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  1. #11
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    I have been going back and forth with a breeder, and she also recommended the older puppy/young adult that might not have made the cut for showing. Hearing everyone, and seeing all your points, I will keep my eyes open and told her to let me know if she hears of any available. I do work from home 2 days a week, and we haven't gotten to the "scheduled activities" that take up all our weekday evenings and weekends yet. Which was one thing I thought about that was in our favor with younger kids

    I really appreciate all the feedback, and I am definitely rethinking our decision to find a puppy next year. I'm having memories of the frantic nipping and jumping, and being knocked down myself by Lily. I think I'm going to aim to find an older dog, and if we can't, wait until my daughter is closer to 5 or 6 (and my son would be 9 or 10). Still plenty of childhood left for them to enjoy having a dog, right? I do get crazy puppy fever seeing all these cute photos though
    My first lab, Lily 2004-2013 (Love you Lily Bean, we miss you every day!)
    Our video tribute (on her 9th birthday, we lost her a month later): Hidden Content

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    Charlotte K. (06-17-2015)

  3. #12
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    My kids were 7 1/2 and almost 3 when we got Carley. Maybe I just lucked out, or maybe it's her bloodlines or her breeder, but we didn't experience the mouthy, hyper, land shark that many lab owners talk about. Of course there were the daily zoomies, but nothing even remotely resembling crazy. I very closely supervised when kids and puppy were together, correcting behavior as needed (sometimes it was the human, other times the pup). If I couldn't supervise (busy cooking, showering, etc) then pup was safely in her crate. I also took my older daughter with me to puppy classes so she could learn by watching. Pup is now 18 months and the very best of friends with my kids.

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    carrieann (06-17-2015)

  5. #13
    Senior Dog zd262's Avatar
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    My family got our first lab when I was 2, my sister was 5, and my brother was 8. We were one of those families where we were very involved with all the neighborhood kids, constantly running in and out of the house with them and all over the neighborhood. Even though my mom didn't work at the time, it ended up being too much for our family as she was a very big lab who was constantly slipping out the door next to us kids and running through the neighborhood. She actually broke one of the neighborhood kids legs who was holding her leash when she took off after a squirrel and scrapped up another boy badly again chasing squirrels. We ended up re-homing her with one of my dad's co-workers who lived further out in the country. She lived a great life until she was 13 and we got to visit with her on occasion.

    This is of course a worst-case scenario that turned out great for our pup Sophie in the end. She was big and she was wild and we just weren't in the right place as a family to devote the time, attention, and training to her that she needed.

    Then we got our second lab when I was 11, my siblings 14 and 17. At this point I had been begging for a dog for years. Not only did we get a perfectly behaved, on the smaller side, lab, but we were older and I took on a lot of the responsibility of walking and caring for her. She's actually still alive at 14! I love and miss her so much since she is still with my parents.

    I just got my first puppy. I live with my boyfriend and I work from home. I have to echo others in that I cannot imagine having to deal with kids right now. I have an incredibly low level of commitments each day and it is already stressful to care for my pup.

    I'm not sure what the forum position on this is, and I know that I would feel a little sad missing out on this bonding time, but I have had family members who enroll their pups in those long training programs either with the breeder or with another organization. I know that my breeder offered a 6-8 week training program where pups stayed with them for training and you would then pick them up at 4 months instead of 8 weeks. My breeder also offered "started" pups who had a good amount of training.

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    carrieann (06-17-2015)

  7. #14
    House Broken jules's Avatar
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    I am going thru my 3rd lab puppy stage,I too would be careful with young children and a puppy lab,as to they are a large child also except with razor sharp teeth,they don't mean to be but I don't think they realize their own stregnth and their light playing might be too heavy for children,as my daughter with my last lab always remembered him biting and she as well always put him in his cage when around him so I agree with the previous post
    Packer

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    carrieann (06-18-2015)

  9. #15
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    I've now added "check the Labrador clubs for adult dog postings" to my weekly to-do list Here's hoping we find the right fit at the right time for us!
    My first lab, Lily 2004-2013 (Love you Lily Bean, we miss you every day!)
    Our video tribute (on her 9th birthday, we lost her a month later): Hidden Content

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    windycanyon (06-18-2015)

  11. #16
    Senior Dog windycanyon's Avatar
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    If I could echo the older dog thing too.... and add to pleasenot be afraid to adopt a senior either!

    I placed my first ever adult 4.5 yrs ago. Jazz was 7, had had 3 litters, her CD, RA, 2 legs toward her CDX (Open obedience) and JH.

    This young family visited w/ 2 very sweet boys, ages 3 and 5ish for a puppy the year prior. The parents were clear about what they wanted/ needed-- a smaller calmer female. Mom worked from home, dad did sales so days could be long. REALLY NICE FAMILY w/ excellent values from all I could see. At the time, I worried that my litter was just a bit too much energy (imo) for their situation but told them I'd continue to watch and see if there was a mellower black female there that would fit. Funny thing, but while I was talking to mom and dad, Jazzy was out there just loving that the boys would throw her sticks and walk her across the teeter (agility) set at puppy height. They were having a ball together. Long story short, I didn't feel like the litter was a good fit but a couple months later, they called to check in and I referred them to another breeder's litter but they weren't as keen on her dogs as they were bigger/ beefier labs. A couple months later, after some other leads that didn't pan out, I asked the dad if they'd considered an older already trained dog.... specifically Jazzy. He said REALLY???????? We'd LOVE to get her!!!

