Help - need advice new to the puppy owners gang

[Jackson711]

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Hi

I'm new to the puppy owning gang, I have recently got myself an adorable 10 week lab and I'm completely in love. I live with a fellow dog owner and have kind of gone with things she has said on how to bring up my dog. I have just recently red that letting dogs go up and down stairs is bad for them, I have let him the past 5 days and I feel awful and upset that I have let him down like that. Will he be okay if I now continue to lift him? Also he had been play fighting with her dog, I've stopped it a few tries and I feel uncomfortable but she has told me it's fine? I don't want him to get hurt. I just want to give my little guy the best life possible. Can someone please advise me? I wouldn't be able to cope if I new I've done serious damage

 

[Parly]

Hello!

Firstly you need to go right back to basics to read up and research the breed and work from there. No expert by any means but haven't ever heard the thing about it being bad for labs to walk up and down stairs. Ever. Don't let him sprint up and down 100+ times a day obviously but I wouldn't get into a habit of picking him up and not letting him use the stairs . :ermm:

There are a lot of different opinions, ideas and views on the issue of allowing pups to play fight but personally, I think it's essential that puppies continue to play, learn boundaries and bite inhibition and do all the things they did with their littermates. From experience, dogs that have been discouraged from play fighting and overprotected by owners (understandably) can be harder work as adults because they have no idea what's play / when to stop or how much is too much.

Have an older dog I recently rehomed that was never allowed to roughhouse or play fight from 8 weeks and she is very VERY hard work and hurts the odd time she does get playful. Not her fault but it's difficult now that she's 8yrs old. Mine have always enjoyed playfighting and some rough and tumble but all learned from it and don't bite, get overexcited to the point they can't stop and all are well rounded, friendly dogs.

Definitely start with the basic info about labs and then read up / research and then some but try avoiding the temptation to overprotect your puppy and keep him safe and away from anything that might hurt him - within reason obviously. He's a dog and they need all those bumps and scrapes to learn.

Besides you'd be surprised how much fun they're having even when it might seem rough. :thumbsup:

https://youtu.be/z4YfanBhKyc

http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/labradorretrievers.html

http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/training/labradorretrievers.html

 

[gypsysmum2]

It is good for a puppy to learn how to negotiate stairs but it can be hard on their joints if they are constantly going up and down them.

Play fighting is natural and, providing it does not get too out of hand it should be ok. If the older dog is female she will be less tolerant of naughty behaviour which is a good thing. If the other dog is male then do be careful that he is not too tolerant and, therefore, does not set boundaries for your puppy. You don't want your puppy to learn to duff up every dog he comes across!

 

[Madworld]

I would say it's absolutely fine for your pup to go up and down the stairs as long as they don't over do it.

I agree that it is important for dogs to play fight, it helps them learn bite inhibition and general manners around over dogs and it's what they would be doing with their litter mates so it's perfectly natural.

Try not to worry, puppies aren't always the delicate snowflakes they would have us believe ;-)