Took the pluge and have a pup on the way! Advice needed...

Hey guys,

I finally put a deposit on a Black Lab pup that was born a couple days ago and will be coming home in 8 weeks. This dog will be a mix of a pet and waterfowl dog. Any advice on the training or house breaking part is appreciated. Will be working with a few guys from work who have trained hunting dogs before and still hunt over very good dogs. Any Food recommendations etc. We have a lot to learn together and looking forward to the training part and getting each other ready for hunting season. Will post pictures and keep everyone up to date on the progress.

Thanks for your input in advance.

Congrats! Very exciting time. Crate train from the beginning you won't be sorry!

What goosman said!!

Congratulations.

Get lots of sleep before pup arrives. :)

I suggest you stick to what the breeder is feeding for the first couple weeks. Pup will have to make enough adjustments without getting a food change.

house training : This is what has always worked well for me. It is a drag but worth it. Take pup out to pee etc every 30 minutes.Use a cue work . I say, "Hurry up!" Pup will quickly ( couple weeks?) pick up that he must go outside. I have a dog door which makes life much easier. Don't make a big deal about accidents. He has a bladder the size of a walnut.
Don't give pup run of the house. Mine stay in the tiled kitchen/den only.... baby doors used.
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crate training : Highly recommend pup sleeps in the closed crate from night one.... as Gooseman said. He'll make a racket for a couple nights, but then it will be over.
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Don't allow any biting of your fingers , pant legs etc from Day 1. Be tough. I grab their mouth till they whimper a bit. Their Mom would be much tougher on them . :)

Enjoy!

GREAT advice Sharon.

I picked my new black lab up nov 9. within one week she was heading to the back door so she could take care of business. we did exactly what has been posted here already. and yes there have been a few trying times but then she does something stupid that makes my wife and I crack up and that makes it all worth while.

Give them tons of attention and exercise. When they lack either of these two they will start to act up.
We work during the day so I would walk my lab in the morning
Paid for 2 walks during the day for the first 6 months then dropped to one. Then long exercise run after work. Then a long walk in the evening.
Seems excessive but they love to be outside and with there owners.


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Also I suggest to take a towel or small blanket to the breader a week prior to you bring the pup home and having it under mom to get her smell on it. Bring it home and let the pup sleep with it, this helps the first few nights calming the pup during the separation period and a hot water bottle along with it. And as stated get lots of sleep before you bring the fur ball home as the first few nights are not the easiest. But in the end well worth it.

Congrats! Lots of great advice on this forum, patience patience and patience and the rewards will out weigh those challenging times a million to one!!

I brought home this monster exactly two weeks ago and he's now 10.5 weeks.

Attachment 31637

As was mentioned, potty training is about patience and effort. We took our guy out at least every 45 minutes to an hour, plus directly after things like meals, naps, vigorous play time. There will be mistakes, not sense getting frustrated. Keep the pup in an area where it's easy to clean up and always have paper towel/cleaner on hand. A dog can only associate with an action for a short period of time (1-2 seconds afterwards), so no sense scolding after he's done. Mid pee, maybe a small correction like a lightly raised voice (i use a 'buzz' or 'errrr' type noise, not the word 'no'), then bring them outside. After two weeks, we've had 1 incident in the past 3-4 days and he is doing a great job now of indicating a need to go outside. His bladder control is also increasing, though we still put him out every hour.

We have about 10 different chewing toys around the house so that when he starts gnawing on something he shouldn't we can put something in his mouth he is allowed to chew on. Distraction is a great technique with a new pup if he's doing something you don't want. You don't want to fill your day with negative corrections. Dogs will tend to do things they already do, it's conditioning. So just model the behavior you want to see.

All my dogs are crate trained, though the older two don't use their much anymore, but it's a very good thing to institute. A crate is a positive thing only. Our pup gets fed in his crate, plus positive things, like a treat or a little peanut butter on a bone when he goes in there. It doesn't take long for them to realize its positive for them to go in there. Especially in the first week, remember they will scream like a banshee once they realize they are confined to the crate. If they are fed, relieved themselves and have had a little playtime, just leave them be until they settle. It's also good to start leaving briefly when they are in there (and calm) to get them accustom to being left alone. Remember, if unsupervised, make sure the crate is also safe for the pup. Ours has proven no to rip apart his bed, so he gets one and a puppy bone that he can't break apart or swallow. Its good for you to know there is no potential for him to get in trouble while in there (unsupervised). Crate training helps with the bladder control as well. They won't like to relieve themselves in this spot. However we still only leave him in there during the day for 1 hour max at the start, normally when he was exhausted, now we are up to 2 hours if we need to run out for errands.

