New Labs Pups, Advices Needed, First Pup ^^

I am getting my first pup labrador ^^... so anxious and excited... haha... but i'm worried cuz i dont noe anything bout dogs and this time its 6-7 weeks when i can get it... its from a home breeder... pure breed i think... i noe i must vaccinate and deworm... and so many things to do... + i'm quite lost... can any1 of u tell me in detail on how to take care a pup??? from A-Z... i am having *zzz* in this field~ hahahaha... plus i dont noe whether to feed it prepared comercial pup food or cook myself?? both got its pros and cons right?? i heard mushed pup biscuits with milk is good for the pup when i get him for the first few days or weeks hmm.. any nice pointers??? and what do i need to buy for the pup??? i dotn wanna put the poor pup in a cage... so frightening la better let it roam in the house i 'll just buy the bowl and some toys right??? anything else that might be useful for the pup?? and whats a kong??? *i noe i ask many many question... sorry... i'm really bad in pup >.<"* thanks a lot anyways~

6-7 weeks is waaay to young to get a puppy.

Where to start...I can't possibly sum up everything you need to know on this post, but I will try to go over the most important things First of all, NEVER bring a puppy home before it is 8 weeks old and if your breeder sends them home before that age, find a new breeder ASAP!! Good breeders keep their puppies for at least 8-10 weeks. Understand that puppies learn a lifetime of social skills when they live with their littermates and if they are taken before 8 weeks there can be trouble later on. Seriously. You should also know if this pup is a purebred or not, and make sure your breeder has done health screens on the parents for genetic dissorders. I am a little alarmed that you are about to purchase a puppy without first educating yourself on puppy care and what it means to own a dog and care for a dog. DO NOT give your puppy buiscuts and milk!!! When the puppy comes home, it should be at an age where it can easily eat hard kibble and drink water from a bowl. It is best to feed a high quality food...visit www.naturapet.com for some options. NEVER buy the food at your grocery store. This food is junk and lacking in nutritional substance. It is a MUST that ALL puppies go to puppy school aroung 12-16 weeks and start a course so you can learn a positive method of training. Puppies need to go to puppy pre-school so they can learn manners and interact with different people and other dogs-this is the most vital part of raising a puppy. Please realize that puppies are SO MUCH work and they chew your furniture and soil your carpets and their vet bills can be very expensive. They take away a lot of your freedom to leave for long periods of time etc. They can be trying and annoying and loud They can also be the best thing that ever happens to you, but a puppy is a commitment on your behaf for the life of the dog you adopt. Think it over and make a smart decision. Labs are GREAT dogs, but as puppies, they are VERY hyper and have a high pitched bark. They need endless stimulation and interaction to help them become well rounded and TRAINED adult dogs. This is a challenge and if you see it as that then you should do fine, but please don't expect it to be easy. I will attach a document on how to select a responsible breeder. Please keep us posted on how it goes and good luck: http://www.bhejei.com/ethical.htm

Please, please get the book " How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With " by Rutherford and Neil. It will tell you all you want to know. It will also tell you what to look for when picking him/her out.

This is VERY true. Once you get your puppy, you'll know what showpug means! I'm raising my own lab puppy right now too. The thing about my puppy, is that he was taken away from his littermates at about 6 weeks, and I got him at about 8 week. So mines is a real handful right now.

Some pointers.
1. your puppy will probably chew on everything he can see.
2. he'll probably find whole new ways to keep himself entertained, while leaving you frustrated!
3. house training takes tiiiiiiime!
4. they're VERY active. my puppy hardly ever seems to sleep!

Yes, Lab puppies tend to be extremely hyper up until around two years of age. And I mean REALLY hyper. In their "teenage months" they usually lose their brains for a while, but don't worry, they'll find it later.

Labs are extremely motivated by food and praise, my girl absolutely loves it when I make a fuss over her for obeying me. Labs are generally easily trained, they are very intelligent and willing to please.

