how often should you feed a german shepherd puppy

As the name implies, this breed originates from Germany and was originally intended to be a herding breed. Today, however, the German Shepherd is best known for its versatility. Although they may have started as a herding dog, GSDs have been used to perform a huge array of tasks. They are a popular breed for police work, search and rescue, and tracking. But the German Shepherd also makes a fantastic companion dog. Single Coats vs Double Coats in dogs. Dogs have either double coats or single coats. In dogs with a double coat, the undercoat is made up of softer, dense usually short fur. It keeps the dog warm in cold weather, and also protects the dog against extreme heat. If a dog has a single coat, then there is only the topcoat. No undercoat will be present. Are German Shepherds Double-Coated? Although German Shepherds have the same general looks, there is some variation within the breed. German Shepherds are generally considered double-coated dogs, but the coat can come in a variety of lengths and thicknesses. Some German Shepherd dogs do not have an undercoat present. The only German Shepherds that are acceptable in competitions will have a medium-length overcoat with an undercoat. If the dog does not have an undercoat, then this is considered a fault by the AKC. Some dogs have undercoats that are very sparse or that shed completely. This is called an open coat, and it is also considered to be a fault. German Shepherd coats can vary greatly. A medium-length coat, which is usually one or two inches long and is the only coat acceptable for show lines. There will be an undercoat present. A long coat with an undercoat, which will have an overcoat at least two inches long. This coat will usually be very thick, which makes these particular dogs especially well-suited to colder climates. A long coat without an undercoat, which looks very similar to a dog with a long coat with an undercoat, but without an undercoat. You should be able to feel for yourself the softer undercoat underneath the overcoat. However, it can be more difficult to tell in puppies. This is because puppies are born with a single coat, with the fur being very soft and fluffy. At around 4 to 6 months old, the puppy will shed this coat completely, and his adult coat will grow in. If the parents both have double coats, then most likely the puppy will also have a double coat. Remember to always get your puppy from a reputable breeder. Coat Types and Shedding German Shepherds shed throughout the year, but their coat type can affect the amount that they shed. During the spring and fall when your double-coated German Shepherd is blowing out his coat, you will need to be even more diligent about brushing him. One of the biggest mistakes you can make for your dog is bathing him too often. You should only have to bathe your GSD every 3 to 4 months or so. Around the spring, during flea season, you may find that you need to bathe your dog more often. Just try not to bathe him more than every 2 months to help keep his coat and skin healthy. Can You Shave a German Shepherd? Your dog is already naturally insulated from hot weather. If you shave your German Shepherd, then you may ruin his double coat. It can take years for his coat to grow back in properly, and in some cases, it may never grow in right again. A rich diversity of lengths, colors and pigment—combined with a number of varying body types—make the German Shepherd one of the more structurally diverse of all dog breeds. From the short stock coat of the East German working line dogs to the extreme long stock coat of some West German show-line dogs—there is a shape, style and color tailored to you and your lifestyle. There are three main types of hair on German Shepherd Dogs: ground hair undercoat , guard hair topcoat and whiskers. Dogs with both an undercoat and a topcoat are called double coated. The first layer, or undercoat, functions primarily as insulation and is soft and usually of a lighter color. The second layer, or topcoat, consists of thick-shafted, coarse hair. It also has weatherproofing qualities ideal for working and playing outdoors. With rare exception, most German Shepherds have double coats—though the degree of undercoat can vary widely. German Shepherds can have little to almost no undercoat or have massively dense, woolly undercoats that require daily maintenance. Double coats are ideal for maintaining warmth in colder months, but also provide cooling in the summer by keeping heat away from the surface of the skin. For this reason, the shaving of double-coated dogs is not recommended if they have prolonged exposure to the elements. Their coat helps regulate body temperature and protects their skin from harmful UV rays. Shedding German Shepherds, aka German Shedders, shed and shed a lot. Working dogs are required to do their jobs regardless of weather or terrain. To keep their coats in optimum condition—daily, excessive shedding is needed. Unfortunately for us, this means additional brushing and bathing. If you do not own a good vacuum cleaner or sweeper, you will need to purchase one if you have one or more German Shepherds inside your home. In the spring, their thick winter undercoat is shed and replaced with a thinner, cooler undercoat. In the fall, their summer undercoat is shed and replaced by a thicker, warmer undercoat. Care and Grooming Daily brushing and frequent bathing are your best defenses against excessive shedding. Bathe and groom puppies frequently so they learn to enjoy—or at least tolerate—the experience. Most German Shepherds enjoy a good grooming and since most love water in any form , bathing can also be a pleasurable experience for them. Daily brushing and frequent bathing are your best defenses against excessive shedding. Brushing Most double-coated breeds like German Shepherds need to be brushed regularly—especially if they have a thick undercoat. In the spring and fall when their coats are being blown, daily brushing is important. This helps reduce the amount of hair inside your home and removes their undercoat more quickly. While regular brushing is great for removing loose and dying hair, it also gets rid of mats and tangles—which are common with long- and medium-length coats. Mats are not only unsightly, but they can be painful due to their closeness and tightness to the skin. In southern parts of the country where humidity is high, mats can also lead to skin irritations as the dampness can encourage the growth of skin irritants and other microbes. Check your German Shepherd often for mats—paying special attention to areas behind the ears, between the legs and along the back of the thighs. If your dog is a short stock coat with little undercoat, occasional brushing and bathing is all that is required to keep their coats looking great. Click HERE to