Going to be able to participate here soon!!

[hanson]

Deposit is down on my puppy. Now I just have to wait.

Gonna be a tough month!

[huntmup]

Congrats on the puppy. What are you getting?

Dan

[hanson]

Yellow Lab

[thedanimalkmk]

I hear ya Hanson, I just bought a house and have begun looking for a lab but I want to wait until around a December birth date for training reasons. Now the tough part is making myself wait! Good luck and cannot wait to see the pup.

Dan

[caseymcq]

So you'll have some pictures of the little shaver up in about a month .

That would be tough, sitting through a month of anticipation.

[PerchPounder]

Take the time now to make sure you have every thing 100% ready for when you bring it home. It's alot easier to do now than after you bring it home.

[hanson]

Take the time now to make sure you have every thing 100% ready for when you bring it home. It's alot easier to do now than after you bring it home.

I've been trying to prepare myself for nearly 6 months now. Finally deciding that this would be the puppy was the tough part. Now I've got another month to get ready and everything after that will be my fault.

I'm so excited and looking forward to this.

[caseymcq]

I'm so excited and looking forward to this.

Are you getting a male or female?

Do you have a name picked out or are you still thinking of names?

Are you reading any training books? That one is more my curiosity to hear what you are reading (if you are) and what you think of it to see if it is different from what I have read(as an idea of something I might want to read if I hear good things about it).

I met about half way with a couple people to deliver pups out of the litter we had last winter. The family that bought the female from us had three little girls (1, 3 & 5 yrs old, I think). The 3 & 5 yr old came with their dad to pick the puppy up. I swear when they pulled up those little girls almost ripped the door off the truck they were so excited . It did my heart a ton of good to see that pup going to some one who hunted and some one that would have her as a family dog.

[hanson]

Uff da... tough questions.

I'm getting a Male. Really wanted a female for whatever reason but I decided a male was fine. Sex really wasn't a big deal in the end. Never planned to breed and raise puppies so a female wasn't absolutely necessary.

I have NOT picked out a name and now that I've decided I'm going with a male, that just made things much harder on me. I had a name picked out for a female, but I'm not quite sure yet if the same name is appropriate for a male. It can be, I'm not sure if I want it to be yet. I've gotta little time and think I've got a couple that will work but will keep thinking.

I wish my literary research was a little better. Got into Walters book Game Dog and when it came to choosing a puppy, I believe the suggestion was you would be better off just reaching in blind and grabbing one than analyzing all the puppies and then deciding on a certain one based on your analysis of the puppies. I'm planning to do more reading in the next month. I want to come out of the chute giving this puppy the best effort I can. Anyone has good suggestions for reading material, I'm all years.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Chris, C&E Dog Training isn't far from you (near Winnetka and 42nd). We've been working with them for the past year and have been really happy. Prices are great, too. Won't help you with hunting training, but you'll get a great obedience base, which is critical.

[lenny7]

I'm planning to do more reading in the next month. I want to come out of the chute giving this puppy the best effort I can. Anyone has good suggestions for reading material, I'm all years.

I can offer a suggestion for the puppy stage. Two books that I read that I felt were very useful are "My Smart Puppy" by Sarah Wilson and Brian Kilcommons, and "How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With" by Clarice Rutherford.

"My Smart Puppy", as I recall, was one of those sappy, warm fuzzy books, (which annoy me to no end) but when you get to meat of what they're teaching, I think they offer some very good ways to train your puppy and also assert your dominance in a non-aggressive way. A lot of their techniques are not in any other book that I read.

"How to Raise A Puppy You Can Live With" is one that everyone recommends and it's definitely a solid book.

I think those two books would be all you'd need for the non-hunting training.

[Ralph Wiggum]

I think those two books would be all you'd need for the non-hunting training.

I'd still advocate classes. Getting your pup to obey at home is one thing. Getting him to obey in public where there are other people (kids, especially), dogs, and other distractions is a whole nother ball game. But there are distractions in the real world.

I read several books. Some breed specific, and I have a Wolters book (Family Dog?), too. I still reference them sometimes, but I like having an experienced dog trainer available to talk to and iron out any issues.

Especially for a single/no children guy like you, Chris, socialization is going to be very, very important for that pup!

Enjoy! Can't wait to see pictures.

[LABS4ME]

Congrats on the new Chris. Keep us informed as to when you get him and how he is progressing.

Good Luck!

