Anyone who has ever had a dog knows that training a new puppy is a challenge, but essential. With any new dog, puppy training starts the day that you bring your new pet home and continues for months as they continue to learn the basics becoming a part of the family. By the time you bring your new puppy home they are ready to learn. In fact, puppies can be trained from a very early age as long as we don't expect too much of them right away. By natural design the mother dog has been educating her litter for several weeks, preparing them to survive on their own. By seven weeks the puppy's development allows him to leave the mother and ensures the strongest human ties and best socialization possible. Older puppies may be less inclined to attach to humans right away, but eventually with love and affection and our constant interaction the bond will be just as strong. No matter what age you bring your puppy home, the important thing to remember is that they are ready to learn, they just need patience and practice!

Dog training at this early stage will focus on the essentials; house training, chewing, digging, jumping, and learning to wear a collar and walk on a leash. The most important thing to remember about training your puppy is that you are creating boundaries and establishing house rules that will be in place for a lifetime, making your time together the best possible. The groundwork you lay today will allow you to have a wonderful, productive relationship with your dog every day.

Responding To His/Her Name:

The first place to start training is to begin training your puppy to respond to his name being called. You can begin by calling the puppy's name as you feed him his meals so that the puppy starts to associate his or her name with his food- a good thing! After a few days you can change the order, so that you call his name, wait for him to look at you, and then give him a treat. Once he's responding on a regular basis, you can phase out the treats, using your voice (good puppy!) and your and petting to praise him and let him know that you are pleased with him. Treats can still be used on an unpredictable schedule as a reward, but the puppy is responding to your voice and praise more than looking for his payment of the food or treats. Having your dog recognize his name and respond by looking at you will prepare him for dog obedience, puppy training classes and more!

House Training

On his first day in your home you should begin house training your puppy. Most people are surprised, but house training is one of the easiest things to teach a dog. Because dogs are clean by nature and do not want to soil their 'den', it can be particularly useful to use the crate method of house training. The first thing to keep in mind with house training is that you must supervise your puppy closely and give the pup the chance to go outside when he has to relieve herself.

Young puppies are not ready to have full access to your whole house, it will overwhelm and either intimidate or over-excite them. One of the biggest pitfalls in house training fails is when people allow their puppy more freedom than he can handle within the home and don't supervise his initial experiences going potty outside. It is important for owners to set aside time to take the new puppy out, watch them go and bring them back in so that the puppy begins to understand how you want them to handle their natural urges. We can give a general outline of what you can need to do to maximize house training, remember that you should always consult a professional trainer to guide you through the process.

Method One: Crate Training

You can tap into the puppy's natural desire to be clean and not soil the area in which he sleeps by using a crate. Using a crate to replicate the safe, secure "den" environment can aid your house training efforts, as long as he is given the opportunity to get out of his crate when necessary.

After hooking the puppy to a leash, let him out from the dog crate and take him out to the area, the backyard, a nearby park or green space, where you want him to 'go' or 'eliminate'. If he goes, praise him. If he does not then put him back into his crate and try again in about 15 minutes or so. Continue with this dog training cycle, building a routine for you and your dog. If an outing is successful, then you can allow the pup some freedom for twenty minutes or so and you can gradually extended the time as he grows older and more reliable about not having accidents in the house. Remember a seven-week-old puppy does not have a great deal of bladder control, so accidents are nearly impossible to avoid completely. You can not expect the puppy to go more than a few hours without having to eliminate, and don't expect him to wait once he is out of his crate to go, instead take him straight outside to avoid any problems.

Before taking your puppy out for the first time, decide what word or phrase you would like to associate with his behavior or action that you desire. In the beginning, the puppy won't understand the word, but if you use "hurry up", or "go potty" and continue to repeat the phrase until he goes, praising him/her when it happens, your puppy will learn to associate these words with the action. Later, when in a hurry or inclement weather you can use the cue word to get your dog to relieve himself in quick time, without having to wait in the scorching sun, or freezing rain.