learn about elbow hygromas and options for treating and prevent them. Keep your German Shepherd's elbows soft and free of calluses and hygromas. Calming bed for dogs who suffer from anxiety. Water resistant and tear resistant cover. Non-skid bottom. Replacement covers available separately. This short coat, with a thin undercoat, is easy to maintain and can require little or infrequent grooming. Bathing is a breeze as their coats are designed for waterproofing and dry quickly. Water generally rolls off of the guard hairs of German Shepherd Dogs. For all of these reasons and more, short stock coats are the preferred coat type for service dogs, police dogs and military dogs. The dog pictured to the right is an excellent example of a very nice, healthy coated, short stock coat—with minimal undercoat. Medium stock coats have longer, thicker hair on the neck, underbelly and along the back of the thighs. Their undercoat tends to be more dense than that seen in the short stock coats of West and East German working lines. Medium stock coats require additional grooming to keep their coats in optimum condition. Note also that medium- and long-coated dogs do not shed more than their short stock-coat counterparts—the hair shed is just longer. Hair around the face, ears, chest, bottom line and back of thigh panties can exceed four inches in length. This coat requires regular care and grooming. Hair, especially behind the ears and between their rear legs, is prone to matting, and requires daily brushing. The American Kennel Club AKC is one of the few show organizations that still considers a long stock coat to be faulty. Long stock-coat dogs are not only accepted by most German Shepherd Club organizations, including the German SV, but they have become valuable and sought after in recent years—and compete at the highest levels in Germany and world wide. Note also that these coats often continue to grow in length and density with age, so older dogs require additional daily care and grooming. All coat colors and lengths mentioned above are attributes of purebred German Shepherds. However, some breed organizations consider certain characteristics to be breed faults and can be penalized or even disqualifying in the show ring. However, if you plan to show your dog, you will need to study the standard and requirements of your desired show organization s to ensure your dog is eligible to compete and title in the show ring. But the German Shepherd of today actually comes in a variety of colors and patterns as pictured above. The color of their coat is determined by genetic makeup. Genes that are dominant are more common, while those that are recessive are more rare. Black and Tan This is the most common color pattern—which is usually black all over, with tan or cream-colored chest, shoulders, legs and thighs. There are many color variations to this pattern, most commonly—black and red, black and cream and black and silver. Bicolor Another variation to the traditional black-and-tan colored dog are bicolored dogs. Their bodies are predominantly black with a secondary accent color on the lower legs that can be tan, cream, gray or silver. All of these black areas, also called points, on the legs and toes should be richly pigmented. A dog is not considered to be bicolored unless it has these distinctive black markings and they can appear on both dual- and sable-patterned dogs. Sable The word sable means the color of black. The definition of a sable pattern refers to guard hairs being tipped with black. The more guard hairs and the longer the tipping, the darker the dog. Black sables are dogs with heavy tipping and less ground color. Agouti is a term that refers to the banding or grizzling of hair coloration that can be seen in varying amounts in the neck, shoulder, tail, croup and border markings in saddle-marked dogs. Some German Shepherds have so much grizzling in the black blanket or so much undercoat showing, that they are hard to distinguish from sables, and some sables that carry the partially-hidden, saddle-pattern recessive gene have so much of that recessive showing through that they look like washed-out saddles. Melanistic is another term associated with black coloring. Melanistic refers to the amount and density of melanin black pigment found within the hair shaft. Melanistic coloring refers to the masking of a color or pattern with black. Sable-colored German Shepherds are infamous for changing colors multiple times before reaching maturity. Adult dogs can have a completely different coloring and pattern then what was present as a puppy. No good dog is a bad color. Black is uncommon due to being a recessive gene but still prevalent within the breed. Typically, they are completely black with no other colors on the body. Solid White Solid white German Shepherds are not albinos. Their color is the result of a recessive gene that can be carried by any colored dog. When learning about pigment and color patterns, understand that white is not a color. There is no solid-color gene for white. The more pure white a dog, the lighter the color of its masked color underneath. Every white German Shepherd is really a traditional color and pattern covered by a white mask. The blue colors in these dogs replace the black areas of their more common black-and-tan counterparts. Blue dogs often appear as a dusty or somewhat light gray with a gray leather nose. Sometimes puppies are born with very light eyes as well. This, too, is a rare recessive gene and considered by the AKC to be a faulty eye color. Isabella An Isabella German Shepherd, aka lilac or mouse-gray German Shepherd, is the result of a recessive gene dilution giving them a washed-out silvery-blue color. The color is not technically a blue, however. The color is most widely recognized within the Weimaraner breed. Because Isabella German Shepherds are less common and considered faulty for showing purposes, there are fewer reputable and responsible breeders. Select your Isabella GSD breeder carefully and insist on thorough health testing information and lineage information. Liver Liver is another recessive gene leading to liver-colored offspring. In a liver-colored dog, all the black parts are a brown or liver color, ranging from light to dark shades. They might also have light eyes—which typically changes into a darker color with maturity. Panda The Panda German Shepherd is a piebold-colored dog meaning no more than 35 percent of its body is white with mixed patches of black and brown. Research confirms that this pattern is not the result of crossbreeding—but rather a genetic mutation. Ticking vs. Roan vs. Blue Merle Ticking is flecks or spots of color on white areas. Most ticked dogs are born white and develop ticking as they mature. Generally, ticking is heaviest on the legs and muzzle. Roan is a pattern of white and colored