New Dog

Hi, I am a dog trainer, so perhaps I can offer a few tips. Labs are energetic, but, lovable dogs. They do need more attention, than a Beagle, but, your boys are a perfect age to help with that! To relieve some of the energy, I suggest FRISBEE! By throwing a frisbee, the dog gets pooped, but, you don't. I find that "soup bones" are the perfect bone for Labs. The bones are thick, and once frozen, it gives the dog hours of chewing satisfaction. You can find the soup bones in your local store in the meat section, or, if you have a meat market, with a butcher, that is better yet. Also, you can buy rubber toys at your local pet store, and spread peanut butter on the toys, and in them if they have an opening, and then freeze them, and there you go. If you have any specific problems, send me a message, and I will see if I can help.I am so sorry for your loss with Mocha. I know firsthand the pain of losing a pet.

I can't give you any advice about what to read, since I've been a cat-only owner for the past 20 some years, but speaking from my experiences when growing up - we had many dogs back then - I grew up in the country with alot of room for them to run - and the labs were the best with us and with our little nieces and nephews (known for their great reputation with kids, as friend and protector).

Just my two cents.

I'm sorry for the loss of your Mocha. But you can provide a great home to another wonderful pup. Good luck to you!

HI C....

NOt sure where you live but if you are near Lockport.....give Peggy Moran a call. Here is her website. http://www.dogimprovement.com/about.html She is fabulous.....We drove a bit to go to her because she is such a great trainer. She teaches obedience classes out of her home. She has a pretty big classroom set up taht is adjacent to her house. She has small classes so you will get a lot of one on one attention. She likes you to bring members of the family with as well so everyone can learn. She teaches "out of the norm" if you will. NOt your standard, get a dog to do something and get a treat. She teaches from a dog pack mindset. Where your dog is part of your family pack and what behaviors to do and what behaviors might sabotage things. You are the alpha dog...as would be in any pack. It is pretty amazing.

As far as treats go, our dog is a powerful chewer. Anything we would give her, she destroys. The only thing we have found that stays intact are nylabones. They are great and she loves them! We replace them every so often because she gets bored with certain ones after awhile. Its like she knows which ones are new!

We also feed raw food and go to a holistic vet. If you have any interest in either of those, or have additional questions, just let me know. Good luck!

B.

Hi C.,
I'm so sorry for your loss.I also recently lost a baby Pom and I have a 12 year old Lab. Labs are one of the best family dogs you could ask for and are very smart.Training them should be pretty easy. You can start with the simple, sit,lay down, shake, ect... Praise him with a small treat,Purina prefered.They love to play frizbee,[Yeah in any weather}. Raw hides are fine {white}.It'll take patience and a whole lot of love. Good Luck!
P. {Animal Care and Medical Center}

Labs are wonderful dogs, full of love and energy. A one year old is still very much a puppy in labs, so you'll have to have lots of toys (ropes and so on for tug-of-war games they love, balls for fetching, and lots to chew on). I highly recommend a toy called "Mean Kitty" which is a canvas cat that holds up pretty well. Our Golden loves it! If the dog has not been trained that's the first thing you'll want to do. Your older child is old enough and strong enough to walk the dog, but you'll want to show him how so the dog won't pull and think it's in charge! I always have American made rawhides for chewing- they need to chew and you don't want it to be on your shoes, hats, gloves, etc.! Once you all get used to each other you will love having a lab in your family.

Labs are great---you are right, high energy, love to run and frolic and love water. Tennis balls are great, they are cheap, and they float if you throw them in the water. They love to fetch, hunting dogs by nature. They are extremely family friendly, and loyal to their family. Congrats on your new addition ;-)

Hi C.,
Sorry about your loss. First of all, we went through the same situation about 2 years ago. Please only get this dog when you are absolutely ready. The loss and grieving of a pet is like the loss of a person. Secondly, labs are wonderful dogs, it is what our last 2 dogs have been. BUT, they do require lots of attention for about the first 2-4 years, then, they are perfect. Our Daisy is just turning 1 and is making us wish we would have waited til our kids were more grown (we have 3 and 5 yr olds). We use a crate to train her, we go to a feed store to get bones that are real cow hooves, pig ears, beef tendons, etc. to keep her mouth occupied. Bones that are hollow in the middle are great too, because we will scoop some peanut butter in there so she has to work to get it out. Lots of long walks work great too. That means less energy at home.
I hope this helps.

