First-time Labrador owner

SAujla

SAujla

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I'm looking to get a Labrador soon, I have a few queries if anyone can help:

- Are barking dogs next door a problem, my neighbour has two dogs, which stay primarily in their back garden and have never been taken for a walk for all the years they've had them, whenever anyone steps into our back garden the noise sets them off (I know its not their fault the dogs must be bored out of their minds). Would this be a problem when it comes to training?

- Can I slowly introduce vegetarian dog food with a mind to raise the Lab vegetarian?

- When taking the puppy out for socialising how do I carry her around, in some sort of bag or in my arms?

- Should I avoid getting a dog in the winter months due to the cold weather? I wondered whether its harder to toilet train a puppy in cold weather and as I would be a first-time dog owner I'm not sure about this

All advice on any of these topics would be greatly appreciated
 
I suppose you could raise your dog a vegetarian but it isn't considered ideal.

Start saving now for foreign body surgery. Labs are prone to eating anything and everything and it doesn't always pass through or get vomited back up.
 
Barking dogs will be a huge distraction, yes I think it would affect your training, and as a total novice I don't think I'd recommend getting a dog in those circumstances. It could hugely upset the puppy, and toilet training would be very difficult.

I wouldn't recommend trying to make a dog vegetarian, they are carnivores and their whole systems are geared to eating meat. If you don't like this, don't get a dog.

I know people do take their puppy out in their arms for "socialising" but I'm not sure its important.

Why would it be more difficult toilet training a dog in colder weather? More inconvenient possibly, but having a puppy is a huge inconvenience anyway. It's not easy, it's not always fun and it's lots of hard work and patience.

Why don't you offer to take your neighbours dogs out instead? You don't seem to know much about dogs, and this would give you an insight into their behaviour. Would also make their lives happier.
 
Making a dog vegetarian 😂😂 no! Ridiculous they would literally not get any nutrients i dont think, dogs are carnivores, puppy training should not take long if you do it correctly. But every day is a learning day with a puppy. They are mischievous, will chew 😂 etc
I had a golden retriever that ate a plastic patio table and 4 chairs in one afternoon 😂😂😂 wee bugger

So yeah they are hard work but very rewarding too.
 
The dogs next door will be a huge distraction and will very quickly become a problem.
The pup will either become very frightened of them or aggressive with them.
Although dogs can be fed a vegetarian diet its not natural to them and for a growing puppy I wouldn't advise it.
I really don't know why you would think it would need to be carried in a bag.
I think you should think very carefully about this and do a lot more research.
 
No a dog isn't and shouldn't be vegetarian, any more than a horse can be a carnivore.

I'm not sure what you think 'socialising' is. A pup needs to learn to walk along, on its lead, with its owner, ignoring other dogs. If you want it to learn to play with other dogs, you need to set that up carefully with selected other dogs and their owners in a safe space. Taking your dog to a coffee shop or similar, regularly, is a good way of teaching it to behave quietly around people and their dogs.

Puppies are hard work and inconvenient, we have 2 Lab (12 weeks) pups and I have brought up many pups, many of them Labs, but I am still thinking 'whose bright idea was this?' when I am standing outside in the wind and rain.

Yes the barking dogs next door will probably teach your dog your dog to be noisy. As someone else suggested, why don't you offer to take them for a walk for your neighbour, which will be good for them and give you rather more experience with dogs than you appear to have now.
 
Dogs can survive on a vegetarian diet, there is vegetarian dog food avaliable, I personally don't agree it is the right diet but there is so much debate on dog diet it can get confusing.
Is there a reason yu would want thw dog vegetarian?
Personally I feed a good dry dog food as a base and then supplement it with raw eggs, oil, fish and raw whole meat (shot locally or fresh road kill) and fish (usually heads from what we catch).
The dogs next door could cause your puppy to be scared of the garden and are house training more difficult, at its best you will end u with a confident barking fence runner too at its worst it could cause fear aggression in your pup.
Before your pup is covered by the vaccinations taking it out in your arms is a good idea, it gets to see the world whilst being and feeling safe, once it can go on the floor then it is best to do that though.
With neighbours dogs like yours I would avoid getting a puppy though and I think the idea of offering to walk those dogs is a good one.
 
Hi and welcome to dog ownership 😊

To answer your queries :

Barking dogs next door is not ideal, especially as it sounds as though they are out there 24/7 with no exercise or stimulation ☹️ If you choose a good breeder though your pup shouldn’t be overly concerned by loud noises and it will be up to you to ensure these dogs don’t scare your pup. Is there another area you could housetrain in (a front garden for example?) or a quiet corner as far from the neighbour as possible? Can the neighbours dogs see through your fence or can they just be heard?

