Getting a Pup!

[Pete112288]

I had something dropped on me today that I am so excited about and also a little nervous about.
Some of you may have seen a post I did back in November, I had a close call while duck hunting and since then have been very explicitly told by family and friends that I need to start having some kind of hunting partner, human or dog.
Then my mother talked to me today and asked if I was interested in a lab pup. Of course! My wife and I really want another dog and would prefer to start with a pup. However it is one of those things that keeps getting put off due to money and feeling as though we dont have the time. We were thinking of maybe next year.
Then this conversation with my mom. A coworker that she is close with has a female yellow that is papered and has documented bloodlines. They plan to breed her some time early this summer. The stud is a black and also papered with documented bloodlines. The kind of dog I never would expect to be able to afford. This would be her first litter and they dont plan on having the pups papered, they want to see how things go and do that the next litter down the road.
Well after my mom sharing the story of my close call with her coworker, she had thought it through over the last couple months and discussed it with her husband. They want to GIVE me a pup. I was and still am pretty speechless. I just dont know what to say.
On top of that, I dont want to screw up the opportunity. I want to be able to give the pup the training and time that it deserves and have it as a close hunting companion for years. I would love to start with a professional training program but doubt I will be able to afford that. I have already received some advice and been told of a couple reputable books to read to prepare. Water Dog being one of them. The task right now seems pretty intimidating, but I am determined.
I still dont know if I can believe this.
I hope I can do my part well enough. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated!

[opdinkslayer]

I am not a lab or training expert so take this advice with a grain of salt. First off papers are just paperwork & more for breeding & competition imo. I have a papered chocolate lab & one that’s not. My 7 month old that’s not is every bit as handsome,smart & noble companion. The retriever part is yet to be seen. In my experience around labs is either they are born with the love & desire to hunt or they are not. Maybe thousands of dollars of professional training can change that but you said that’s not in the desired budget. So my advice is to take the dog if you want one & have the time & patience for the puppy stage and enjoy the love you will receive from it no matter what your doing. Don’t put so much pressure on the dog being a certain thing because they are like people & all have different abilities & passions but every lab will be loyal & loving. No matter how bad a day I’ve had they are always at the door to greet me & just want to be with me. That right there is priceless & the retrieval training will just be a bonus imo. I say accept the pup if your ready for the trials & tribulations of a puppy & enjoy your best friend for the next 10+ years!

[Born2late]

Pm me your address and i'll mail you my copy of water dog to have. I'm done with it and if that is something that will help you with your pup It's yours.

[jagermiester]

I think that you will be happier training this dog yourself. Even if you sent the dog off to get pro training you still have to back that up with remedial training and lots of hunting.

1. Bond with your pup, I mean really bond with your pup. No real training for a while. You can plant some seeds with sit and come here coaxing and praise but no training sessions.
2. Ignore your pup for a week prior to training.
3. Begin to train your pup, meaning dedicated training sessions twice a day with lots of love. Ignoring your pup prior to this will make your dog love training with you, love pleasing you and give the dog a sense of purpose. If the pup is not into it you may have started too early.
4. Recall is 100%, sit/stay is 100%, place is 100%, fetch command is 100% (lots of you tube videos to help with all these). Then you can start to train your dog on hunting scenarios. Force fetch, hand signals, blind retrieves, or the other option is to take your dog and your wife and whoever wants to go with you a lot.... I mean a lot. It is surprising how much a dog will just learn on their own.
5. If you find yourself yearning for more join a retriever club and train with them. I would suggest you do this in the offseason no matter what. Its a cheap way to keep working with your dog and giving your dog a sense of purpose and that is what labs are bread for.

Above all have a blast and congratulations!
Oh yea puppy pics are required on this site.

[lamrith]

That is outstanding news!  Lot of great info already shared.  Bond with the pup as early as you can.  Labs are incredible that way, and starting young you will develop and incredible bond.

I would recommend start off as early as you can with the obedience basics and building that foundation, like mentioned not long hard training sessions, just part of every day life.  Training with meals works very well, as most pups are food oriented.  The better you can get them their foundational skills and obedience the better.  Easy while they are smaller, slower and less energy.  Once they hit 4mos and full stride it gets tough!  They are also sponges when young, and will not know there is even a different way they can act, it is just part of who they are.