Hi C.! My condolences to you and your family for your loss. Labs are wonderful! We lost our black lab last summer she was about 8 or 9 years old, that broke my heart. My husband like yours wanted to get a new dog right away so now we've got two great cockapoos. But to get to your question, yes labs are hyper until they get older and they do love to play. For toys get something kinda strong because they are big and have strong teeth!

Hi C..Just stoppin in with a little insight.First depending on the dogs age most dogs aclimate to the house hold.Dont worry about any hyper tendencies in the beginning.They are babies too!!!Dogs tend to be protective over children so deffinatly take the time to introduce your whole family to the dog on a one on one basis.Our dog in the beginning became nervous about her food but we slowly started to walk up to the dish while she was eating and letting her know that you do not bite the hand that feeds you.There are alot of books out there to help you so read,read,read.Good luck and best wishes for your new pup

As a "mommy" of two labs (and a 1yr old daughter)...I can honestly say there is no better breed out there! They are great with kids...and your kids ages are perfect for them, a 13yr old and 5 yr old will love walking/playing/fetching with this new pup (yes...they do act like pups till at least 2 yrs old)!! Beagles are great (I've had those too)...but Labs are a whole different kind of dog! They can be part of the family...they love car rides, laying on the sofa...I mean floor ;)...with you and the kids!! They love to swim, camp...whatever you do - they can go too!

Treats - ours love the flavored bones...Petco has Vanilla and Penaut Butter flavor (which is great when they get bad breath...especially the vanilla if you can find the, they are hard to find)...Pet Supplies Plus ALWAYS has the vanilla - but there aren't many of those stores around. Chew bones also clean their teeth perfectly!

Tugawar (with the ropes they have) is fun, although I never taught that cuz I didn't want them to do it with my kids toys. Mostly stick to the big rubber kind...Kong's as the are called, in all shapes! Frisbee and tennis balls are excellent!

DO take the Lab to a dog park! They are all over Chicagoland area now...Naperville, Oakbrook....you will LOVE seeing how this dog plays with others...and it gives your boys a fun outing with them!

Sleeping arrangements...I've done it all! Mine have slept in the bed with me (when i was single), on the floor (when I was married), and downstairs (when I had a child)!! That is really up to you! I have a feeling the 13yr old may like the pup to sleep with him! I'd say whoever the dog bonds with the most, let them share a couple nights to make him/her feel really at home! I also encourage crate training...but that's something that should have been since a puppy...if they did use a crate, continue to use a crate when you are not home! It is really the safest place for them while you are out of the house. (my brother's lab ate a whole rug one time, and surgery to remove it all from his tummy....$4000). In a crate, you know they are safe and warm while you are away! OR a laundry room if it has a door to close, and a bed of course!

Labs are loving, loyal, friendly, the don't bark unless you let them (when trained right). I know our Beagles always barked....so we stopped the barking right off the bat with the Labs. They do seem to do it when strangers approach the house thou - and that's fine with me!

Overall, you'll need a cozy bed, Kong's, treats...good brand of food - and you're all set! It's easy to love a Lab!

I'm hoping it is somewhat trained for you?!!?!?

Good luck.......have fun - your boys will enjoy this dog the most I think! You can always email me with questions too! But I'm sure you'll be fine! Sorry so long...guess I had alot to say on this one! Ha!

Leslie

Sorry about the recent loss of Mocha - it is so hard to lose a beloved pet. We have an 8 year old lab mix that has been an excellent family dog. The lab took longer to "mellow out" than our smaller dogs - more like two years of puppy behavior than one. Jumping up on people was a difficult habit to break and she also stood up to grab food off counters, which our smaller dogs couldn't do. With training, we've eliminated the jumping up on people, but she will still occasionally grab things off the counter. Labs have very sweet dispositions. She is completely trustworthy around babies, toddlers, other dogs and visitors. I can't imagine a better family dog. We went through two puppy/dog training classes at one of the bigger pet stores and that really helped. Attaching the dog's leash to your belt to force her to follow you around, not letting her cut in front of you on stairs or through doors, making her sit/stay and wait a few minutes before you hand her her dinner are all good ways to establish the "pack hierarchy". Have the kids feed her and help with the training. Its important for her to learn that she has to mind everyone in the family. Good luck!

Hi there, C..

I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your beagle. We have a 5-month-old pug, who also needs a lot of attention and has loads of energy. Our vet recommended "Good Owners, Great Dogs," by Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson. It's one of the best training and general dog information books I've come across. Lots of great ideas.

Good Luck!

- A.