Method Two: Crate Training with Doggy Door

Another, and many say easier, method for house training is to use a crate with a dog door and an enclosed dog run. First, you position the dog crate against the dog door which will allow the dog to go out whenever he needs. Because his small size, the dog door may need to be taped or otherwise rigged up so the puppy can comfortably go through the dog door. With the crate set up to the dog door, your puppy learns quickly to let himself out of his containment area to relieve himself. This method also helps him develop some independence always having his human to watch over him. One important thing to consider with this system is that when you first let your puppy out of his crate, you should still take your puppy immediately to the outside area so that he can go. Even though your crate has access to the outside, puppy may have been resting and not recently "emptied out." It won't take much excitement or physical movement for the puppies need to "go" to be present and we don't want mistakes that could easily have been prevented.

When the pup isn't in his crate, you need to use constant supervision to keep him from having accidents. The best way to have a constant eye on your puppy is to literally tie or tether the pup to your waist with a leash or line, or you can tether him to a piece of furniture, but be sure that he has no more than three feet of freedom in any direction. Remember that a puppy tethered to furniture should be watched carefully or he may chew it. Crating, supervising and tethering are examples of management systems used to support the dog until he is fully trained.

Because dogs are inherently pack animals, they prefer to be with us rather than to be alone. Most cases of adult "separation anxiety" would never develop if the dog, as a puppy, had been trained in the one of the management systems just described because early on the puppy would learn to deal with being alone, handling is own needs, without access to chew or destroy things. Give it a try and see if it benefits your new puppy and your family.

Remote Collar Training:

Have you wondered if using a remote electronic collar can work for training a puppy? The answer is, yes. Why? Because the Sit Means Sit remote collar training system, developed by Fred Hassen, is a proven, effective and gentle training method tailored individually to your dog's needs. Dog training, obedience, puppy, and even agility training are well suited to the remote collar training method. Sit Means Sit uses the better quality remote collars on the market, which means that these are fully adjustable for different dogs. The remote collar is used as a cue system similar to a tap on the shoulder that says "yoo-hoo" to someone in an effort to let them know you are talking to them. In other words, the collar is never used with a puppy as punishment, but instead as a means to successfully gain the puppy's attention. In any case, you should seek a professional's advice and aid in this type of training to avoid any elements of confusion for your pup.

Is there a specific age at which dogs can begin remote collar training? No. Common sense will tell you when your dog is physically coordinated enough to go for walks on a leash, which is a good indicator that he is ready for further training. Another indicator may be when he is active enough that you feel he is ready for more advanced training. He's your pup knowing when he is ready for further training is personal choice akin to whether your child is ready for kindergarten. Some children are ready at just under five while some need another year. Pups, like kids, mature at individual rates. He's your puppy, enjoy him but remember he needs rules, supervision, attention, exercise, good positive mental outlets, good food and lots of rest to grow up strong, healthy and well behaved!

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

2. Make the crate a second home. Another part of puppy training is to give the puppy his or her own space. The easiest way to do this is with a crate. The crate provides the puppy a place to sleep, a place to keep the puppy safe when you are not around, and an easy way for you to travel. Puppies do not like to go to the bathroom where they sleep, so a crate can be a very useful tool when doing puppy house training. The crate should be large enough that your puppy can stand up, turn around, and lay down comfortably, but not so large that he or she can **** in one corner and lay down in another. Do not leave puppies in the crate for extended periods of time – a puppy can hold his or her bladder for about as many hours as it is months old.

3. Never hit a puppy. It is a common misconception that hitting a puppy is part of puppy training. However, hitting a puppy during puppy training more often than not will lead to only one of two things – a dog that is afraid of you or a dog that is aggressive. Neither is the desired result of puppy training, and this will lead to a dog that does not make a very good pet.

4. Make puppy happy for coming. Getting puppy to come to you when called is one of the first puppy training steps that you should take. Doing this step of puppy training will have many uses – it will allow you to distract puppy from wrongful behaviors, it will allow you to find puppy if it becomes lost, and it can keep puppy from dangers activities like running into traffic. During puppy training, reward puppy every time he or she responds and comes when called. Small treats and lavish praises and pats will teach puppy that coming when called is a good thing.

