JB1824 Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 Hello everyone, My family and I are strongly considering getting a Labrador Retriever by the end of the year. This will be our first dog. At the moment I have a few concerns related to training/behaviour and socialisation. I may have more questions in the future. Currently, the questions I have are: Is it possible to start socialising the puppy after the first vaccination? Can we take it to the park, etc.? We'll definitely be taking it to puppy pre-school. How old can it be before it starts living outside by itself? As we'd like the dog to be an outside only dog. Are labradors natural diggers? (natural as in do they dig more than other dogs?) Is there a way to make sure a dog does not develop thunderstorm anxiety or other phobias? Will a dog have to be trained to sleep in a kennel? If so, how? and should we start training it as a puppy (with the kennel in the house)? Are there common mistakes that first-time dog owners make when trying to train a dog? What should I be careful not to do? Thanks in advance for all your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 (edited) Hello everyone,My family and I are strongly considering getting a Labrador Retriever by the end of the year. This will be our first dog. At the moment I have a few concerns related to training/behaviour and socialisation. I may have more questions in the future. Currently, the questions I have are: Is it possible to start socialising the puppy after the first vaccination? Can we take it to the park, etc.? We'll definitely be taking it to puppy pre-school. It is certainly advisable to start socialising the puppy after the first vax. I would not take it to the park, as it won't be fully vaccinated and protected yet. A better idea is to organise some play dates with well socialised, immunised adult dogs at your home if possible. You can take your puppy with you wherever you like as long as you carry it. Puppy preschool is great but you also need your puppy to learn manner around adult dogs. Most likely your dog will be fully vaccinated two weeks after the final vaccination (so usually 14 weeks). How old can it be before it starts living outside by itself? As we'd like the dog to be an outside only dog. If you are going to have an outside only dog, it is best to start off as you intend it to live forever- this will make it less confusing for the puppy as it grows up. It won't understand that it is not allowed indoors all of a sudden and may resort to destructive or unwanted behaviours. Labrador retrievers are very social and love to be with their family, would you consider letting the dog in at certain times eg. night time while the family is relaxing/watching TV? Crates are very useful to teach good house behaviour, dogs are easily trained to only lie in one area or on their bed or mat. This way the puppy can still be with the family, without causing trouble and destrpying the house. If you are not allowing the dog indoors- it will need an excellent kennel with lots of insulation. I would recommend getting the puppy in summer in this case, so it won't get cold overnight. You could also consider allowing the dog to sleep in the laundary as a puppy. Are labradors natural diggers? (natural as in do they dig more than other dogs?) Any bored dog will dig. But yes, labradors are well known for being chewers and diggers if they do not receive proper training and exercise. Having said that, my labrador has never attempted to dig up our yard or chew our furniture. She spends most of her time indoors with us under our supervision though and receives plenty of exercise and training. Is there a way to make sure a dog does not develop thunderstorm anxiety or other phobias? Make sure you get a well bred lab, where you can see the parents and see if they are nervous dogs. Don't fuss over the dog when it gets scared. Reward for calm behaviour during scary/new events. well bred Labradors should be confident and outgoing. Will a dog have to be trained to sleep in a kennel? If so, how? and should we start training it as a puppy (with the kennel in the house)? As i said before, if you intend the dog to be outside only, it is best not to allow it inside initially. Make the kennel as comfortable as possible and make sure it is warm enough. Play games with the puppy in the kennel, feed it in there, reward it for going inot the kennel and you shouldn't have any problems. Are there common mistakes that first-time dog owners make when trying to train a dog? What should I be careful not to do? The main thing is to be consistent with your rules and training. Good luck with it all ETA= If you have any specifc lab questions, come join us in the labrador thread: Those crazy labradors Edited April 16, 2011 by aussielover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB1824 Posted April 16, 2011 Author Share Posted April 16, 2011 Thanks for the reply. Is it safe to house them outside when they haven't been fully vaccinated? Also, something I didn't mention earlier, but there's a cat (owned) that sometimes comes by in our backyard. Will this be a problem? If we get a male dog, is there a possibility it will scent mark or pee on the house walls? Is there a way to teach it not to if it does? