Hopbrook Labrador Retrievers

 

Copyright 2005,    Beth Schweitzer                    

INSTRUCTIONS FOR NEW HOPBROOK PUPPY OWNERS

 

VETERINARY CARE: Please make an appointment with your veterinarian within a 48 hour period after you pick up your puppy and insist that you receive a certificate of good health for your puppy. That certificate then must be forwarded to HOP BROOK KENNEL. Your veterinarian will schedule immunization shots that your puppy will need. Please call HOP BROOK KENNEL after that first visit if there appears to be a problem.

 

FEEDING: Your puppy will be eating ProPlan Chicken and Rice puppy food (not large breed). No matter what dry food a dog eats, it should ALWAYS be moistened for the life of the dog. Dogs, especially Labrador retrievers, do not chew food but swallow it whole. Dry dog food, not moistened, is very difficult to swallow. Some puppies will get tired and will not eat a normal portion.

Your puppy will need to eat three times per day until he is six months old. Moisten the puppy chow with warm water until it softens up a bit for two weeks after you get your puppy. This makes the food a little more digestible. When the puppy is 10 weeks old, you do not have to wait until the food softens. Do not add milk to the food. When puppies are weaned, they do not need milk. Cow's milk is difficult for the puppy to digest.

Puppy and Adult dry kibbles have all the vitamins your dog will need. So the only supplement you might consider using is extra fish oil. You can add one 1000 mg capsule to your kibble once per day. You can buy them in large quantities at Costco. If you notice that the coat is dry, use two. I do like to vary my dogs' diet. I will add a hard-boiled egg, a little cottage cheese, some cooked chop-meat, or some broiled liver, all in small quantities, from time to time. Please do not overfeed your puppy! Large-boned dogs, like the Labrador retriever, are at greater risk for hip dysplasia and other types of joint problems if allowed to get overweight. Labs love to eat and will always appear ravenous. You should be able to feel, not see, the puppy's ribs. You should be able to feel not see the spine. That is because a puppy carrying a good coat looks a little puffy. But, the puppy should have a waistline when observed from above. A little underweight is a lot better than a little overweight.

BUT, some veterinarians have a little trouble dealing with all the extra skin that a Lab puppy has and think that the puppy is fat. You definitely should not SEE rib on a Lab puppy. When in doubt, bring the puppy to me if you can and I will evaluate his weight.

When your puppy gets home, he will probably be eating 3/4 to 1 cup of the puppy food at each feeding. Increase this a little at a time. Your male puppy will probably get up to 5 to 6 cups per day by the time that he is a year old. Your female will need up to 4 cups. After 18 months,  most dogs with normal activity will need to be tapered off so much food. My girls, as unspayed females, eat 3 to 3 1/2  cups of food per day as adults. My unneutered young males eat 5 to 6 cups of adult kibble. Before you think about changing the puppy's food, please call me to discuss it. I, as well as most breeders, have a definite preference and can give you reasons why a particular food may not be right for your puppy. You can change over to adult food when the puppy is 4 months old and you can drop to two meals per day when he is six months old.

I strongly recommend that your puppy gets a daily large Milk-Bone biscuit or two. They really help to keep the teeth tartar free and the gums in good condition. If you want to be more thorough, buy a doggy toothbrush and doggy toothpaste. Dogs get used to having their teeth brushed. Also, you can buy 4 inch raw marrow bones to keep the teeth in great shape. You might want to remove a little of the marrow when you start these bones. The marrow has a lot of fat and may cause the puppy to get diarrhea in the beginning. Do NOT cook the bone. The benefit is in the raw bone. I freeze the bones first to get rid of the parasites ( if you think there are any, hard freezing kills them!).

SPAYING and NEUTERING: There is NO reason to keep your puppy intact. There are many reasons for neutering. Here are my guidelines:

    Your puppy bitch will come into her first season USUALLY between 7 and 12 months. My bitches have never come into season before 10 1/2 months. So scheduling a spay around 6 months is a good  idea.

     Your puppy dog should NOT be neutered until he is, at least, a year old. Labradors are a LATE maturing breed. Terriers and other small dogs can be physically and psychologically mature at 6 months. But, most  Labrador males do not start lifting their legs until they are 10- 10 1/2 months. Their true adolescence does not start until they are 16 months. You want to give your male a chance to physically develop so he will not be feminized. Some early neutered Labs never develop the head or chests that they could have had if their owners just waited until the boys were a little older. The problems that people run into with unneutered dogs are minimal in Labs anyway...but, you certainly do not want to deal with them. So please neuter your boy but not early as some veterinarians suggest. The greatest pet in the world in a neutered, male Labrador Retriever. Just wait until he gets a little manly first. That is why you got a male in the first place.

