Possibly buying a puppy.... Advice?

[tastyacres]

My %50-blue heeler, %25-lab, and %25-pit.... Was the biggest challenge!

I will never get another dog like him, I love him too!

He was a very sad, damaged dog by age 5-months.... I started really working with him at age 1... took me 2-years to get him on track!

Which is what my long time goal is to work with these dogs!

But yeah, never get a dog you know nothing about its background.

 

[tastyacres]

My %50-blue heeler, %25-lab, and %25-pit.... Was the biggest challenge!

I will never get another dog like him, I love him too!

He was a very sad, damaged dog by age 5-months.... I started really working with him at age 1... took me 2-years to get him on track!

Which is what my long time goal is to work with these dogs!

But yeah, never get a dog you know nothing about its background.

 

[BYCforlife]

For Lab mix only get Nyla Bone or Kong quality chew toys as Lab and Lab mixes are serious chewers who will demolish, eat, and choke or swallow those cheap bone pieces, and nearly anything else (we had a dog in club eat a whole bag of rubber bands...can anyone spell bowel obstruction and expensive vet visit?)

We've also had Labs crack teeth on the real, compressed bones, and raw hide chews are also bad gut blockers for these dogs.

Most Lab types are garbage mouths, so be prepared to canvass constantly in the toddler season or you quickly have baby diarrhea keeping you up at night. Just saying.

Very good to know. I will make sure to look for those brands. Thank you!

 

[BYCforlife]

If the mother to the pups is friendly and reliable, you can generally get a good feel for what the pup will be like. However, do not get a pup from a dog who growls or nips at you. Generally it does not work out well unless you have a good background with raising dogs.
I use two recalls - one is the everyday kind of here. But, I don't use the word here. As here and come tend to get ignored due to the potential for over use. My dogs get a treat when they do what is asked.
I also have an emergency recall word that means come here now. I train them the know the difference. They get a higher reward like liverwurst or steak. I use a word that we never use in our vocab for that - pronto is my word, but it can be any word really.
When they are little though - potty training is probably the biggest obstacle.
There will be lots of advice, but as with anything consistency is key. So, choose what works for you and your family and then stick to it.
There are also dog forums like the byc forum where you can gather lots of info from as well.

The parents are very nice and calm, so I think it should be pretty good..

 

[BYCforlife]

That's a crazy mix for an intentional breeding....

I know, but the people are my friends, and they breed their mixed dogs to sell puppies.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Unfortunately breeding mixed dogs to sell puppies is a really bad practice. Most mixed dogs end up euthanized in shelters. It's gotten MUCH better in recent years, but it's not good, especially in poorer communities which are more likely to purchase a mixed breed dog. An animal should only be bred if it's got a reason to be bred that isn't making babies/money (like providing food, preserving a breed, working, etc.). And this is coming from someone who breeds animals and sells them. :T

But yes, Nylabone hard bones and Kong extra tough chews are a great option. We also like Tuffy brand dog toys for soft toys with squeakers. They hold up surprisingly well for being soft toys.

 

[BYCforlife]

Unfortunately breeding mixed dogs to sell puppies is a really bad practice. Most mixed dogs end up euthanized in shelters. It's gotten MUCH better in recent years, but it's not good, especially in poorer communities which are more likely to purchase a mixed breed dog. An animal should only be bred if it's got a reason to be bred that isn't making babies/money (like providing food, preserving a breed, working, etc.). And this is coming from someone who breeds animals and sells them. :T

But yes, Nylabone hard bones and Kong extra tough chews are a great option. We also like Tuffy brand dog toys for soft toys with squeakers. They hold up surprisingly well for being soft toys.

I see what you mean. At least for me, I'm going to keep this dog until it dies of natural causes.

 

[Kusanar]

Unfortunately breeding mixed dogs to sell puppies is a really bad practice. Most mixed dogs end up euthanized in shelters. It's gotten MUCH better in recent years, but it's not good, especially in poorer communities which are more likely to purchase a mixed breed dog. An animal should only be bred if it's got a reason to be bred that isn't making babies/money (like providing food, preserving a breed, working, etc.). And this is coming from someone who breeds animals and sells them. :T

Agreed... In the case of an accidental litter, things happen, but to intentionally breed mixed breed dogs... Not a good idea.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Chows - eyes, hips and elbows as well as patellas (knee caps). They can also be very prone to skin issues and hot spots.

Just wanted to weigh in on this since I had a chow mix. Definitely keep an eye on the new pup's skin, like if he/she starts getting itchy or patchy looking. Mine had the WORST skin, and it was exacerbated by the fact that he had a wheat allergy that went undiagnosed for over a year by our first vet. I had to shave him constantly to let the hot spots dry up or they wouldn't heal right, his skin otherwise was super dry and flaky, like chronic dandruff.

(we had a dog in club eat a whole bag of rubber bands...can anyone spell bowel obstruction and expensive vet visit?)

This is why I recommend finding an emergency clinic in advance. My first little puppy ate a fruit pit and needed emergency surgery 2 weeks before my wedding. Nothing like having to use money gifts from the wedding to pay for the $2k in surgery costs.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

It's good on you to keep your dog forever. And I'm not saying to not get the dog you're getting. I'm sure you'll be a great home. I just worry about the homes of all the other puppies. Most will probably stay in the homes they go to. But a few here and a few there adds up fast.
Ooh, yeah, have a competent emergency clinic on hand. :O P. important. My dog got bit by another dog at the park once and had to have seven staples in her leg. It's nice to have a set of vets (one emergency one normal) in case of unexpected problems. Especially for puppies.

Do you know what kind of food you'll be aiming for yet?