Team-BHP - Team-BHPians and their Pets

Hi Guys,

Take a load of new lab. So excited to bring this little darling home:

Team-BHPians and their Pets-whoof-whoof-everybody.jpeg

I would love to get some experienced dog lovers to give us some advice on getting this wonderful going; not that he needs encouragement. But I wonder if you wonderful people could point me to the right resources in terms of care and food, or share some tips that'd make me do the right thing by him.

Thank you!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sebring (Post 5234433)

My Buddy starting shedding a lot of hair lately (It's more in winter). Was searching for a pet specific hand-vac and one was available (but only in the UK). requested my brother to hand-carry one. This is called Black & Decker PET, is about a foot long and does quite a job

You read my mind Sebring, my Indie surprisingly has been shedding quite a lot over the month, this was not the case last year, maybe because he was lesser than a year?, he would be turning 2 this March.

I am worried he'd go bald. rl:

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldshivabull (Post 5234181)

Hi Guys,

Take a load of new lab. So excited to bring this little darling home:

Attachment 2258381

I would love to get some experienced dog lovers to give us some advice on getting this wonderful going; not that he needs encouragement. But I wonder if you wonderful people could point me to the right resources in terms of care and food, or share some tips that'd make me do the right thing by him.

Thank you!

Very sweet and lovely. Labs are the most gentle and loving dogs. We had a lab for 14 years till he passed in 2019. Now we have an Indie who is 10 months old.
Few things you have to be careful with Labs from a very young age:
1) Labs are always hungry and will become overweight if you feed them too much or if they don't get enough exercise. So feed him only as much as the vet recommends for his age - nothing more!

2) Labs inherently have a tendency for Hip Dysplasia - their hip joints are weak. So they need plenty of exercise and running around and also should not be overweight - that increases the risk for them.

3) For very young puppies like yours, feed him Puppy Porridge in hot water (please don't give him Cerelac - that has sugar which is not good for him)

4) After 3 months, start introducing him to some kibble (Puppy food) - you can give him Purina / Pedigree / Royal Canin depending on your budgets.
Our Lab used to eat Pedigree Chicken and Rice and all his years he would be equally excited eating it twice a day for 14 years!

5) Do give him some calcium supplements and also Vitamins for his growth

All the best and enjoy your new parenthood :)

PS: You should try to toilet train him within 4 months of age (they can be easily trained) Also, they tend to feel very lonely in the first 6 months so will need human company 24 hours (even at night)

Actually, combing daily helps manage all that hair in one place. You dont notice the shedding. Takes just 15 mins. Use a metallic brush like this. Dont worry, he wont go bald, it grows back quite fast (Unless he has some skin allergy, which I doubt). I apply coconut oil liberally on him, (once a week) as well

Quote:

Originally Posted by FURY_44 (Post 5234439)

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldshivabull (Post 5234181)

Hi Guys,

Take a load of new lab. So excited to bring this little darling home:

Attachment 2258381

Thank you!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom (Post 5234748)

My contribution: you do not need to dress him or wrap him in blankets. He has plenty of fur, and a superb natural system which adjusts the fur according to the temperature.

Have fun with your new companion! :)

Actually no harm in keeping him slightly dressed up currently in Gurgaon. The temperatures here are 5 degree min and 15 degree max these days.
But do avoid temperature shock to him like taking him from a heated room to outdoors immediately and without any jacket. That way they can fall sick very soon.
It is best to take a little extra care with young ones till they are 4 months old.

After that their fur becomes double layered and they can withstand cold weather very well. Labradors are known for swimming even in freezing water and enjoying it!

Thank you very much! I appreciate all these tips.

Food: Right now, since chappie is on his seventh week, going by what the vet says. I know we'd need to shift him to proper doggy nutrition 3mths down the line.

Attire: I was with you there, Thad, but the temp in Ggn is way down. And the floor tiles are super chilled. But I want to move him out of the swaddling as soon as it's right, I reckon.

Habits: We are rushing him to his own vip section of the loo, and he is getting the hang of it. I"m happily surprised because he's been with us one week. Got him too early; should have been 8 weeks-- but we"ve been such a happy household since the man arrived.

Behaviour: The humans have all become infantile, and we are all projecting into our roles. There is a new mother, father and a brother. I can"t wait to take this guy out; after vaccination, I"ve been advised. I haven"t read any books or seen TV beyond the cricket with SA--that too only when India looks like winning.

Naming: Yours truly has been overruled. We are going with Tobi, which means "God is good". Can't fight that. I had such good names: Skipper/ Sirius/ Champ/ Holmes (or Watson) but...

Any chance of getting recommendations for a superlative book about dogs?

Again, thank you one and all.

Temperature from the Indian-human perspective! And I'd agree that I would want lots of clothes at 5-15C! I don't think that dogs that are comfortable in Northern-European climates do. I'd say, don't over-wrap babies or puppies!

A good compromise, though, as a new-home little one no longer has its warm mother and/or siblings to cuddle up with, is to make sure of a cosy bed with soft stuff that they can snuggle into.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom (Post 5235213)

I'd say, don't over-wrap babies or puppies!.

I say, Dont wrap them at all ! Animals can withstand their local climatic conditions. Would be stupid to make them lose that ability. It's only us humans who have made ourselves weaker by sitting in a/c's.

Exception is these huskies - they are not meant to be in our climatic conditions. And they will not fare well here.

(I myself avoid a/c and even a fan as much as possible. Have a fairly good range of tolerance both ways. And have slept on terraces in summer during my younger days. Oh, those were the days ! )