Labs are a wonderful breed...they can be sso loving, and enjoy being loved as well... they are quite laid back ( some might say lazy) but usually are gentle with kids...at one year it will still have some puppy in it, so playful... any toy that you can tug with is great... and they love treats...I buy the peanut butter large size bones at Pets Mart for my daughters part lab...those are special "grandma bones" she is my baby too,,,we have found this part lab part shephard is such a wonderful protector too... truly a great dog...

just show this dog a lot of love, as this move could be tramatic to her... let her settle in, and know this is her home...

training is super important...teach simple one word commands...be sure to get her to respond to come... very important...if she is doing something wrong, say come...it stops it in a positive way... exercise is needed too...so fetch is a good one too...

sorry for your loss, no matter the breed, our dogs are a part of us...

Ive heard barkbusters.com is a good training company. For treats and toys, rawhides are not good for dogs. Real bones from the butcher are better. You can get them at Meijer, they are already packaged by the dog section and by the meat. They will say "knee bone, knuckle" etc. Pigs ears are ok too. If your dog gets a treat after going out, i would use small treats. Our dog goes out so many times that a large treat would be too many calories. Dog toys for a lab should be very durable. We get the Kong brand and toys that say "for strong chewers". No stuffed animals or things they can rip apart easily or has small parts they can eat/choke on. Labs are puppies for a few years, so be patient. Good luck.

I am sorry for you loss of your dog. We have a 6 year-old lab who is the most wonderful dog (labs are the number one dog in the country because they are great with kids!). I would recommend getting some "Bitter apple" (at any pet store) if your dog is a chewer. You spray it on anything you don't want the dog to chew (it won't stain most things). The dog hates the bitter taste and stays away. Our dog loves rawhides so that is a great thing to give them. But several vets told us to make sure you only buy the ones made in the US because other countries don't have the same health standards. Petco sells a brand that I buy exclusively for our dog. Also, get one of those twisted rope toys, wet it and put in the freezer. Then give it to the dog to chew. They love it on their teeth and it keeps them busy. Good luck with your new family member. Labs are just wonderful, wonderful dogs- very easily trained, very affectionate and gentle.

Congrats on the new addition! I have a boxer pup, 6 1/2 months old, so I feel qualified (as a layman that is, I'm no expert)to answer this. Training is key. I got to Narnia in Plainfield http://www.narniapets.com/. However you can ask your vet to recommend a place. We use positive training methods and my pup is very sweet I thing largely in part because of the methods of training and my behavoir towards her.

Bones, ahh bones. My dear Opal can go through a bone pretty quick. I've found the big beef bones (real bones) hold up a long time. Nylabones last a while too. I've never given her rawhides as I've heard to many danger stories of choking. I also giver her nutradents, and healthy edibles but she can consume those in 45 minutes so that's not an everyday bone. Bones are great to keep dogs busy and give them an appropriate thing to chew as opposed to toys, shoes, furniture, etc.

Toys, get lots of toys. Opal prefers rubber toys to chew. I have a few soft toys w/ squeakers but make sure they're not to big for the dogs mouth. But you'll have to experiment. Rope toys are cool too, but she doesn't really dig those too much.

Kong is king! Get a kong and you can fill it with treats, peanut butter, cheese, etc. It's mental exercise for them to retrieve the treat.

A bored dog quickly becomes a bad dog. Give her lots to do, lots of toys, and lots of time and love and she'll be a good doggie.

Opal spends time in her crate (which is huge) when I cannot watch her. I give her things to do in her crate, like the the kong or bones. She's still at the adolescent stage (which you Lab is most likely in too. This stage ends at about 18-24 months depending on the breed) which means even with 17 toys laying about, if I'm not immediately present, she'll counter surf, chew on in appropriate things, and generally be a nuisance. If I'm in the kitchen or family room, I let her out and she just hangs out with us. As she's maturing, she's out longer and longer each day. She's actually displaying signs of maturity such as choosing a bone over say, the mail or the kids toys. But don't feel guilty about using a crate. As long as you use it positively, it's safer for the dog, and your belongings. Whe he/she gets older and more mature, she'll eventually not be in it at all.

Always supervise the kids and the dog until you get comfortable with how they behave together. I have a 4yo girl and a 3 yo boy so I have a lot of challenges of misbehaviour. But my DD is actaully learning to train her and doing a good job. This is our first dog, so our kids are still learning not to jump on her, bother her while eating, etc. Your kids have experience so this probably isn't as big a deal for you.

Take lots of walks, and have fun!

Hope all this info helps!

Buy your new dog a nylabone and anything squaaky! If you want to wear him out (and I'm sure by now you do) just play fetch with him. Fetching is its own reward with these dogs. Buy a load of tennis balls and after 20-30 throws your dog should start to wear down. The five year old should be pretty good at tiring the dog out as well! Good luck and have fun!!