5. Socialize. An integral part of puppy training is training your puppy the proper behavior around other dogs and people. Take puppy out often, exposing him or her to new situations and new people and pets. Reward the puppy for desired behavior, and reinforce simple commands like sit and stay. Remember to stay calm, as puppy will read your emotions and act accordingly. Starting puppy training early will lead to a lifetime of good times with your dog.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

The technology of the microchip has become so popular that most animal clinics and animal shelters have the ability to scan a cat or dog for microchip identification. If you opt for the microchip, you should know that it is a painless procedure for your pet. Your vet will insert a tiny microchip about the size of a grain of rice directly under your pet’s skin using a hypodermic needle. The microchip is usually placed behind the neck. The microchip contains special digital number that has been entered on a national microchip database. That information will give the person your contact information. When you pet is lost, a veterinarian or animal shelter can use a special scanner to retrieve the microchip information. It is that easy.

Pet owners love the idea of the microchip because it is permanent. You cannot remove the microchip and unlike a collar or tags, it cannot be lost or destroyed. This is one of the best features of pet microchip, especially for cats. If you place a collar on a cat, more than likely it will be a breakaway collar. If your cat climbs a tree, or is caught on something, the collar breaks off. If your cat does not have a microchip, it will be very difficult to identify your cat if it is found.

There are a few important things to remember about pet microchips. First, if your pet gets lost, you should never just sit back and wait for a call, even if your pet has a microchip. Not all veterinarians and shelters are equipped with this technology. You need to take the time to call around and place “lost pet” flyers around your neighborhood. In addition, you need to make sure you take the time to update your contact information should you move. It does little to no good to have your pet implanted with the microchip if the information on the national database is incorrect. Your veterinarian can give you information on how to update this information.

It is important to get your pet implanted with the microchip at a young age. Puppies can have the microchip at age six weeks. Even small breeds of dogs can handle this procedure. Kittens can also undergo this procedure at six weeks. The insertion of the microchip is not painful and feels like a regular vaccination shot. You can have your pet implanted with the microchip at your veterinarian office and can expect to pay between $30 and $50 for this service.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

When I write of a "well-rounded" black Labrador puppy, you may immediately picture a round, roly-poly black puppy. That is not what we normally mean by the term, of course. Understanding black Labrador puppies begins by grasping the fact that a well-rounded black Labrador puppy is one that has learned to get along with other dogs and with family members (including other pets). It is a puppy that has bonded with his "pack" and fits in well. It has been socialized – but how do you socialize a black Labrador puppy?

Socializing the Black Labrador Puppy

All dogs are social creatures, but few are as social as a black Labrador puppy. A black Labrador puppy loves attention, and wants to get it from everyone and everything. A black Labrador puppy does not want to share, however, and must learn that every member of the "pack" shares. He must learn how to respond to both human and animal members of his new pack.

Understanding black Labrador puppies involves 7 simple steps that help puppies become well-rounded.

1. Puppy Pats

Your black Labrador puppy needs to be patted, touched, and caressed. Most people do this instinctively from the time they get the puppy. Children, especially, touch the puppy in every possible place they can. The more children there are, the more puppy pats your black Labrador puppy will receive. Even if yours is a gun dog, and children are not playing with it, it still needs puppy pats. Let it feel your hand on its ears, its nose, and its paw pads. Get your black Labrador puppy accustomed to being touched and patted. It will help him fit into his new life. While you're at it, teach children how to treat the puppy.

2. Puppy Playtime

It is important that you and your black Labrador puppy have several playtimes each day. If possible, give him at least one in the morning and one in the evening, as this will establish a pattern for future exercise times. Teach your black Labrador puppy that you are his friend. Play fetch. Take a toy away, teaching the importance of sharing. Do not let him take it back in an aggressive manner. Hide a toy and let him hunt it.

