We are collecting our new black lab puppy in 2 weeks and 4 days ( not that i am counting :)!) and i am now getting a bit nervous that i do everything right for him as this will be my first dog of my own (had family dogs but not quite the same) and have a couple of questions:

1) What do i need to collect with him when we pick him up from the breeders?
2) We are not getting him till 9 weeks old and i want to start his injections asap and was wondering if it would be ok to take him to the vets on the way home (we are lucky as we only live 25mins from the breeders) or will this be too much for him?
3) Will an old cardboard box be ok for him for a bed with a nice thick blanket until he grows up a bit? I don't want to spend lots of money on a nice bed now as i know lab puppys love to chew if he will be ok.

I know that you have probably answered these questions before for someone else but i did a search and couldn't find the info i was looking for.

Many Thanks

Tracy and the yet to be named puppy!

I'm really glad you asked these questions as I'l be asking them in a few weeks time!!

Good luck with your puppy, let us know how you get on.

Fiona

Firstly try to arrive in the morning so pup has all day to settle with you.
As for vaccination on the way home, most vets will not recommend this
and will want you to watch your new pup for a few days to make sure hes not showing any signs of illness. Speak to the vet.
You should receive a pedigree of your puppy signed by the breeder to say the info is correct.
If you requested it to be registered you should get the kc papers which you will then transfer into your name .
any tests done on puppy you should ask for paperwork.
A diet sheet.
And if microchipped a transfer form for this.
A cardboard box is great its us owners that want the latest model the pups dosn"t care .
Good luck hope you have years of fun together.

forget to mention a good tip.
Make some ice cubes up for pup to chew.
Helps with pain in gums
Also some pups don"t drink at first if they are freting
its a good way to give them fluid and playing at the same time.

Me too, we're currently looking for a black lab puppy and I'm finding advice on this site invaluable. Everyone seems to have such a large knowledge which thankfully they're willing to share.

Hi
I agree that getting the pup to the vets on the same day you get him is too soon. He will have a tough day anyway. Take him home and let him get used to his new surroundings and you. Then in a few days when he is more used to you he will look to you for comfort in the strange surroundings of the vets.

Along with the stuff already mentioned you should get a supply of food - check with the breeder exactly what they are going to give you. Record of any vaccination/worming already done explanation of any restrictions placed on the KC reg'n. Details of any insurance, most reputable breeders give you six weeks insurance free of charge. Last but not least a promise of ongoing help and support for you and your new pup for the immediate future and long term.

A cardboard box wll be fine - You can get some really strong plastic beds that do last well and can resist some chewing. If you get a bed remember how much your pup will grow. If you stick with a box for the early days, just keep checking for chunks of board coming off and that pup doesn't eat it. I'm just off to the vets now coz I think my older boy has done just that - been throwing up all day.

Good luck enjoyu your new pal

Pam n the boys

HI there - congrats on your new baby:) Along with the others I wouldn't recommend the vets on the way home - he needs to adjust to you without that kind of trauma - in addition - do you know if he will already have had his first set of shots - if so then the date for his next shots will be recommended to you by the breeder. Hopefully your breeder will be great like ours was and have a well put-together puppy pack with all that kind of info handy.

Also find out what the breeder has been feeding - how often and times so you can stick to that and make little changes as necessary over the first week or two - but that kind of consistancy at first is important.

Besides that just give him lots of love - also remember the vet advice about not letting him out till his jabs are complete - however, we still took ours with us to town etc to get her socialised, but we carried her and didn't let her on the ground. This may be more difficult with a lab pup as he will be heavier than ours, but maybe you can rig something up. I truly believe in early socialisation!

Cardboard bed is fine - though he is guaranteed to chew it!!

Good luck with your new boy.

Wendy

Some of the dog books I read before we got our pup said that the glue used in some cardboard boxes is poisonous to dogs so for this reason we went for a plastic bed which although a bit chewed it is still in one piece.I would rather buy our pup a new plastic bed later than take the chance of possibly toxic glue.

