To Get A Puppy Or Not?

[chellz]

Thankyou EVERYONE for ALL your great advice and making me feel welcome!! There were some advice that i read on here that i didnt even think of and others that i read that i already knew but it was great hearing it from someone else's point of view.. I know this is a BIG decision and that is why i posted on here, i do constantly have a look at the breeders profiles and research labradors( and yes to the idiot who thinks i dont know nothing about them, i know they arent golden labradors, i was typing in a hurry(as well its my 1st post) and thought as most people on here are dog lovers you would know and understand what im talking about.. i didnt think it would be a problem, i just asked a simple question so if you cant answer that or you are just trying to create conflict cause your bored.. go entertain yourself someother way plze.. dont blame people like me, i am not the reason why dogs get rehomed i think YOU need to get your facts right before posting.. if i didnt post on here and jumped into getting a puppy then yes maybe i would be one of those people who gets rid of their dog because i didnt look into it but because i care about my family and dogs i dont want to bring a puppy into a home where i couldnt give it what it needs..

I really appreciate everyone taking their time and giving me advice, i will take ON ALL the advice before deciding on what is best for my family..

If anyone know of any good books that i could read about puppy/dog training or labradors plze let me know

kind reguards

michelle

Edited September 15, 2010 by chellz

[chellz]

hey, I am a mum of 3 kids 8, 3 and 10 months

When i was preg i got my rotti boy, he was amazing with my daughter and right up til he got sick and was PTS he was the most careing and loveing dog to childeren. he did knock my daughter over a couple of times and we did tell him off and guess what he learnt to watch where he was going after that.

Now im the proud owner of a samoyed boy, i was very up front with my breeder that i have young kids he did not mind and this boy apart from haveing to teach him that the baby is not his play mate (he tries to play puppy games with him lol) he has so far been great with the kids.

Do i think a lab is a good idea, this is a hard one .............maybe maybe not they are GREAT pets when trained and worked with but not are monsters. i think if you are willing to do the work then go for it !!! I train my pup when bubs asleep mainly or i take him out the back where he loves to be and train the dog with bub playing out there. like someone said it is not rocket scince.

Maybe look at other breeds are well unless you are set on a lab. and also im going to say get a pup unless you can get one you know where its been so to speak (i know im going to get shot for this) you dont want anyone eles problems to deal with it will make life much more work.

and reserch reserch reserch

wow you are a super mum.. you give me hope!! hehehe Thankyou for your advice

No super mum thats for sure (just look at my house ) but i just do bits at a time when i can and i have pup inside with me and the kids. He is going to be crate trained we are getting there he goes out the back to be a dog and he comes inside. The biggest thing is getting distracted with the kids and the dog does an ooopsy inside but i have my 8 year old trained as well now she takes him out and asks him to go. so as soon as i can see that distraction is coming she takes him to the loo or he is put out the back.

He has lots of toys and he comes back when i can split my attention again.

good luck in your choice you can do it

oh and my partner works away so only get adult help when he is home if thats what his help is

could you plze tell me abit about crate training? is it like giving the puppy time out if being naughty or boistres?

[Esky the husky]

I'm sure there are some threads on it if you search.

But to sum up, crate training is giving the dog an area of his own

The crate itself is similar to a cage (although it is not a negative thing)

They are either hard crates made of metal or strong plastic or soft crates made of stong fabric similar to that used in tents.

The crate should be big enough so that the dog can stand up, turn around and lie down comfortably.

But they shouldn't be so big that he can soil it.

Dogs wont do their business in their den.

It is a very handy thing to have a crate trained dog.

Toilet training is easier with a crated dog.

If you take your dog on an overnight trip her has somewhere familiar to sleep.

He can go into his crate and relax if the kids get too much for him.

The crate is a positive place to be not a time out

ETA: Have you read Marley and Me? I think it's a must for all future labrador owners

Edited September 15, 2010 by Esky the husky

[chellz]

I'm sure there are some threads on it if you search.

But to sum up, crate training is giving the dog an area of his own

The crate itself is similar to a cage (although it is not a negative thing)

They are either hard crates made of metal or strong plastic or soft crates made of stong fabric similar to that used in tents.

The crate should be big enough so that the dog can stand up, turn around and lie down comfortably.

But they shouldn't be so big that he can soil it.

Dogs wont do their business in their den.

It is a very handy thing to have a crate trained dog.

Toilet training is easier with a crated dog.

If you take your dog on an overnight trip her has somewhere familiar to sleep.

He can go into his crate and relax if the kids get too much for him.

The crate is a positive place to be not a time out

ETA: Have you read Marley and Me? I think it's a must for all future labrador owners

Thankyou for the info! I havent read marley and me but i have watched it and i balled my eyes out

It was a beautiful story and shows how much dogs can touch our lives

[chellz]

I have two labradors, one we got as a pup the other at a year of age. My biggest concern for adding a lab into your situation is whether your children will be old enough not to leave toys and potentially hazardous things where the pup can get them. Not all labs will eat anything, one of mine does, it does not have to be edible. It is a lot of work to make sure the house is Mokha proof as he still has a passion for eating things and he is 2. Molly has not been such a problem. My kids are 17 through 23 and they are hopeless about leaving things lying around. I think this is one reason you can not compare having a lab pup to lots of other breeds that dont have this compulsion to eat. When my 2 year old nephew is here I do have to watch carefully as their tails are right at eye level and if they get boisterous it is easy for one to knock a small child over, though they would never do it deliberately of course.

ETA An older, say 3 year old lab I think would be much easier for you, Molly is nearly 3 now and has settled down beautifully.She is great with the kids.

Your labradors are so beautiful and look so cheeky