Again, sleeping in the crate gives you the peace of mind that he's safe. We keep ours next to the bed, for all three of my dogs this has helped, even compared to having it just outside the bedroom door. They are likely used to sleeping with their litter mates, so being completely segregated from you can add anxiety. I've actually curled up on the floor in front of the crate, hand inside a couple times with each dog to help settle them. Beyond that, don't forget they will need to relieve themselves in the night. Having the crate close is good for them to hear the wimpering they will likely do when they need to go. Take them out, then immediately back in. Wimpering, gets them access to go outside to pee, not a release from the crate.

Other things I've been doing in the first couple weeks. I try to always have some broken up pieces of his kibble in my pocket or around on various tables, etc. If the pup is looking up at me, treat. It's been working well to instill within him a desire to seek me out and look at me, at this point for treats, in the future it will switch to direction/commands. I've also started using this to introduce his name as well as the come command and whoa (since he's a pointing dog). All of this is very unstructured at this point, but especially with the come command, it's great to start having him chase you with a treat and have him come into you. As you do this, get him used to physical contact, grabbing his collar, etc. I do 3-4 daily, fun, unstructured training times with him.

A couple other points, get them used to as much as possible. The woods, fields, people, situations. Finally, learn your dog at this stage. One of my other dogs is a terrier. I can and need to be pretty 'hard' with her at times. This new Brittany is a softy. I've had to really re-adjust my mentality with him.

And this is all just is what has been working for me, I'm far from super experienced.

Some very experienced lab owner/trainers here. When they offer advice pay attention. Enjoy the journey, be patient and consistent. I can't imagine "not" having a dog in my life anymore.

A lot of great advice- so won't repeat . My pup used go crazy when i put in the crate for the night- he would whimper for couple of hours. My breeder told me to get him so tried that when it was time to put him in the crate- he would just fall asleep and no whimpering.


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789,
Folks are giving you lots of advice about the time frame when they come home and how to house train and acclimatize your pup. My advice will be a little different......actually retro active. I hope you have considered the following:

-checked out the breeder
-looked at parents
-looked at and checked into the pedigree
-asked about the gurantee
-looked at health clearances(hips/elbows/eyes/eic/cnm/)
-price shopped

I realize you asked somewhat of a different question but to me there are some earlier questions that should be addressed before one makes a choice. Sometimes hard to resist a cute and timely puppy but the above issues should form a solid list of questions before you got to the deposit stage.

Hopefully you have and good luck with the pup. There are many resources out there currently....google names like Hillman, Lardy, Graham for excellent media support materials re training retrievers. Check the Canadian National Retriever web site for clubs, contacts and when competitions are held that you may wish to visit to meet like minded folks.

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Originally Posted by krakadawn

789,
Folks are giving you lots of advice about the time frame when they come home and how to house train and acclimatize your pup. My advice will be a little different......actually retro active. I hope you have considered the following:

-checked out the breeder
-looked at parents
-looked at and checked into the pedigree
-asked about the gurantee
-looked at health clearances(hips/elbows/eyes/eic/cnm/)
-price shopped

I realize you asked somewhat of a different question but to me there are some earlier questions that should be addressed before one makes a choice. Sometimes hard to resist a cute and timely puppy but the above issues should form a solid list of questions before you got to the deposit stage.

Hopefully you have and good luck with the pup. There are many resources out there currently....google names like Hillman, Lardy, Graham for excellent media support materials re training retrievers. Check the Canadian National Retriever web site for clubs, contacts and when competitions are held that you may wish to visit to meet like minded folks.

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X2.... Join a club, learn form others on the training and socialization .Too many jump at impulse and do not research out the breeder, or realistically their own desire for a dog.

Dick

Great advice here. My BLF is a 2 years old now.