 

CRATING: The use of a training crate will make house-training much simpler. Puppies do not like to soil their sleeping environments, so confinement to a crate facilitates bladder and bowel control. Dogs are den animals; they love their crates. When the puppy cannot be watched put him in the crate. When you take him out, put a collar and leash on him, take him to the spot outside that will be his toilet, walk him around until he goes, using a special word for the process ("go out?", "pee-pee", etc.), then heap on the praise.

Even a little treat, like a small piece of string cheese might be in order. Go through this process every time the puppy comes out of his crate, has a meal, or has been playing for 20 to 30 minutes. Try to use the same door each time that you take the puppy out. Never punish the puppy for a mistake. You made the mistake by not recognizing his signal or by waiting too long to get him out. Physical punishment during the house-training process accomplishes nothing. delays the process, and makes for an anxious puppy.

Putting the puppy in his crate when unattended will greatly prevent destructiveness. Put a safe toy in the crate with him and leave feeling secure that he is happy and will not get into trouble. Please note... the crate philosophy is not to be abused or overused. Labrador puppies are the happiest when they are with their families. A young puppy can only be crated for two to three hours. If the puppy gets used to soiling his crate, you can not use it for house-training. I also strongly recommend that you buy a crate for your car. It will protect the dog during an accident. Its use also reduces car sickness. Puppies are prone to car sickness. It is more convenient if the mess is confined to a spot that can easily be cleaned.

ORGANIZING YOUR HOUSE: Remember you are bringing a baby into your home. It helps the puppy and your sanity to gate off a part of your house that can be puppy-proofed. The kitchen is best. The floor can be easily mopped up. The furniture is usually limited to a few items and that is probably where you spend most of your time any way. You may feel overly confined for a couple of weeks. But, at least, you can keep an eye on the puppy and reward good and correct bad behavior right away. Just remember, whatever you would have to do to protect a toddler and to protect yourself from a toddler's destructiveness, that is what you should do for your puppy. Everything about your environment that you want to teach your dog. ..don't chew this or that. ..don't pee here. ..don't bite there. ..you have to teach your dog. Please read one of the recommended books on teaching a puppy the right way.

 

BATHING: Labrador Retrievers are wash and wear dogs. They require little bathing. If anything, a good hosing down with warm water without shampoo is usually sufficient. Too much shampoo will dry the coat. I hose down a lot because my dogs take a lot of walks and get muddy. But, I only shampoo about once a month or if they have rolled in something disgusting (as dogs will do). Use a mild, dog shampoo, not human shampoo.

 

FLEA AND TICK PROTECTION: Use Frontline Top Spot. There is nothing else like it on the market. It is expensive but now it can be bought online. From information that I have secured, it is very safe. I feel more comfortable using Frontline Top Spot than I do using Program. Program does not protect the dog from ticks. To further reduce the incidence of Lyme Disease in your dog, have your dog vaccinated for Lyme. Some veterinarians still do not routinely vaccinate for Lyme. They have their reasons but right now the Lyme vaccine is the best protection dogs have.

 

EXERCISE: Here is a good motto to remember, "A good dog is a tired dog," A 15-30 minute period of exercise every day will make life a lot easier for every one. A long walk ( no jogging with a young dog), and a little retrieving, are appropriate. For me, walking is the best. Labradors are great walking companions. If the property has a swimming pool, the puppy should be shown how to get in and out of the pool, or the puppy should be restricted from getting near the pool. Labradors are tremendous swimmers but even a Lab has to learn how to swim and how to use pool steps. When the weather warms up, a good introduction to water would be to find a quiet pond that has a gentle slope into the water. Throw a stick in and encourage your little one to fetch it. Use common sense exercising your puppy until he is an adult. Orthopedic problems can result as much from over-use as from genetics.