My recommendation from my limited personal experience.  See if you can get a Female.  I have found them easier to teach and work with, and given this is your 1st, every thing you can do to simplify is helps.  There is just much less tendancy to have to worry about dominance/alpha dog issues with a female.  Plenty of awesome males out there, but the ones I have been around tend to push boundaries a bit and can take a more conscious maintenance of who is boss.

Ontop of book above there are a number of good trainers sharing info on youtube.  I have particularly liked this kennel and their series.  The nice thing is that they have done the same series with multiple dogs and breeds starting right when they are puppies, so you can see how they adapt the training to fit the dog.  They also are not doing weekly viewer asked question series that has been pretty good.  Their system seems to work pretty good and I have used it on a recent older pup I have been working with, even he took to it quickly.
https://www.youtube.com/user/StandingStoneKennels

[aman]

The initial cost of the pup is very insignificant over the lifetime (~13-14 years) of the dog. Don't make the decision of getting a dog because someone is offering you a free pup. If you want a pup then I would do some research and find the right pup with proper health clearances and breeding for your lifestyle.

[Pete112288]

Pm me your address and i'll mail you my copy of water dog to have. I'm done with it and if that is something that will help you with your pup It's yours.

I appreciate it man, thanks! Your inbox is full though.

Thanks for the tips everyone, as it progresses through the year I will update and will for sure put up some puppy pics when it comes time!

[Born2late]

Pm me your address and i'll mail you my copy of water dog to have. I'm done with it and if that is something that will help you with your pup It's yours.

I appreciate it man, thanks! Your inbox is full though.

Thanks for the tips everyone, as it progresses through the year I will update and will for sure put up some puppy pics when it comes time!

Made room now

[Pete112288]

They are here. 1 solid black, the rest black with white chest crest. 5 girls 4 boys. Parents were a yellow and a "silver".
Super excited!!!!!!
The odds are in my favor that I will get a female like I wanted!!!!
Thinking of Daisy for a name....

[blackpowderhunter]

enjoy the journey and take lots of pictures, they grow up so fast!
my dog is also not papered, but shes the best dog i've ever owned.

[lamrith]

enjoy the journey and take lots of pictures, they grow up so fast!
my dog is also not papered, but shes the best dog i've ever owned.

That they do!  I have had ours just shy of 3 mos.  She has gone from fluffball to dog in half that time.  8 weeks old, 1st day home


20weeks old, now over 30#


LANDSHARK!

[Birdguy]

enjoy the journey and take lots of pictures, they grow up so fast!
my dog is also not papered, but shes the best dog i've ever owned.

Your dog is papered just not registered 
But they are great pets, friends and family members! They do change so quickly too.

To the OP, enjoy every bit that pup has to offer, the good  the frustrating and the amazing memories!

[blackpowderhunter]

enjoy the journey and take lots of pictures, they grow up so fast!
my dog is also not papered, but shes the best dog i've ever owned.

Your dog is papered just not registered 
But they are great pets, friends and family members! They do change so quickly too.

To the OP, enjoy every bit that pup has to offer, the good  the frustrating and the amazing memories!

sorry you are correct, i misspoke my apologies!

[opdinkslayer]

They grow up quick so enjoy it all even when they chew the tv remote & your shoes up!  Don’t ask how I know that my boy turns 1 on the 14th & is a bull in a china closet but he’s my buddy already

[Birdguy]

enjoy the journey and take lots of pictures, they grow up so fast!
my dog is also not papered, but shes the best dog i've ever owned.

Your dog is papered just not registered 
But they are great pets, friends and family members! They do change so quickly too.

To the OP, enjoy every bit that pup has to offer, the good  the frustrating and the amazing memories!

sorry you are correct, i misspoke my apologies!

No apology necessary, she has an awesome family, and a great life!! 