hairs evenly mixed over the white areas of the body. Roaning creates a near-solid pattern over a white coat causing a dog to appear dusted with white. If the predominant color of the dog is black, then the roaning can appear bluish in color. People sometimes confuse merle dogs with roan or ticked dogs. Merle dogs do not have a white base coat of color, however, some merle dogs are ticked. The genes responsible for ticking, roaning and merle are dominant so a purebred German Shepherd cannot produce these patterns without being crossed with a dog breed that carries the genes. As we can see from the images above, German Shepherds come in an array of coat colors and patterns—including saddle, blanket, bicolor, sable and solid colors. The organization does not, however, allow dogs of these colors to be shown in the conformation ring as these characteristics are faults according to the German Shepherd breed standard. Dogs carrying the liver gene or the recessive dilution gene that produces either Isabella or blue dogs also carry serious penalties in the show ring. Liver, blue and Isabella are not recognized because of the color of their leathers; and the solid whites are omitted due to the absence of black in the hairs on top of their backs. If you wish to campaign and show your dog in the conformation ring however, you will need to keep with animals with traditionally accepted colors and patterns. Dogs that are liver, blue or Isabella are severely penalized. Reverse Mask and Maskless German Shepherds The reverse mask aka wolf mask German shepherd is not a mix or hybrid, but rather a dog presenting a pattern that appears when both parents carry the gene for this coloring. These patterns date back to some of the earliest German Shepherd foundation dogs and still appear in certain lines, today. Rin-Tin-Tin was another reverse-mask without the stripe German Shepherd. The reverse mask can also present with or without the wolf stripe running down the nose. Some dogs are born with the wolf stripe but it fades with maturity—while others maintain the stripe. Maskless German Shepherds are dogs born with no mask, meaning their face coloring is the same as that of their body. Maskless dogs most commonly present as solid cream, tan, gray or silver. Both reverse mask and maskless German Shepherds are considered faulty lacking pigment for conformation purposes. Impression and Expression Impression — an idea, feeling, or opinion about a dog formed without conscious thought—or formed on the basis of little information. It is well balanced, with harmonious development of the forequarter and hindquarter. It looks substantial, giving the impression—both at rest and in motion—of muscular fitness and nimbleness. The ideal dog is stamped with a look of quality and nobility—difficult to define, but unmistakable when present. Aside from overall outline, size and strength of body, the head is the most prominent feature of a German Shepherd. It is here that we find expression. The head should convey strength of character, intelligence, confidence and nobility—even in the very young. In recent years, some show lines have developed a black-face mask in which the entire mantle and muzzle of the dog is predominately black. Any feature that detracts from the overall impression or expression of a dog can be less desirable. Black-faced German Shepherds have become very popular, but some traditionalists believe this pattern can in fact, change the expression of the dog—giving it an intimidating or less approachable expression. Most of the top VA dogs in Germany still carry the traditional mask pattern, but there are many up-and-coming black-faced dogs vying for the top spots. Another example of how color can impact expression is eye color. Light eyes on a German Shepherd overpower other aspects of the dog and change its expression from that of a traditional, loyal shepherd to that of a more elusive, mystic wolf. For this reason, the breed standard calls for the eyes of German Shepherds to be as dark as possible. In the show ring, light eye color—especially yellow hues—are penalized. Become a part of the GSDLiving experience. Upload a photo, pay tribute to your best friend

We invite you to take a peek at our handsome, friendly, large breed American Bulldogs. We are a a team of private American Bulldog Breeders and our dogs and pups are never kenneled or crated. They are our family pets and roam our house and land. We breed loving American Bulldog Puppies for you and your family to cheerish. Learn More After breeding these amazing creatures for 22 years. We have perfected the best breeding standards that have award us the 1 American Bulldog breeder in America. At We Love American Bulldogs we take a lot of care and pride in helping educate families about the breed that are interested in bringing one of these beautiful creatures into their homes. As any breed the most important thing you can do, is educate yourself about the breed that you are about to bring into to your life. We hope by offering these documents and our YouTube videos, about the breed and about the puppy you are about to consider to be a part of your family, that you will do it with complete awareness of your responsibility to the breed and your puppy. Get a Puppy Our team at "We Love American Bulldogs" feel blessed to care for these wonderful creatures we brought into the world. We worked very hard to make sure the foundation of your puppy is stable, loving and strong. Now we hope with all the information my over 22 years experience with this breed bring me, that we will share with you, that you will stay the course and make sure these pups are the best and true American Bulldog they can be. A Day In The Life.We specialize in breeding and training, working American Bulldogs that can do it all! Our dogs exhibit intense drive, stable nerves, and sound structure. All of our personal competition dogs and retired dogs live inside the house with the family. At Norcal's American Bulldogs we strive for the total package. Our dogs excel in competitive sports such as Schutzhund, Mondioring, obedience, agility, weight pull and even dock diving as well as the conformation ring. Many of our dogs make excellent sport dogs, weight pull dogs, and conformation prospects but others are just as happy in active pet homes. Some of the dogs listed on our website are in co-ownership homes all across the US and even Canada; this allows each dog reach his or her full potential! Our dogs are medium sized, performance hybrid lines with a lot of personality. We believe in breeding quality over quantity and all of our litters are well planned out. We make sure to carefully match our puppies to their future homes so they can reach their vull potential. Please explore our site to learn more about our breeding program, training regiment and family companions.