3. Puppy Rolling Game

Every black Labrador puppy needs to be involved in frequent bouts of the puppy rolling game. This game shows the puppy that his position in your pack is one of submission. When playing with your black Labrador puppy, roll him on his side now and then. Hold him there as you silently count to 10. When you reach 10, remove your hand and let the puppy get up. If he struggles while you're holding him, do not let go. You must not let your black Labrador puppy overpower you, or he will believe he is the pack's dominant member.

4. Share-a-Puppy

A big part of understanding black Labrador puppies is recognizing that they need a wide circle of acquaintances. When you get your pup, note his age in a notebook. Subtract it from 24 weeks. If your puppy is 8 weeks old, you would subtract 24 – 8 = 16. In those weeks (whatever number you wrote), you need to share your puppy with at least 100 new people. If you wrote 16 weeks, set a goal of having your puppy meet 6-7 new people each week. Keep track so you know it is happening. Simply have strangers hold your black Labrador puppy, and touch it. Hand it back and forth carefully so it does not fall.

5. Share-a-Meal

A black Labrador puppy can quickly learn to be protective of his food dish. If left to natural instincts, he may become hostile when others come near his bowl. To avoid this, share a meal by sitting or standing close to the bowl when the pup is eating. Have other family members do the same. Teach your black Labrador puppy that his food is safe even when someone is very near.

6. Puppy Home School

From the time you get your black Labrador puppy, teach him every day. He is old enough to learn basic commands such as come; down; drop it; leave it; and sit. Avoid yelling at the puppy or punishing it. There are good Labrador training courses available on the Internet. Order one and use it faithfully.

7. Puppy Support Group

Please understand that a black Labrador puppy needs the constant support of everyone in his home. Life is full of exciting things, as well as frightening things. When a garbage truck comes banging down the street, he will tuck his little tail between his legs and run for cover. What do you do. You – and everyone else present – act as though nothing happened. Your black Labrador puppy will notice that he is the only one running. He will soon decide that, if no one else is afraid, the sound of garbage trucks is not important.

Understanding black Labrador puppies is an ongoing process, but these 7 steps will give you a good start.

About the Author:
© 2007, Anna Hart. Anna Hart invites you to read more of her articles about lovable Labrador Retrievers at http://www.lovablelabradors.com. Anna has also posted additional information on that site about black Labradors. If you would like more information on black Labrador puppies, pay Anna a visit now.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/understanding-black-labrador-puppies-126949.html

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

The first thing that you have to be prepared for is the lifestyle adjustment. Puppies are a large responsibility and not only do you have to have the funds to take care of him, you also need to make sure that you are going to have the time to see to his needs. For instance, a new puppy that is not house trained or crate trained should be taken out at least once every one to three hours. Is there someone in your household who can see to that? 

You also need to think about the level of activity that goes with getting the puppy that you are bring home. For instance, if you are bringing home a husky or a Labrador or especially a Jack Russell terrier, you should be ready for a very active lifestyle! 

Another thing to consider is what adjustments have to be made in your household. Is there a place to keep the puppy when he first shows up? And how are you going to deal with the fact that he might have some accidents or that he might cry all night? Most people choose to have separate rooms set up for the new puppies in their lives, a place that is barricaded from the rest of the house to minimize any damage.  You may also find that you need to puppy-proof the house, including moving things that the cute little thing might want to chew on and taking valuables off the lower shelves. 

When making sure that your puppy is going to get the training that he needs, keep in mind that this is going to be an ongoing thing. You really can't expect a brand new puppy to pick up all the rules and restrictions in a few days, or even a few weeks. You need to allocate time in order to make sure that he is going to get the point, and then you need to work on repeating these things to make sure that they are deeply imprinted in his mind. A well-trained dog is a dog that will listen to your commands and not put himself or others in danger, so make sure that you take your time with this and are as thorough as possible. 

Before you even bring your pup home, think it through. You want the best training for your new bundle of fur and you want to do things right so you don't end up with a dog that constantly barks or chews up the leg of your couch.