GETTING YOUR PUPPY SOCIALIZED: The sooner you can introduce your puppy to a variety of activities and people, the better adjusted your puppy will be. Take the puppy everywhere. Common sense would suggest that until the puppy is fully vaccinated, avoid parks and places that are heavily used by other dogs. Watch the puppy around older dogs. Some dogs are wild about puppies and others, even those with the best of temperaments, cannot handle a youngster. If you do not have young children at home, special trips to a playground are necessary. Dogs sometimes find children curious creatures. If you have another dog at home, special efforts have to be made to get the puppy off by himself, away from the older dog. Puppies will bond much more easily to other dogs than to humans. You want your puppy to bond to you.

 

TOYS: Puppies should have numerous, safe toys that will amuse them and give them chewing satisfaction. Be careful with those toys that have squeakers inside and with raw-hide chews. My dogs love chicken-flavored Nylabones. They also really like sterilized bones with small pieces of cheese stuck inside them. Watch your puppy!

Puppies will chew some awful things and that may cause trouble. They tend to swallow big chunks of things; so I am always nervous when they are chewing sticks and raw-hide toys, although I give my dogs rawhide. Believe it or not, socks can be greater offenders than sticks. Some puppies have been known to swallow them whole and a bowel obstruction is the result. Have the children be careful not to leave these things around. Also, speaking from a couple of bad experiences, I suggest that you make sure that your puppy cannot get into your cabinets ( chocolate is poisonous to dogs, for example} and that he is watched carefully when he is around electrical wires.

 

PUPPY KINDERGARTEN: A group training course or a private trainer for you and your dog is a must! The course will teach YOU how to handle your dog and will teach your dog to be a good citizen. Observe a class to make sure that the training methods are appropriate for a young puppy. I believe in positive reinforcement training. The chain collar, jerking approach, is an outmoded way of teaching dogs to learn. Remember, if your dog likes the training experience, he will also like going to class.

READING: I urge everyone who is getting a puppy to read carefully one of the recommended books on canine behavior. We take for granted that our puppies will respond like children. They will not. They understand a language quite different from ours. In order to quickly and humanely train a young dog, we humans must put in the effort to understand Dog Speak. Even those of you who have raised dogs could benefit from modern knowledge of canine behavior .

 

NIPPING: A special section is devoted to this problem because this is the first crisis that new dog owners must deal with. Nipping MUST be curbed from the beginning. Puppies nip not because they are bad or aggressive but because that is how they played with their littermates. They are role playing and are trying to figure out who is the boss and who is the follower. If you watch young dogs play, they are very rough and mouthy. They have a lot of fur, so the biting does not hurt that much. But, those little teeth sure do harm to a human's skin. Nipping is not cute and should not be tolerated. Because dogs seek a comfortable position in the pack, the more they nip the more they think they can dominate. You want the puppy to know right away, that you are his leader, always. The first way to correct nipping is first say "Ouch!". Yell VERY loudly in the puppy's face. I mean REALLY yell. This is what Mom would do if she needed to correct the puppy. It startles the puppy. THEN WALK AWAY AND IGNORE THE PUPPY. Try again in a little while. If he nips, then yell "OUCH" again. If he stops, then praise him by saying lovingly, "Good Boy/Girl." If he doesn't, then walk away. If that method is not effective, then grab the puppy's muzzle and force his upper lip against his canine teeth.

Do it just hard enough to make an impression. This way the puppy learns to associate what body part is causing the problem. In training dogs, first give the verbal correction, then the physical. Say the verbal only ONCE and then give the physical. Then heap on the praise if the dog obeys. The dog will learn to respect the verbal the first time it is given. Eventually you will not need the physical. Again, one of the recommended books on puppy raising covers dominance and the appropriate exercises to communicate to your puppy that you are the boss.

 

DESTRUCTIVE CHEWING: First, have a lot of dog toys around that the puppy is allowed to chew. Have a toy box. Praise him when he goes to the toy box. Remember, these are specifically dog toys. Puppies cannot distinguish between your old loafer and you new patent leather pumps. If the puppy is chewing the table leg or your oriental rug, give the verbal correction first, "Leave it"! If he responds, then heap on the praise. A properly administered verbal correction the first few times the puppy chews or bites could mean the difference between a dog understanding quickly and an older dog still not getting the idea.

I have found that Bitter Apple spray is useful. It is distasteful to the puppy and can be sprayed on items that you need to carefully monitor. There is also a furniture polish available by the same manufacturer .

