Chris and I are going to put a ah … medium sized dent in our checking account towards the end of the week.
You might remember in my Sunday Green Thumb post I said:
Well … I may have something to help me get through winter, but the catch is that it will probably make me go out and face the cold more often.
I guess I’ve potentially kept you in suspense long enough.
Chris and I are going to have a new edition to the household.
When Chris gets home from work on Friday evening we’re going to take a long drive to Tilsenberg Ontario. It’s about two hours from here.
We’ll be talking this long drive in order to visit a Labrador Retriever breeder who has some yellow and black Lab puppies for sale. If we like one of the puppies and believe it to be in good health (ie if the conditions it’s being kept in are reasonable as well) we’ll be bringing home an exactly 11 week old puppy that night.
We’ve spoken with the breeder twice already and we’re fairly pleased with everything she’s said and how the puppies have been raised so far. They’ve all had their first set of shots, been wormed, had a vet check up and we’ll be given a certificate of health and a 3 year guarantee against hip dysplasia and eye disorders. Oh and the puppies have all been tattooed already as well. I think I’d rather that they were micro-chipped as I think that’s less painful for the pups but the tattoo’s already been done.
She’s a registered breeder and her pups will also be registered. We won’t have Canadian Kennel Club registration papers given to us that night, but she’s said that she’ll do all the paperwork for us as far as registering the pup and we’ll receive the paperwork within three months.
So what do you think? Does that sound reasonable to you as far as buying a new puppy from a breeder?
I’d had my heart set on getting a Rhodesian Ridgeback as my brother used to have one, might have actually had one of the first ones brought into Canada in the 70’s and I fell in love with that breed, but it doesn’t look like I can get a puppy until spring and I really want a dog now.
When we first talked about getting a dog we were talking about getting one from a rescue. I looked into it and I was all for it as most of our reptilian pets were rescues and I know how many animals need to be re-homed, but we went through such heart break when our 13 year old iguana passed away and a few of our other lizards (honest, they are lovable!) that I didn’t want to get an older dog which is what most rescues have, and then end up having it die only a year or two later.
If we decide to get a second dog we’ll definitely get one from a rescue. I went the puppy route because 1. I really wanted the whole puppy experience (yes I know I might regret saying that!) and 2. As I said I want a pet that will live for several years as I’ve had too much heart break with past pets that were rescues that came to me with existing health problems.
So if anyone has any puppy raising advice I’m all ears! Oh and what do you think of Labrador Retrievers?
We have a chocolate Lab who is now 11 years old. Having been through the puppy stage with her, I highly recommend training. It will eliminate lots of bad habits later, and you’ll be a much happier dog owner. Be prepared for your lab to chew EVERYTHING. They are notorious chewers and diggers. Our lab ate photo albums, pillows, shoes, garbage, baby diapers, and chewed through the rungs on my dining room set. For that reason, I recommend crating your lab when you’re not home, until he or she can be trusted in the house!
That said, if you can make it through the 1st two years, you’ll find yourself with a loyal pet!
Hey Colleen. I knew you had a dog but I forgot it was a Lab. Thanks for the tips. I didn’t realize that labs were such chewers. Our living room dinning room is open (one big room) and we have an antique dinning room set … I guess I’ll be keeping a close eye on the dog around the table!
I’m always home so I’m hoping that I’ll be able to keep a close eye on the pup and do a lot of the training myself but it will be a learning curve of course. We’re certainly open to looking into obedience training classes if necessary.
My main worry is that because I’m home so much the dog won’t behave when we are out. You know, being too attached because it will almost always have someone around? We already do have a pet carrier (we had a large iguana in the past and used a medium sized pet carrier for it) that should be sufficient to use while the dog is still small, but I guess we’ll be looking into a proper crate as well.
We’ve always enjoyed the adult labs we’ve met, so as you said, if we make it through the first year or two I think we’ll probably have a great pet.
Thanks for the tips! If you have any more keep them coming! 😉
BTW that pet carrier was just for transporting our iguana. He didn’t live in it. I just wanted to clear that up in case anyone wondered. Our ig was a free roamer and boy that was an interesting experience.
I don’t know about Labs but we had 2 Rhodesian Ridgebacks way back. You don’t get many around. They’re beautiful animals. People seem shocked by their sheer size and powerful bark.
