Labrador Retriever 8 months for two year old

[schwab12]

The breeder has two pups left from the litter and they are both females. The dogs are outside because it is a very rural town. We are going to meet the dogs tomorrow with my two year old son. Is there anything we should look for when my son and the dogs meet for the first time? Also I been around the brother of the pups and he is very laid back with their two daughters 10 and 6 years old.

[Rosetta]

Do you mean 8 weeks old?

If it is 8months old I would want more information before I took responsibility for the dog in case their are behavioural or health problems.

If it is 8weeks old I would do some research on the net first. Also there are questions to ask the breeder and do see the parents of the pups. There are good breeders and bad ones. If the pup has problems will the breeder offer support, are all the health checks done, etc etc

[schwab12]

No, the dog is 8 months.

[pingu748]

I can ony speak from expereince - but I got two litter sisters at 7 months old - although they were German Shepherds not retrievers. The problems I had to begin with were mainly that they weren't very socialised as they had lived outside from a young age. The later on they began to fight - which I was later told is not unusual for two bitches from the same litter. Personally I won't be getting two bitches from the same litter again.

[kita1]

Be careful, make sure the parents have low hip scores (by low I mean under 20 eg 5:6 etc).

If you have Christmas decorations up then be aware that an 8 month old lab + Christmas tree, lights etc = total chaos!

An 8 month old Lab can easily knock a 2 year old child over, they are VERY boistrous.

Who is going to walk the dog when it is freezing cold, dark, windy and wet outside?

Are you going to have the time to exercise/train an 8 month old dog? Does it walk on the lead nicely?

Do you have a garden that is fit for the dog (eg fenced, secure) and are you prepared to have the 'garden' turned into mud? What happens when you let the dog in the house full of mud and soaking wet?

Have they had their first season? Can you cope with a b*tch in season? Some can get very temperamental/snappy during the first season.

Has the breeder had them up for sale before, or did they keep them back as potential 'show' dogs? Sometimes breeders will hang on to them until 6 months to see if they come up to standard for showing.

Is the breeder offering after care and do they say that they will take the dog back any time in its lifetime if things don't work out.

[kita1]

This tells you about the health tests for Labs:

http://www.lab-health.co.uk/puppy.html

[schwab12]

Wow, Thanks Kita for the quick answer! Is there another breed we should get or is the age of the lab the problem? Thanks for being honest!

[kita1]

The age of the dog would not necessarily worry me. A pup can be just as much hard work at this time of year.

I think anyone getting a dog at this time of year should really consider leaving it until well after Christmas.

Think about it, most family homes are total chaos in the weeks leading up to Christmas - the decorations go up, flashing lights, balloons, tinsel etc. all make wonderful toys for dogs (not!!). Then there is all the Christmas food, chocolate (poisonous), turkey (bones not a good idea) etc. Labs LOVE food and will not think twice about pinching food left lying around work surfaces etc.

I would really question any breeder willing to let a dog go to a new home at this time of year, especially a home with children. You will want your son's Christmas to be special and to be honest you will not have the time to devote to a new pet and be with your son as much as you will want to be.

Christmas morning: you will be getting up and wanting to let your son open his presents, the meal will be being prepared/cooking, the relatives will be coming round - who is going to walk the dog first thing?

If you are going out where are you going to leave the dog? In the living room with the tree and presents (wrecked when you get home) or in the kitchen with all the food around? Dogs when left alone can wreck a home at any time of year (my first dog ate two settees, a chair, a carpet, the wooden fireplace, shredded a beer can on my bed, pulled up a carpet and massacred a 5 foot umberella plant).

If the dog has been kennelled with her sister then she might also start howling at night wanting to be back in her kennel. How will you cope with that?

If you don't have an outside kennel where you can put the dog when you are out then I would really wait until your house is back to normal after the New Year.

[kita1]

I really would leave it until after the New Year (any good breeder would be more than willing to keep the dog until then, especially if you put a deposite down or pay for the dog now). Use that time to really research/decide what you are looking for in a dog.

Do you want a 'pet' that is happy curled up by the fire on a cold winters day, or a dog that wants a mile walk every day come rain or shine? This dog will hopefully be with you for the next 10-15 years (your son will then be 12-17) so it is not something to enter into lightly.

Take your time and don't rush into anything.

[schwab12]

Kita,Thank you so much for your honesty! Before we had our son we had a Jack Russell...the dog now is 13 and lives with my parents in the country. So I was thinking a lab would be a better breed for my son. The reason why we choose this breeder was our friend has a male from the litter and he is very gentle.
Thanks again and maybe we will wait until the first of the year.....spring is sounding good.