Questions in getting a pup (particular in retriever labrador)

1. What is the best age of a pup?
2. It is okay to put him in a cage?
3. What are the shots the pup needs before he socialize with other dogs?
(for this I knew there are illness that the pup might get in other dogs)
4. What are the vaccines (in order) that your dog have? (particular again in retriever labs)
5. Signs that your dog is pure retriever lab.. (general appearance specific)
6. Best chow for a pup (specific for retriever lab)

I will post again any other questions my family have, we are trying to overcome jingle's death
And planning to have another pup, but this time we are taking all the precaution in having another pup. Please help us in our questions (specially on Mr LabMan)

THANKS!

Well, I can answer 5. If you go to the AKC site, it will tell you what the breed standard is for a lab American Kennel Club - Labrador Retriever dog dogs puppy puppies (http://www.akc.org/breeds/labrador_retriever/). However, the only way to be sure that you are getting a purebred is to get one from a reliable breeder. And if you go that route, you want to find a breeder that you trust, because if you don't trust them when they say that they are selling you a purebred lab, why would you believe them on anything else that they say?

I may be able to help a little, I agree to check out reputable breeders, pups normally will not be adoptable until 8 weeks, as for shots a good breeder will give you a list of necessary shots/vaccines and what ages they should be given, an added one though is kennel cough shot, you have to ask for this as it is not routine, also parvo is a must and the dhlpp shots. I have heard of a lot of people crate training their dogs, I tried this for a few days but ended up using a babygate and confining to a certain area where there would be minimal destruction and after about 2 months maybe my pup was trustworthy in the rest of the house, I do not recommend using a crate or cage for very long periods, puppys have to go potty often and you do not want them to learn that they can go in there crate, also even when you are not using the crate, leave the door open so the pup can go in and out and it may be his private sanctuary. As for food I feed mine Iams large breed smart puppy formula along with powdered milk to help the bones (vet recommended) we stopped the powdered milk at around 9 months, but will continue the puppy formula till at least 18 months. My pup is a malamute that weighs about 90 lbs, which seems to be about the same weight as labs that I know.

''1. What is the best age of a pup?''

7-8 weeks, never before 6 weeks. Puppies need exposure to the world they will live in before they are 12 weeks old. That is why we are given service dog tags with the new puppy, legally allowing us to take 7 week olds into restaurants and grocery stores.

''2. It is okay to put him in a cage?''

Essential, see the sticky starting at https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/information-articles-our-dogs-expert-labman-53153.html#post251802

''3. What are the shots the pup needs before he socialize with other dogs?
(for this I knew there are illness that the pup might get in other dogs)''

Even the best shot program leaves a window where a puppy can catch parvo and other things. There is a reliable explanation of why at Canine Parvovirus, What you should know about (http://www.avma.org/communications/brochures/canine_parvo/parvo_brochure.asp)

''4. What are the vaccines (in order) that your dog have? (particular again in retriever labs)''

A combo DLCCP is commonly given before the puppy leaves the breeder and then every few weeks. Maybe around 3 months kennel cough is given as nose drops. Some states require rabies at 4 months, although medical indications favor 6 months. Your vet may have good reason to vary from this due to local conditions and disagreements within the veterinarian community. Go along with anything close.

''5. Signs that your dog is pure retriever lab.. (general appearance specific)''

You can't tell a thing by looking at the dog. The AKC breed standards only tell you if it would be competitive as a show dog. Many pure bred Labs don't have the classic big, square head. Some of them are marked. Many Lab crosses look more like a show Lab than many pure Labs. A great example was one fine black ''Lab'' I was admiring at a 4-H show. He was gorgeous. His mother was a pure bred Golden. After being bred to a Golden, she was accidentally bred by a Lab. She produced a litter some of which looked like Goldens and some like Labs. Even DNA testing can only tell you a certain dog is a parent to the puppy.

''6. Best chow for a pup (specific for retriever lab)''

Almost any large breed puppy chow or general puppy chow or adult chow. See the sticky I mentioned.

I would not recommend bringing any puppy into your home in less than 6 months. The parvo virus will still be alive anywhere you didn't clean with a 10:1 bleach solution. There is an extensive discussion about a new puppy after parvo at https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/when-can-get-another-puppy-after-puppy-died-parvo-43195.html Like elsewhere here, you need to sort out the good answers. Even 6 months may not be long enough. No shot program is good enough.

All I need to know is the vaccines and when to acquire it. Also where do I find these breeders? Petshop is the only place I know for pups,
I am from the philippines I hope there are filipino breeders out there who are willing to
Sell me a pup.

Labman, tashmarie and froggy thanks!

I do not recommend getting a puppy from a petshop, as for breeders, I find many online, do your research on them to make sure they are reputable. I found a site in the Philippines on puppysites.com for golden retrievers there was only that one but they may be able to help you, you may want to try searching other sites like that. Or purchase a dog breed magazine that has breeder listings in the back such as dog fancy. The breeders and your vet are the best people to talk to about the vaccinations.
And Labman, the powdered milk supplement was advised by my vetrinarian, as well as how much and how long to feed it. I understand that I do not want to overdose my dog on calcium, I also advise that anyone who thinks about trying this as well should speak with their vet and/or breeder.

I can answer the first 2...

1. not to young because they still need time with their mother... and about 7 weeks old.

2. Yes, but shouldn't be locked in for extensive times.

Oh yeah, and another tip...
Make sure when you are choosing a dog.. that it's not very shy or extremely hyper. Find one that's mellow...

Yeah labs are very hyper... not good at guarding, our neighbor got a 2 yr old labrador retriever, he doesn't bite nor bark, very very gentle and sweet.. but passerby's are afraid of him because he was so huge, well Iam on breeder hunting.

Another question..
Let say I got a pup, and immediately take him to his vet for his shots.. is those shots will assure me that my pup will never have illness on his puppy stage?

I want to kill that parvo immediately...

A well bred Lab isn't hyper. Once at church somebody was commenting on how calm my 5 month old Lab was. I replied ''Do you remember when I had his grandmother here last fall, what she was like?'' Labs were first bred as retrievers. They needed to lie quietly in the boat and blind until after the ducks wore shot. I suspect some of the ones that jumped up and barked at the wrong time, swiftly exited the gene pool. Dogs tend to be like their parents. Not only do I have a lot of experience with puppies, I see their family too sometimes. Here is a picture from when Zeke's mother and their half sister spent Thanksgiving with us.

http://www.photolocker.net/images/Labman/zeketessaprincess.jpg


Even the best shot program leaves a window where a puppy can catch parvo and other things. There is a reliable explanation of why at Canine Parvovirus, What you should know about (http://www.avma.org/communications/brochures/canine_parvo/parvo_brochure.asp) ....

I would not recommend bringing any puppy into your home in less than 6 months. .... Even 6 months may not be long enough. No shot program is good enough.

If you read the AVMA link, you would see that shots won't take until immunity from the mother wears off. Even then, it takes 2 weeks for the immunity to build up. You just can't get a new puppy now, get its shots, and be safe. You will either have to wait, or as suggested in the thread I referred you to, find an older dog. I don't know if you have the sources for dogs discussed in the other thread available or not.