Puppy Proofing Your House:
*Move all household cleaners, laundry detergents, mothballs, antifreeze, insect poisons, rat poisons, etc. out of your puppy's reach. Some of these items taste good to your puppy and can be deadly.(Dogs and cats love the taste of antifreeze.) You can visit the ASPCA's Poison Control Website to find out more information on this topic.
Check your house plants. Many plants in and around your house can make your puppy sick and even be fatal.
Helpful Puppy Tips:
1. You must always reinforce that you are the boss. Your puppy will constantly test you to see what he can get away with.
2. Teach your dog the "sit", "come", "stay", "down", and "leave it" commands. Attend a puppy obedience class if you can.
3. Puppies love to chew things. Teach your puppy that his toys are for chewing. If he chews on anything else, say "no" in a firm voice. Give him a chew toy, and praise him as he starts chewing it so he will learn the correct behavior.
4. Do not reward barking or whining with attention!
5. Confine your dog to a chew-proof area when you can't supervise her. A dog crate is the safest place for your dog when you can't be present to supervise. See our section on crating your puppy.
6. Make sure that electrical cords are unplugged or inaccessible.
7. Puppy vaccinations start typically around six to eight weeks. These vaccinations are repeated every two to three weeks until he/she is sixteen weeks old.
8. Monitor your puppy's diet. You need to be consistent with what you feed your puppy, monitoring how much he/she eats and weighs.
9. Labradors like lots of fresh water, be sure to refresh their water pails/buckets frequently.
10. A Labrador puppy loves to play. Young children, however, can wear out a young puppy, so supervised play is a must. Also young children should not pick up puppies as they can hurt them or cause permanent injury.
Crate Training Your Puppy:
We recommend a crate for a bed. Crates are very useful tools when house-training your puppy, because the dog's instinct is not to soil her bed. You must let your puppy out of the crate every few hours for the first month or so, as it will not be able to go all night without relieving itself. The crate will make it feel more secure. Why do this for your puppy? A cave was home to dog's wolf-like ancestors, so your puppy instinctively feels cozy and safe in anything similar. Add some warm, washable bedding for her to snuggle up in. With crate training you will know that it is not getting into any mischief, even when you cannot be there to watch her. You will not have to worry while you're out on a short errand that she is getting into something.
Although some people do not like the idea of crate training, most dogs learn to love their crate, which provides for them security and comfort.
Crate Training Basics -
1. The crate should be large enough for the adult to stand up and turn around.
2. The crate should be kept in the kitchen or bedroom. You may want to keep it in the kitchen for the day and move it into the bedroom at night. It should not be left in isolated areas.
3. To start with, put toys in the crate so the pup can go into it on her own. Associate the crate with fun things.
4. Put the pup in for a few minutes with the door closed. If she misbehaves try to distract her. Try to leave the puppy in her crate for 10 minutes, ignore the cries. Let the puppy out only when she is quiet. Do not let her out of the crate if she is barking, howling or whining, as you are reinforcing this behavior (i.e. if I cry I get let out). Instead, try to distract your puppy by making a noise (shake a tin can containing nails), and if the puppy is quiet for a few seconds, let her out of the cage and praise or reward her with an appropriate treat.
Gradually extend the amount of time you leave her in her crate. Once the puppy is comfortable in the crate for about a half-hour without making a fuss, then she can be left alone. By crate training in this manner you will teach your pup that she will not get out of her crate by making a fuss, and you are rewarding quiet behavior with praise and attention.
5. Respect your puppy's privacy when she is in her special place; don't just reach in and pull her out, let the pup come out by herself. Don't let children bother or tease your puppy. She needs to feel safe when in her special place.
You'll be glad you gave your pup her own place when she goes there for naps or happily snuggles down for the night without whimpering and crying. And you'll know that your puppy is not getting into mischief, even when you can't be there to watch her.