There is no cure and the only way to test for it is through a DNA test.

    CNM is characterised by the degradation of the skeletal muscles, leading to exercise intolerance and gradual weakening of muscle control (most notably of the legs and neck). It also affects the respiratory system and pup's ability in swallowing. It is a debilitating and disabling condition, often fatal.

    EIC stands for Exercise Induced Collapse. It is most often recorded in young, field Labs and is characterised by muscle weakness, incoordination and life-threatening collapse when undertaking strenuous exercise. The intensity of the collapse can be mild to severe, ranging from hind leg dragging to complete collapse. Like CNM, it is also a recessive hereditary disorder. A DNA test can be done to determine whether pups will be affected.
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    "He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true until the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion." - Anonymous



 



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