blacklabrador

double post

Sounds like that naughty 16 week teenage stage to me! He's just exerting a bit of independence. If you're not formally obedience training then now is the time to start.

I think Cordelia might be a fan

anyone else?

This must be the Black Lab adoration club eh? The dog I mean... not the DOL member

Yep start now. Clip the lead on and praise him... hold onto the lead and call him toward you. Praise him when he comes to you. Take a couple of steps and encourage him along... and when he comes praise him again. Do this for 20 seconds maximum. Make it a very positive experience for him. Do it every day and make it fun.

You can get him desexed now but it won't stop that behaviour - as you said it's not sexually driven, it's dominance play. He won't sexually mature for months (depending on his breed).

I totally understand. When I am at work I crave to be at home with my babies. I want their licks and hugs and doggy smell. I had a day off today so I spent all day with them. Currently I am at my partner's house and I have Guido with me. He has his own crate here so I can have him with me when I spend the evening here. We're talking black labs here... so it's only natural that you don't want to be seperated from them. They are the best dogs in the world

Just trying to stop you offending anybody Do you have some pictures of Jedda? My signature has a picture of my 20 week old puppy. He has a lovely dog called Driftway Desert Storm in his bloodlines.

Ahhh sorry - I just worked out that my pups are 20 weeks old not 17 Can't keep up with them!!! If she's from Doribank then she isn't a Driftway. Technically she is a Doribank labrador. She might be from Driftway bloodlines though.

Hmmm I know a 17 week old black lab pup called Jedda. She isn't a Swiftcurrent baby by any chance is she?

*HUGS* to you Feef. They were beautiful dogs.

T bone "clucked" for the first four days or so. It's a vocalisation some pups make when they aren't happy. It's not whining but it's certainly a protest. He did it constantly and only stopped when he was asleep - never seen another pup do it to that extent. He's nuts - I wonder if it's any indication just kidding. I think you just have to accept that your pup will be miserable for a few days. It's such a huge change for them.

Rooster the recommendation is USUALLY to socialise 10 days after the 12 weeks injection and then give a booster at 16 weeks. Most of us showies have our dogs in the showring after the 12 week injection - way before the 16 week one is due. The showring is ground that has a lot of dog traffic on it. I've not heard of anyone having problems. I'm sure they happen but it must be a rare thing. As far as the road trip is concerned, the wee stops along the way will be the bigger risk I think. If the trip is less than four hours you can probably get away with not letting him out until you get there. The yard you are taking him to is probably as safe as any I guess. Remember he will have to be in your yard too. There are measured risks you have to take.

Yep I think that's pretty standard. Ten days after the 12 weeker. Until then own backyard or vet surgery only.

Which "booster" Siv?

Kool what makes you think the floor in the vet surgery is so bad? Do you take your 12 week puppies for walks on the footpath? In the park or the beach?

Kool the vet's floor isn't the biggest risk to your dog. It's the soil where Parvo lives for years in a dormant state. Are you saying you don't allow your dogs anywhere until after their 12 month vaccination? The 12 month vaccination is merely a booster...rather than a completion to your dog's vaccinations. As I mentioned earlier, the majority of dogs (97%) gain immunity from the 12 week vaccination. The 16 week one is just a "safeguard". Nope I wouldn't allow my child to play on the floor of a hospital, nor would I allow it to chew a raw bone. They aren't really in the same category.

Kool it has nothing to do with how long a mature dog acts like a puppy. It has everything to do with vital stages during which a puppy must be socialised.

It's a labrador puppy?? Take treats I reward my dogs with treats and it works very well. For me it is by far the quickest way to teach them to do something new. I gradually withdraw the treats and make them random.

Showdog - puppy schools are held in vet surgeries after hours generally. The floor can be mopped to kill parvo (bleach isn't it?). The area that I saw to be the greatest risk was the ground outside the vet surgery. I always carry my pups into the vet until after their 12 week vaccination. Rooster I think you should do your research and come to a conclusion about what is best - talk to the breeder from which you are getting your pup and then relax. Be wary but not over stressed about this. Your pup does need socialisation - it's imperitive!

Puppy schools are held inside vet surgeries (rather than on the ground where Parvo can live) and your puppy is socialised with other pups who have been vaccinated. It is the safest possible place to socialise your puppy. You are right - socialisation is essential! The 12 week vaccination will convert 97% of puppies to being immune to parvo and the other diseases we vaccinate against. Most people will take their dogs out ten days after that 12 weeks vaccination. Many people show their baby puppies at that time and some people don't even bother with the 16 week vaccination. It's really up to you and what you decide after consulting with your vet.

So sorry to hear that

How many times per day should you put him in there? Only when you need to. My pup sleeps in his crate overnight and that is generally the only time he's in one unless he's at a show or in the back of the car. My other dogs are crated trained and they might not go in a crate for months at a time, but because they know what it is it's never a drama when I need to.

I just had my non show labrador shaved. I was having a lot of problems with shedding despite regular stripping and his insistance on getting himself wet to get cool all the time (his coat takes 3 hours to dry) meant that he smelt dank and musty all the time. Over a week since I had him shaved - he looks fine, although different. He's very muscular and looks like a tall bull breed. Once I combed out his very short undercoat there has been no more shedding and very little smell. He shows absolutely NO sign of being any hotter or cooler than he was when his coat was normal length. He is happier, however because he is allowed inside more. He may not grow his coat back like it would have been (do people really know this to be fact or do they just repeat it?) but it's irrelevant anyway. He's my inside dog and he's much easier to have around now.