Hi C.,

Labs make wonderful family pets and are fantastic with children. A few things to consider with this breed...first, no matter how great, it is still a dog so kids should always be supervised when nearby.

Labs are fantastic shedders - I recommend checking consumer reports for a vacuum that is rated high on pet hair pick up - especially with kids in the house.

As far as your new family member - labs have boundless energy and need a lot of play and run time each and every day. They are not the lazy person's dog. They tend to act out when they haven't gotten enough exercise so if you find your favorite pair of shoes eaten - discipline the dog and then get him/her out for a good romp to burn the extra energy.

That being said, labs are exceptionally powerful chewers. Toys that have "virutally indestructable" printed on the label rarely stand up to adult labs. I recommend American- made rawhides (since you don't know what is in the products made in other countries) and plenty of them to help your pup satisfy their need to chew. And, Kong products are loads of fun and can help keep your dog busy.

Because they chew so much and so hard, check the toys regularly to ensure the safety isn't compromised as dogs can chock on bits of toys they chew through.

Nutrition is very important too - depending on how large your pup will be, check with your vet, but also consider food for large-breed dogs as it contains things that are not often found in other foods, but are vital to a large dog's health and well-being.

Good luck, happy puppy and know that labs are really an incredible breed of dog.

Jen
Mom to 19 month old, wife of 4 1/2 years to husband and owner of 51/2 year old yellow lab. What a sweet life it is!!

the best thing for any dog is exercise. they have to be walked regularly- if not they will find trouble- I recommend watching the dog whisper- he is awesome. have plenty of chew toys available and have confidence in yourself- teach your kids the same. if your dog is fightened or misbehave do not reward during that time or feed into it. I love dogs!

We have a 1yr old lab, and she is great with my kids. As everyone has said they do like to chew. Mine likes socks, the kids stuffed toys, pencils, crayons or anything else she can find on the floor.

We actually have an electric fence which is great at keeping her in the yard, because they love to chase things, especially squirrels.

We tried the pigs ears, and the flat rawhide bones before, but they gave her diarrehia, so just go slow at first introducing a new treat. I bought her a Nyla bone, and she loves to chew on that.

She is a big baby, and loves to snuggle up on the couch with us. She used to sleep in our bed, but we just bought a new mattress, so I made her a bed next to ours and she sleeps their now.

We crate trained her as well. Now when we go out, we just tell her to go to her house, and she does.

I would highly recommend a lab.

labs do have alot of energy . . .we adopted our black lab mix when she was about 11 months from a local humane society . . . and she was never that exhuberant . . . she was a chewer though . . . for dog stuff, there is a great website, carealotpets.com . . . they have tons of rawhides (wouldnt give too many of those though at a time, may become sick) . . . and peanut butter type treats which my dog loves. . . . and it is much cheaper than pet stores . . . and i buy in bulk which offsets the shipping.

not sure if it is true or not, but i heard yellow labs/chocolate labs are a little more "nutty" than the black labs . . .

we had more problems with separation anxiety (which, with a beagle, i expect you know all about) and chewing . . . and fireworks/loud noises than with too much energy . . . hopefully they crate trained the dog which may help the transition . . . it is their safe place and they know it . . . good luck . . . adopting a pet who is in need of a home is very rewarding . . . and although it seems a little early . . . view it as a tribute to your beloved beagle, that you enjoyed his/her company so much . . . that she paved the way for the need for further canine companionship . . .

I have two labs i know from exsperince that they are big dog's one is 90lbs the other is 1yr and 2 months and already 100 lbs they are great with kids though, mine love raw hide rolls they sell big bags of them at sams club. ours love to play fetch and absolutly love water we have a big plasctic pool we get out for them during the summer i have a 3 and 5 yr old and they love playing with out dogs. and also even though thye are short hair dogs they do shed-- and they will take off after a rabbit in a heart beat but are very smart and easy to train. they are a great family dog.hope that helps-- they LOVE to chew so make sure you have bones or rawhides

I am sorry to hear about Mocha, but am very happy for your the new addition to your family. We have an almost 4 year old lab and couldn't be happier with her. But yes, especially at the 1 year old range, they can be quite a handful. Plan daily walks...a tired dog is a good dog. Additionally, a lifesaver for us was always the "kongs", we fill them with a bit of dry dogfood to cover the small hole and then wet dog food, like alpo out of the can. We then freeze these and they become like a puppy popsicle. These treats can be used strategically when you need about a 30 minute rest from entertaining your puppy.