Labradors are also mouthy. Most love having something in their mouth, so toys are essential. My lab prefer squeakies....after all, there is nothing like a loud squeak all of a sudden that freaks your owner out, now is there? KONGS are also great toys, you stuff them with food and your dog has to use his brain to figure out how to get the items out. The KONG toy website is www.kongcompany.com.

Going to a training class could be a good idea, especially good for socialization, but I don't view it as essential as my dogs have never set a paw in a training class and are all completely trained and generally good with other dogs.
Keep us updated and post pictures!!!

gaddylovesdogs: Have you raised your lab since they were a puppy ? If you have, could you maybe tell me how you taught your dogs to stop biting/nipping on certain objects?

Ohmai, I have a golden retriever and it was just the same problem. I used a lot of bitter apple, and he totally stopped chewing those objects. For the rest, I put everything I could out of range, and when he tried to reach something that isn't on the floor, we said 'no' and 'down', and gave him a treat. Surprisingly, he stopped going after 90% of the objects that are on furniture (the remaining 10% being food and sponges). Or maybe he just got tired of us taking the stuff back from him...

To Streal, I advice this site : http://www.canismajor.com/dog/topic1.html

wow!! that's a lot... hahaha... well... i wanted a pup for quite some time... dogs are so entertaining at time... i noe its tendious but it doesn't matter... biting things are ok... i'm oni afraid of what to feed

Well, I feed my puppy Purina One puppy food. I've actually changed his food quite a few times, from Innova to Iams to Purina puppy, and after this bag of purina one is done, I need to get the correct bag for him. If you don't mind spending alot of money on food, I heard Innova is great food for dogs.

Fran27, he usually bites me! So should I be spraying the spray on me? lol.

No, I got her when she was about two, but I did get my terrier mix as a puppy. The best thing to do is when the puppy nips/bites, pull back your hand and say, "Ow! That hurt!" in an unhappy voice. If the puppy does it again, he gets a timeout, in a puppy-proof room, crate or exercise pen for five to ten minutes. This will make him realize that nipping = no fun.

you say that labradors are VERY hyper,do they need constant attention???all the time?

and are golden retrevers less hyper?

Yes Ohmai that's a tough one lol. The only thing that worked for us is a spray bottle. Now just seeing the thing makes him stop what he is doing instantly. Or try loud 'ow' and ignore him. Boris still does it from time to time so obviously I haven't found the right way of training him (although my husband tends to pass him way too many things so he can't really learn...).

And puppy, I can't really compare because I've never had a lab, but golden retrievers are definitely wild too.

My lab puppy doesn't need constant attention from me because she's got two other dogs to play with at all times. All puppies are going to be hyper until around the the time they reach adulthood. Eagle Pack is also a good food for your puppy. You probably wouldn't find a Petsmart or Petco that sells Eagle Pack and Innova though, I know our Petsmarts and Petco's around here don't. If you go to Eagle Pack's website they will have a section to tell you where you can buy their food around where you live. I have my on the Large Breed Puppy formula and she seems to do that. I just moisten it with a tiny bit of water and mix in a little bit of the canned food with it too and she LOVES it! Also with a puppy that small you should plan on feeding it ATLEAST three times a day. One give it a little bit at each feeding (like a cup) to start with. The puppy will also have to go outside A LOT. I took my 7 week lab puppy out every 30 minutes or so when I was home? Are you planning on crate training your puppy as well? All three of our dogs have their own crates and not only does it help with the houebreaking process it is also a nice place for them to go and relax throughout the day. Yeah the puppy needs to be vaccinated and dewormed at I think 8,12 and 16 weeks of age. As for the puppy chewing I used bitter apple spray on what she chewed on (it didn't work very well when I sprayed it on my she still chewed on me anyway). I also taught her "no" as soon as she walked through the door she started learning that word. She now knows how to sit, wait, and she's working on down and no jump.

I agree with pretty much everyone else. My only addition would be to prepare a part of your house for the puppy. Choose a room that is easy to clean, doesn't have carpet and puppy proof it. The laundry room, bathroom, kitchen are usually the easiest. You can set up a play pen right in your house so that your puppy can be safe, in a clean place and can be a part of the family.

Ask as many questions as you'd like.