What's your plan for training your puppy? If you don't have one yet, get it here: http://dogintraining.info
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Gold

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Like a baby, a puppy has a lot to learn and limits are one these things. First of all, your puppy has no intention to displease you so when you see it has an accident on your carpet or on the floor; it is not its fault. Why? Simply because its bladder is so small and the muscles responsible for helping to control it or his bowels are not strong enough to do it yet. As it grows bigger and older, you will see the difference.

As for howling at night don’t forget that your puppy is missing the presence of its mother, it feels lonely and needs to cuddle up. As it will grow up, and that he starts feeling comfortable and at home, this behavior will come to an end.

And what about chewing? Well, he is basically teething. Also don’t forget that it is how it learned to play with its mother and siblings. Humans are more sensitive and so are their belongings so once again, basic dog training is required.

What can you do to train your dog in the best and most efficient way possible? Well, ask any veterinarian, dog breeders or experienced dog owners, using a crate is the solution. Several people think that putting a dog in a cage is cruel and selfish but what they do not know is that later on, even the dog itself will enjoy it. It will become a safe and comfortable place where it can relax and sleep just like a doghouse. Also, your puppy will not always be in its crate as it will be only at night and when you are gone to work or any other event where your dog will be left alone. At first your puppy may not like it, but believe me only time and patience will prove you the opposite. Before purchasing a crate, you should consider a few things. For example, some crates are made of metal and are foldable and others are made of plastic and have a handle to carry it around if small enough.

The plastic one may be better for air travel or in some cases; car travel depending on its size but the fact that the view is limited due to the solid panels is one disadvantage as your puppy will feel lonelier. Also, if your puppy has an accident in it, the bad smells tend to seek in its surface due to a lack of aeration plus not having a removable tray, the cleaning is more difficult to do.

The metal crate tends to be bigger, especially if you have a bigger dog like a labrador retriever which makes it more difficult to find a space for it. They are solid, foldable which makes it easier when traveling and your puppy has a great view which helps against loneliness.

Also, a metal crate has a removable tray which makes cleaning a lot easier. Since it has great air circulation, the bad smells only follow the dirty newspapers in the garbage.

Another thing that you should not about crate training is that it helps the dog training of your puppy in several areas. For example, at night, it solves the problem of finding little accidents on your floor by stepping in them. Also since a dog does not want to sleep where he relieves itself, your puppy will try its best to control its bladder and bowel movements which will help to develop these muscles as well.

Don’t buy a crate too large for your puppy but make it large enough to accommodate your puppy when it will be fully grown.

When you are preparing the crate, make it inviting and as comfortable as possible for your puppy. Cover the bottom with newspapers if desired, put a blanket or basket in the opposite end and your new puppy’s home is ready.

To help you with the howling, as more than likely it will happen for a while, you can also take a clock that ticks loudly to remind him of its mother’s heartbeat and a hot water bag filled with hot water to allow him to cuddle against something that reminds it of the softness and warmth of its mother.

Another thing to do to help it feel less lonely, is to put either a radio, some music or the television set on so it can hear noise and voices in the background. Another thing that can help to prevent it from peeing in his crate is to control his water intake by removing its bowl at 8 p.m. or approximately 2 hours prior to your time going to bed. This advice was given to me by my dog’s veterinarian.

And last but not least, chewing will be controlled by keeping your puppy out of trouble. This way you will prevent him from being harmed by chewing electrical wires or simply from your frustration of having to replace damaged goods.

My name is Sylvie Leochko. If you wish to learn more about dog training or labrador retrievers as they are great service pets as well as wonderful with children, I invite you to visit the following sites: http://dogtraining.findoutnow.org and http://labrador-retrievers.findoutnow.org

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sylvie_Leochko

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

In order to establish an immediate bond, play with your pup on a frequent basic and if possible get down on the floor with her – this bond will later be strengthen through training. Labrador retriever puppy training can start almost as soon as she arrives home. In a similar way to a small child, she will learn best through activities and games.

At approximately eight weeks of age your Labrador retriever pup can start to learn about retrieving objects. This is the "fetch" activity that she will enjoy all of her life.