[rasbo]

Let your pup be a pup,introduce the pup to everything you can people,other dogs crowds and so on. I would avoid dog parks until after all the shots have been given. Simple training at first,sit,come. Carry the pup out to pee as soon as you get it.have a blast,I've got a 10 week old pudelpointer I'm working with now. Frigging rat on acid,lol.everything in the mouth. Main thing is have fun and make training fun.enjoy

[magnanimous_j]

Living in the city, my pup gets a lot of attention from strangers when we go on walks and they commonly say something like "Cherish these moments, because they grow up so fast."

My only thought (as I fish a mouse head out of his mouth) on that is: Thank God!

Every day, he gets a little more self reliant, a little more trustworthy, and a little more chill. Puppies are super cute and all, but there is nothing better than a (reasonably) well trained dog that's a great, loyal companion that you don't have to watch like a hawk every second of the day.

[lamrith]

Living in the city, my pup gets a lot of attention from strangers when we go on walks and they commonly say something like "Cherish these moments, because they grow up so fast."

My only thought (as I fish a mouse head out of his mouth) on that is: Thank God!

Every day, he gets a little more self reliant, a little more trustworthy, and a little more chill. Puppies are super cute and all, but there is nothing better than a (reasonably) well trained dog that's a great, loyal companion that you don't have to watch like a hawk every second of the day.

Could not agree more.  Ours just crossed 5mos, still have to watch her, but she is chilling out.  Working on her confidence now.  We kept her pretty sheltered until these last shots, but she is all about meeting people :-p  Challenge now is keeping her so she listens.  The confidence also brings on independance and less interest in listening.

[Taco280AI]

Two more weeks till I pick mine up, and then all the training starts again. So worth it 

[magnanimous_j]

Living in the city, my pup gets a lot of attention from strangers when we go on walks and they commonly say something like "Cherish these moments, because they grow up so fast."

My only thought (as I fish a mouse head out of his mouth) on that is: Thank God!

Every day, he gets a little more self reliant, a little more trustworthy, and a little more chill. Puppies are super cute and all, but there is nothing better than a (reasonably) well trained dog that's a great, loyal companion that you don't have to watch like a hawk every second of the day.

Could not agree more.  Ours just crossed 5mos, still have to watch her, but she is chilling out.  Working on her confidence now.  We kept her pretty sheltered until these last shots, but she is all about meeting people :-p  Challenge now is keeping her so she listens.  The confidence also brings on independance and less interest in listening.

Mine is 9 months, and we're still working on that.

What we have found to be the most helpful is "stay-come" training. Get some treats and then, in your house or another safe environment, show her the treats, say "stay" and then take a few steps. If she is still sitting, say "come" and then give her a treat. Then do the same and every time take a couple more steps. I don't know why, but that translates really well outside when you want her to come.

If that sounds way obvious, I'm don't mean to be condescending. I grew up with dogs, but this one is the first one that I've really been responsible for training. So its all new to me.

[KFhunter]

get a carpet mat,  have her stay on the mat, if she gets off the mat give gentle but persistent stimulation on the ecollar then physically place back on the mat, then let off the stimulation.

If she stays on the mat for a little bit  (very short duration at first, then longer and longer)  give a treat then release off the mat


you just started whoa training, which translates to stay, if you trained her to bird dog whoa standards she'd sit by a grocery store door for an hour while you shopped and not move. 

[callturner]

Google :Evan Graham Smartworks  Dog training. 2 Don't take much advise from non pro trainers on the internet. They may just want to help, but do more harm in the long run.

[lamrith]

Living in the city, my pup gets a lot of attention from strangers when we go on walks and they commonly say something like "Cherish these moments, because they grow up so fast."

My only thought (as I fish a mouse head out of his mouth) on that is: Thank God!

Every day, he gets a little more self reliant, a little more trustworthy, and a little more chill. Puppies are super cute and all, but there is nothing better than a (reasonably) well trained dog that's a great, loyal companion that you don't have to watch like a hawk every second of the day.

Could not agree more.  Ours just crossed 5mos, still have to watch her, but she is chilling out.  Working on her confidence now.  We kept her pretty sheltered until these last shots, but she is all about meeting people :-p  Challenge now is keeping her so she listens.  The confidence also brings on independance and less interest in listening.

