Hi. It’s been a very long time since I posted on the forum. There will be some of you who won’t know or remember me. I had two very reactive labs called Scott and Scout and was very grateful to find a lovely forum with people to offer advice and help. First of all I’d like to thank you all for the lovely messages posted on the Rainbow Bridge for Scout. Scout had laryngeal paralysis. He was managing it very well but unfortunately the anti inflammatories he had to take ulcerated his digestive system and he gradually found it more and more difficult to eat.
I would now like to introduce Hunter. He is nearly four months old but I was lucky enough to meet Hunter and his ten other brothers and sisters when they were only three weeks. The breeder is a friend of a friend and has been breeding working labs for a long time. I’ve been saying for a good few years if the timing was right I’d love one of her pups. They are beautiful dogs with fantastic temperaments. This is possibly the last litter she will breed so I was lucky. Unfortunately she was taken in to hospital just before the pups were three weeks old. Her daughter took over looking after the pups and the mother. Sleeping with them at night etc. Then a few days later the bitch got mastitis and the pups had to be urgently weaned. Thankfully they were just old enough. As the family know me and I’m only ten minutes away they asked me if I could help. Obviously I jumped at the chance to be surrounded by 11 lab pups and five beautiful Labradors. I’ve never considered breeding and now I never would. It’s certainly hard, intense work to do it properly. I knew I wanted a male and I had first pick. It wasn’t easy picking from five but I’d decided on Hunter, or Mr Grey as he was known then because of his collar, by about five weeks. Maybe I should say he picked me. He chewed my sock at four weeks and was the most interactive of all the pups when handled. So far he’s been very good. Don’t get me wrong he has his crazy moments especially about 7.30pm to 8.30pm when he does zoomies round the garden and gets those puppy teeth going. Why are puppy teeth like razor blades? He also loves to pick everything up that he shouldn’t although he is a labrador I suppose. He wasn’t keen to walk on a lead at first. Just sat refusing to move but we got over that and we’ve met some very friendly dogs walking down our lane which has been good. I’m currently slowly getting him used to the car. Scott and Scout hated the car so I’m introducing it slowly to Hunter. He’d probably be fine though. I’m still just doing simple training as we go along. His sit is very good if I do say so myself.
I’m hoping Hunter will be a bit easier temperament wise than Scott and Scout but I wouldn’t have changed them for the world they taught me a lot. Im looking forward to catching up on all the forum dogs when Hunter gives me chance. In other words when he’s asleep. After 12 years you forget how much work a pup is
Hunter 3weeks old.
Hunter 3 months
I would now like to introduce Hunter. He is nearly four months old but I was lucky enough to meet Hunter and his ten other brothers and sisters when they were only three weeks. The breeder is a friend of a friend and has been breeding working labs for a long time. I’ve been saying for a good few years if the timing was right I’d love one of her pups. They are beautiful dogs with fantastic temperaments. This is possibly the last litter she will breed so I was lucky. Unfortunately she was taken in to hospital just before the pups were three weeks old. Her daughter took over looking after the pups and the mother. Sleeping with them at night etc. Then a few days later the bitch got mastitis and the pups had to be urgently weaned. Thankfully they were just old enough. As the family know me and I’m only ten minutes away they asked me if I could help. Obviously I jumped at the chance to be surrounded by 11 lab pups and five beautiful Labradors. I’ve never considered breeding and now I never would. It’s certainly hard, intense work to do it properly. I knew I wanted a male and I had first pick. It wasn’t easy picking from five but I’d decided on Hunter, or Mr Grey as he was known then because of his collar, by about five weeks. Maybe I should say he picked me. He chewed my sock at four weeks and was the most interactive of all the pups when handled. So far he’s been very good. Don’t get me wrong he has his crazy moments especially about 7.30pm to 8.30pm when he does zoomies round the garden and gets those puppy teeth going. Why are puppy teeth like razor blades? He also loves to pick everything up that he shouldn’t although he is a labrador I suppose. He wasn’t keen to walk on a lead at first. Just sat refusing to move but we got over that and we’ve met some very friendly dogs walking down our lane which has been good. I’m currently slowly getting him used to the car. Scott and Scout hated the car so I’m introducing it slowly to Hunter. He’d probably be fine though. I’m still just doing simple training as we go along. His sit is very good if I do say so myself.
I’m hoping Hunter will be a bit easier temperament wise than Scott and Scout but I wouldn’t have changed them for the world they taught me a lot. Im looking forward to catching up on all the forum dogs when Hunter gives me chance. In other words when he’s asleep. After 12 years you forget how much work a pup is
Hunter 3weeks old.
Hunter 3 months
We definitely tend to forget how much of a struggle the puppy days are, but it’s all so worth it.
. Thankfully he learnt drop and swap very quickly. He has a major weakness for sticks and leaves. He’s going to have a fabulous time when the leaves start to properly drop we have quite a few trees in our garden.