Use tab to navigate through the menu items. If you are looking to bring a new puppy into your life, it is important to learn about the different sizes and needs of pets to ensure that the pet you are getting works out for your family. Mini Australian labradoodle puppies for sale can be beneficial to many households. Here are some of the benefits of selecting mini Australian Labradoodles near me. Mini Australian labradoodle puppies for sale tend to grow no more than 14 to 16 inches in length and weight around 16 to 25 pounds. Someone who lives in an apartment, condo or other small dwelling may want the companionship of a dog, but they may not have a lot of space in their home or a large yard to provide for a larger dog. In these cases, a smaller dog is perfect. A smaller dog needs less room to roam, allowing those who are in smaller spaces the ability to own, love on, and have a small dog as an acquaintance. Mini Australian labradoodles near me may also be a great companion to those who are elderly or have disabilities. Controlling a large dog while out on a walk requires strength and force. Not everyone has the strength to control these larger dogs. A smaller dog does not require as much strength, and most people can easily pick up these smaller dogs if they needed to. Are you ready to learn more about mini Australian labradoodle puppies for sale and if they are right for you? Reach out to us at South Florida Australian Labradoodles with all the questions you may have. Proudly created with Wix. View fullsize Both our chocolate Labradoodle and our Poodle are beautiful dogs with excellent temperaments. They are our family pets. Because we begin with a Labradoodle and a Poodle, rather than a Lab and a Poodle, our puppies are much more likely to have the non-shedding Poodle coat. A F1b Labradoodle has been back-crossed to a poodle in an effort to insure a non-shedding coat. Even though most f1b Labradoodles shed very little or not all, it is impossible to guarantee that any dog even doodles or purebred poodles will not shed at all. Hypo- means less hypothermia is having a lower than normal body temperature. No dog can be said to be completely non-allergenic. Studies have shown that doodles are less likely to cause allergies, particularly f1b doodles. The ideal is to keep as much of the Lab head shape and super-friendly personality as possible while getting the non-shedding Poodle coat as well as the dignified, less vocal characteristics of the Poodle. Our Labradoodle methodology is quite simple. First, we get quality dogs. This is why we wanted to have pick of the litter for our Labradoodle and our Poodle and why we only obtained puppies from reputable breeders that we knew we could trust. Second, we try to treat our dogs Labradoodle and Poodle well. We feed our Labradoodle and Poodle high quality food with plenty of protein, and give them wonderful socialization and opportunities for exercise. We have 12 acres along the Enoree River with trails, additional property next to a Greenville state park, and property on Lake Hartwell giving us the opportunity to take the dogs kayaking. We recognize the importance of socializing young Labradoodle puppies so they will not be fearful as they mature. Our Labradoodle puppies have lots of opportunities to play with our children, and water games are definitely on top of the list. Labradoodles love the water and so do my kids, as you can see below. Third, we try to find appropriate families for our Chocolate Labradoodle puppies. To learn more about our process, check out this resource that gives a step-by-step guide between the application to receiving your puppy! A Chocolate Labradoodle or mini Labradoodle is not for everyone, and a puppy is not for everyone. If your family is not prepared for a Labradoodle puppy financially, time investment, etc. When can you get your puppy? Because we have only one Labradoodle mother and a couple guardian homes , puppies are available only occasionally. Contact us nathan crockettdoodles. We have a flexible waiting list and offer your deposit back if we do not have the ideal Labradoodle puppy for you within a certain window of time. Sometimes with mini Labradoodles we prefer to wait until they are a little older than 8 weeks because accidents tend to happen more easily with really small puppies. We will take several pictures of you with your Labradoodle puppy. We will send you the pictures for free place them on a USB thumb drive for you , and you will have full copyright privileges to all of the pictures to use at your discretion. You have the option of whether or not the photos appear here on the ChocolateLabradoodlePuppies. Although we never ship puppies, we will sometimes personally deliver puppies for a reasonable fee. Why should you consider getting a Chocolate Labradoodle from us? If a Labradoodle or mini Labradoodle puppy is right for your family, and if you are within driving distance of Greenville, SC, you may want to consider getting a chocolate Labradoodle or mini Labradoodle from us. If you read our Labradoodle puppy methodology and like what you read, you should consider adopting one of our puppies. We have a three-year health guarantee on each of our puppies if the forever home continues to feed TLC one year health guarantee on all others. How can you get a Chocolate Labradoodle or Labradoodle mini from us? If you think your family would be a good match for one of our Labradoodle or mini Labradoodle puppies, then start the conversation by emailing us at nathan crockettdoodles. You will have full access to all pictures and hold the copyright to make as many pictures as you desire. You keep all the pictures. We give your Labradoodle or mini Labradoodle puppy a quality collar. We give your Labradoodle or mini Labradoodle puppy a quality leash. We give you a bag of high quality dog food. We believe that you should give your new Labradoodle puppy or mini Labradoodle puppy the best food. Instructional materials about crate training and house training. Our goal is to do everything we can to assist in the house training and crate training process. A Labradoodle or mini Labradoodle puppy or any puppy cannot be completely reliable in the house until the puppy is about 6 months old. The simple point is that no matter what some breeders tell you you will be partially involved in the house training process unless you buy an older Labradoodle or mini Labradoodle , but we want to help you with that process. A one-year health guarantee; extended to three years for all who continue to feed TLC. We are concerned with finding really good homes for our Labradoodle and mini Labradoodle puppies. Labradoodle Color To see a list of available colors, check out this page. At ChocolateLabradoodlePuppies. Ultimately we cannot completely control the color of puppies. Even though chocolate is the most desirable color, we sometimes have puppies of other colors even occasional merles. These puppies, will of course, also make excellent pets. These non-chocolate Labradoodle puppies are also available to great families, but we know that Chocolate Labradoodles are the most desirable. The Labrador Retriever has a short coat that sheds. By breeding the F1 Labradoodle back to an unrelated Poodle, the chances of getting the highly desirable non-shedding Poodle coat increase exponentially. Some F1B Labradoodles are bred back another time to a Poodle in an effort to guarantee a Poodle coat. If high quality dogs are chosen to breed that have the head shape of a Labrador Retriever it is possible to get a puppy that is very similar in many ways to a Labrador, but has the beautiful non-shedding Poodle coat. Both Labrador Retrievers and Poodles are highly intelligent dogs, helping Labradoodles excel in smarts, train-ability, and a general desire to always please their owner. If you desire a family-friendly, kid loving, medium energy dog that is comfortable inside or outside, that loves the water and the land, you should definitely consider a Labradoodle or mini Labradoodle. For more info about Labradoodle puppies or mini Labradoodle puppies, please email nathan crockettdoodles. Check out our sister site miniLabradoodlePuppies. We specialize in Chocolate Labradoodles and mini Labradoodles, but often we have other colors as well. Occasionally someone travels from Atlanta, Columbia, Raleigh-Durham or Knoxville, but our proximity to North Carolina and the popularity of Labradoodles in North Carolina make Charlotte and Asheville our most serviced locations. We also have some who are interested from distant states, but we primarily serve the Southeast U. We at Aussie Labradoodle believe we are breeding the most loving, healthy, and reliable family pets around! Of course, we may be a bit biased :. Beginning with our first imported Australian Labradoodle, Macey, from Tegan Park in Australia, we've been doing our best to improve this breed since ! Initially bred in in Australia to provide assistance dogs for folks with allergies, the Australian Labradoodle became a beloved family pet that offered the best of both worlds: a large family-oriented people pleaser, highly intelligent, with low shedding to no shedding and no doggie odor. Today in Australia they sometimes call them Cobberdogs. We use only the top quality Australian and American multigenerational lines in our breeding program. We take health testing seriously, and were among the first to test hips and elbows in many lines coming out of Australia. And we are absolutely thrilled with the outcome! Although we cannot foresee every problem that could present itself, we are doing all we can to minimize the chances of health problems in our doodles. We also offer a two-year health guarantee against genetic health issues to give you peace of mind. The foundation of our Australian Labradoodle breeding stock, Macey, was purchased in whelp from Tegan Park in Australia. She blessed us with gorgeous chocolate and cream labradoodle babies and has since retired. Two of her chocolate offspring, Kona and Bella, became the foundation of our breeding stock.

