Bringing home a new puppy is exciting, but it’s also a big transition for your pup! At Sweet Cream Labradors, we’re here to support you as you welcome your new puppy into your family. Here’s our guide to what you should expect, and our advice for keeping your new English Labrador happy and healthy.

Crying

As they will miss their kennel mates for the first few nights, you have two choices. Sleep with them, or endure a night or two of them perhaps crying themselves to sleep. If you take the latter route, I don’t recommend responding to their crying, or they will have you trained! One night soon, they will figure out that the howling is keeping them awake, and quit. I ask that folks leave a blanket or a towel with the litter for a few weeks, and then let their puppy sleep in their crate with it the first few nights after the pup leaves. I have had great feedback and have been told by many puppy buyers how much this helps. A dog’s sense of smell is powerful!

Housebreaking

As far as housebreaking- I try to get the pups off to a good start before they leave my home. I give them access to the outdoors, and they instinctively know to ‘go’ on somthing organic. They will naturally want to go on something organic (like grass or shavings). Place a patch of wood or cedar shavings outside where you want them to go, and get them familiar with the location. Then it will be up to the humans to read the proper signals! You will not want to punish accidents– just reward good behavior. I have never used the ‘bell’ system, but many puppy buyers tell me how wonderfully it works. It’s safe to plan on taking your puppy out every 45 minutes for the first week or so. Be patient-he/she will get the hang of it!

Nipping

I have found nipping to be the most difficult habit to break a puppy of. Puppies communicate with their mouths. That is how they got the attention of littermates, and now, they assume that YOU are their new ‘littermate’. Nipping is especially hard on little kids. Have PLENTY of quality things for your pup to chew on-such as antlers, quality bully sticks, KONGS, etc.

If your pup still nips at you, even after repeatedly saying “Bad” and giving him one the former mentioned things to chew on, simply ignore your puppy, and refuse to play. Perhaps even put him in his crate and cover it with a blanket. Labs HATE to be away from humans, so they quickly learn what behavior causes them to be away from their ‘pack’. Be consistent! I cannot stress that enough. You may have to do this 20 times a day for a bit-but be consistent. YOU are TOP DOG!

Diet

Puppies have an extremely sensitive stomach. Switching too fast or slamming to another food can cause diarrhea (in some cases with blood) and vomiting. I send every puppy home with a bag of the brand food that your pup is used to. It is not difficult to switch foods, just do it gradually.

I highly recommend spending a little extra money, and feeding your pup a premium dog food. You will either spend the money in a good food now, or in vet bills later. We feed our pack TLC Whole Life Food. Go to http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com and type in foods you are interested in. They will give the low-down on just about any dog food.

There are so many strong but differing opinions from highly respectable breeders about what food is best. I encourage you to research, know what your budget for dog food is, and carefully choose a by-product free food. Most foods (yes, even some of those highly advertised brands) use the cheapest ingredients and fillers. They are also notorious for advertising high protein. What they usually fail to mention is the lack of digestible protein. After all, your dog can’t tell you. (Another advantage to using a food with little or no fillers is less dog mess in the yard). It is my personal opinion, that ethoxiquin– a preservative added to dog food– should be avoided at all costs.

Germs

Everyone loves to shop for their new puppy! Some things you have to watch out for are buying “contaminated-products.” The leading pet supply warehouses that allow pets in the building can lead to the spread of the deadly puppy virus known as Parvo. Until your pup has had its first 3 sets of vaccinations, please avoid pet stores, parks, and areas where many dogs/pups frequent.

Also, when you take your puppy to the vet for its first check-up, PLEASE carry your puppy. Don’t be afraid to ask the technician if any parvo pups have been seen that day. Ask to have the exam table disinfected.

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Ready to welcome a puppy home? Learn about our upcoming litters or contact us for more information!