The get some sleep advise before puppy arrives is key. I was sleep deprived for a solid 2 weeks to take her outside every few hours. I basically had to do that on my own while the wife & kids got to sleep normally becasue it was my idea to get a dog... LOL

If you can take a week off work when the puppy arrives or have someone take over when you are @ work.

I was very lucky with her. She only had 3 accidents in the house because I didn't figure out her schedule soon enough.

She is is still a ball of energy & I can't imagine a day with-out her now. Lab's need a ton of exercise when they are younger or they will become destructive to get attention. I love it becasue it keeps me off the couch too. :)

Good luck with you puppy & send us pics along your journey...

Look into getting a program like Evan Graham's Smart Works. I used it with my Lab and am very happy with the results.

Another for crate training, it will save you money in the long run with less chewed up stuff. Its also safer for the dogs as they don't eat things that could cause health problems when you are not there to oversee what they are doing.

So many have crate training as their top priority?
LOL
Call me selfish, but I want to spend some time with my dog!
Incarceration is not the convenient solution when you got yourself a dog and find out you don't have enough time for it.
Post #10 looks at it the positive way - and that's what it should be and not locking up a dog in a box!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waftrudnir

So many have crate training as their top priority?
LOL
Call me selfish, but I want to spend some time with my dog!
Incarceration is not the convenient solution when you got yourself a dog and find out you don't have enough time for it.
Post #10 looks at it the positive way - and that's what it should be and not locking up a dog in a box!

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Good point.

One thing I didn't mention is take your dog with you everywhere you go if possible. I have been doing this since she was a pup & she is very well behaved in the truck now. She either sleeps or stares out the window. I only crate when I am @ work & @ night so I can sleep & so she doesn't fight with the cat all night long... LOL

A friends dog get's sick in the car & high anxiety becaue they alays left her @ home. They can't take her anywhere... :(

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waftrudnir

So many have crate training as their top priority?
LOL
Call me selfish, but I want to spend some time with my dog!
Incarceration is not the convenient solution when you got yourself a dog and find out you don't have enough time for it.
Post #10 looks at it the positive way - and that's what it should be and not locking up a dog in a box!

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Agreed !!
I crate trained but priority one was working on leaving him out of the crate all day.
Not a fan of dogs being crated all day.


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Thanks guys! Great replies so far.

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Originally Posted by BDH

X2.... Join a club, learn form others on the training and socialization .Too many jump at impulse and do not research out the breeder, or realistically their own desire for a dog.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by krakadawn

789,
here are many resources out there currently....google names like Hillman, Lardy, Graham for excellent media support materials re training retrievers. Check the Canadian National Retriever web site for clubs, contacts and when competitions are held that you may wish to visit to meet like minded folks.

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Lots of great advice so far and I would also like to encourage you to look into joining a Retriever Training club. I'm currently in the process of training my first lab and I am beyond grateful of the help and support of my local club. I've watched several of the different training program DVDs and read numerous books but nothing has been as helpful as getting out and training with more experienced handlers.

Some good websites to check out as some other members mentioned:
http://www.nrcc-canada.com/clubs.html
http://www.canadianhuntingdogs.com/forum.php
http://retrievertraining.net/forums/

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waftrudnir

So many have crate training as their top priority?
LOL
Call me selfish, but I want to spend some time with my dog!
Incarceration is not the convenient solution when you got yourself a dog and find out you don't have enough time for it.
Post #10 looks at it the positive way - and that's what it should be and not locking up a dog in a box!

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Absolutely.
If you work you need someone to come in at noon and take the dogs for a walk and some play time. Should not be crated all day. When you get home from work, pup should be out with you until bed time.

PS When you buy a crate get one with the divider. Pup should be able to stand up completely and turn around. More than that and pup will use the rest of the crate as a bathroom. As he grows , remove the divider.

Get a lot of chew toys in different shapes along with Bill Hillman "Training a retriever puppy" (day by day) DVD.
Regarding the food - buy the best one you can afford. I would suggest Acana.
Cheers & congrats on your new pup!

Nice to see you back Verno. :)

We pick up our new pup Jan 23. Thanks for all the info. Trying to get refreshed, as its been almost ten years since our last dog, about 20 years since he was a pup.

I will for sure look into joining a club. Anyone have any recommendations for a club located around the Peterborough or Durham Area?