Mine is 9 months, and we're still working on that.

What we have found to be the most helpful is "stay-come" training. Get some treats and then, in your house or another safe environment, show her the treats, say "stay" and then take a few steps. If she is still sitting, say "come" and then give her a treat. Then do the same and every time take a couple more steps. I don't know why, but that translates really well outside when you want her to come.

If that sounds way obvious, I'm don't mean to be condescending. I grew up with dogs, but this one is the first one that I've really been responsible for training. So its all new to me.

HAHA  no worries!  She actually has stay down very well.  If she knows there is food involved she is perfect.  but if she does not thing there is.  mehh..

get a carpet mat,  have her stay on the mat, if she gets off the mat give gentle but persistent stimulation on the ecollar then physically place back on the mat, then let off the stimulation.

If she stays on the mat for a little bit  (very short duration at first, then longer and longer)  give a treat then release off the mat

you just started whoa training, which translates to stay, if you trained her to bird dog whoa standards she'd sit by a grocery store door for an hour while you shopped and not move. 

Not sure who this response was to?  I am not training her to be a bird dog, she is a family companion.  No Ecollar yet.  We bought one, but it does not function properly (vibrate is only temporary and no settable intensity) so it is going back. 

Still looking for a economical unit that functions properly, but is not ruggedized with a 1mi range and designed  for hunting dog bashing thru brush and freezing water.  Seems they are either garbage $30-40 units, or they are $200+ full boat hunting dog rigs.

[Pete112288]

Picked her up on Friday!!! Her name is Daisy.
This is the first true puppy I have ever had. Last time my family got a puppy was when I was a toddler. And our family pet we got after he was a year old.
So far I couldnt have hoped for it to work out better. I am taking things as they come and loving it. She is all about me already. She minds me pretty well, a lot better than I expected out of an 8 week old pup. She has lots of energy but overall is really fine with chilling out quite a bit. Our dog is still on the fence but he is getting to his grouchy old man age and still is tolerating her and every now and then when he thinks we are not looking, he actually will start playing with her. The breeder had you kids, cats and other dogs, she was one in 9 of the litter, and she was the runt. She fell in love with my 7 year old son right out of the gate. She likes my wife as well, but for sure is focused on me. Introduced her a little bit to an antler for a few moments and she was all about it. Hope to train her for waterfowl and sheds. She is all about finding things she shouldnt have. Small rocks, leaves, and those pesky pop-it papers from the 4th of July that we thought we had all picked up a month ago. She finds it. I want to take some parts of small antlers and stash them around so there is something she can find and pick up and she can be praised for it instead of having to fish it out of her mouth. She is all about praise already. I was told for a hunting dog to try not to train by the stomach. Man, she has made that so easy already. She loves the praise. Going to the bathroom outside, I make a big deal about and she comes running and wiggly and rolls over on my feet to rub her tummy. After the first day I can already tell she gets the point, she is making it pretty easy to see that she needs to go outside. I have never had anything or anyone who seems so into just me so openly, its almost been overwhelming for me, haha. She wants to be where I am all the time, especially when that is outside. She wants to curl up on my feet a lot. But most of the time, as long as she knows I am nearby she is happy to nap away and stretch out.
Gah, I am lovin it.
Now for the best part... here she is.

[cem3434]

Good looking pup!

[lamrith]

