New puppy advice please?

I'm getting a labrador puppy next month and would like some advice on how to prepare for her, what i will need to buy, any training tips you think would be helpful would also be greatly appreciated.


Thank you :)New puppy advice please?
You should get a ';puppy pack'; from your breeder telling you how she thinks the puppy should be fed/walked/vaccinated etc.





Two tips.





Keep her on the same food as the breeder has to avoid a dodgy tummy when she/he first arrives. If you do change then take a good week or so to change gradually.





Also don't overexercise a young large breed pup. 5 mins per day per month of life, and build slowly.New puppy advice please?
The first thing I'd buy is a crate, large enough to see her through to adulthood. This will make is much easier to toilet train, will provide somewhere for 'time out' and will be a place your puppy should feel happy to go when you are out (preventing too many accidents/chewing).





Then I'd sort out insurance. You can get lots of different kinds of covers, depending on which you think is best.





You need to prepare any existing animals for the arrival. Ask if you can leave a couple of old blankets with the puppies. Bring one home a week before you pick the puppy up, to let existing animals get used to the smell. Bring the second blanket home with the puppy - the smell will be reassuring and will help her settle.





You need to take your dog to vets as soon as possible after collection - that way you can always return her if she is found to have serious medical problems. It will be easier to do this if everyone hasn't already got too attached to her. This is also a good chance to discuss spaying her, unless you want to breed from her.





Look into local puppy training classes - these will help teach the basics, and will also help your puppy's socalisation.





Buy things like a soft collar (don't spend too much as she will grow out of it in a matter of weeks!), and a lightweight lead. A longer lightweight lead is good for training around the house, and for training the recall in a few months.





Get the puppy's idenity tag sorted out, with your address, and two contact numbers. Get your puppy microchipped as soon as possible - this is the best way to ensure you will get her back if she goes missing/is stolen.





Buy a small selection of reasonably cheap puppy toys, that will withstand chewing.





Make sure your house/garden is puppy proof - no trailing wires, no unfenced ponds, no holes in fencing and so on.





I think that's about it. I know it's a long answer, but there's so much information to know about bringing up a puppy! Good luck, and have fun!
Puppy Supplies List:





Here is a list of the things you will need to have on hand to start your puppy's new life in your family home. Many of these you can comparison shop for in Walmart vs. Petsmart. You can save a ton of money in Walmart for the exact same thing at one-third the cost.





1-Crate to sleep in, every dog needs a safe place to sleep or nap.


2-Airline carry kennel for trips to the vet or around town.


3-Baby gate(s) to contain your puppy to areas that are allowed.


4-Exercise pen for providing an area to play safely outside the crate or kennel to learn housebreaking habits.


5-Soft towels or baby blankets as they are the right size to start.


6-Newspapers or puppy housebreaking pads if you so choose.


7-Bowls for food and water, heavy pottery so they don't tip over.


Stainless steel bowls tip easily but are easy to clean with clorox.


8-Puppy No-tears shampoo, or Dial anti-bacterial liquid hand soap to start. White dogs will need Pearl or Super White to keep white.


If they really get grimy or into compost Mane-n-Tail makes a good anti-fungal, anti-rain rot that will clean anything. Dilute for puppies.


9-Nail clippers if you are experienced. A dog's vein system ends at the toenails. If you cut them too short it is possible they can bleed to death if not stopped. Have styptic powder or pencils on hand and have a vet teach you how to clip puppy nails properly before doing it yourself. Black toenails are especially hard to judge where the quick is. Clear nails you can see where it ends. Be careful.


10-Tennis balls, squeaky balls, any strong ball to chase.


11-Greenies to help clean their teeth. Or you can brush their teeth.


12-Harness instead of a collar at a young age. Their bones are not fully developed until after 4 -6 months of age. If they pull or tug too hard and jerk their neck with a collar on, it can do harm or break their necks. Save the collar for just the ID tage until they're a little older.


13-I.D. Tags are a must as are getting the pup microchipped.


14-Leashes, a 4-6 ft. to start training and a 8 - 10 ft. longer one later. Retractable or regular is a choice up to you and what you are used to using.


15-Spray bottle with a mixture of 3 parts water and 1 part vinegar to spray on accidents on the carpets. This takes the smell away so they won't consider it their marked area and return to leave deposits.


16-Arm n'Hammer Vacuum Free foam carpet spray deodorizer. This stuff really works well. Spray it, walk away and forget it.


17-List of books on JRT recommended books page.


18-An extra dose of patience for you on the days you wonder who is training who.


19-Dog towels separate from house towels so you don't get them mixed up.


20-Dog bed once your pup has learned what is allowed to chew and what is not allowed. (If they chew up the new dog bed anyway, don't bother buying another one. Just use towels and blankets that are easy to wash.)





And if you don't know how to train a dog then you shouldn't be getting one.