My wife and I are getting a puppy this summer. Come, bring me your wisdom

[nayte]

My wife and I have wanted a dog for a long time. We're very excited. We're getting a puppy, young as we can get it. We want something like a lab or a retriever or some mutt thereof or abouts. I love labs but in my experience their priorities go 1) food, 2) ball, 3) human. I'm leaning retriever because I want a dog who really wants to love me, if that makes sense. We're both big runners and also want a dog that will enjoy that form of exercise with us.

The way my brain works, I want to be set up for success. I want to "do it right" in terms of dog ownership and raising. I want to know what it means to be a good dog owner, what it takes to train a dog well. I'm prepared to do puppy school if that's the right move. Some of my goals are 1) dog doesn't pull on leash, 2) dog is trustworthy off leash, 3) can teach dog not to chase discs (I am a disc golfer), 4) dog will coexist with my cat.

Please, share with me all your knowledge. Anecdotal is fine, I just want to hear suggestions from those who come before me. Help me be the best dog owner I can be. Thanks!

 

[3rdeye]

@nayte research dogs that are good for running. labs and some other breeds have tendencies towards acl tears and hip issues. also, look at dogs that are good for your overall lifestyle. puppies are like infants. 24 hr a day needs. house training, chewing, crying. so think about your work habits. how long are you away from home each day? do you both travel a lot? and I strongly believe in serious obedience training. more than basic. which takes time, effort, consistency. and every dog needs a job within their breed type. scent work, rally, agility, fly ball, etc... maybe stay away from herders or hunters. hyper and howlers. make sure you have things in place like doggie daycare (if you work all day), a dog walker, house sitter or good boarding facility. good quality vet, dog food, and pet insurance. and a dog is a 10+ year commitment. maybe a good mixed breed, mid size rescue like 30 -40 lbs. and how much shedding do you want to deal with? my neighbor has a 100lb pit dane mix. he wasn't expecting him to be that large. but he's huge. and large dogs are hard on a house. not bc he's bad but just big. stairs need to be repaired, furniture replaced, cabinet doors ripped off. so think about your living situation. city vs suburbs, house vs. apartment, and get something that fits your situation. but all dogs need enough exercise. they need to be walked before and after work. it's great that you're giving this the consideration it deserves. best of luck!

 

[nayte]

@3rdeye Thanks so much!

 

[hopesinotlost]

@nayte First. “ As young as we can get it”.
Do not get a puppy that is under 8 weeks but much more preferably 10 weeks. Yes they can be weaned much earlier but they still need a mama dog to teach them. By 10 weeks she is disciplining them and this Nate’s a pup much more easily trainable. Also, look into temperament testing m, Volhard is a good one. Pick the best puppy for your lifestyle by temperament not because it’s the cutest or picks you etc.

 

[jok]

@nayte So retrievers are a great first time dog, they are generally known for being easy going and are pretty trainable. You will want to spend some time looking at/speaking to your breeder, you need to ensure that you are getting a reputable line particularly if youd like a running buddy as retrievers can have generational hip issues. If you can delay pickup until they are a little older 12-16 weeks it can be really good for socialisation and confidence. Itll also mean less time you need to be vigilant prior to their vaccinations.

You'll want to introduce them to any environments you can over the first 6 months to minimise the chance of them developing reactivity, this includes making short bookings for groomers, vets and any community areas like dog parks and cafes.

Puppy's are hard, itll take about two years before behaviour will be consistent with a large breed so please be prepared for that, puppy classes and enrichment classes are a good choice for this breed as they are well known for being mischievous when bored.

Speak to your breeder/vet aboit the right age for desexing, delaying it to two years has shown some promise in preventing or delaying hip issues in large breeds, but it does come at a cost of behavioural silliness and sometimes isn't worth waiting for.

Best of luck!

 

[nayte]

@jok Great advice! Thank you!

 

[klpotte3]

@nayte Check out r/puppy101 and r/dogtraining they both have wikis with some very good information.

r/dogs has a great wiki on finding a good breeder that you should look at before buying a dog. They will also check out breeders for you if you're not sure whether a breeder is good.

There is a great breed questionnaire over at r/dogs that you may want to take a look at (and possibly post). If you post it, you'll get some decent breed suggestions.

We're getting a puppy, young as we can get it

You don't want to do that. Removing the puppy from the litter too young increases risks of behaviour issues (especially issues with bite inhibition and interacting with other dogs). Puppies learn a lot from their mom and littermates in terms of bite inhibition and how to act around other dogs (and people). Puppies should stay with the litter for a minimum of 8 weeks. But in many cases 10-12 weeks is preferable.

