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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>New Puppy, What Were We Thinking
tenderhearts 12:01 PM 05-10-2018
We just got a new black lab puppy on Sunday, we had been talking about it for awhile and well it happened. It has joined our 11 yr old black lab. Very tiring. Has anyone else had a puppy while doing daycare? my husband works from home too but for obvious reasons I can't watch the puppy while doing daycare and then there are times my husband can't watch him (right now he can most of the time since he isn't doing much work right now due to an injury). Our issue is crate training him. He is only 8 weeks and he has been doing good in it at night but he doesn't like being in it during the day, we are doing all the stuff like feeding him in it, putting treats ect but when we have to put him in there he just cries, any suggestions??
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TheMisplacedMidwestMom 02:10 PM 05-10-2018
Just like with kids you can't give the whining ANY attention, it teaches them to whine more. The crate may need to go out in the garage or somewhere you can't hear him for awhile of it bothers you.

My go to for keeping them busy in the crate while training was to stuff a Kong ball (canned food) and freeze it overnight. Our puppy got one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I also tried to make sure she got some play time with me during nap time. We have a lab/shepherd mix and she was just nuts the first 10 months. We also met with a trainer and started working on her with obedience and tricks and that made a huge difference as well.
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Josiegirl 02:30 PM 05-10-2018
No advice because I caved when my puppy whined in her crate. I'm a pushover, what can I say.
I've had 2 dogs go through the puppy stage while doing dc. It was definitely a challenge but fun too.

Have fun with him!! What's his name, if you don't mind sharing? How is the older lab accepting him? Has the puppy annoyed the heck out of him yet, by pouncing all over him?
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hwichlaz 03:01 PM 05-10-2018
I had a lab puppy in daycare <3 my favorite kind of dog except for the size of the accidents, lol.

They train so quickly, very smart...as you know.

Crate at night. Then during the day, crate....then when she whines, take her potty. If she potties, let her be in with you for a while (if you mix doggies and kids) then back in the crate until she asks to potty again. But if she doesn’t potty when you let her out, she goes straight back to he crate.
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rosieteddy 07:53 PM 05-10-2018
I used the crate at night.I also bought a plastic playpen from Amazon.It was just like a baby play space with no floor.I would put the puppy in at drop off and pickup.I also put a puppy pad and toys in it.I started taking the pupfor walks with us but mostly kept DC kids separate.Good luck.
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daycarediva 05:38 AM 05-11-2018
I'm a lab breeder. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions!

Outdoor play yard. LOTS of toys and variety.

He's 8 weeks. This is his first week away from mom and he is very used to siblings to entertain him.

DO NOT GIVE IN TO THE WHINING.

Try time in the crate when you ARE available/watching with the door OPEN, if he falls asleep elsewhere, move him to the crate. Cover the crate on the outside (it simulates a den).

Did you have a blanket with moms scent? Can you contact the breeder and request one if not?

Those heartbeat bears for newborns help, too!!!

They are the BEST dogs for kids/families!
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Blackcat31 07:35 AM 05-11-2018
My DH and I have always had St Bernard's. Both as children ourselves and then as we had our own children. Once our own children grew up and moved out, we decided to get a "smaller" dog that was a bit less work.

So anyways, we ended up with a lab. (NO idea how that happened...lol!) but our vet recommended this book.

We bought it and I have to say it was really a great help!
It explained exactly how and why we needed to teach our lab certain things. It was a good guide in my opinion.

Our lab isn't a hunting dog (although he has the skills) but he is a good family dog and listens well. He was crate trained from the day we go him.

I have no experience with other books as this is our first (and last lab) but this book was useful for us.

https://www.amazon.com/Family-Dog-Si.../dp/0525944729
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tenderhearts 09:18 AM 05-11-2018
Originally Posted by daycarediva:
I'm a lab breeder. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions!

Outdoor play yard. LOTS of toys and variety.

He's 8 weeks. This is his first week away from mom and he is very used to siblings to entertain him.

DO NOT GIVE IN TO THE WHINING.

Try time in the crate when you ARE available/watching with the door OPEN, if he falls asleep elsewhere, move him to the crate. Cover the crate on the outside (it simulates a den).

Did you have a blanket with moms scent? Can you contact the breeder and request one if not?

Those heartbeat bears for newborns help, too!!!

They are the BEST dogs for kids/families!
Thanks everyone, it is very exhausting that's for sure.
His name is Oakley. He is actually doing very well in his crate, we started putting him in there for short periods closing the door with a frozen kong (although he pays no attention to it), then when he whined we just didn't look at him and kept on with what we were doing then after several seconds of him being quiet we would open the door and tell him he was a good boy. So by yesterday afternoon while my husband was out and I was working he was sleeping in there for 1 hour and 15 minutes, he probably would have been in there longer but our daughter came over and let him out. He slept through the night last night from 11:30 until 6 when he heard me up, that was challenging trying to get ready. But it's fun
Our older dog is getting little better each day. The puppy definitely seems to be understanding what he likes and doesn't and seems to be respecting him, although he still will try to play with him.
Daycarediva thank you I probably will have questions for you at some point. lol
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Tags:pets in daycare, puppy
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