HRC lake ontario they train in Port Perry

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Originally Posted by bellerivercrossbowhunter

Good point.

One thing I didn't mention is take your dog with you everywhere you go if possible. I have been doing this since she was a pup & she is very well behaved in the truck now. She either sleeps or stares out the window. I only crate when I am @ work & @ night so I can sleep & so she doesn't fight with the cat all night long... LOL

A friends dog get's sick in the car & high anxiety becaue they alays left her @ home. They can't take her anywhere... :(

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absolutely. bring the pup anywhere you possibly can, spend a good amount of time on obedience training and you will never regret having a well behaved dog that can read your mind...
regarding crates; I don't use one at all. all dogs had free range of the house. however, your home needs to be somewhat pet safe - especially until you know if your dog behaves just like as you are home or if he starts doing his own thing

http://www.nrcc-canada.com/clubs.html
http://www.canadianhuntingdogs.com/forum.php
http://retrievertraining.net/forums/

Awesome resources, Thanks!

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Originally Posted by Waftrudnir

regarding crates; I don't use one at all. all dogs had free range of the house. however, your home needs to be somewhat pet safe

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This will work fine for many people, but be sure you know what you'll expect of the dog. If you want your dog to travel in a crate or to spend lots of time in a crate when necessary (e.g. hunt tests), then crate training as a pup is essential.

At 6, my dog has the run of the house. But thanks to crate training as a pup I can crate her for hours when travelling or when I need her to be. I can give her the kennel command and she'll hop up on into her crate in the back of the van. (Retriever trainers may have more to say on the importance of that command....) She doesn't mind the crate and if I leave the door open she'll occasionally go in and flop down on her own.

The benefit here is not that it's convenient for me to crate the dog. Sometimes you need to crate a dog. And a dog that's crate trained is not stressed when you crate it.

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Originally Posted by welsh

This will work fine for many people, but be sure you know what you'll expect of the dog. If you want your dog to travel in a crate or to spend lots of time in a crate when necessary (e.g. hunt tests), then crate training as a pup is essential.
......... The benefit here is not that it's convenient for me to crate the dog. Sometimes you need to crate a dog. And a dog that's crate trained is not stressed when you crate it.

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X's 2!

Dogs love a den .... and by crate training early in a pup's life, this also gives the dog a space of their own particularly in a busy household to curl up and snooze!

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Originally Posted by bellerivercrossbowhunter

Good point.

One thing I didn't mention is take your dog with you everywhere you go if possible. I have been doing this since she was a pup & she is very well behaved in the truck now. She either sleeps or stares out the window. I only crate when I am @ work & @ night so I can sleep & so she doesn't fight with the cat all night long... LOL

A friends dog get's sick in the car & high anxiety becaue they alays left her @ home. They can't take her anywhere... :(

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I disagree with that....I've seen too many pups squashed by owners who "took them everywhere", but were distracted by other goings-on and weren't paying attention to the pup.

Sure take your pup along - but only if you can give it your undivided attention when its outside of a crate.

...Its also my feeling that dogs should be crated when travelling in a vehicle.

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Originally Posted by Waftrudnir

So many have crate training as their top priority?
LOL
Call me selfish, but I want to spend some time with my dog!
Incarceration is not the convenient solution when you got yourself a dog and find out you don't have enough time for it.
Post #10 looks at it the positive way - and that's what it should be and not locking up a dog in a box!

---

Crate training is important... and it makes house training much simpler.
My thoughts are, if you can't be in the same room as the pup to keep an eye on it, it should be either crated or kennelled.

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Originally Posted by werner.reiche

Crate training is important... and it makes house training much simpler.
My thoughts are, if you can't be in the same room as the pup to keep an eye on it, it should be either crated or kennelled.

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so why wouldn't the pup want to be in the same room as you?
if you allow the dog only in a certain room/area of your home then the dog is "kenneled" as soon as you leave this room/area and the dog stays behind. so why do you need a crate unless this "kennel" is not safe?
I'm not debating that giving the dog time/room to be alone is both important for the dog and for yourself.
Despite the current pro-crate thinking, I prefer a place command rather than locking up the dog in a box.