I know some people feed their dogs a vegetarian diet but I’m absolutely against that personally. Dogs are omnivores so can digest some plant matter but their diets should primarily be meat.

As for socialisation, I’m assuming you mean carrying your pup before he/she has had her vaccinations? I carry my pup in my arms to see the big wide world but some people use a bag or sling. I would avoid meeting strange dogs until your pup is fully vaccinated (unless you know they are fully vaccinated and are friendly to pups) and once vaccinated I teach my dog to ignore other dogs and focus on me but they are allowed to play with friendly dogs I know well.

House training in winter is less pleasant than in summer but it wouldn’t affect the time I bring a puppy home. Finding the right breeder and litter is most important.

I would advise you buy the book Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy by Steve Mann, it’s excellent for those new to owning a puppy.

Good luck and remember to come back and share your photos and stories of your new pup.
 
I would be very wary of carrying the pup around! I once got a Lab pup, unplanned in an emergency to 'replace' a dog that had been pts, to keep her sister company. Pup had not had the full course of vaccines but came with us when I took the 2 yr old dog for a walk, it was winter and I usually wore a scarf. The pup sucked and chewed the scarf as I walked.
The pup lived to be 15 and throughout her life she liked to walk along holding my scarf, if she got the chance. I would hate to have a fully grown Lab trying to climb into my bag.
 
Sukhpreet Aujla said:
I'm looking to get a Labrador soon, I have a few queries if anyone can help:

- Are barking dogs next door a problem, my neighbour has two dogs, which stay primarily in their back garden and have never been taken for a walk for all the years they've had them, whenever anyone steps into our back garden the noise sets them off (I know its not their fault the dogs must be bored out of their minds). Would this be a problem when it comes to training?

- Can I slowly introduce vegetarian dog food with a mind to raise the Lab vegetarian?

- When taking the puppy out for socialising how do I carry her around, in some sort of bag or in my arms?

- Should I avoid getting a dog in the winter months due to the cold weather? I wondered whether its harder to toilet train a puppy in cold weather and as I would be a first-time dog owner I'm not sure about this

All advice on any of these topics would be greatly appreciated
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I think it will depend on your puppy, obviously if theyre barking every second you are outside then that could be distracting but you can train inside, on walks etc. Our next door neighbours dog is very barky and I worried it would set my new dog off (terriers are prone to be noisy pains in the arse at the best of times...) but he just ignores her, seems to understand its barking at nothing that concerns him.

I have a friend who has a vegan (!) dog, so vegetarian seems an improvement on that. If you can get advice/guidance from a sympathetic vet who can guide you, and make sure its a "complete" dog food it should be doable.

I carried my pup for socialising pre injections, although a lab may get heavy! Once theyve had their second injections walking is fine.

I wouldn't advise against it necessarily, I got my latest over winter and it didnt bother him, but I was less inclined to stand outside in the dark and drizzle waiting for him to poop, so it depends how committed you are! It was also a bit soul destroying when all our walks Mon-Fri were done in the dark. But equally it did mean I wasnt tempted to over exercise him/drag him on long walks to make the most of the weather.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
I would be very wary of carrying the pup around! I once got a Lab pup, unplanned in an emergency to 'replace' a dog that had been pts, to keep her sister company. Pup had not had the full course of vaccines but came with us when I took the 2 yr old dog for a walk, it was winter and I usually wore a scarf. The pup sucked and chewed the scarf as I walked.
The pup lived to be 15 and throughout her life she liked to walk along holding my scarf, if she got the chance. I would hate to have a fully grown Lab trying to climb into my bag.
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Training issue. Early socialisation is vital in so many breeds. I’m not a Labrador expert but my own breed need careful and extensive socialisation so they come out with me from day one.
 
Thanks for all the replies its very helpful. To answer some of the questions I'm vegetarian but it's not something the dog would have to be, just wanted to ask.