 

[nayte]

@klpotte3 Great advice! Thanks! And yeah, I should've written young as we can responsibly get it, lol

 

[jperenon]

@nayte We got a 9wk old lab puppy a year ago. My neighbour is a vet and said when checking the puppy before taking it home: is the bite correct, does it have an umbilical hernia, does it fight/whine if you roll it on its back, can you easily touch its paws/ ears/ face/ belly and ask the breeder about personality. We asked for the chillest pup, but not anxious. He was still super high energy until recently, but is still walked 3-4 times per day. He was decently house-trained and it didn’t take much work for that. He slept 5 hrs at night before needing to go out until about 14wks old, then longer stretches. Now he has an internal 6am alarm clock. He chews everything and needed constant supervision (outside of crate) until about 9 mos old. Now he mostly knows his toys, but takes the kids’ toys when he wants attention. He has a great personality and is a lovely dog. He sheds way more (even in cold winter) than I could have imagined. He is totally food motivated and we use it for training, but have to keep food off of the counter, now that he’s big.

 

[allpastors]

@nayte You have to commit and work hard with them the first year and it will pay off for years to come. Sit. Stay. Here. Etc.

 

[nayte]

@allpastors Oh Imma be so stubborn. I'll wait here until you come, lil one, haha

 

[brad413]

@nayte Go look up Karen pryor and read her books/listen to her podcasts. She is a fountain of great knowledge about dogs and training. Changed my entire outlook on dogs and training. Highly recommend to anyone with any dog of any age. The younger you start training the better it will be

 

[joyseeker16]

@allpastors Totally agree with this. Give them all your time in year 1 and its enough to set up the dog to have a lifetime of great behavior, not only that but you'll develop a bond that will provide reciprocated loyalty and love.

 

[joyseeker16]

@nayte This is the BEST advice for a dog owner: never play with your dog by chasing them. This encourages them to run away from you..ALWAYS play with your dog by letting them chase you, this encourages them to develop a desire to stay by your side. Have a blast!!

 

[nayte]

@joyseeker16 Oooh, awesome tip. Thank you!

 

[janeann28]

@joyseeker16 My dog's favourite game in the world is "chase me" and he can be such a jerk about it. He is absolutely never allowed off leash because it turns into a game for him. He's 3 now.

 

[aw7jesus]

@nayte Don’t be surprised if you get the “puppy blues”.
I wanted a puppy for years, researched like a mad woman finding a dog compatible with my lifestyle and that hopefully would run into minimal health issues. Landed on a whippet, waited half a year for her. Thought she was going to be absolutely love at first sight and don’t get me wrong, I loved her immediately and thought she was so cute!! BUT, she massively threw a wrench in my lifestyle.

I suddenly felt very “trapped” - she unfortunately had separation anxiety so we had to do a lot of training so that I could leave the house without her losing her mind in her crate. It was harder than I anticipated and it honestly made me a bit depressed for the first few months because it wasn’t as idyllic as I had imagined and I wasn’t able to leave the house as much as before.

It slowly but surely got better, we did 2 rounds of puppy kindergarten for training and socialization, walked her in all new situations, stores, beaches, busy roads etc.
I can honestly say 3 years out, she is my dream come true in a dog, the bond I have with her feels like magic, I love her so much. But man, that first year was hard!

Some people breeze through with their puppies, I hope that is the case for you!
If it’s not, if you feel some regret or disconnect with your puppy it’s OK! You aren’t a monster! It will come! They are a TON of work at the start and it can be very hard but if you work on positive training with them and build trust you can create such a special bond. People on our walks/parks comment on how connected we look and it’s honestly the best compliment. I think it’s because I’ve stayed consistent with her with my emotions, our training style and lifestyle, she feels safe and knows what to expect from me and that seems to be a key with puppies/dogs.

All the best to you!

 

[nayte]

@aw7jesus Tysm for such a great comment

 

[janeann28]

@nayte Lots of good advice here. Check out r/puppy101 too.

I've had two puppies. They were wildly different experiences. In the end, I can confidently say that you will love your dog so much, but you will hate your puppy. Whether it's standing out in the rain in January while he eats dirt and refuses to do his business just to piss on the floor as soon as you get inside, or the shredded hands and clothes and sanity, puppies are terrible. There are good times, yes, but it can be difficult to remember that when you're exhausted and harried and frustrated.

Expect the worst and if you're very lucky you won't get it. Just remember that he's an actual baby and doesn't know English. And you don't know Dog.

 

[sanakun]

@nayte I got my dog familiar ( and not to fear) the noise of a lawn mower, and the vacumn cleaner, and other noizy stuff in our home and neighborhood. Learning the rules of the house, as wel. Patience, and gentleness, and all family members need to be on the same page in training your new family member.