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 Thanks for the reply.Is it safe to house them outside when they haven't been fully vaccinated? Also, something I didn't mention earlier, but there's a cat (owned) that sometimes comes by in our backyard. Will this be a problem? If we get a male dog, is there a possibility it will scent mark or pee on the house walls? Is there a way to teach it not to if it does? It is safe for your puppy to be outside in its own backyard before it has been fully vaccinated The only time when it is not safe is if you have previously had a dog with parvovirus in your backyard before. I doubt a cat would be a problem, the puppy will probably scare it away or they may even become friends. If it acts aggressively towards your pup, simply ask the owners to contain it. A toilet trained dog should not scent mark in the house, desexing will reduce the likelihood of marking behaviour. Even entire males should not mark inside the house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 My question to you would be how much time do you plan to spend outside with the dog ?? How much time do you plan to spend giving it mental stimulation whether it be very hot summer or pouring down with rain winter?? The reason i ask is Labs are great dogs BUT often there destructive issues area result of not getting enough time spent especially if outside only . Either sex can be dirty if not trained ,bitches are also very capable of cocking there leg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB1824 Posted April 16, 2011 Author Share Posted April 16, 2011 My question to you would be how much time do you plan to spend outside with the dog ??How much time do you plan to spend giving it mental stimulation whether it be very hot summer or pouring down with rain winter?? Hmm... that's a good question, something I hadn't fully thought about. How much is best? At the moment all I've really thought of is definitely walking it every day for at least 30 minutes, plus maybe an hour or 2 playing time (more on weekends and during the holidays). But I won't be the only one playing with it, and someone should be home most of the day. I'm still at uni, which means I could be getting home pretty late, so I'm not sure what will happen if I get back and it's already dark (I don't think our lighting outside is very good!). I'll definitely see if we can keep the dog inside for part of the time (like when watching TV like aussielover said). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 I think you need to do a lot more thinking on whether you are actually ready to make such a big commitment, after all if it doesn't work out it is the dog that suffers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 Hi . It is good you are doing research, and thinking ! having a dog - any dog - and a) not having it indoors, and b) only planning on walking it 30 minutes a day ..plus maybe an hour of 'together' time does need some thinking That leaves the dog with over 20 hours of time without company/mental stimulation. What do you expect it to do in that time? Dogs left alone in a yard for long periods will find many things to do ! They may dig, chew,bark at birds/possums/cats ,scratch, bark at people/dogs/cars going past..start eating stones/sticks ... Labs are strong and energetic,and LOVE learning things ..they were bred to swim/run/retrieve - to work with people - to think ,and to learn. Can you explain what problems you see with having a dog inside ? Do your family have allergies/asthma or something? Or are you concerned with the dog's behaviour indoors? I love having our dogs inside ,especially at night - if anyone does try and get in ---- the dogs are there to alert us/scare the intruder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB1824 Posted April 16, 2011 Author Share Posted April 16, 2011 I agree with needing to think about things more! What other things SHOULD I think about (since I obviously missed considering how much time to spend with a dog)? As I said before, I'm not the only one looking after it! But yes, definitely need to think of how to spend more time with it. I'm not really sure why we can't keep it inside (my parents said so), but I think it was because they don't want the floorboards/tiles getting scratched from a dog running around, and shedding its coat everywhere. I have a feeling it'll either have to be an indoor dog or an outdoor dog! Because they won't want dirty dog paws walking around the house! Anyway, we'll see if they consider it. Thanks for all your questions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 (edited) What to consider Everyone needs to decide what they expect to get out of owning a dog specific a Lab Why a Lab is the chosen one & weighing up the good & bad of the breed Everyone needs to decide what commitment they wish to put in ,whether it be walking,playing,training,brushing.bathing.and hanging outside in all weather conditions for many years to come You say your at uni will the dog be yours or the families,if you move out of home will the dog stay with parents & will they be happy to be the Labs main source of mental stimulation The shedding of coat will happen all over the yard.on your clothes so if this is an issue it can often factor into car trips as no one wants hair in the car or on them I would suggest everyone makes list of what there idea of the perfect dog is & whether the Lab meets it Edited April 17, 2011 by showdog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzy82 Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 (edited) Also worth noting, an outdoor only dog requires much more effort than an indoor dog. This is because an indoor dog can hang out with you and see you and smell you most of the day, and you can do some training here and there just for a minute or two, several times a day, whenever