Puppies bring so much joy into life, but it’s important to have realistic expectations the
first weeks. Puppies are like babies, they’re adorable and precious, but they
do take a lot of time and need a lot of attention. Here are a few tips to help navigate
bringing a puppy into your home.

1. Keep their food consistent for at least 3 days before you start slowly transitioning them to a different brand.

2. Frequent consistent potty breaks – Your puppy will need to be let out to do it’s business quite often the first month or so. We’ve heard that the age of your puppy in months is the number of hours between potty breaks. You will be bringing home a 2 month old puppy, so he should go out every 2 hours. I believe this applies to some extent. When you bring a puppy home, yes, you should let him out every 2 hours during the day, but probably only once or twice at night.

3. Did you notice consistency was part of the first two tips? Consistency is key. Puppies thrive with structure and it also makes them feel safe. They can know what to expect and when. Routines bring comfort to your puppy so do your best to keep consistent potty breaks, meals, and bedtimes so they can feel safe and learn quickly!

4. Communicate – As you are training your dog everyone in your household should be following the same set of rules for your puppy. Is the puppy allowed on the sofa? When does she eat? Who feeds her? Talk about the puppy’s routine together so everyone knows the schedule and who does what and when. It is also important to use the same commands. Is she going to “sit” or “heel”? Are you going to point or clap? Decide together the commands you want for your puppy and she will learn much more quickly!

5. Burn that energy – Puppies can have a ton of energy, and if they are stuck in a house all day with nothing to do you can count on them getting into trouble! Throwing fetch or running around in the back yard for just 15 minutes at a time helps burn some energy and fosters that relationship.

6. Grooming – Labs in general are not high maintenance in regards to grooming, but you will want your dog to get used to being brushed. Try brushing him as he is about to nap or is napping so he can get used to being brushed and it is a relaxing thing for him.

7. Praise! Labs LOVE to please people, so when they do something well, obey a command, etc. make sure to reward them. And this doesn’t only mean in treats, although it can, but be
sure to give him a good rub behind the ears and lots of verbal praise.

8. Use your resources! Google can be your best friend as you are trying to figure out how you want to train your puppy. Your vet is a wonderful resource for his health and wellness. A friend who has raised a puppy may have great training tips. And as your breeder we want you to feel free to contact us if you have any questions as well! You can raise a puppy on your own, but it is so much easier and way more enjoyable if you use your available resources to help with any questions and to have people to celebrate the milestones with as well!

9. Be flexible – Your puppy may come home and sleep right through the night, or she may cry for the first few nights, so it’s important to adjust your expectations and realize things might look a little different than you expected. Every puppy is different so everyone is going to have a little different experience. Remember that your puppy is trying to figure out what life is supposed to look like as well and it takes time to develop routines and patterns.