The dogs next door cannot see and definitely can't get through, just the noise sets them off. It's a couple who live there, one of them doesn't work but goes out occasionally for hours. In terms of taking the dogs out that's unlikely, they've never been taken on a walk so I assume they would be hard to control and we don't have a good relationship with them anyway

I have read that a puppy needs to be socialised between 8-14 weeks but can't be put on the ground until a week after it's second vaccination, that's why I wondered about carrying it around I'm aware a dog has legs as helpful as that answer was
 
Moobli said:
Training issue. Early socialisation is vital in so many breeds. I’m not a Labrador expert but my own breed need careful and extensive socialisation so they come out with me from day one.
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I agree that early socialisation is vital, which is why our pups are always introduced to healthy adult dogs within the family but I see no value in carrying them around unless it is absolutely necessary, they really are not learning anything of value and I want big dogs to know that they should keep all 4 feet on the ground at all times.
We get ours out on a lead at 11 weeks, having waited 7 days post 2nd vaccine. They are taught lead walking at home prior to that. I like to take young pups to busy places so that they learn to focus on me and ignore other dogs, I want them to be dog neutral.
 
Sukhpreet Aujla said:
I have read that a puppy needs to be socialised between 8-14 weeks but can't be put on the ground until a week after it's second vaccination, that's why I wondered about carrying it around I'm aware a dog has legs as helpful as that answer was
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That can cause problems and is why, if you know someone who has calm, healthy dogs it helps to introduce them prior to the end of the vacc period. Unfortunately carrying them around won't really socialise them, although you might get strangers asking to stroke them which is not a bad thing. It's also why, we like to get ours out and about asap after vaccs.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
I agree that early socialisation is vital, which is why our pups are always introduced to healthy adult dogs within the family but I see no value in carrying them around unless it is absolutely necessary, they really are not learning anything of value and I want big dogs to know that they should keep all 4 feet on the ground at all times.
We get ours out on a lead at 11 weeks, having waited 7 days post 2nd vaccine. They are taught lead walking at home prior to that. I like to take young pups to busy places so that they learn to focus on me and ignore other dogs, I want them to be dog neutral.
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Everyone has their own way of doing things. I carry my pups to see the world, experience sights, smells, noises etc rather than other dogs. My pups interact with the dogs at home and I also want them dog neutral out in public so are taught to focus on me and ignore distractions including strange dogs.
 
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Sukhpreet Aujla said:
Thanks for all the replies its very helpful. To answer some of the questions I'm vegetarian but it's not something the dog would have to be, just wanted to ask.

The dogs next door cannot see and definitely can't get through, just the noise sets them off. It's a couple who live there, one of them doesn't work but goes out occasionally for hours. In terms of taking the dogs out that's unlikely, they've never been taken on a walk so I assume they would be hard to control and we don't have a good relationship with them anyway

I have read that a puppy needs to be socialised between 8-14 weeks but can't be put on the ground until a week after it's second vaccination, that's why I wondered about carrying it around I'm aware a dog has legs as helpful as that answer was
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I think for dog to dog socialsing, meeting up with a calm/known to be vaccinated dog is a good plan as they can interact normally/play etc.

However I did find taking the pup out in my arms useful for early experiences of train stations (small local one near us...not Kings Cross...!), busy roads, I took him into town to get a taster for all sorts of people/traffic/prams/wheelchairs whilst still small, but not necessarily overwhelmed being on the ground with everything.
 
I carried my collie on walks with our other dog before she was fully covered by her jabs. She loved being involved in everything but even a small scrap of a dog is binking heavy to carry.
I wouldn't make a carnivore eat a vegetarian diet anymore than I would feed sausages to a horse.
 
I would see if your preferred vets, dog trainer, behaviourist etc do "pre puppy consultations", so that you can get as much information as possible prior to getting a puppy.

If you get a lab, be prepared for it eating everything, obesity, and possibly requiring foreign body surgeries :/
And do your research into breeders. They can be prone to hip and elbow dysplasia unfortunately :(

Have you had dogs before? Have you thought about getting an older rescue dog? Puppies are a lot of work!!!
 
Dogs can be vegetarian, usually because of a medical issue, but it's far from ideal and I wouldn't recommend it. Most kibbles are inoffensive for veggies.

Carrying is a faff, IMO, but as has been said, imagine being at a pup's eye level around cars exhaust pipes, headlights, people's feet etc, that can all be pretty intimidating. For me, socialisation is teaching the dog to ignore other things, not to go up and meet every other dog in the world.

Toilet training in winter can be a pain in the arse. But it's a pain generally.