 

PLAYING AROUND CHILDREN: Children and Labradors are made for each other. Labs are pain tolerant and can handle a lot of abuse. But, please read on, ...Can your children handle the abuse that a Lab puppy dishes out? Probably not. The younger the child, the more supervision he and the puppy need when they play together. NEVER put your young child on the floor with a puppy. The puppy assumes that the youngster is a litter mate and will treat him as such. NEVER let your children overexcite the puppy. The puppy will lose whatever composure you are trying to teach him and behave poorly. NEVER let your children play tug of war games with the puppy. NEVER let your children abuse or hurt your puppy. Your puppy will learn not to trust you and your children. Explain that if you want your puppy to be loving and gentle, everyone in the family must be loving and gentle. IF YOUR CHILDREN CAN NOT FOLLOW THESE DIRECTIONS, THEN THEY ARE NOT READY FOR A DOG. Return the puppy and try again in a couple of years.

 

SUBMISSION TRAINING: Your puppy will have received BIOSENSOR exercises for the first three weeks of his life. These exercises prepare a puppy for the stress of leaving litter mates and help a puppy with socialization. As well, your puppy has been gently placed on his back every day. Please continue this exercise. It is an easy way for you to assert your dominance with the puppy. A good puppy kindergarten will teach you other dominance controlling techniques. When a dog rolls on his back to have his tummy rubbed, he is saying a lot more than that feels good. He is telling you that he loves you and that he wants to please you. Help him to learn his place in his new pack by letting him enjoy a good tummy rub every day. While he is on his back, gently rub his paws and ears so that he learns that it is OK for you to handle him.

 

CONTROL OF THE FOOD BOWL: From the time you get your puppy home, teach him to wait for his food. First, hold the puppy by his collar. At the same time that you put his food bowl down, say, "Wait" and hold the puppy from his food for 5 seconds or until he stops struggling. Then release the puppy by saying in a happy voice, "OK." Eventually, get the puppy to wait without being held by the collar. Do this for the LIFE of the dog, and most behavior problems common to dogs will not develop. ..trust me!

CONTROLLING FOOD AGGRESSION: DO NOT MAKE YOUR PUPPY ANXIOUS AROUND FOOD. Do not allow children to bother your puppy when he is eating. Do not allow other dogs to bother your puppy (and do not allow your puppy to bother other dogs or people when they are eating!). Some people have the notion that they must torture the puppy while he is eating by constantly removing his food bowl from him. Do NOT do this! Instead, while he is eating, add a little something extra to his bowl every now and then. . . maybe something REALLY special. The puppy learns that hands near his mouth while he is eating mean something wonderful. Now, you are protecting the young child or baby who gets too close to the dog while he is eating. As wonderful as a Labrador is, remember, he is a dog first.

 

SHOPPING LIST

 

All the items listed below can be ordered from J-B Wholesale Pet Supplies, Inc. Phone:              800-526-0388         800-526-0388.

 

Crate: I recommend MIDWEST or GENERAL CAGE quick-folding crates. They are very convenient for moving around and for putting in the car. The bottom pan slips out for easy cleaning.

For females: Size: 36" x 24" x 28"h.

For males: Size: 42" x 28" x 32"h.

You will divide the crate in thirds by using a board or a piece of masonite tied inside the crate. As the puppy grows, move the board back to give the puppy more space.

 

Bowls: Stainless steel, 32 ounces

RESCOE nail trimmers

 

 

Sterilized bones

Chicken-flavored Nylabones

Soft-bite Floppy Disc for retrieving

Bouncing Kong, medium

Soft toys

Latex toys

Tennis balls

 

You will need to take the puppy to a pet shop for his collar and leash. There are adjustable nylon collars that the puppy can use for more than one week! Pet Shops are great places to socialize puppies. Usually dogs are allowed inside. There is plenty of activity. ..loads of people. ..great, new aromas. Before the puppy has his second vaccination, don't let him on the floor. Keep him in the shopping cart. Let everyone pet him and give him treats if they want to.

 

 

J-B will put you on their mailing list and then you can buy many more goodies. But this list should get you started.

Also, Petco in Brookfield, CT on Federal Road or any of the PetSmarts are great places to shop. The prices are not as good as catalogues, though.

 

 

Books:

 

Mother Knows Best- the Natural Way to Train Your Dog, Benjamin

The Art of Raising a Puppy, The Monks of New Skete, Little Brown

The Culture Clash, Jean Donaldson, James and Kenneth Publishers

Don't Shoot the Dog, Pryor

Any of the "Clicker Training" books.

