We have been writing some guest blogs here from Sweet Valley Acre’s Labradors. We touched a little on our history as well as on the fact that we had puppies coming. Our last post we told you about Moxie’s birth story. Since that blog we have been kept busy with PUPPIES! They went from totally depending on their mother to now starting to depend on us. The cleanup also has gone from mom doing all of it, to most of it being our responsibility! Puppies are a lot of fun, but they also are a lot of work. We have been enjoying working with potential buyers for our puppies, and are starting to think about “go home” day. We thought in this blog we would touch on 5 key things you should do to prepare for your Labrador puppy. I am sure you could think of many more things, but here are 5 to get you started.
1. Puppy proof you home.
There are a host of things that you never want your puppy to have access to. These include obvious things like medicines and toxic cleaners, but there are many other things you may not think about such as poisonous plants and toxic foods. Make sure you have small objects placed in places that the puppy cannot access, and also make sure any electrical cords that are close to the puppy’s level are covered or contained. Get gates on hand to block off any rooms you don’t want your puppy to have access to right away. It is better to start them off with a small area rather than giving them the overwhelming freedom of the whole house as soon as you bring them home.
2. Get Important Supplies
There are so many fun things to acquire when getting ready for you puppy.
- Leashes-Get a sturdy one! Puppies have amazingly sharp teeth and chewing abilities and will love to destroy their leash if they get a chance.
- Collars-Contact your breeder and ask them to measure your puppy’s neck. When you bring your puppy home, you will want a collar that fits.
- Food dishes-Stainless steel is the way to go for numerous reasons. #1 They’re indestructible. #2 They easy to clean. #3 They can be put in the dish washer to get them sanitized.
- Chew toys-Here again if at all possible you want something durable. Those stuffed toys can look like so much fun, and some stuffed ones are great, but when your puppy really goes to town chewing on them, they are not going to last as long as, say, a Kong brand toy.
- Treats-Again what a fun item to get on hand and what an array of options! Take a look at the ingredients. You want the best possible for you new puppy. Look for natural treats. One brand we highly recommend is TLC’s Dog Biscuits.
3. Choose a Crate
To some people the thought of crating their puppy sounds harsh. However the reality is the exact opposite! A crate when used correctly provides your puppy with a safe, quiet place where he can get away to sleep or play. It becomes their happy place! When thinking of choosing a crate, there are the wire options or the plastic options. I am not here to say one is better than the other. The main thing to think about when getting a crate is the size to get. You will want to get one that will be big enough for your puppy when they are an adult, but at the same time your puppy should not have all that space right away, so it is important to make sure the crate you get comes with dividers so that you can regulate the amount of space your puppy has.
4. Find a Good Veterinarian
This is an extremely important point. When you need routine care or when accidents happen, you want to be a client at a practice that you trust so you have someone to go to. One great way to find a good vet is to talk to friends or family in your area that have pets and ask them where they go and how they like their vet. You also want a practice that is fairly near by for emergencies. A veterinarian that offer emergency services is always great, but depends on where you live, that may not be an option for you. Along with finding a good vet will come the part of getting you first visit for your puppy scheduled. Be sure to communicate ahead of time with your breeder on this point as they may have a time frame that you have to get them to the vet in for their health guarantee to be valid, etc.
5. Have Food on Hand
This is another point that it is important that you communicate with your breeder on. See what they are feeding the puppy and ask them questions about why they feed it. Evaluate it fairly. If it is a good quality food, your puppy will probably be best off staying on this food as moving to a new home really stresses puppies. However if you feel the breeder is feeding a less than the best food, you will want to switch your puppy to a food that gives them the best. In this scenario, ask the breeder for a small bag of the food the puppy is on to take home with your puppy to transition them over to the new feed you are going to feed. There are many different protocols our there for how to transition your puppy to a new food, and that would be a great question for your vet or the breeder you are getting your puppy from. Our preference is TLC Pet Food and our dogs and puppies thrive on it. We highly recommend it as a great way to get your puppy off to a good start.
Preparing for your Labrador puppy is exciting and at the same time a lot of work, but it will be worth it once you are enjoying the happiness a Labrador Retriever puppy will bring to you and your loved ones.
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