Learning how to train Labrador retriever pup's is not difficult. To teach this fun exercise, it's often ideal to have her on a ten foot lead or so. Don't be tempted to use a stick for this activity (this could cause an injury) but take a toy that she recognizes or a soft-ball. Make certain that it's too big to be swallowed.

Gently wave the toy near her head to draw attention to it and then throw it approximately five feet in front. There's no need to throw it too far as she's just starting out. If she arrives at the end of the leach all of a sudden, she could be hurt. Use her name, so the command is "Boots, fetch!" Follow as she runs to the soft-ball and if she picks it up; offer some encouragement – but not too much praise yet, as she isn't finished. If your Labrador retriever pup does not take it in her mouth, wave it in front of her until she does. Then walk slowing back to the starting point, and encourage her to follow. If she does drop the soft toy, be certain to get her pick it back up. Once she arrives back, remove the ball out of her mouth and at the same moment say the command "Out", or similar command. Now you may offer her lots of praise.
In a very short time, with some practice, you'll know how to a train Labrador retriever to enjoy this fun activity. She will soon come to realize what you want and how to receive the most praise. As she becomes accustomed to retrieving without you needing to move in the direction of the soft-toy, begin to throw in various directions.

Labrador retriever puppy training can also include swimming, but when starting out it is important to strengthen the swimming muscles. Don't force or throw your puppy into a pond or lake. A puppy at approximately three months of age may be encouraged to enter the water and will soon realize what's needed. Wading in with her can assist in getting started, in addition to seeing other dogs having fun in the lake.

As any one who owns a Lab can attest, learning how to train Labrador retriever puppies efficiently can have an enormously beneficial effect on her future well-being.

Learn how to train Labrador Retriever and Put a STOP to your Dog's Behavior Problems! Before You Invest Anymore Time On Your Labrador Retriever Pup Simply Take 2 Minute's To Grab Your FREE 6-day Mini Course to teach YOU Secrets to Correct Dog Behavior Problems Using REAL-LIFE Scenarios. Right Now! http://www.dogsnthings.com/ 
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Darren_Lintern

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

What can you afford? Large dogs are considerably more expensive than a small one.

Do you have children in your family? Consider getting a breed that is good with children – Labrador, Boxer, Terrier come to mind.

Are you alone and need a loyal companion? – Boxer, Terrier, Dachshund, Spaniel, Collie, Corgi and Pug to name a few.

Are you looking for a Guard Dog? – Bull Mastiff, Dalmatian, Doberman, German Shepherd, Great Dane and Rottweiler are popular guard breeds.

Do you want a dog good for serious training? – Border Collie, Australian Cattle dog, Dobermann, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Labrador, Schnauzer are good picks.

Don't overlook mixed breeds – some of the best dogs are in this range…and do cost less to buy.

How much time do you have ? – be careful not to take on a strong, potentially fierce dog that will need firm handling and careful training, if you already have a busy committed life.

So What are the Costs of Having a Dog?

Initial Outlay – Bed, Indoor or Out door Kennel, Food Bowls, Collar, Harness and Lead, Toys – for chewing, fetching and so on.

Food – more dog…more food!

Neutering…more costly for females than males.

Immunisation and Boosters – essential that these are kept up to date.

Veterinary Bills – Illness or accident.

Professional clipping and grooming – essential in certain breeds.

Training classes – really recommended.

Securing the property…fencing (if not already in place)

Replacing any damaged (probably chewed) items…eg Dad's new slippers!

So all considered, taking on a new puppy should not be taken lightly – but with some thought and planning, a new puppy will be a joy to you and your family. Have fun – enjoy the experience!

Nancy Lavender
http://www.your-dogs.com
I have a passion for animals and the countryside and all it offers. I feel a responsibility for the preservation of what we have in our world for the generations to come.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nancy_Lavender

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Labrador Retriever puppies need 10 commandments – or maybe more! From the puppies' standpoint, the 10 commandments should be given to the humans who will care for them. For example:

* You must take me out for long walks at least 3 times a day.

* You must feed me from your plate when I whine and beg.

* You must let me sleep in your bed with you so I don't get lonely.