you think about it. The dog is just there, part of the family. With an outdoor dog you have to make a conscious effort to go out and spend time with him. He can't hang out with you, so he will be starved for attention when he does see you, and you have to put aside 'dog only' time when you deliberately go out and play with him and spend time with him and generally hang out with him for an extended period every day. That means less time that you can spend inside the house on the computer/watching tv etc. You will be hanging out in the backyard with the dog. With an inside the dog he can hang out with you while you do stuff that you want to do, such as watch tv and being in the computer. Also, the dog should not be scratching the floor. You need to trim its claws once a week to keep them short anyway. They should not be touching the floor when the dog is standing normally. If he's running around inside the house to the point where he scratches the floor, then he's probably not getting enough exercise. A dog can be taught to settle and lie quietly inside the house, provided it gets enough exercise. Edited April 16, 2011 by fuzzy82 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 (edited) Oh..and you cannot have a lab as purely an indoor dog Dogs need to go outside to toilet, to play, to be walked, and to get sunlight. I like the idea posted about EVERYBODY writing down exactly what their expectations are, and also what they are prepared to commit That way you can all be honest - you will know what the atmosphere is - and you can then decide whether your household is really a good one for a dog. if the answer is still YES - then you can choose a breed. perhaps it is that you family would be much happier with a non- shedding breed....a smaller dog ... who knows? here are some links to information which may help in your research CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE Edited April 16, 2011 by persephone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KateAndDuke Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 I got my first dog about 18 months ago and had the same questions as you. It's great that you're asking them with plenty of time to spare to think about the answers. In terms of having the dog outside at all times, this may be hard on the Labrador being such a family orientated dog. My dog is inside when we are and outside when we're not at home. So he is trained to be inside or outside which many benefits! He can be inside with us in bad weather and at night, but outside if we have company or cleaning the house, etc. And he's happy in both situations. We don't have too many problems with messy tiles or floorboards because if he comes in wet or dirty (rarely) we'll give him a towel down before he gets in (or in seriously muddy situations, straight to the bath!). Crate training helped us house break him as a pup and now at 18 months he is very respectful to the house, minus a few zoomie moments. Maybe you can discuss with your parents the possibility of restricting the dog to only the tiled or floorboard areas of the house? You can also train the dog to only sit on a dedicated mat. Whatever works for you. To one of your other questions, socialising is important, but you need to be mindful of the possibility of contracting nasties in the public parks. If you have friends with healthy older dogs, set up a play date. Puppy preschool is great, but socialising with adults is good too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumabaar Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 Oh..and you cannot have a lab as purely an indoor dog Dogs need to go outside to toilet, to play, to be walked, and to get sunlight. I like the idea posted about EVERYBODY writing down exactly what their expectations are, and also what they are prepared to commit That way you can all be honest - you will know what the atmosphere is - and you can then decide whether your household is really a good one for a dog. if the answer is still YES - then you can choose a breed. perhaps it is that you family would be much happier with a non- shedding breed....a smaller dog ... who knows? here are some links to information which may help in your research CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE I think you can get plastic nail covers for dogs nails to stop them scratching the floor. I have seen one with them on and I believe they worked quite well. My dogs are indoor/outdoor. Two will quite happily sit outside for most of the day, but the kelpies want to be in the same room as me all the time and duck out for quick toilet breaks. I think the kelpies would have caused alot more trouble digging and barking if they had been locked outside as I am also a uni student and am out most of the day- so whenever i am home they are with me all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 Persephone- my lab is almost entirely an indoor dog! she is indoor with us except when we are outside gardening or hanging stuff on the line etc or when she is on her walks. She rarely goes out in the yard on her own except to chase away the odd cat/possum. I certainly recommend allowing the dog in at least the family room of your house- it can have its crate or bed or mat and be easily trained to stay on that. She has never scratched our floorboards- you shouldn't really be letting them run around on the floor boards as it is dangerous- they could slip over and injure themselves. As for the shedding- if you want a low shedding dog a labrador is not for you! The shedding can be