First Lab coming in Dec!

[fidgetyknees]

What fun! Check Dog Food Reviews and Ratings | Dog Food Advisor to get a list of quality brands of dog food in case the breeder is not feeding quality and you need to switch over (gradually). I think 6 months is the norm for feeding 3 times a day. Mine quiet honestly still get fed 3 times a day, and they are much older than 6 months, but it gives them something to look forward to during the day (my husband works from home so we can do that). Sure, labs can get fat easily, but labs will also be very active if they are allowed to be, so calories in calories out, mine are on the thinner side of average except for my old girlie.

[roadrnnr]

Oh, you are in for a treat.

Have you checked around in your area and found where and when classes are available?

In addition to classes, (not in place of... but in addition to...) there are tons of videos and DVD's and websites. I pretty much only know about the ones that are geared to training a working retriever for hunting and hunt tests/field trials. But I'm sure there are many that focus on starting off on the right foot to build a particularly fine member of the household.

Best wishes to you and we will want pictures and reports as you go along!

Oh Yeah, We have been watching all kinds of videos on You tube about training and alot of just chocolates.

One Big Question I have is the first few nights at home.

We will be picking her up on a Saturday and fortunately my wife only works 2 days a week so she/we will be home with her a lot at the beginning.

I am wondering what the best way to get through the first few nights. I want to make the crate training slow and successful so should I put her in a box with bedding the first couple nights or start right out with the crate and chance she might associate it with bad things?

[Abulafia]

We brought our lab home in a crate (in the car) and then, that first night, took her to the bedroom, crate was open, and she ran in, lay down, and fell asleep. Got up once during the night for a trip outside to evacuate, then back in and back asleep.

So... for us, it was very easy, and has been wonderful. The crate is her special place. We have never used it as a "time out" spot—it's her den; her quiet, dark retreat. She naps in the kitchen crate (w/ open door) during the day and afternoon. I think it's probably best to just start off straight away w/ the crate rather than try to phase it in once she's got used to having a box.

Appended: my girl when she came home (7.5 weeks) and two from this week, at 5 months. It goes very fast!

[Abulafia]

Weird and unintended duplicate posting deleted. Apologies.

[roadrnnr]

We brought our lab home in a crate (in the car) and then, that first night, took her to the bedroom, crate was open, and she ran in, lay down, and fell asleep. Got up once during the night for a trip outside to evacuate, then back in and back asleep.

So... for us, it was very easy, and has been wonderful. The crate is her special place. We have never used it as a "time out" spot—it's her den; her quiet, dark retreat. She naps in the kitchen crate (w/ open door) during the day and afternoon. I think it's probably best to just start off straight away w/ the crate rather than try to phase it in once she's got used to having a box.

Appended: my girl when she came home (7.5 weeks) and two from this week, at 5 months. It goes very fast!

Ok Thanks

Wow that is 5 months!!!

[fidgetyknees]

Oh Yeah, We have been watching all kinds of videos on You tube about training and alot of just chocolates.

One Big Question I have is the first few nights at home.

We will be picking her up on a Saturday and fortunately my wife only works 2 days a week so she/we will be home with her a lot at the beginning.

I am wondering what the best way to get through the first few nights. I want to make the crate training slow and successful so should I put her in a box with bedding the first couple nights or start right out with the crate and chance she might associate it with bad things?

What worked for me the first few nights with my pups is to elevate the crate to your bed level let the crate face your head. If the puppy cries .... which it may, put your fingers through the crate door so they can lean up right against them so they don't feel quite as lonely. I left the crate at that level for a number of weeks. My newest puppy I got at 13 weeks, so he was fully used to sleeping in a crate by himself, so I didn't have to go through the first few tough nights with him.

[Murrisha]

Hi everyone,

My wife and I will be getting our first Lab in about 6 weeks. She is beautiful little Chocolate.

Have many ? I am sure I will get answered here.

First one is about feeding. I am going to treat train her and was wondering how I should divide up her meal time so I can work with her with some treats during the day and not get her overweight?

Looking forward to learning alot about labs here!

I am in the same boat! I just welcomed my first lab as well, he's an older puppy (14 mos) and a rescue. I've found everybody super helpful and patient on here and usually I can't give much advice, but on this subject I may be able to... The trainer we went to told us to treat train Teller after first asking if he was "food-motivated" LOL. If I'm not mistaken, as a puppy she will be active, meaning she will burn off calories quickly. I would keep her on the same food the breeder has her on, assuming she has no loose stools or any sort of issue with it. We switched Teller over to a grain-free food per the trainer's recommendation and we've noticed his poops are smaller and his farting has decreased. Since she is a little nugget, I would feed 3x a day and follow the package instructions. It also depends on what kind of treats you will be using, how frequently you will be training, and how many you'll be giving her. The trainer told us to fill our pockets with good, soft treats torn into tiny pieces to constantly reinforce when he does something right. She said she prefers high quality treats like little pieces of chicken (unspiced) or beef that she can put in her mouth so the dog will get into the habit of watching her lips. If you're planning on doing a consistent and frequent treat training schedule throughout the day, I would cut back on her food a little bit and increase it if she seems hungry or thin. I wouldn't really worry about her getting fat until she gets older.

In regards to the crate training, when Teller first came to us, he was sort of crate trained but we were going about it all wrong. He used to dread the crate until the trainer advised us to extend the treat training to his crate time. She told us to put the crate somewhere where he could see us and always give him some sort of treat when he goes in his crate, whether it's for punishment or for some quiet time. We moved it into the living room and began giving him treats when he goes in there; it's been less than 2 weeks and now he will go to his crate on his own with no whining, barking, or crying (before we had to drag him). We've also find it helps when you leave the door open and put some toys and a bed in there so he can go in there and sniff around/come and go as he pleases instead of just shutting him in there.

[Maxx&Emma]

Hi and welcome!

[4Thelove]

Hello and welcome

[Jollymolly]

Hi and welcome.