What to look for when buying a puppy: When it comes time to buy a puppy, remember the old saying, “you get what you pay for.” Get a quality bred dog with a good pedigree, look for past champions, hunt test qualifiers etc. Be sure to ask breeders if eyes and hips are certified and ask about any other guarantees that may come with the dog. Nothing is ever certain in life but you will eliminate many potential problems by getting a quality bred dog. Though you will pay more for a dog like this, it will pay you dividends down the road in trainability and desire to work (this is one of those life experiences I learned the hard way).
How to find a puppy: Most hunting magazines advertise kennels and breeders. You can surf the web as well. When you find a retriever club, contact them, most of the clubs will be delighted to lead you in the right direction. Many retriever club sites have links to other retriever information that might help you find that puppy of your dreams. Another route you might take is to ask someone who already hunts if they know anyone selling puppies. These methods often are the most successful for finding high quality pups.
How to save money when preparing to buy a puppy: If you plan early enough you can pour your concrete as well as set up your own kennel fencing. I prefer a size of 12′x 6′x 6′or larger. When building or buying a dog house, remember labs love to chew. Avoid plastic ones, if you just have to have plastic, round barrels with metal doors are best. If you use wood you will want to cover the corners to prevent chewing. I use metal drywall angles, which work great. Once every thing is ready for your dog consider boarding other dogs and put the money you earn toward your pup and kennel cost. If you’re fortunate, and money is not an obstacle, then you’re ready to purchase your dog.
Puppy’s first day at home: “The beginning of a beautiful relationship.” Your newly purchased companion needs lots of socialization and attention. DO NOT isolate the pup from people and activity by locking him in his kennel all day and then get him out for ten minutes when you come home from work. Play with him, hold him, take him with you and introduce him to new surroundings. His early weeks should be filled with all kinds of sights and sounds. Another thing to remember, do not discipline him that will come later. For now you want everything to be fun and exciting. Is it ok to tell him no? Yes! In a ruff tone of voice tell him NO! Without physically striking him, pick up the pup and remove him from the danger or offence. Avoidance training should be used during this time, for example, if you do not want him eating your favorite shoes don’t leave them out for him to find. At this stage he doesn’t understand the difference between his chew toy and your shoe. He will find enough things to get into trouble without your help.
Written by: Timothy Burdon of http://www.KySporting.com
I begin my first article by saying I hope it will be one of many more to come. I hope you will enjoy reading and learning from them. My Son who created this website asked me to write about training retrievers. My passions in life are: the Lord, my family, waterfowl hunting, and retrievers. Being an avid water fowler, I hunt all I can. I am a long time Ducks Unlimited committee member and previous committee chairman. Along with my love for duck hunting, comes training and spending time with labs. I am an amateur trainer and have been training labs for approximately twenty years. I am a member of the Central Kentucky Retriever Club and enjoy participating in AKC hunt test and other events. I have received training from some of the best in the business (in my opinion). Then there is experience and all the “good stuff” it teaches you. It is from all of these things that I write…
Tags: Labrador Retrievers, Labs, puppy, Raising Dogs, Retrievers, training, Training Dogs, Training Labs
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