Margaret O. I could not be happier. A mentally healthy dog is so important. Our little guy came to us in an unexpected unique way. After a previous family was unable to take him, Jeff called us and asked if we were interested in coming out to meet the puppy that same day! They are willing to sit and talk through any questions you have, they give you a lot of information about the breed, and what to expect when you bring your puppy home. Another big plus for us was seeing that the kennels were clean and all the dogs that we saw looked very healthy. Our puppy was the sweetest when he first met us! He ran up to us, showered us in puppy kisses, and was just overall a happy chill little dude. He just had his first vet appointment and was given a clean bill of health! He is sweet, gentle, and such a fast learner! I have never met any dog with this level of intelligence and at such a young age! We have only had him for 6 days and he has settled in so quick and has already learned basic commands. Thank you so much Jeff and Rhonda for our new little addition to our family! When we first went to meet with them and take a peek at Adrian and Barus litter, we liked that they had all the dogs in the home and the home was clean!!! Adrian had a calm temperament as well as the rest of the dogs. Caught on extremely quick w the training and is extremely good with our young grandchildren. We definitely chose the right breeders. Good communication and great canine genetics are obvious! Response from the owner Thank you so much April for the kind words. Rhonda and I try very hard to make things special for our puppy families. Pride and integrity means everything to us. Rhonda takes care of pupies like her own kids! We have 3 of their dogs one male that is the puppy of untox and panja. H gets to play fight likes that and playing with his ball. Rhonda was spectacular to work with, detailed and friendly. She is one of the most intelligent, healthy puppies we have ever owned and her temperament with our family is world class. When we were looking for a puppy we met with Rhonda and could not of been happier. There dogs were so well behaved, stunningly gorgeous and just wanted to be loved. Exactly what my wife and I were looking for. We all no there is never any guarantees in life when it comes to purchasing a puppy, but I can say we have a true champion in our little Bella. She has been a total blessing since we got her. Thanks Rhonda and Jeff!! Response from the owner. Our goal is to be the best and that means breeding the best German Shepherds in the country. People travel from as far as Alaska, and even from across the Atlantic, to see and purchase our pups. We also take German Shepherd pups from all over the world to professionally train in basic or advanced obedience training as well as personal protection and protection work training. But, no matter where our new pups go or where people come from to have their pups trained, Vom Ragnar is proud to be a part of the Chicago community and will always consider Chicago to be our home base. We are equally committed to maintaining a healthy business relationship with the city of Chicago and the surrounding communities. Or you can email us at vomragnar gmail. Our German Shepherd litters of Puppies for sale are excellent with kids and other pets and of course, perfect for the families. Our puppies have super temperament character. The rich black and red color and of course is pure breed, German Shepherd. We specialize in German Shepherd litters of Puppies for sale for Family, companionship show dogs or working dogs. We are now can ship our German shepherd litters of puppies, young dogs or adult dogs for sale worldwide. For easy to locate and drive to our Kenny, please use the Google Map below: For more information about seeing our puppies at kennel facility, please complete the form to make an appointment or simply call us at .Your Name required. Best temperament, easy to train and an absolute sweetheart. However, I have an extraordinary story to share about my young pup. Mila our female puppy has a sense of medical issues. At .I typically experience these attacks once every year or two. At first, I thought maybe I spilled so food or something on my shirt, so I changed my shirt, but she continued. Then a little over an hour later, I had an attack. Mila did not leave my side for the entire time. No matter what way I tried to lay in bed to get comfortable she would move her body to press up against my gallbladder. Normally she is crated at night and does great, no whining or anything.Having her warm body and the slight pressure of her body next to me really actually helped. The next day I was back to normal, and Mila went to her crate for bed no problem. We are a breeder of top, world-class quality German Shepherd puppies of West German bloodlines with impeccable Temperaments and type. If you are looking for a German Shepherd puppy or an adult dog suitable for confirmation, obedience, therapy, assistance dog, search and rescue, K-9 training, schutzhund or for the ever present loyal companion.Occasionally, we do have long coat German Shepherd puppies available as well. All litters are raised in our home, well socialized and each held and cuddled several times a day. The result is a pup that is comfortable around people, children, vehicles and other animals. It is not uncommon for our puppies to be housebroken by the time they leave our house. I have been actively showing and breeding since , and have always had West German lines. I use the pronoun "I", but could not do this without backup from my family. I breed because I love German Shepherds. Quality German Shepherd breeders follow the German rules. With my puppies, I strive to improve this wonderful breed. This is not how I make my living, but how I choose to spend my time. Vollmond's Laro Our German Shepherd puppies are all wormed, given the appropriate shots, and Vet checked before leaving to go to their new families. We also offer puppy foundation training in obedience and Shutzhund training, ring training and show support. Please call for details. Vollmond's Laro is a Karo son out of our own breeding to Vollmond's Eika. We are Proud to say he is a 2nd generation Vollmond dog!! Vollmond's Kai - First Time Swimming For therapy or just exercise, swimming is great for german shepherds. Kai has been swimming to supplement his regular exercise at a terrific new place with an indoor, heated, resistance pool specifically designed for canine therapy and exercise. You can order yours today at or Use order code number Quick Links. Yellow laying in the grass with a