New dog.. PICS ADDED!!!

[bighunter]

Ok guys i am bringing our first dog home on Monday. She is a pure breed yellow lab her name is Bella. I got all the basic stuff is there anything that you guys would suggest in getting that would help us through the puppy stages?

[carpsniperg2]

Make sure she has somthing thats o.k. to chew on. Thats her toy and she can't eat. Make sure you check for anything small on the floors that they can eat. If its on the ground and small enough to fit in the mouth. Then its going down the hatch

[singleshot12]

  Give her alot of attention and excersize during the day and Play country music on low at nites

[ribka]

Good advice so far. Just understand there will most likely be accidents in the house. Don't take it out on the dog. Be patient.
Use a kennel to potty train and stick with it. Big temptation to let puppy sleep in bed etc. Stick with the kennel.
 Give it plenty of attention positive feedback. Socialize with other dogs at a young age

Enjoy your will give you and your family many years of happiness!! 

[Birdguy]

Spend as much time with the pup as possible ( since your post said us that goes for the whole family). Play a lot outside when you can, keep her busy in the evenings, USE the KENNEL( for bed time and when you are not home) the kennel needs to be a place of comfort and you will be much happier. You can always let them out of the kennel later, but is can be real tough to convince them later that kennel is a good place to be. Find a training book/dvd that you are happy with and get the family on board with the plan. Basics are where it is at, a plan will make it a little easier.

Post a few pics and let the fun begin .

[halflife65]

I agree, use the kennel.  Plan on not sleeping for awhile on the first couple of nights but that'll settle down quickly.

Watch them closely for when they start sniffing around to find a place to pee/poop and get them outside.  They'll then forget about going for a little bit so just hang out until they do and then congratulate them.  If they go before you catch them you're pretty much hosed but you can scoop them up in the middle of doing their duty and get them outside (hold her at arms length  ) and still get the point across.  Of my two dogs one of them learned it in a few days and the other was more stubborn and it took a few weeks before she consistently got it.

[BuckeyeMan]

Kennel, Kennel, Kennel.

It's your friend, and your dogs.  Great for housebreaking and puppy safety.  Also great for owner sanity, as they won't be eating something that you don't want them to.

If pup starts to go in the house, you can sometimes disrupt with a loud clap and yelling no.  Then take them out and praise the hell out of her when she goes there

Good Luck.  I think that's why puppies are so cute, it keeps owners from killing them their first year when they are driving you nuts.  Consistent discipline will shorten the pain.

[bighunter]

Thanks for all the info guys it will help, I will post pics of her as soon as we get her home.

[Happy Gilmore]

Have fun- don't worry about little stuff. Enjoy puppy time. You have years to give her lessons on birds and training. like everyone else said- use a kennel!

Congrats!

[Special T]

Did you get a small kennel to start? if not "borrow" one from someone... Then get wone that fits the size... Get too big of one and they'll crap in the crate.. 

[Curly]

Make sure you have earplugs handy for you to use the first couple nights while she is whining in her crate.

[vandeman17]

All good stuff said in the posts above. I recently went through the new pup stage so I know how exciting, fun, frustrating at times that it is. My few pieces of advice are to try and run the heck out of her as much as possible so that when its time for bed, she will sleep. For the first week or two, my pup would wake me up a few times per night to get let out. I would bring her out, walk around for a few minutes, she would pee and then I would bring her back in. Each time she peed outside I would praise the hell out of her and say the words "let's go pee". Now when its bedtime, I just bring her outside and say, "lets go pee" and she goes. Also, like the guys said about the crate, that is huge. I tell my pup "let's go to bed" and she knows it is time to go to her crate. Each time she does, she gets a small treat. Overall, just be patient and know that it is the small things you do now that will pay off down the road. ENJOY IT! They grow way too fast.

[thinkingman]

Kennel Kennel Kennel for all the reasons mentioned above.
Where are you?
I have a small puppy sized one you can have.

[bighunter]

I live in yakima.

[bighunter]

Ok hope the pics work