CARING FOR YOUR NEW LABRADOR PUPPY FROM PIATT ACRE LABS

Your puppy has spent all of its life with its brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles etc, it is now in a new location and it will take a while for it to adjust. We suggest taking a shirt that has been worn all day and placing it in the kennel with the puppy. This will aid in the bonding process and also make the puppy not feel so alone.

We suggest that you keep food available to the puppy at all times of the day and withdraw the food several hours before bed. If this is not possible, the puppy needs to be fed at least 3 times during the day and allowed to eat as he/she chooses. As long as the puppy knows that the next meal is coming, it will not eat excessively and will regulate its own intake. The puppy’s stomach is not very large and therefore to only feed the dog once or twice a day may be ok for later as it matures but while they are young it places a lot of stress on their system. For those who work during the day this is still possible by feeding prior to leaving, feeding right when returning home, and then again later on but not closer than 2 hours before bed. Water should be available all day and though this is hard with crate training, it is still possible. With regular water intake, everything biologically works at its best and the puppy actually urinates less than if only allowed to have water at certain times.

Most often “accidents” that happen are not the fault of the puppy, but a result of not enough supervision. The bladder and digestive tract of the puppy is still very small as well and as we would not expect a young child to go for hours without eliminating, we can not expect that of a puppy either. If possible it is recommended that the puppy be taken out every one to two hours and not allowed to come into the living area of the house until they have relieved themselves. The makeup of the dog is such that if the nose is on the ground working, and the legs are moving, then the bowels will work. This is true not only if the dog is in the house but is also true in the yard. If the puppy when taken out refuses to go, then simply walk them around more. If that does not do the trick, then put them back in their kennel and take them out again later 30 minutes or so until they do what needs to be done.

We recommend what is commonly called crate training or kennel training. There are many books on the subject but the same basic principles are true throughout. The more consistent you as the owner are in this, the faster the puppy will learn. Some have learned in a couple weeks while others that have not been crate trained, have taken much longer. The basics of crate training are these. When not under direct supervision, the dog remains in its kennel or crate. This needs to be small enough so that the puppy only has room to lay down and for a water bowl and food if you choose to feed them in their kennel. Too much room in the kennel will allow the dog to relieve itself in one area and still be able to stay out of it on the other side. It must be remembered that even if the puppy only has a limited amount of space, if it needs to go and can no longer hold it, it will go. This can be avoided by taking the puppy out more frequently. The object is to avoid or head off all accidents before they happen. About 20 - 30 minutes after eating, the puppy needs to be taken out of kennel to the area of the yard that you desire them to use. After relieving themselves, this is a good time for praise and to bring them in to play for a while but they still need to be fully supervised. Once that play time is over, the puppy is returned to its kennel and then taken out later as previously described. The times between going out are gradually extended as the puppy grows older. As the puppy “proves” itself in its part of the kennel, the rest of the kennel is then opened up to allow them more room to move about. When they prove they will “hold it” in their kennel for appropriate time, then they can be allowed to have a larger area to run in, often the bathroom is good for this next step as it usually has a hard floor that is more easily cleaned than carpet. After this may come a laundry room or kitchen. What is happening, is that as the puppy proves that he/she can be responsible in a smaller area, they are then given a larger area to use. Though this method of training means that the first couple weeks you have the dog, it will spend a lot of time in its kennel it is the fastest and best way to housebreak a puppy, which means that you will be able to enjoy it all the more as it grows.

We feed Nutro Large Breed Puppy. We have found these foods to be the wisest use of our money in raising the dogs as they are assured of the proper nourishment as they grow. This is not the only food that is suitable for our dogs and puppies and it is your choice to feed them as you like. Our one requirement for any and all guarantees, written or verbal, is that for the first 18 months the puppy must be fed a large breed growth formula. All puppy food is not the same and don’t allow anyone to tell you that “our food is ok for large and small dogs”. It simply is a lie. Smaller dogs mature faster and have different growth needs than larger dogs. Your puppy will be considered a large breed dog as its mature weight will exceed 55 pounds. Many different makers have large breed formulas and thus the ultimate choice is yours. Iams and Eukanuba are made by they same company but are both good. Science diet or Nutro is what we use here. There are other brands that may be adequate and one way in telling what is best for your puppy is to watch the input verses the output. If you have to feed a lot and see a lot coming out, you may want to try another food. If the dog appears to like the food and is eating the recommended amounts, stick with it. If you choose to change the food that your puppy or dog is on, it needs to be done gradually over about 10 days. Mixing old food with new food in ratio form, ie: day one - 90% old & 10% new; day 2 - 80% old & 20 % new; and continue this until on all new food. Once the dog is 18 months old, it will no longer require the balance that the puppy formulas offer.

It is normal for dogs to get diarrhea when their food is changed or they have eaten things other than their normal diet. It is also normal for them to have it when they are stressed. This should not last more than two or three days and it is necessary to keep a close eye on the puppy to make sure that they remain hydrated.

Your puppy has been wormed regularly at two week intervals and it has received its first shot and possibly its second depending upon the age that the dog is picked up. Different veterinarians have different shot schedules that they use for puppies. The one I use here is the most conservative I have seen, but having seen many puppies get sick and even die between shots, I like to error on the side of caution. I recommend shots at 6, 8, 10, 12, and 16 weeks old. At 16 weeks of age the puppy can be also given its rabies shot and then will not require any more for a year. If you desire, we will continue to give the puppy its shots until its 16 week rabies. We only do this as a service to you and it also allows us to see the pups as they grow. Some people will take the pup straight from our house to their vet to have them check the puppy out and make sure that everything is ok and that again will be your choice but most do not see the vet until they need their next shot should they decide not to come back here. Please do not allow the puppy to go longer than three weeks between shots.