Hi Tracey, you lucky thing, a new puppy, mine is now 7 months and I love her to bits. I was going to mention food, but I think that's been covered. Can you get a bit of bedding or old towel to the breeder a few days before you collect your puppy. Put it in bed with you first, to get your scent and then give it to the breeder to put in with the puppies and their mother. When you pick your puppy up, it will have a nicely scented bit of bedding to settle in with. I used a strong cardboard box at first which seemed fine. If you are going to use a crate, I'd have that ready so the puppy can get used to it immediately. Take your camera with you so you can get a picture of your puppy with its siblings if possible, and so you can get some photos in the first few days. Can't really think of anything else - apart from lots of love, which I am sure it is going to get.
Good luck, let us know how you get on,
Lorna

Hi, I agree that he should not have his jabs for 48 hours or more after you get him. If it is convenient though (time wise) it would not be a bad idea to pop into the vets with him on the way home to have him checked over: heart, temp,eyes, hernia check, mouth check etc. Sadly some puppies are sold with problems that someone not very exprienced may not notice. I am sure he is 100% OK but if by any chance there is something wrong with him, it it very much harder to return a puppy, even the next day, when you have grown to love him so much so quickly! If you do this, keep him in your arms the whole time, dont put him on the floor, go near any other dogs, and pref. dont even put him on the vets table, as vets surgeries are not the safest place to take an unvacc puppy. But I think it is worth the very slight risk to make sure, as far as you can that yu have bought a healthy puppy. Check any contract that you are required to sign as to when/if at all you must have him checked by a vet as I put in my puppy contracts that they should be seen by a vet within 48 hours of purchase. Presuming he is a KC reg puppy, dont leave the breder without his reg form or a signed statement saying that he is eligible for registration and that the papers are with the KC and you will receive them within a reasonable time-say 4 weeks. If possible pay for him with a "Credit card cheque book" you get much more protection that way, I believe. Good luck I bet you cant wait!!

whats the best age for the shots then

Thanks for the replys - I am visiting him again on sunday and am taking an old towel and am going to buy him a new teddy which i was going to ask the breeder to let them play with a bit so it gets their sent on it - will this be ok?

We took the camera when we went to see the litter first time and have got a few pictures of his brothers and sisters and a couple of lovely ones of him!

So what would be the best sugestion regarding his jabs? I thought the first one was done at 8 weeks and the next at 12 - am i wrong? I just don't want to put him at any risk.

Sorry for asking so many questions he is just very precious to me and i havn't even got him home yet!

Yes that sounds fine, but make sure the breeder realises not to wash them. I gave a bit of bedding to a breeder before buying a pup about 10 years ago, she handed it back to me when I collected the pup newly washed! Since I started breeding I have always presented a pack to the new owners including a piece of bedding, a small toy and a small plastic bowl of the type the puppy is used to eating from.

As for vaccinations it seems to depend on your vet, and the type of vaccine used. Nobi-vac (which my vet uses) now recommends first injection can start as young as 6 weeks, followed by a second at 10 weeks. Some vets, however, don't seem to be happy with this and stick to 8 and 12 weeks, others are happy to use the earlier vaccination. (you even find some vets who insist on 3 vaccinations). I find that going for the first vaccination at 7 weeks and the second at just over 10 weeks works for me, I was put off having the first at 6 weeks by a friend who had a puppy who reacted badly at 6 weeks, and although she recovered she was quite poorly and wasn't well enough for the 2nd jab until about 14 weeks old. This may have been coincidence and not the vaccine to blame, brother who had first jab at same time was fine, but I still feel for my breed that 7 weeks is a better age.

Good luck with him.

Joan
Take the rough with the smooth

Good luck, I hope you and the unnamed pup will be really happy. When we collected the towel hound, we travelled her up in a small basket in the passenger footwell and a travel crate when we stopped, but that was a long journey (11 plus hours).

For the first few nights we gave her a hot water bottle wrapped in towels to simulate the heat from her mother and litter. Don't know if it was any help to her at all, I think it could be an old wives tail.