squeaky toy. Green chasing Yellow Green in a gait. Green standing watch. With the rainy weather this past weekend, we waited until today to get some outside photos. Green and Yellow enjoyed running in the yard after only playing inside the past couple of days. The puppies are just over 12 weeks old in the following pictures. Green in a slow gait. Yellow looking at me. Yellow looking to see what Green is up to. Green watching Yellow. Green laying with the rope. Yellow running away. Green still in a full run. Yellow sitting and watching what we're doing. Yellow watching Green watching mom. The puppies are now 11 weeks old, but with the colder weather we did inside pictures this weekend. The puppies are full of energy and love playing with each other and with us. We received updates and photos from a couple of the puppies who left at 8 weeks and included a couple of photos of them too. The puppies are 11 weeks old in the following pictures. Red taking over from Yellow playing tug with Kona. Yellow chewing on the rope from the ball tug. Yellow and Red playing tug with the ball tug. Orange with her new toy before heading to her new home. Red and Yellow playing with the duck. Green joining in with Red and Yellow. Red carrying an empty plastic bottle. Red chewing on the bottle. Green with a squeaky toy. Green on the move. Red with the ball tug. Yellow with the ball tug. Yellow chasing Red. Penny pink with big brother Rusty. Yavi purple with big sister Mila. Another nice day outside with the puppies. What could be more fun! It was a bit warm for them, so they went looking for shade quite often. They are growing nicely and love playing with each other and with their mom, Kona. The puppies are 10 weeks old in the following pictures. Orange running with the ball and rope. Yellow carrying the squeaky parrot. Green in mid-stride. Orange carrying the rope ball. Yellow playing with a plastic egg. Yelow with the squeaky parrot again. Orange in a very nice gait. Green running back. Yellow and Green looking for shade under chairs. Yellow and Orange playing with their mom Kona. Kona with Orange Red chewing on the rope attached to the ball. Yellow playing with Kona. With the nice weather, the puppies get to play outside every day. We heard from the families of the puppies who are in their new homes, and they are all doing great. Many have other pets in the home and they are all getting along wonderfully. A couple of photos below are from their new homes. Orange and Yellow females , Green and Red males are still available and love exploring the yard during outside playtime! The puppies are 9 weeks old in the following pictures. Orange carrying the water bottle duck. Yellow and Orange competing for the duck. Yellow comes away with it this time. Red following Green with the duck. Orange carrying a bottle with someone coming from her left. Ah, aunt Rain checking on what Orange has. Orange standing watching the others. Orange still has excellent focus! Yellow gaiting over towards us. Green running over to the toys. Red standing and watching.Red heading over to see aunt Rain. Green with a bottle and Orange walking away. Green heading over to see me. Red carrying the duck. Green is intrigued by the duck Red has. Green tring to grab the duck as Red moves away with it. Green and Red lookin at the toys. Some photos were taken before some of the puppies left, and others after. Orange and Yellow females and Green and Red males are still available. Our neighbors visited again with their one-year-old son, Brooks, and the puppies were as gentle as ever. We are proud to say that this litter has exceptional temperaments. The puppies are 8 weeks old in the following pictures. Purple playing with the stuffed duck. Purple just watching the others. Red and Purple sharing a stuffed toy. Blue laying on his side while chewing on a toy. Green chewing on a rope ball. Black, Yellow and Red sharing the toy. Orange with a stuffed toy. Black, Orange and Green with the duck. Green with a squeeky parrot. Black carrying the squeeky parrot. Black and Orange with the duck this litter's favorite toy Green alongside Black who is chewing on a toy. Black sitting near Red. Black carrying a water bottle. Green sitting and watching the action. Red chewing on the water bottle. Green picking up the treat ball with Orange and Black trying to get it too. You can barely make out Black's nose under Green. Red wondering what I'm doing. Yellow chewing on the duck. Red holding the parrot. Black Red Kona's puppies are 7 weeks old and becoming more confident. They love playing with their mom but like to gather at out feet. We had several families visit over the weekend and they all fell in love with our adorable German Shepherd pups. The puppies are 7 weeks old in the following pictures. Orange and Yellow carrying a rope tug. Pink checking out a chew toy. Green following the other puppies. Pink chewing on a rope ball. Blue watching Orange with the stuffed toy. We have answers. Dogs can vary in cost based on several factors such as pedigree, coat type, coat color white German Shepherd puppies for sale in Chicago , breeder experience, and more. Will I be connected with local Chicago German Shepherd breeders only? Our partners are highly experienced in making travel arrangements for puppies all over the nation, and will happily arrange for you to meet your new friend at your nearest major airport. How can I be sure a German Shepherd puppy for sale in Chicago is ethically raised? We totally get that finding a trustworthy breeder is and should be one of your top priorities, which is why we take vetting and screening so seriously. We do not breed our own dogs. Instead, we act as a matchmaker between dog-lovers like you and awesome Chicago German Shepherd breeders and German Shepherd companies around the nation. Can I meet any Chicago German Shepherd puppies that may be a fit for me? Do you have dogs available right now? With the size of our network, there are almost always puppies available. To take the first step on the road to meeting your new best friend, all you have to do is begin your MatchMaker process below. How does your service work? With those preferences in mind, our team is able to connect you with the perfect litters, business or breeders throughout our network, putting you in touch with exactly the right person to make your dream dog a reality. Can I be sure Uptown is trustworthy? Our Breeder Pledge ensures only the best companies and breeders make it through our vetting process, meaning we help you avoid all those nasty online puppy scams. Wondering what a difference ethical breeding can make? Take a look at some of our Puppy Alumni!