Picked her up on Friday!!! Her name is Daisy.
This is the first true puppy I have ever had. Last time my family got a puppy was when I was a toddler. And our family pet we got after he was a year old.
So far I couldnt have hoped for it to work out better. I am taking things as they come and loving it. She is all about me already. She minds me pretty well, a lot better than I expected out of an 8 week old pup. She has lots of energy but overall is really fine with chilling out quite a bit. Our dog is still on the fence but he is getting to his grouchy old man age and still is tolerating her and every now and then when he thinks we are not looking, he actually will start playing with her. The breeder had you kids, cats and other dogs, she was one in 9 of the litter, and she was the runt. She fell in love with my 7 year old son right out of the gate. She likes my wife as well, but for sure is focused on me. Introduced her a little bit to an antler for a few moments and she was all about it. Hope to train her for waterfowl and sheds. She is all about finding things she shouldnt have. Small rocks, leaves, and those pesky pop-it papers from the 4th of July that we thought we had all picked up a month ago. She finds it. I want to take some parts of small antlers and stash them around so there is something she can find and pick up and she can be praised for it instead of having to fish it out of her mouth. She is all about praise already. I was told for a hunting dog to try not to train by the stomach. Man, she has made that so easy already. She loves the praise. Going to the bathroom outside, I make a big deal about and she comes running and wiggly and rolls over on my feet to rub her tummy. After the first day I can already tell she gets the point, she is making it pretty easy to see that she needs to go outside. I have never had anything or anyone who seems so into just me so openly, its almost been overwhelming for me, haha. She wants to be where I am all the time, especially when that is outside. She wants to curl up on my feet a lot. But most of the time, as long as she knows I am nearby she is happy to nap away and stretch out.
Gah, I am lovin it.
Now for the best part... here she is.

Outstanding.  That is awesome she has locked onto you.  Those 1st weeks are soo important.  Be warned that laid back energy and napping is partially stress of new home, the energy will start to increase soon.  I am a new puppy dad myself (about 4mos ahead of you) and it has been a learning experience for sure.

The finding things they should not does not end for a while.  Mine is still picking up leaves, rocks, anything loose on the ground must be tasted for quality assurance purposes!
One word of caution with the antlers.  If you plan to have her be a shed hunter and be able to retrieve them and bring back to you, don't let her chew on them even now.  Pups ingrain habits like mad when they are young, letting her chew now will have her doing that when she finds them.  Maybe hide them around, but make sure she brings them to you when found.  One trick also is to make giving something up to you a good thing.  Lots of praise when she lets you have it.  It is easy for us to scold when they grab or chew a bad thing, it gets tiring after the 20th time in 15min.  But making giving it up to you fun and a rewarded thing will pay off in the long run.  Make bringing to you how she gets a reward, not the antler/rock/shoe itself if that make sense.  There are a few shed hunter trainers on youtube that have good ways of working thru it.  It can be tough to train at this young age as with teething and puppyhood, everything is a chewtoy.

Not sure if you are one of the many still at home, but make sure to get her daily crate time schedule started now.  She may whine and carry on, but quickly figure it out. 

I highly recommend standing Stone Kennels youtube channel.  They have a Sprig series (yellow lab) and a new series with their current lab pup Clutch just starting.  They also have a bunch with their GSP's.  Great training format and style and they are very good about sharing info to help pup owners make the most of their pup.  I would say watch thru the Sprig series 1st, then start going thru their YAWA series.
Standingstone Kennels

Above all else, get her socialized!!  Since she does not have all shots avoid places that are heavy dog places like dog parks or places were you see lots of dog evidence.  But beyond that get her out all the time, as much as possible, take her everywhere.  As mentioned anything they do becomes habit/normal.  I made the mistake of keeping Val sheltered at home.  I lost a pup years ago to parvo and was just to concerned to take her off property when small and easy to handle.  Now I have a 45# pup that is timid to most things outside the property, she is working thru it quickly, but it is lot more work where when young they just do not know to be afraid of anything and are easy to handle.

Feel free to hit me up with any questions you have, I am no expert, just going thru it myself so everything is fresh and recent including hindsight.

[baldopepper]

I to have a new lab pup, just 10 weeks. Took her to the vet for health check and follow up shots and he warned me about antler chewing. Advised to not let them have them until at least 4 months and really recommend 6 months. He says too hard for baby teeth and he sees one or two a month that have broken a tooth chewing on antlers. Guess it can be pretty painful for the pup. I'm no expert but he seemed to know labs so guess I'll keep her away from them for a while. (also said he's had a couple brought in that had inadvertently jabbed them themselves pretty badly when playing with antlers without the points removed)

[lamrith]