We’ve got a 13 month old Chocolate Lab and she is just the sweetest thing ever. Yes, she is a chewer, but it’s only bad when she doesn’t get enough exercise.
Exercise is the key for Labs and other high energy dogs. They are born and bred to work, and if they aren’t kept active, that energy comes out in chewing and digging. If you’re prepared to keep the dog busy and tired out, you won’t have many problems with your things being destroyed.
Another thing I highly recommend is crate training. Even if you’re home all day with the dog, they need and crave their “den space” and time. It’s good for them and good for you, too. Plus, when you do go out, they’ll be used to the crate and you’ll have peace of mind knowing your house will stay intact and your dog won’t be stressed out while you’re gone.
Lastly – I’m a huge, huge fan of The Dog Whisperer. He knows what he’s doing.
Best wishes! A new puppy is such a gift.
Minutechaser my brother used to live in Botswana in the 70’s and when he and his wife returned to Canada they brought back their Rhodesian Ridgeback and we helped them care for the dog ( I was a kid) for about two years. I loved that dog, but we had to teach it how to live in North America!
It didn’t know how to climb stairs because they’d lived in a hut in Botswana. It was also scared of other dogs, but because it looked fierce and it’s ridge was up (due to being scared) other dogs and their owners always crossed the street when I was walking Tiki. Of course the dog was cowering against my leg the whole time! Silly dog!
It was also afraid of thunder and would hide under tables.
Oh and I think the one time we left it tied in the backyard while we went out (maybe to get groceries?) it dug lots of holes and found the garden hose and perhaps thought it was a snake and tore the hose up into hundreds of little 2 to 4 inch pieces. I wished I’d seen the dog do that as I’m sure it would have been entertaining. Tiki was quite a character. Oh and he was named Tiki because when they got him he had a big tick on his head or something like that.
I had really wanted to get a Ridgeback, but I can’t find a breeder who has puppies now although I’ve been in touch with one that will have puppies in the spring. who knows maybe we’ll add a second puppy to the household in a few months.
Amy, I thought you had a Lab. I remember when you used to post photos on the forum or as your avatar.
I’m glad you commented. I got a little nervous when Colleen said her Lab chewed everything up! I’m going to be home since I’m still off work due to the Crohn’s so I’m pretty sure I can keep the dog occupied and keep an eye on what the pup is up to.
One reason we’re getting a dog, other than the fact that we’ve wanted one for a while now, is to help motivate me to get out and become more active myself. If you have a dog you’ve got to walk it and believe me this dog will be going out a lot. LOL
We’ve got a nice park across the street and there’s also lots of great hiking and biking trails nearby. Oh and the beach isn’t too far either. A few people that I know in the area that have labs take their dogs to the beach and say their labs absolutely love it. So hopefully we’ll be able to keep the dog active enough and as I said the dog will help me get more active too.
It seems that just about everyone is recommending crate training so we’ll go out and get one this weekend. Best to start right away I suppose! How big should the crate be? Large enough for when the dog is fully grown? Any specific type or brand?
If you have any other tips for me I’m all ears. Thanks again for your comments.
I took our Ridgeback for a walk once. You know how big they get – like over 6 feet if they stand up LOL. Anyways he’s a wild one, our dog so I had to have him on a leash once out of our yard.
We came across a teeny weeny dog down the street. When he saw us, I guess he must’ve gotten the shock of his life and started running around, yelping.
He took a few strides across to the little guy, picked him up by the back of the neck and started swinging him from side to side. OMG! Both me and the other owner were frantic.
By the time he plopped him back down, the poor little dog was in shock but still alive, thank goodness. I hope you do get a Ridgeback eventually. It’s true they’re pretty rare but they’re really beautiful 🙂
Labs are absolutely wonderful dogs. Very personable and easy to train. I grew up with a black lab named Britt, and she was the best dog we’d ever had. They can be very gentle dogs, and they’re VERY intelligent…ours knew exactly who Mom, Dad, and Lisa were, and if you told her “Go see Mom!” she’d go right over to Mom and lay her head in her lap. She also had to “take care” of you when you were sick, which meant she’d climb up on the bed and snuggle up with you. She was a wonderful dog, and whenever we get a house, the hubby and I will DEFINITELY have a black lab in the household!