minimised with regular grooming. I don't really notice it except in my room (cream carpet- black lab ) but when we sweep up downstairs, it is amazing how much hair there is! She doesn't noticeably shed onto your clothes either. A labrador needs more than 30 mins of walking/exercise a day. Initially as a puppy, home play in the yard is fine, but by a year they will be needing at least an hour of fairly strenous exercise- like running around at a park or at the beach or a jog or fast walk. Currently my 1 year old gets over 3hrs of exercise a day and she is what I consider a medium energy dog. This is on top of having company all day, regular training throughout the day and plays in the yard at home. Really, labradors are very active dogs that have been bred to go pretty much all day and they need as much mental stimulation as they do exercise. If you can't provide at least an hour of exercise a day, perhaps a less active breed would suit you better? Or an adult labrador that is low energy. Can I ask why you specifically want a labrador (apart from the fact they are the best dogs in the world ) ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 (edited) [q]Persephone- my lab is almost entirely an indoor dog! [/q] yes But from the OP's post , I took it that the dog would not ever be outside, [q] it'll either have to be an indoor dog or an outdoor dog! Because they won't want dirty dog paws walking around the house! [/q] Our dogs here are mostly indoors as well - when we are home . Edited April 17, 2011 by persephone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 [q]Persephone- my lab is almost entirely an indoor dog! [/q]yes But from the OP's post , I took it that the dog would not ever be outside, [q] it'll either have to be an indoor dog or an outdoor dog! Because they won't want dirty dog paws walking around the house! [/q] Our dogs here are mostly indoors as well - when we are home . oh, sorry, misunderstood then umm I wipe my dogs paws before she comes in from a walk or from playing outside. I have even trained her to wipe her paws on the mat- she does like a digging motion, but it is not really all that effective, so I also wipe her paws and clean in in-between them etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 (edited) double post Edited April 17, 2011 by aussielover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB1824 Posted April 17, 2011 Author Share Posted April 17, 2011 Maybe you can discuss with your parents the possibility of restricting the dog to only the tiled or floorboard areas of the house? You can also train the dog to only sit on a dedicated mat. Whatever works for you. I have asked and I think they're considering it. It also helps having what fuzzy82 said (below). How would you train a dog to only walk in certain places, or even just sit on a mat? Also, the dog should not be scratching the floor. You need to trim its claws once a week to keep them short anyway. They should not be touching the floor when the dog is standing normally. If he's running around inside the house to the point where he scratches the floor, then he's probably not getting enough exercise. A dog can be taught to settle and lie quietly inside the house, provided it gets enough exercise. A labrador needs more than 30 mins of walking/exercise a day. Initially as a puppy, home play in the yard is fine, but by a year they will be needing at least an hour of fairly strenous exercise- like running around at a park or at the beach or a jog or fast walk. This confuses me a bit, because I was looking at the Labrador Retriever thread under Dog Breeds 101 as Persephone suggested, and a number of posters said 30 minutes was a good amount! Either way, I would definitely want to aim for 30-60 minutes + play time/obedience training. Maybe my parents can take it for a walk during the day, and I can take it again in the evening... Can I ask why you specifically want a labrador (apart from the fact they are the best dogs in the world ) ? I think the main reasons were because of their good, friendly temperament and intelligence and how their eager to please. And our neighbours have/had labradors which were very well behaved! My brother and I also prefer bigger dogs. To Persephone, Oh..and you cannot have a lab as purely an indoor dog Dogs need to go outside to toilet, to play, to be walked, and to get sunlight. I'm not sure why I worded it like that, but after reading it again it didn't make any sense! Maybe I was too tired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvsdogs Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 (edited) My question too is, why a labrador. I personally would never have one, too strong a dog for me as I'm getting older & I prefer long haired dogs. Short coated dogs shed a real lot, while the long haired dogs shed in tumble weeds, easy to vaccuum or pick up. I only notice dirty floors from the dogs coming inside during times of rain when they carry in mud from the holes they've dug. My dogs are inside/outside dogs. As someone already said they are easy to train if they are with you inside, getting in some short training sessions throughout the day you're home with them. I highly recommend you read these 2 books, before & after you get your puppy. http://www.dogstardaily.com/free-downloads Also have you done one of those on line "pick a breed'' that's right for you? http://www.petnet.com.au/selectapet/choose-a-pet Edited April 17, 2011 by luvsdogs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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