Our puppy was quite a handful up until she was about 3 years old. She still is very exciteable when people come over, but she has mellowed substantially.

Good luck and congratulations again!

J.

Hi C.,

We have a 13 year old lab and I am seriously considering another one - they are wonderful with children. They do, however, have three year chewing phases. Make sure the dog has lots of chew bones - pressed rawhide are the best. any time he picks up something he shouldn't, tell him no in a firm voice and give him what you want him to chew while telling him how great he is for paying with his toy (helps if it is in a high pitched voice for the good part). I loved the kennel training although some people think it is cruel - our dog loved it after the initial getting used to period. I would say if your brother has trained the dog well it should be easier than getting a puppy but if the dog is out of control ask yourself if you have enough time to untrain and then train. It takes a lot to help a dog through bad training but labs are ready and willing listeners and players. Also - labs are great dogs for kids because they can play fetch for as long as you will do it with them. Sometimes I think ours is six months old when he gets in the water and starts to play fetch. Good luck - love the labs!

I think as a mom, you are making a great decision of getting another dog for the kids. Kids bounce back much quicker than adults, and this dog should help with the healing of loss. I know the kids are young, but I think they will appreciate and love this dog more.
I have a 2yr old lab/terrier mix and we love him. He is the best family dog. Labs definitely have a lot of energy and will need to be walked daily. I use a weighted doggy backpack when walking our dog. It gives him a much better work out. We are also very fond of the Ceaser Mulan "dog whisper" method. I have owned several dogs and I found this is the best way to train a dog.I've used his method at a friends house,and they were amazed at how well their dogs listened. I've also cage trained my dogs. It is much safer for them and they have their own space. When the dog doesn't want to be bothered, he goes into his cage and the kids have to leave him
alone. Another suggestion with kids is to train your dog not to bite them. I would constantly place my hands in my dogs mouth when he was eating or chewing a toy to train him not to bite. This way the dog wouldn't purposely bite or hurt the kids unless it was in defense. My friend uses the apple bitter on her dogs and it does work well.
The lab is the only dog that I have owned that "runs" on me. He'll jump the fence or take off out the door, even with the leash on and run for blocks. He has pulled his staked chain out of the ground. I finally resorted to a shock collar and it has worked VERY well. I do not like using it on him, but at least he is not running in the street with the chance of getting hit by a car.
Sorry so long...I hope it helps.

Growing up we had a beagle named Sam and then later we had a Lab named Loco. Though Loco the lab was more energetic than Sam, he was a great dog to have. He was always happy and chearful. We didn't let him in the house like we did Sam because he was just too big and exhorborant. He would try to get on the school bus with us in the morning and often ran along the road racing the bus and every car in the neighborhood. He loved to race. We lived in a rural area on a dirt road so it wasn't a big deal.

He liked water alot. If we filled a plastic pool with water he would have good time in it. We often took him to the lake with us and he loved it, but he wasn't very nice smelling going home.

The do like to play but because they are bigger dogs I would avoid things that he can chew to bits and choke on. I've been told tennis balls are bad for big dogs. He liked those big rawhides to chew on. He loved to play tug of war with a piece of rope that had knots on each end. And though he was a dog he got along with our cats quite well. He was a very gentle dog even if he was very playful. He was smart too and quickly learned to sit, shake, and not jump on visitors. We trained him ourselves because we couldn't afford a training school...but they are smart and will learn quickly.

Good luck and congratulations!!!

PS My little brother has owned a black lab, several chocolate labs and a brendle. He would warn you that they do love to chew...He's had to repair walls. He's lost a wallet with a $20, several baseball caps, some shoes, and a coffee table to labs. I don't know when they stop chewing but keep an eye out and try not to leave too much laying around until you determine if he's over it.

Hi C.,
Congratulations on your new family member. My condolences for your loss. I lost my 10 yr old white lab mix to lung cancer about a year and a half ago. I feel your pain. We had 2 labs now we are down to one. We have a 4 year old yellow lab left and we love her to death. I suggest you get a book specifically about labs that way you will know what to look forward to. I got my lab when she was only 6 months and she chewed every shoe and sandle I owned. She left me my tennis shoes. Labs are chewers. They chew on your shoes when they're lonely. She grew out of it at about 3 years old and 8 pairs of shoes and sandles later. They will also eat any food that falls on the floor. While I'm cooking my dog is right there waiting for me to drop something so she can eat it off the floor. They will do anything for a tennis ball. That's their favorite toy. They love to play fetch and they demand attention. There are many other things that you can look into about labrodors. Just go to your local pet store like Petco or Petsmart and get a book they are very enlightening. Good luck!