To our family and friends, no we don't have a new addition.
This week we've gotten several puppy related questions and after raising 3 labs from puppy hood to 9, 6 and 1.5 years ... we've got some experience.
The best advice I have is from the time you pick them up treat them the way you want them to act when they are older and sometimes larger.
First thing we do is give them a bath - we want them to enjoy water and not run from it.
I also pester them - playing with their mouth, putting my fingers inside and making a noise if they bite to hard. Also playing with their paws, squeezing each toe and getting them use to the feel of holding their paws to trim their nails - not that they usually need a trim at first. And of course fingers in their food bowl. Usually after a few days they don't fight it and after a few months it's like ok Momma is just being a pest.
Potty training is always something we get asked about. Here's our history... We got our B boy at 9 weeks he was outside by the time we got him so it was a pretty easy training. He knew quickly he had to go outside. We got our E girl early 7 weeks, she was a Christmas baby and was in a garage. We had a hard time training her. We got our C boy at 8 weeks, he was also an outside boy and honestly I don't remember much about training him. I think the older two made sure to remind us.
The plan we went with was every time they woke up we took them out. After they ate, we took them out. For the E girl, it was every two hours or it seemed like it anyway. Before taking them out, we would ask if they had to go outside. When we were outside, we told them to go potty. Unfortunately for me, I started asking the E girl if she had to go potty and she would squat and go in the house. My recommendation - the words you say outside, aren't used in the house. We changed to "Do it" outside - the Hubby didn't like it, it does feel weird but it works.
Also to help the E-girl, we hung a bell by the steps we took her out. We would ask if she had to go outside, and ring the bell as we went past. I did this a few times and then I would use her paw to ring the bell. She quickly picked up that if she rang the bell we would go outside. Of course, like most kids, they would sometimes ring the bell just to get outside.
Since we have labs, and they sometimes have weight problems, the praise I used was with my voice - Good girl or Good boy - and petting them. Others use treats when they go potty.
Teaching Sit - we made them sit before everything. A slight push on the tush gets them sitting. Sit before going out, coming in, eating, when I got home from work .. they learned fast that was the best way to get praise.
Walking on a leash - I recommend a short leash, don't let them pull and keep them in the heel position. For me when we walk we are walking we aren't wandering around smelling everything. Once they are use to the leash then I let them wander some, but I don't let them walk me.
Rides - our pups go everywhere with us. They are always along for the ride. I guess we've been lucky no motion sickness. I've heard of giving them a treat before a ride - make sure you do it at other times than just the car ride.
Kenneling - we did really well at kenneling the first two - the third not so much. Our B-boy was kenneled or baby gated into the kitchen while we were at work. He did fine and still loves kennel time 8 yrs later. Our E-girl did ok with the same setup but she really loves being close to her family and doesn't care for the kennel. Our C-boy, well the Hubby was retired when C came along. We tried the baby gate thing a few times but C is also a jumper and scaled the gate. He does not like the kennel at all.
Potty pads - when we corralled them in the kitchen we would use potty pads - they worked great for B-boy, so so for E-girl and C-boy just destroyed them.
Sleepy time - yup they are welcome in our bed.
Now that they are older - when we get home we great them - they sit, get a pet and a kiss and then we go outside always within 15 mins of getting home we are out.
Any questions, just ask...
The Momma & My3labs
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