You are intelligent enough to know that would be a big mistake. You must be in charge, and you must have rules for your Labrador Retriever puppies. For your help, and with a bit of tongue-in-cheek, we offer the following.

Labrador Retriever Puppies' 10 Commandments from a Human Standpoint

1. As long as they live under my roof, Labrador Retriever puppies will do as I say. When I say "come," you will come. When I say "sit," you will sit. I am the boss – leader of the pack.

2. Labrador Retriever puppies will always tell me when they need to relieve themselves. We will go outside, which is the only place you may do this. And on the same subject, Labrador Retriever puppies will learn not to make water simply because they are excited or acting submissive.

3. I have given you Labrador Retriever puppies comfortable beds. You will sleep in your beds – not in my bed, not in the cat's bed, and not in the children's beds.

4. All Labrador Retriever puppies in this home will be given good, nourishing dog food everyday. You will not supplement that food by chewing my shoes, furniture, and other belongings. You will not beg at the table, laying your soft, cuddly head on my lap to coerce a bite from my plate.

5. I know that Labrador Retriever puppies want to bite and gnaw, but you will not bite and gnaw on people. If you were home with your mother, she and your litter mates would soon teach you not to do it. I'll give you bones to chew instead.

6. All Labrador Retriever puppies get a stomach ache when they eat the wrong things. If you feel sick, you must never throw up inside the house – especially not on the carpet or on any of MY clothing!

7. I understand that Labrador Retriever puppies simply must tell everybody how exciting life is, but please do it quietly. You must never, never try to tell the whole neighborhood, especially in the middle of the night.

8. All Labrador Retriever puppies in this home must understand that the house is not a glorious obstacle course. You must not race from one end of the house to the other. You must not use the furniture when playing keep away.

9. I know that Labrador Retriever puppies love running in the rain. I do not! You will ask to go out in the rain only when you absolutely must. You will then do your business quickly so that I can get dry again.

10. All Labrador Retriever puppies in this house will like the people that I like, and behave properly around them. You will NEVER slobber all over people, even though you may love them.

Labrador Retriever Puppies' 10 Commandments From a Pet's Standpoint

If you are looking for the 10 commandments from a pet's standpoint, you will find them on several websites. The Dog Listener is a British site that lists them. Ontario Pet Rescue also lists them.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Depending on the breed or size of dog you choose, your puppy may not reach adulthood from nine months to three years. Generally the bigger your dog will be as an adult, the longer they'll be a puppy. To compare, an 18 month-old Labrador Retriever is likely to have more energy and possibly a greater aptitude for trouble making than a Yorkshire Terrier of the same age.

Having the proper tools available prior to bringing your puppy home will be a great start to their life. This may include:

• Smaller Food and water bowls

• Break-away collar with a nametag

• A Cotton or nylon lead

• Petitie-sized Gumabones

• Plush toys or Latex, Rubber, and Vinyl Toys which may remind your puppy of their littermate(s), and Kong toys with holes to fill with treats to help stimulate their minds; especially while you are away

• A package of Tennis Balls or Air Dog bones

• A bag of our Cinna-Bone Biscuits

• Small treats such as Grillerz Soft Treats to use as a quick reward

• So Gentle Shampoo and a soft slicker brush

• Bitter Apple to spray on off-limits chewing areas such as the legs of furniture, shoes, or the many other items that little puppies may like to chew

• Nail Clippers. Getting your puppy used to grooming at a young age will make it far less difficult when they’re full grown

Several hints to give your dog a great leash on life…

1. Know and understand your breed (in the case of mixed breed pups, know the predominant breeds traits and characteristics). All breeds have certain characteristics and knowing these will help you choose the right items needed to make your puppies life better. The American Kennel Club (www.akc.com) is an excellent resource when researching breeds.

2. Make sure to have a housebreaking plan for your puppy. Be consistent as, it will make all the difference in the future when done correctly from the start. We recommend you use a crate or cage to train your pup to "go" outside. Dogs are den animals, so when applied correctly you can use this instinct to help train your pet, as they like to keep their homes tidy!

Bookmark It

Hide Sites