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. German Shepherd feet come in a variety of sizes and shapes, and even have their own set of paw problems. The SV standards state that the German Shepherd paws are rounded, short, well-closed and arched. The pads are very hard, but not chapped or too rough. The nails are dark, short, and strong. Dewclaws may appear sometimes on the hind legs and are removed during the first few days after birth. Nails are short and dark. Dewclaws on the forelegs may be removed, but are normally left on and accepted. The dewclaws, if any, should be removed from the hind legs. Pads well-cushioned and durable. With short nails, strong and dark in color. Dewclaws are removed from the hindlegs. German Shepherd paws come in three basic shapes: cat shape hare shape webbed feet Each shape is suited to particular tasks and ground. Cat feet The cat-shaped foot is small and has a compact, round form. It is built for balance, endurance, and strength. Hare feet While the cat-shaped foot is compact, a hare-footed dog has two elongated central toes that project out from the rest of the paw. This style of foot is intended for speed and quick movement, especially out of a relaxing position. The elongated toes help propel the body forward with quickness and agility, much like the feet of hares or rabbits. Dog breeds with hare feet include the Whippet, Greyhound, and Borzoi. Webbed feet Webbed footed dogs are those built for swimming, but they are similarily proficient on land and especially boggy or slippery surfaces. Many hunting breeds have webbed feet, for example, the Weimaraner, Portuguese Water Dog, and Labrador Retriever which are all hunting breeds. These German Shepherds have long middle toes hare feet shape and the feet on the right have thick pads. These pads provide them with extra cushioning to protect their bones and joints from the shock of running. The pads also provide insulation from weather extremes and aid in walking on rough surfaces like concrete, rocky ground, or asphalt. The Purpose of the Paw The paw pad is made of keratin, collagen, and fatty tissues to serve a number of useful functions. And the pad supports a GSD with balance, decreasing speed, and quick stopping. Here we see the underside of the paw and the dark paw pad. This is a normal, healthy paw pad. Notice the roughed skin? The thick, coarse tissues that form the paw pads do not freeze as quickly or easily as normal skin, so they are able to withstand freezing temperatures for longer periods but only when necessary. The paws are covered in thick, tough skin that feels like sandpaper when rubbed against the grain of their skin. For working breeds, like the German Shepherd Dog, or dogs that spend much of their time outdoors or on rough ground, the paw pads become calloused and coarse. As the dog develops, their paw pads also become highly perceptive and flexible to the ground beneath their feet, which is why you rarely see a German Shepherd lose their footing and slip. Some owners state their German Shepherd has long feet and long toes, for example, the hare foot type we discussed earlier. Furthermore, each type of foot style gives the German Shepherd an advantage. Take a look at these different feet types. The breed information tells us that shorter, more compact feet are the Standard for German Shepherd Dogs, as this foot type provides the dog with better stability and a strong foundation for athletic abilities. Even the smallest cut or tiniest bit of debris can create a large problem for your dog. Here are a few tips for daily foot care and maintenance that are easy and prevent major foot problems from developing. Trim their nail regularly. Coat Hair Trim Some German Shepherds have longer coats and foot hair that sticks out between the toes. Shorter fur is less likely to collect stickers and rocks. Check Between the Toes Check between the toes for any debris, such as rocks, caked-on mud or twigs. Any debris stuck in the toe area can cause discomfort or skin irritation. Remove the debris with a warm cloth and soapy water. Reapply, especially after walking in the snow, on the blacktop, or rocky ground. First Aid Treatment Have supplies on hand for any minor first aid treatment. Wounds, cuts, and abrasions smaller than half an inch are generally treated at home with a mild antibacterial cleanser and a wrap. And taking care of their paws is a routine and easy task that you can do daily. Common causes of foot sensitivity include: running too often on hard or hot surfaces, unclipped fur between the toe pads which snags irritating objects, and overgrown, painful nails. You can prevent paw sensitivity by taking simple precautions. That means YOU are responsible for their feet and you must stay alert to problems before they need serious medical attention. Found this helpful? Share it! She has a Bachelor of Science degree, with Honors, and has been training dogs for over a decade. Related Posts. Depending on their genetics, diet, and environment, among a variety of other things, German Shepherds will be around 71 to 90 pounds. I used to have my dog checked over every month as a puppy. Suppose you are feeding your GSD dry kibble. To learn more about this topic, check out this article, Do German Shepherds need large breed food? However, for the most part, large paws mean that your dog will be higher in weight and height. This is simply because your larger-sized dog — such as a German Shepherd — needs paws that are large enough to support him. They would look ridiculous, right? Could you also imagine Chihuahua-sized feet on your German Shepherd puppy? I guess not — he would be falling all over the place! Dogs can grow at different speeds, and sometimes their paws may look disproportionate. Certainly not, as he may be about to go through a significant growth spurt. My female German Shepherd is a classic example of this. As an adult, she weighs a massive 88 pounds, and she is exceptionally tall, standing at 27 inches — she is therefore nicely proportioned. However, as you can see from the below pictures, her paws at both 8 and 11 weeks certainly do not appear overly big! At this time, they should be more proportionate and may give a bit more accuracy. Other Ways to Indicate Adult Size and Weight A straightforward way to predict how big your German Shepherd will be is to double his size once he has hit the week mark. Of course, your German Shepherd could be a bit larger than that actual calculation, seeing how many of them continue growing at a slower rate — between 18 months and sometimes up to 2 years old. Here