Ken

[fishnhooks]

Quote:

Uff da

I think you just thought if its name.

I can hear it now "Uff da, come here"

It will be alot of fun. They grow up fast so take lots of pics when there young.

I can't believe that my newest pup has been with me for a year already. I think she was about 14 pounds when I got her and now she is 78 lbs.

"hooks"

[lenny7]

I'd still advocate classes. Getting your pup to obey at home is one thing. Getting him to obey in public where there are other people (kids, especially), dogs, and other distractions is a whole nother ball game. But there are distractions in the real world.

Especially for a single/no children guy like you, Chris, socialization is going to be very, very important for that pup!

Two excellent points. I was only considering the book aspect of training.

[grousehunter]

I would recommend getting Jackie Mertens Sound Beginnings DVD.

Congrats on the new pup and make sure to post up some pics once you bring him home!

[MuleShack]

Chris,

Our Chocolate lab is now 9 weeks and we got her at 7 weeks from the breeder. I made 3 trips down to see the litter before we picked one out. I went at 4, 6 and 7 weeks. I would suggest you go at 5, 6 and 7 weeks to identify the pups and what traits they have.

I read Julie Knutson's book "training the pointing labrador" but it was the first 80 pages that talked about picking a breeder and identifying characteristics and traits in the puppies.

At 4 weeks they are still pretty young to see anything.

At 6 weeks we went and brought them out in the grass and seen which followed you and which ones didn't care that you were there. Who came when you made a noise. Turns out the smallest one was the most attentive and willing to follow and was not timid at all...so i noted that.

at 7 weeks the "cute" one was gone to another buyer, but my small girl was holding the same traits willing to follow me when i walked around with out even calling her. She was not timid and when I would make a clap and say come on, she would hop on over. Better yet, her nose was always to the ground smelling things. Julies book id's this dog as intelligent and that was what i was looking for...an intelligent pup.

1t 9 weeks now, she still has the same traits as willing to please, follow me in the follower position and stay right behind me on "the walk" but again her nose is always working and she is learning every day.

A smart dog is going to be easier to work with and learn.

Our girl is a biting machine right now, so make sure you have lots of chewy toys and squeaky things.

Congrats on the puppy, they are a lot of work (attention) but well worth it.

[caseymcq]

MuleShack -

I did something similar in picking out my female. I knew I wanted a female so we weeded out all the males. I walked around looking to see who was interested in me and who cared less (the one that stayed back to eat the turd was the first one weeded out). Three of the six girls followed me around. The three performed pretty much the same as far as following me, reactions to being called. I had to go one small step further. I had a pheasant wing with so I tossed that out and walked the three pups by it. One of the pups stopped to check it out on the way by. I picked her, ended up being the best dog I ever had.

[MuleShack]

MuleShack -

I did something similar in picking out my female. I knew I wanted a female so we weeded out all the males. I walked around looking to see who was interested in me and who cared less (the one that stayed back to eat the turd was the first one weeded out).

Gotta admire the turd eaters

[caseymcq]

[Surface Tension]

Congrats Chris,

I was 17 when I got my first dog.

I think of it as, you'll be training yourself on how to train a dog. Obedience school I'm cool with as long as your instructor is a good one, or should I say methods are good. I say that because the way your taught might very well be what you stick with the rest of your life.

Then you have to think about your upland and retriever training. Will the obedience training methods and then upland and training mesh together?

Thinking back to when I was 17, there were a ton of questions that I had about dog training. As a kid I'd watch my neighbor work his Labs. I was impressed, as I grew older it was then I could really appreciate the level of training he could archive. That was the level I wanted to get to with that first dog, and I did. Luckily my long time next door neighbor took interest in my new venture and lent me his book. The same book he based his training on and at 51 years old today, the same book that is the foundation of my dog training.

"Training your Retriever" by James Lamb Free. Are there other books and DVDs on training, of coarse. I'll say that after 34 years, I don't need any other references but to be far I haven't read or watched any other books or DVDs. I have to go on to say that after that many years training dogs that there are things you learn that aren't in any books. At any rate the book might be old but it is no way antiquated. Whatever trainer you choose, being your first dog you'll soak up the information like a sponge. For me any publication at this point will probably just put me to sleep. Thats not to say if I was hungry to learn that it wouldn't be any less profound then the earlier mentioned book.

Good Luck Chris, I know your a Waterfowler. Many happy retrieves for you to come.