I to have a new lab pup, just 10 weeks. Took her to the vet for health check and follow up shots and he warned me about antler chewing. Advised to not let them have them until at least 4 months and really recommend 6 months. He says too hard for baby teeth and he sees one or two a month that have broken a tooth chewing on antlers. Guess it can be pretty painful for the pup. I'm no expert but he seemed to know labs so guess I'll keep her away from them for a while. (also said he's had a couple brought in that had inadvertently jabbed them themselves pretty badly when playing with antlers without the points removed)

Very good point.  The puppy teeth need something to work on, but not something hard as they are not that strong.  Our pup broke a fang tooth.  We did not know it until I noticed that she had not been chewing on anything much and was licking funny so I took a look.  It was just hanging from her gum by a tiny piece.  I pulled it free and she immediately started chewing things again.  Same goes for any tugging/pulling games, easy to break a tooth when young.

Maybe look up PorkChomps.  They are a non rawhide chew that for a young puppy lasts a while but also gives them some accomplishment as they chew it down.  Pups like to chew things to actually destroy them, so having something they can finish is good to work the brain and satisfy that need.  We keep them now mostly for treat or times when she is fidgety and we cannot take her outside for playtime right then.  She is strong now and they only last 15min or so, but she is much happier chewing them and when done.  Heck she even ignores our cat (her favorite playtoy) when she has one of the chomps to work on.

[Pete112288]

Thanks for the input!
I am all ears as this is my first go around.
What was said about the sleeping a lot and being chill is a lot of just being new to the home has already shone through. Just in the last 24-48 hours she has started acting more like I would have expected a new pup to. A lot of energy. I am trying to maintain that yes, I love to have her with me and give her the attention and affection but that there is time too where she needs to not be right at foot. Whether that be her kennel time or just time to lay on her bed or whatever the case may be. So far she has been pretty good with that.
The antler in the picture I just showed her, let her sniff and mouth just for a second before I picked it up. I do not intend to let her chew or have anything like that without supervision or for any length of time at this point. I thought about taking 3-6 inch smoothed out parts of antler and stashing them around when its time for her and I to wonder around and play. Then when she finds them and picks them up, praise her and make sure she is praised for giving it up to me right after she finds it. But we will see. She does have her puppy chews, mostly Nylabone ones. And she is pretty content with them so far. My son and wife are being great with it too. Keeping constant watch and correcting her with any undesired chewing and other things along the way. I feel like I couldnt ask for a better situation and support for training her.
Another thing I am trying to reinforce and work with her on is that she does not seem to be skittish of much at this point. The neighbors on both sides have small yappy dogs and cats that are out and about. And about 100-150 ft behind our back fence is a pretty busy highway. Lots of suped up cars revving up and down, loud choppers and crotch rockets, and loud semis. Also, not far on the other side of the highway is a trap club with quite a bit of shooting going on. Since the first day of the new place, none of these things have really had her skittish or anything.
So I feel like I am getting off on the right foot for the most part. Even if the wife refers to her as the "tiny terror" due to having to have such a constant eye on her, but its in good humor. I couldnt ask for better support.
All the advice I have been getting from everyone on here and elsewhere has been beyond great as well. And is very appreciated.

[lamrith]

Great news Pete and thanks for the pupdate! 

Def watch the Standing Stone series, they push place training and that will help with her always being underfoot.  They also do things to have the dog figure out what is needed.  Pretty interesting concept that they say helps the dogs develop faster as well and retain better.  A pup like Daisy will pick it up quickly.  We did not want ours always in just one location, family moves around house a bit and I like having pup close by so I did not push place training at all.  This has actually complicated training and keeping her out of things.  :-p  Wishing now I had focused on it more, and may actually begin it now, should still be early enough for her to get dialed in, just need to get a good spot/bed in a few places so it is obvious for her.  For your planned use and hunting I would highly recommend it.

The constant vigilance does not end anytime soon, Val is 6.5mos and still likes to find things to chomp on, usually related to feet be; it shoes, slippers, socks, etc.  That is where place training would have been helpful for us.

[Colin]

Would recommend you check out Bill Hillman's Training A Retriever Puppy DVD. It's gold for new owners as well as trainers. I recommend to everyone.

Any puppy that's had even an attempt at working the Hillman puppy stuff will train so much easier than one that hasn't.

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