We have found that they rarely need one at all. Perhaps after a swim in the local ditch or swamp (as they will do if allowed to) they may need to be bathed. Use a pet shampoo as it is easier on their skin that human cleaners which have a tendency to dry out their skin and make them flaky. The hair coat on the Labrador consists of two coats in one, an outer coat that is more coarse and an inner coat that is more downy and has an oily texture about it. Because of this, they do not carry the odor that other dogs do. Often just a swim in a child’s pool will be enough to freshen them up.

If you requested, your pup has been implanted with a microchip. It is about the size of a grain of rice and is located between the shoulder blades on the dogs back. It allows a scanner to bounce a signal off of it and retrieve a number that is unique to only your animal. That number is registered nationally to the breeder or veterinarian that injected it. In your case, that would be me, the breeder. This number needs to be registered to you as the pet’s owner. This registering of the number to you will help reunite your pet back with you should he/she ever be lost and found. It also has benefits in situations where ownership of a particular animal is under debate. We recommend that you fill out the paperwork and register your pet as soon as possible.

This will be your choice. Some people do nothing but keep the papers while others will send them away and will actually register their puppy with the AKC. Unless you plan to breed your dog or show it in the show rings, then the paperwork only proves that your dog comes from other dogs who were also registered. Most people have no desire to do either and therefore just keep the papers in a safe place as bragging rights.

Biting is something that the pups have used not only in cutting teeth but also in defending themselves against the other litter mates. It is natural for them to “play” with their mouths and at times get carried away and get too aggressive. When they do this, they need to know that this is not acceptable behavior and will not be tolerated. The earlier that they learn this lesson the better off everyone will be. I usually will grab the pup by its upper jaw and insert fingers behind their canines and apply pressure on their lips into the teeth while saying, “easy”. They will not bite down on their own lips and thus the thinking and logic behind training this way. It is also necessary to remember that the Labrador Retriever is bred to be just that, aretriever. It is natural for them to desire to have things in their mouths. We neverdiscipline a puppy for picking up something as long as it is brought to us. It is easiest touse this natural desire to your benefit in training your puppy. When they pick upsomething, call them to you and praise them for coming and bringing you their prize. Ifthey can keep it, simply give it back, if they cannot have it, then take it away and theywill go on about their business. This teaches them to almost ‘ask for permission’ to havesomething when they find it by bringing it to you first. Also, it must also be kept in mind,that this is a puppy, and will be for almost 24 months. They will be teething during someof that time and will need to have things to chew on and play with. We have found thatthe knuckles or femurs, real bones, last the longest. Rawhides will last for a while buthave their own flaws as they end up really slimy and can even be swallowed and thrownback up again or become lodged and require medical attention.

Yes, it seems to be easier for some than for others. Those with an older dog that already knows the boundaries often respond quicker than others but not always. One of the ways to do this without a fence of some type is to even as a young puppy, walk the perimeter of your property with them. This may be done as many times as they are allowed outside. They learn through repetition what is ok and the more this is done the better and sooner they learn where they can and cannot go. It is necessary to remember though that your puppy has been bred as a hunting companion and even though you may have no desire to hunt, the hunting desire to find different scents has been bred for many years into your puppy. They will chase other animals, they will seek out females in heat or attract males if they are in heat. The only safe way to be sure that your dog will not leave the property is with a fence.

The best way is to use the dog’s natural instincts to your advantage. Whether retrieving or just seeking to please. Keep in mind that the attention span of a young puppy is not that of an older dog and training sessions will need to be varied in length and format. Keep the dog interested in what you are doing and while the dog is young, don’t force them to learn something. This often ends up in frustration for both the dog and the owner as the dog is not sure what is expected and the owner is not sure why the dog is not responding. Consistency is the key. Whether just obedience or hunting or whatever, your puppy will learn best if it is worked with consistently everyday even if only for a short while. We have owned many dogs over the years. The best by far have been the ones that we have spent 10 minutes a day with while they were young and working up to 1-2 hours a day (depending on the training) with for the first 6 - 9 months that they have been with us. Some of us no longer have that ability to devote that much time, but remember, consistency and repetition are the keys.

Though this is often cute when they are a puppy, it is not so cute when they are muddy or when they are 80 pounds and can look you in the eye. This is a problem that is often a result of allowing a behavior and then choosing that that same behavior is no longer allowable. Thinking ahead as to what you will and will not allow the dog to do will aid in how you train now. Some people allow their pets on the furniture while others do not. If you are one who does not desire to share the couch with your adult lab, then don’t do so now. If you do not want him jumping up on friends when he is an adult, don’t allow him to do it now. To keep him off, or to not jump on people, several things are helpful. If the puppy is on a leash, try to catch the puppy before he/she has a chance to jump. Tell them no and hold them back. It is ok for them to be excited when they meet people, they need to learn how to control that energy. If the puppy does manage to get up on someone, use of the knee to the chest of the pup is often a tremendous behavior modifier. Once you are watching your puppy for signs that they may be jumping up, it will be easier to head them off. They will soon learn that it is not very comfortable to jump up on a leg that is moving in their direction.

It is our recommendation that you have your puppy spayed or neutered as soon as your vet will do so. Usually between 4 and 6 months. There are many myths floating around about reasons not to spay and neuter and that is just what they are, myths. There are many reasons why we advise this and doing so at an early age will not change the puppy’s disposition in any way which is sometimes seen when spaying or neutering is done later in their life. Please contact me for specific reasons on why this is the best option and I will be happy to share with you the pro’s and con’s of these procedures.