Turning indoor reared lab pup into an outdoor person...

[The wife]

After nearly a year of planning, the husband and I have finally decided the time is right to raise our own little person... He will be 8 weeks old when he arrives to us and has been reared indoors. He is a gorgeous little yellow Labrador. The bitch is a working dog and has always lived outdoors until she came to whelp in which she was brought inside and has since stayed within a family home environment, where the pups have so far lived, under a heat lamp up until week 5, when the usage will be weened down. The lady looking after them works so they are often left for a fair few hours on their own and only get 'turn-out' before and after work and during weekends.

I have always had 'indoor pets' in the form of German shepherds who only occasionally came into contact with horses and were always very good around them but this little fella has no option but to come to work with me during the day as husband had just taken a job working away and this, along with his shooting responsibilities will be his 'job' anyway and I absolutely refuse to leave a young pup on its own for several hours at home. The husband has bred, raised and trained a fair few gundogs I his time but not one that has had to be a yard dog also.

So I'm looking for some advice on how is best to acclimatise the young one to a life on a working yard. Until he knows the basic commands he will be housed in our (afraid un-heated) tack room with several warm blankets and bed, within a baby gate so he can see us and come home for a few hours at lunch and have a nice warm sleep. I have had some disagreement about putting him on our straw beds, rather than the tack room floor but the husband thinks eating straw will be harmful - not that I have ever known our GSD eat straw before... But thought a straw bed with blankets and his dog bed would be warmer.

He will obviously be closely watched when around the horses, although will not be around hooves until he is a little bigger, we have some very good hunters who are very used to hounds and are extremely kind and mindful of dogs. How do you introduce them to horses without fearing them? Is there any tips for what is best for the you one, especially with the colder weather coming? Is a little jacket for him for the first few weeks with being with us sensible or silly? So excited but nervous at the same time. Feeling a little daft, we regularly look after some serious money worth of horse power but a little puppy drives me to distraction with worry

 

[Patterdale]

Do you have other dogs living out?
Whenever we get a new sheepdog we just put it in with one of the others for a few nights and then gradually introduce the rest. They cuddle up to the older ones for warmth. Ours live in kennels at night in winter and out all day, and out 24/7 in summer.
We usually just watch the puppy when it's out for the first few days, and take it EVERYWHERE with whichever us will be working it (within reason!) so it decelops a bond.
After the first few days though, once it's made friends with the other dogs, then we just let it out with them and the other dogs keep an eye on it when we're working at home.

So - let it live with another dog for warmth and comfort, keep it with you as much as possible, and just let it get on with exploring without stressing too much.

We live in a very remote area though so there's not too much scope for disasters, suppose this wouldn't work in a place with busy roads or lots of people around.

ETA I've referred to the puppy as 'it' instead of putting 'he/she' as I don't know what it is

 

[jrp204]

Personally if he sleeps outside I wouldn't start bringing him in the house to sleep, our working collie doesn't come in the house at all. I'm sure he/she will be fine, like all pups it will probably cry for a couple of nights, you could always put a heat lamp on at night for a while.

 

[PorkChop]

Some people I know that raise gundogs will have them indoors for a few months to acclimatize them to household noises and people coming and going. They then get gradually moved outside to kennels.

Ultimately you do what works best for your routine.

 

[Clodagh]

Are you planning on him sleeping in a kennel? That is not how I read it but I am an awful skim reader.
Duiring the day, when he is in the tack room, ignore his crying as long as you know he is warm, safe and doesn't need a wee. I would give him a puppy safe toy to chew, can puppies have kongs?

 

[Goldenstar]

Do you mean he's going to work with you and will be at home with you when he's not at work .
If so don't worry he will be fine .
Personally I would get him a crate then they will sleep in the crate anywhere .
I take my puppies across to the yard from the day they arrive they stay with me until I want them safe then I pop them in the crate.