(The Benjamin book and the Monks of New Skete book have a couple of outmoded ideas on training, but they are still good introductions to dog psychology.)

 

 

Your Puppy's First Day and Night Home

 

The exciting day has arrived and you have brought your puppy home. Hopefully, you have puppy-proofed your house and have found a convenient way to restrict the puppy to protect your sanity and your house. On the way home, your puppy may have cried and may have vomited. That is to be expected. He has no idea what has happened to him; he is scared; he may have been carsick. Car sickness can be minimized by making sure that the puppy has not eaten two hours before putting him in the car, by taking short trips often so that he learns how to position himself in the car and by using a crate in the car. The confinement of the crate encourages the puppy to lie down (which is the position that will most likely not lead to vomiting) .

 

When you get the puppy home, take him to the place where he is to eliminate. Wait until he goes and heap on the praise. House training has started. Let him explore his outside environment for a while. Encourage him while he explores. Sit on the grass with him. Love him up. If he acts with lack of confidence, ignore it. Do not praise for lack of confidence. The dog will think that fear is the proper response in a new situation. Only praise for confidence. In general, only praise those behaviors that you want to reinforce. Remember, remember. ..think about what you are teaching your dog! Your puppy will want to eat grass and sticks. Personally, I ignore it. Labrador retrievers can digest the most unbelievable things. But, do watch out for large items that can cause bowel obstructions, a common mishap in the Lab.

 

Inside, take the puppy to your puppy-proofed area. Even though the puppy is paper trained, I would not put paper down. (For those of you living in the city, you must paper train until the puppy is fully vaccinated, 15 or 16 weeks old). A paper trained puppy is not a house trained puppy. Be diligent with the puppy and in two or three weeks, the job will be done.

If the puppy has an accident, and if you see him in the act, in a loud, low, deep voice say, "NO!" Then, take him to his special toilet area outside. Praise him if he goes outside. If you did not see the accident, just clean it up. You must reinforce exactly at the time of the accident.

 

The puppy will eat three times per day until he is six months old. Feeding times should be when you are ready in the morning, between 11 and 1 in the afternoon and no later than 4:30-5:00 in the early evening until the puppy is trained. Give the boys 1 cup of kibble soaked for about 10 minutes in warm water. Give the girls, 3/4 cup. The puppy will need a shorter and shorter soaking time. In about 10 days, all you need do is add warm water to the kibble and serve right away. By feeding an early dinner, the puppy will have completely digested his food by bedtime. When you take him out before you go to bed, he, hopefully, will have emptied his bowels and bladder for the night. In order to facilitate house training, never leave a bowl of water on the floor for the puppy. The puppy will drink volumes and house training will be impossible. Instead, offer the puppy water frequently and then take the bowl away.

 

Should you add leftovers to the dog's diet? I think so as long as you are not adding so much that the puppy is getting fat. A variation in diet is exciting for the puppy, good for his digestive abilities and a guarantee that he is getting all his important nutrients. I, routinely, would give him a hard boiled egg three or four time per week. Some authorities are recommending vitamin C supplements for growing, large-boned dogs. The conclusive evidence is not in, but it does not hurt. I also add Fish Oil capsules...one or two per day.

One way to know if you are over feeding your puppy is to observe his stools. If they are loose and yellow and are not formed then you are over feeding. You can cut back a little until the stools harden. The stool should be formed but not dry. If the puppy does have a bout of diarrhea, then take him off his puppy food, and feed baby rice cereal or boiled rice. Gradually add the puppy kibble, after his stomach has settled down. Puppies are prone to diarrhea, so do not panic. If it is explosive and unstoppable, then seek out the help of your veterinarian. You can give the puppy a little pediatric Kaopectate and some Pedialyte to restore his electrolytes. Labrador puppies will eat their meals in about one minute. This does not mean that they are still hungry. They are just Labradors. If the puppy picks at his food or ignores it, then I would suspect that he is sick. If it is an isolated meal or two, then do not worry. But if it happens frequently, then your veterinarian must investigate.

I have NEVER had a healthy puppy that does not wolf down his food. Some puppies may feel that they can leave food over so they have access to it throughout the day. Remember to leave the food down for only about 5 minutes. Then pick it up and throw it away. Remember to increase his food gradually. The males will be eating about 5 cups at a year and the females about 3 cups. A puppy in good coat will look more filled out than one out of coat. So, you should be able to feel rib but maybe not see it. When you look down on the puppy, you should be able to see some waistline. Change to adult food and to two meals per day at about 5-6 months or earlier if your veterinarian recommends it.