As to the next doors dogs, it depends on how you plan to keep your own dog and how you teach it to view the world.
I see plenty of training videos taken at large facilities where you can hear umpteen dogs barking in kennels in the background and the puppies are just working away and ignoring it. I moved to my current home in 2015 and there have always been dogs in one particular rental property behind me, throwing themselves at the fence and barking all day at nothing or going off alarming when I sit outside my back door or go out to put something in the bin. It's a high fence, they can't see me, I am posing no threat whatsoever, they are just insecure.
Neither of my dogs appear to notice, but that's because they are confident and engaged with me, I don't just turf them out in the garden unattended to amuse/make them feel like they have to defend themselves, they are out for a toilet break, leg stretch, play with me or training or whatever. The garden is a fun place where good stuff happens, not somewhere that is constantly under attack from imagined threats.
Use it as a training distraction!
I'm very much for teaching dogs places - this is the place where you relax, this is the place where you work, this is the place where you toilet, etc, etc. Dogs like things to be clear.

These are all good questions and I wish more people would ask!
I would definitely check that your pup comes from several generations of low hip and elbow scored dogs.
 
I thought I would carry a dog around in outdoor public places and maybe let it on the ground in some pet stores

I have no intention of ever leaving the dog in the garden on its own at any point in its life, I don't know what benefit that would do to anybody.

I've roughly decided that if I don't find a Lab by the start of October then I'll wait until Feb/March next year, winter toilet-training seems to be for more experienced dog owners. I have decided on using 'Bark Busters' for training/

In terms of crate size is the 36 inch or 42 inch more appropriate?
 
For an adult lab I would get the largest crate available.

Lab pups get heavy very quickly, ours were 5k at 8 weeks and they wriggle. IMO dogs are like horses if you bring them up to trust you and be confident, you don't need to 'spook-bust' them for all situations. Unfortunately very few adult dogs' heads will be much higher than a child's in a buggy, so they just will be in amongst legs and exhaust fumes etc.

I like to take them to agricultural shows and similar events to socialise them. You can be pretty sure that all dogs will be on a lead, cars will be moving slowly, if at all and you can head for quiet parts of the showground with them. Unfortunately there aren't so many similar events at this time of the year.
 
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I found the Ian Dunbar books really good reference. They're quite old now but the crate training and toilet training sections were great, I think we had a total of 2/3 "accidents" and that was me being lazy/watching Netflix..!

https://www.dogstardaily.com/files/BEFORE You Get Your Puppy.pdf

https://www.dogstardaily.com/files/downloads/AFTER_You_Get_Your_Puppy.pdf

Take it with a bit of a pinch of salt, I did get a bit hung up on the "you must do x y z by this stage" otherwise your dog will be a delinquent/savage everyone... :rolleyes:
 
Tinkerbee said:
I found the Ian Dunbar books really good reference. They're quite old now but the crate training and toilet training sections were great, I think we had a total of 2/3 "accidents" and that was me being lazy/watching Netflix..!

https://www.dogstardaily.com/files/BEFORE You Get Your Puppy.pdf

https://www.dogstardaily.com/files/downloads/AFTER_You_Get_Your_Puppy.pdf

Take it with a bit of a pinch of salt, I did get a bit hung up on the "you must do x y z by this stage" otherwise your dog will be a delinquent/savage everyone... :rolleyes:
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I do like this paragraph:

Your pup's first month in your home is the most crucial developmental period of his life. This short, make-or-break period pretty much determines whether your puppy will develop into a well-mannered and good-natured companion that will bring joy to your life for many years to come, or whether your puppy will develop numerous, predictable behavior problems and grow up to be fearful and unfriendly. You stand at the crossroads. The course of your prospective puppy's development is in your hands.
 
Tinkerbee said:
I found the Ian Dunbar books really good reference. They're quite old now but the crate training and toilet training sections were great, I think we had a total of 2/3 "accidents" and that was me being lazy/watching Netflix..!

https://www.dogstardaily.com/files/BEFORE You Get Your Puppy.pdf

https://www.dogstardaily.com/files/downloads/AFTER_You_Get_Your_Puppy.pdf

Take it with a bit of a pinch of salt, I did get a bit hung up on the "you must do x y z by this stage" otherwise your dog will be a delinquent/savage everyone... :rolleyes:
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Lol. If one more person asks me 'at what age should x behaviour be trained and when should I move to y'. 'How long does this take'.

I dunno, I'll get my crystal ball out...or '2000 repetitions, roughly'.
 
If you want to feed an animal a vegetarian diet please don't take on an animal that's designed to digest meat. Dogs are not herbivores.It's not fair in the dog to feed them a vegetarian diet Imo and it's incredibly unsuitable for a growing puppy.
Vegetarian and vegan diets are massively controversial,known for causing nutritional deficiencies in canines and are only recommended by vets as a last resort for severe life altering allergies.even the prescription based lab formulated vegetarian diet is considered less then ideal nutritionally and unsuitable for a growing large breed puppy.
 
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