    What can I say but that girl probably thought she died and went to heaven. Right away she went to school w/ the boys for show and tell and I got so many pictures! She goes everywhere w/ them. Sleeps in the boys room. If every young family was as great as they have been, I'd do it again in a heart beat. They still update me every couple months w/ a cute photo and tell me how much they love her. Anne
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails -image_1-jpg   -8d6a-jpg  
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    The WindyCanyon Girls (taken Summer 2018)
    IntCH WindyCanyon's Northern Spy CDX RA JH OA OAJ CC (14.5 yrs)
    IntCH WindyCanyon's Ruby Pink BN CD RA CC (4.5 yrs)
    IntCH WindyCanyon's Kanzi BN CDX RE JH (5 yrs)
    IntCH WindyCanyon ItsOnlyMoneyHoneycrisp BN RN CC (16mos)
    IntCH WindyCanyon's Pippin BN RI CC (2.5 yrs)
    IntCH WindyCanyon's Envy CDX RE JH CC (10.5 yrs)
    IntCH HIT WindyCanyon's Kiku A Fuji Too CDX RE JH CC (10 yrs)







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    Tanya (06-23-2015)

  13. #17
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    OMG that is the sweetest story! 7yrs old to me isn't quite "senior" for a lab (Lily really had her prime for about years 5-8) but I guess for adoption they are! Thanks for reminding me that's an option, too
    My first lab, Lily 2004-2013 (Love you Lily Bean, we miss you every day!)
    Our video tribute (on her 9th birthday, we lost her a month later): Hidden Content

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    windycanyon (06-18-2015)

  15. #18
    Senior Dog Maxx&Emma's Avatar
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    Jazzy's story is very sweet, what a great dog to teach those boys how to love dogs and be a good owner.

    I can only say I must have been lucky when my kids were little and we had a puppy. I was a stay at home mom until all of them were in school full time, maybe that helped some. I will say I thoroughly enjoy the puppy stage, I never felt overwhelmed. I would honestly love a new puppy every 2 years if I had the money and other resources. Put me on a big farm, lots of land, unlimited money and lots of Labs, that sounds like heaven to me.
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    Maxx and Emma Jean

    Ozzy - 10/2002 - 06/2011 - Rest well my sweet boy. You are forever remembered, forever missed, forever in my heart.

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    carrieann (06-18-2015)

  17. #19
    Senior Dog Macy's Avatar
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    My son was 12 when we got Macy as a pup. She was a holy terror biting, jumping puppy. It was bad. Classes and family consistency helped. I even cried from frustration. We couldn't pet Macy because she got so excited she would bite. My son just wanted to pet his puppy. Ugh. I was glad my son was old enough to understand. She's a wonderful, gentle dog now but puppy hood was a lot of work.
    Good for you for exploring options. Macy has taught my son so much about unconditional love. I wouldn't trade any of it now. But I was glad he was 12.

  18. #20
    Senior Dog windycanyon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Macy View Post
    My son was 12 when we got Macy as a pup. She was a holy terror biting, jumping puppy. It was bad. Classes and family consistency helped. I even cried from frustration. We couldn't pet Macy because she got so excited she would bite. My son just wanted to pet his puppy. Ugh. I was glad my son was old enough to understand. She's a wonderful, gentle dog now but puppy hood was a lot of work.
    Good for you for exploring options. Macy has taught my son so much about unconditional love. I wouldn't trade any of it now. But I was glad he was 12.
    This is why so many of us recommend folks to choose the breeder first, and then let that breeder determine if they have litter/ puppy that fits your household. I've had really easy puppies, and I've had more trying puppies. It so much depends on the genetics of the pedigree. A family like yours w/ a 12 yo should have been a breeze for me. Sounds like you went w/ a very high powered litter or a breeder who really didn't know much about their lines or the evaluation process. I'd tend to put a very middle of the road to mellower pup w/ a family w/ kids (esp if they are not a hunting home).
    Hidden Content
    The WindyCanyon Girls (taken Summer 2018)
    IntCH WindyCanyon's Northern Spy CDX RA JH OA OAJ CC (14.5 yrs)
    IntCH WindyCanyon's Ruby Pink BN CD RA CC (4.5 yrs)
    IntCH WindyCanyon's Kanzi BN CDX RE JH (5 yrs)
    IntCH WindyCanyon ItsOnlyMoneyHoneycrisp BN RN CC (16mos)
    IntCH WindyCanyon's Pippin BN RI CC (2.5 yrs)
    IntCH WindyCanyon's Envy CDX RE JH CC (10.5 yrs)
    IntCH HIT WindyCanyon's Kiku A Fuji Too CDX RE JH CC (10 yrs)







 



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