 

Bedtime. ..Can you expect to get any sleep? Your puppy will be really missing his littermates now. He is used to the comfort and warmth of their bodies. Now he is alone. He is very stressed. Getting him to sleep through the night may take a day or so. Now, I am going to tell you what has worked for me after having raised many puppies. Put the crate in your bedroom near your bed, not across the room. Put old towels in the crate, not newspapers. Maybe, cover the crate with a towel. Divide the adult crate into thirds. Give the puppy just enough space to turn around. Take him out one more time before you hop into bed. Put a chew toy in the crate. Put a little puppy biscuit or a piece of cheese in the crate with him. Remove all collars! Tell him it is "crate time". Push him in and praise him. And, do not let him out until you get up in the morning. If he whines, put your fingers through the wires in the crate and touch him that way. Do not take him out. Comfort him with your voice. Do not take him out. If he has a bowel movement, clean it up and put him right back. The puppy is mature enough to keep his crate dry for 7-8 hours at night because the bladder slows down. During the day, he can only stay in a crate 2-3 hours while he is young.

The second night, things should be better. If he wakes up at an hour that is too early for you, tell him, "Quiet," in a deep, loud, low voice. Do not take him out. If he continues to whine, yell at him again and bang hard on the crate.

I can tell you from personal experience that if you try and leave that crate in the kitchen, it will NEVER work. And, if you make the fatal mistake of getting up with the puppy at 5:30 AM and of feeding him at that ungodly hour, he will start barking thereafter at 5:30 AM. Remember, think about what you are teaching your puppy with your response to his behavior. Tongue in cheek, I will not take any calls from families who are having trouble getting their puppies to sleep and getting their puppies to stay asleep if they do not follow these simple, tried and true directions.

 

-3-

 

Using the crate during the day. ..Can you expect a young dog to be quiet in his crate, while his family is actively engaged in something right near him? NO! So, the puppy has worn you out and what do you do with him? Put him in his crate in a quiet room in the house. ..your bedroom? Right! Now, you do not have to move the crate from room to room. Can you expect a dog to be quiet in his crate? YES! What should you do if the dog whines or barks in his crate? Ignore him! If you have checked for his safety, his crying will not hurt him. What happens if you remove him from his crate if he is crying? You have reinforced his crying. Think about what you are teaching your dog. Can you expect your puppy to be quiet in his crate, if you must work near him (for those of you who are taking the puppy to work)? YES! Get a spray bottle and give him a spritz if he continues to whine. When he stops, tell him he is a good boy and give him a tiny treat. He will learn that he gets nothing if he barks and an occasional little treat if he is quiet. Do not take him out if he is crying!

 

Hopefully, these instructions will get you comfortably through the first couple of days. Following is a short list of dog obedience classes that are in the area. I highly recommend Bandilane, Portchester and Canine Sports Center and Wags because they have special classes for very young puppies and use positive, gentle training methods. Even though I have put advanced obedience titles on my dogs, I take EVERY puppy to puppy kindergarten or a handling class. It is very important for the puppy. Make sure that you tell your veterinarian, that the puppy will be attending classes and that you want the puppy vaccinated for kennel cough.

 

Bandilane Dog School, Stamford, CT, www.bandilane.com

Portchester Dog Obedience, White Plains, NY

Wags, Danbury, CT 203-744-WAGS

Canine Sports Academy, Goshen, CT

Waterbury Obedience Club, Oxford

Dog Gone Smart, Norwalk, CT

The Well-Mannered Dog, Southbury, CT   www.wellmannereddog.com                203-264-2008         203-264-2008

Finally, all of you have made the super wise decision to buy a Labrador Retriever. You really cannot imagine how versatile the breed is until you get involved in canine activities. There are any number of breed and all-breed clubs that can introduce you to the terrific hobby of dogs. You can do field work, agility, obedience on a competitive level, therapy dog activities, tracking, etc., etc. You have the dog to do it. I belong to two breed clubs and an all-breed club and an obedience club. If you are interested in getting involved in a breed club, let me know and I will help you get started.

Enjoy your puppies. They have more love to give you than you can imagine and they ask nothing more of you than tolerance and gentleness. And, remember, "Think about what you are teaching your dog"!