This thread is not about crates, but still it appears that this is the most important topic when you get a pup for some and I wonder why. I would have thought there would be a lot more talk about housebreaking, first training/commands, bonding or even how/when to expose them to game/scents.

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Originally Posted by Waftrudnir

so why wouldn't the pup want to be in the same room as you?
if you allow the dog only in a certain room/area of your home then the dog is "kenneled" as soon as you leave this room/area and the dog stays behind. so why do you need a crate unless this "kennel" is not safe?
I'm not debating that giving the dog time/room to be alone is both important for the dog and for yourself.
Despite the current pro-crate thinking, I prefer a place command rather than locking up the dog in a box.

This thread is not about crates, but still it appears that this is the most important topic when you get a pup for some and I wonder why. I would have thought there would be a lot more talk about housebreaking, first training/commands, bonding or even how/when to expose them to game/scents.

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"so why wouldn't the pup want to be in the same room as you?" Because he's exploring the house on his own, chasing cats, etc.

"Kennelled" is outdoors, in a kennel, and when he is kennelled, he's not crated.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Waftrudnir

This thread is not about crates, but still it appears that this is the most important topic when you get a pup for some and I wonder why. I would have thought there would be a lot more talk about housebreaking, first training/commands, bonding or even how/when to expose them to game/scents.

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Well, housebreaking is easy, bonding is a given, and exposing the dog to game is months off.

Crate training makes housebreaking easier and is part of your first training. It's also something that people mess up. So it's a natural topic of discussion.

Another good reason to give your dog regular crate experience is because if the dog gets sick , it well may spend overnight etc. in a crate at the vet's. You don't want that to be your dog's first experience with crating , he'll be stressed enough.

PS As soon as my JRT sees me putting on lipstick , he goes to his bed/crate. He's only 2 and I would never leave him out when I'm gone. The house would be destroyed when I came back. :)

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Originally Posted by Sharon

Another good reason to give your dog regular crate experience is because if the dog gets sick , it well may spend overnight etc. in a crate at the vet's. You don't want that to be your dog's first experience with crating , he'll be stressed enough
....

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Certainly a good reason. And again, training your dog to crate and locking it up for most of the day are two very different things in my books.
In the end, your vet may commend you, but they don't need to (and unless they know your dog well, might not take the risk to) rely on your crate training. They have other reliable means to keep your dog "happy".

I don't think anyone is recommending locking the dog up for most of the day.

Something to remember with young pups is that they tire quickly and spend a lot of their time sleeping. You have the pup running around for an hour, he gets tired, you pop him in the crate, he sleeps. He wakes up, the first thing you do is take him out to pee. Rinse, lather, repeat: crate training and housebreaking all in one, without incarcerating a dog who wants to run around and play.

If you crate them in the vehicle you can leave the windows open, notice the thermometer in the second vehicle:

Attachment 31655Attachment 31656

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Originally Posted by werner.reiche

Crate training is important... and it makes house training much simpler.
My thoughts are, if you can't be in the same room as the pup to keep an eye on it, it should be either crated or kennelled.

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X 2 and should be crated while travelling in a vehicle for their safety and theirs.

Dick

crate trained best, my guy loved his crate, we would leave gate open when not in use, we would find him sleeping in it on his own. I used the command kennel to get him in, and I still use the command kennel for everything I want him to get into, boat truck car, crate. Exercise big part. I would work him every morning, come home at lunch work (15min) and after work. Than walk after supper. We still do this process 8yr later. I also think the use of bells good. I would hang a string of small cow bells by door and I would ring in beginning and he would ring on own when he wanted out. Saved a lot of watching as we would get busy and not notice he was by door. Also train him to go PEE on command, that helps when you need to get in truck and go somewhere. I tell him PEE every we go to get in truck, even if he has just been out. It funny to watch him try even though he is empty, but he still tries.

Other than that everything mentioned works

I'm a big believer in making dogs used to and happy in the crate & the kennel.
Re taking the dog everywhere, I agree up to a point. It depends on the dog. I think a high flyer would benefit from this, as it would decrease the intensity of excitement of going training. Dogs that are not so intense, benefit from less stimulation, prior to training.
No doubt though, that there is a great advantage to intense bonding. Probably more so with females than males.

Congrats on the new addition, post pics! :)