Hold a family reunion, get the children involved to talk about the puppy’s arrival, discuss issues on where will the pup sleep, will the puppy be allowed on the sofa, etc… this will help to set the ground rules. Don’t forget that your puppy will become a large dog!

Plan a schedule for training, feeding, to socialize, to exercise, so you will be able to balance Work/Family/Puppy on a daily basis.

Keep your puppy in a confined area in you home, close to a door so it will be easier to train him, to do his business outside. This area can be used also for playing, sleeping, eating. After your puppy is housebroken, you may give him a larger area of your home gradually.

It is important to choose a good quality “Large Breed” Puppy food for Labrador Retrievers, and that your puppy remains on this for the first 2 years of his life. After, you will be able to switch to an Adult Food. Your puppy will be sent home with a bag of food to last a few days. You may choose to keep him on the same food, but should you choose a different company, the transfer must be done gradually.

Plan to take a basic Puppy Class and Obedience Class, so your puppy will become a good canine citizen. Do a research on different Canine Educators available and discuss with them their training methods.

Prepare yourselves with basic accessories such as;

• Water and Feeding bowls
• Leash and comfortable collar – “NEVER A CHOKE COLLAR”
• Nail Clippers
• Brush, Comb
• Shampoo
• Blankets and/or Cushions
• Balls, Frizbees, Indestructible toys e.g. KONG, all toys must be supervised.
• Small treats, but only a few!! Puppies have a fragile stomach!