Puppy basics

House Training

The best way to house train your puppy is a method known as “crate training.”  Provide a small pet carrier-type kennel for your puppy, which is suitable to his size (not too big).  Puppies will not soil their bed if they can help it.  Put the puppy in here to sleep at night and take him out immediately in the morning, carrying him directly from the crate to the place you intend him to use the restroom, and encourage him to do so.  We prefer to use the “go potty” command. This will create a good habit. Do not leave the puppy in the kennel any longer than four hours at any point in time.  Many puppies will whine when they need to use the bathroom.

In order to properly house train the puppy, consistently keep him in the crate when he is indoors if you are not interacting with him or watching him closely.  Be sure to take him outside immediately if it appears that he “needs to go” (sniffing intently, etc.).   Do not punish a puppy for making a mess prior to 12-18 weeks, this will impair the bond the puppy has with the owner and causes mistrust.   The key to fair training and discipline is consistency.  One-hundred percent of this responsibility is up to the owner.  Puppies do not yet have the cognitive development necessary to understand harsh discipline.  Never strike or speak harshly to a young puppy. 

Feeding

Feed puppy 1/2 cup to 1 cup of food 2-3x daily (total of 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 cups) at first and follow package instructions according to weight as puppy grows.  We do not recommend leaving food out all the time, as Labs tend to overeat, this develops picky eating, is inconvenient and less healthy for the dog (as flies will get in the food if left out).  Provide fresh water at all times.  A properly fed lab will have a shiny, healthy coat, ribs should not show, and there should be a slightly noticeable waist between the abdominal region and the hip.  Monitor dog’s appearance and increase or decrease feeding as necessary.  All dogs are different, and package instructions are a basis, not a rule, when feeding.  We currently feed our dogs PURINA PRO PLAN Large Breed puppy food, which is available at pet supply centers or your vet’s office.  This is widely considered the best dog food on the market.  We have seen a big difference in our dogs when since we switched to it.  Other good quality foods are Eukanuba or Science Diet.

Play

Puppies will learn to retrieve quickly if a toy is drug along the ground at eye level.  Use a ball or training dummy and encourage puppy to bring it back to you with lots of praise.  While puppy is young, don’t exceed 3-4 retrieves at a time to encourage their desire for retrieving.  If you intend to use your dog for hunting, introduce puppy to scents of birds ( i.e. toys made from feathers, etc), but do not allow them to play “tug of war” or chew on retrieving toys–this will cause them to develop a “hard mouth.”  (For example, our dogs have soft mouths, and regularly retrieve our live pet ducks without causing any injury).

For more detailed articles on preparing for and training your puppy, please contact us; we are happy to email these materials.

 

Red River Retrievers

 

Healthy, Happy Labs—From our home to yours

Training Your Puppy

When your puppy reaches the appropriate age (as early as 6 months), you may decide to board your dog with a trainer to provide the best training possible.  We provide this service, not only for Labs, but also other hunting breeds, such as Golden Retrievers and Labra-doodles.  Basic obedience training generally takes about a month.  Hunting basics and finishing take more time.  Contact us for rates and space availability.

Boarded Professional Training