are a few tips and tricks for guessing how big your German Shepherd puppy will end up as an adult: Look at the mom and dad. Even then, the puppy may end up with smaller-sized paws. Paws should not be the only thing to look at as an indicator of height and weight. Look at the skin and how loose it is. Generally, a puppy that has a lot of excess loose skin will have more room to grow. So, if your German Shepherd is a bit on the saggy side, it simply means he will be able to grow into his skin. Lots of loose skin can certainly mean you will have a larger German Shepherd. Use a calculator. They will ask a few simple questions, such as type of breed, how old they are, and how much they weighed at birth. So, are any of these methods accurate? You will need to go to the final paragraph to find the answer! Other Puppy Proportions Some breeds have pretty different proportions. At three months, the corgi pup weighs around 15 pounds. Then, at one year, they are about 25 pounds. These proportions are attributed to their short legs! The Corgi puppy has a lot less body to grow into than a German Shepherd puppy and a lot less leg, too! Because German Shepherds grow very quickly, their paws must adapt early to support them in their growth journey. Final Thoughts German Shepherd puppies have big paws because they are necessary to support this large breed as they grow older. You will need to use a combination of different methods to obtain a better estimate of how large your German Shepherd puppy will eventually be. Do webbed paws offer an advantage? According to Daily Dog Stuff , webbed paws do offer dogs advantages. The webbing creates a larger surface area to paddle through the water, which similarly to a kayak paddle, helps a dog make the most of every stroke. Webbed paws also help dogs navigate through muddy terrain better, as the webbing can help prevent their paws from sinking into the mud. Webbing also allows dogs to dig more effectively. Do webbed paws create any unique medical concerns? Dogs may get yeast or bacterial infections in the folds and creases between their paw pads. If a dog spends a lot of time in water and their paws are not dried off, the moisture that remains between the paw pads can cause the bacteria that naturally reside on their skin to overpopulate, causing an uncomfortable infection. Dogs with webbed paws have a higher chance of getting a paw infection, as the webbing causes their paws to stay wet longer and reduces the airflow between the paw pads, creating an environment that bacteria like to grow in. If your German Shepherd has webbed paws, be sure to clean them out regularly by moistening a paper towel or washcloth and cleaning between each paw pad, then drying out each section with a dry towel after. According to Veterinary Expert , the medical term for a paw infection is Pododermatitis. Upon inspection of an infected paw, owners will observe symptoms such as redness, swelling, bleeding, debris dirt that needs to be cleaned out, or a foreign object that has stuck into the paw , and odors. If you notice your dog exhibiting the aforementioned symptoms Dr. Patty Kuhly of Vet Street recommends scheduling a veterinary appointment for your dog to be examined promptly. Pododermatitis is usually very simple to diagnose and treat. To help prevent your dog from having Pododermatitis, have a towel ready to dry their paws after they swim or spend time in moist conditions, such as playing in the snow, or hiking in muddy terrain. Summary The American Kennel Club breed standard of the German Shepherd does not include webbed feet in the official description.

Breeders VS. The sad truth is that many pet store purchased pups actually come from puppy mills. Basically, there is zero authenticity with pet stores. When it comes to adopting any animal from a pet store, there is an increased risk of unforeseen health or genetic problems. You also cultivate a life-long relationship with the breeder, meaning support is available to you anytime you may need it. With My Golden Retriever Puppies , you have the option to come and visit both the puppy and the breeder in person! Golden Retrievers are an adaptable breed, meaning they are better at adapting to seasonal changes and various types of climate than certain other breeds. Goldens sport a double-coat, which ensures that these sweet pups are able to tolerate slightly colder temperatures than their friends from other breeds. Your pup deserves better than that, which is why here at My Golden Retriever Puppies , we ensure high-quality care is taken of your pet at all times. For more about the true price of a golden retriever puppy, you can read our full price breakdown here. Location Information for California Customers Our home office is located in Ohio, but we understand that long-distance travel can be inconvenient. If you prefer to meet a breeder in person, they may be able to offer private visits at their home. Of course! Here at My Golden Retriever Puppies , we value family and authenticity, which is why we always guarantee our pups through our 2-year genetic health guarantee. Like adopting a Golden Retriever from a pet store, there is an increased risk when adopting a pup from a rescue center or shelter as well. For example, pups purchased through a shelter or rescue center are far less likely to come with the kinds of health guarantees and reassurances that a breeder can provide. What type of Golden Retrievers are sold in California? We have some good news! Ready to make your Golden Retriever dreams come true? Take a look at our convenient list of available puppies. How do I know which breeders to trust in California? Our independent network of trusted breeders have already been pre-screened and verified, so that you can focus on what really matters: choosing your dream puppy. Be the first to know when we have new puppies! All Rights Reserved. To ensure the safety of our readers and the right fit for a new pet, we work hard to make sure only the most trusted breeders are featured on the site. We have a dedicated team that works hard and has done extensive research that involves checking both the breeder and their dogs, to verify that the breeders featured on our site are highly reputable and trustworthy. Feedback on Google and Facebook is also taken into consideration before they are listed as a breeder to have the highest standards possible. We hope that this gives you a little more information about how we list breeders on our site. Golden Retriever Puppies for Sale in California: Golden Retrievers are a hugely popular breed worldwide, thanks to their reputation as loyal pets and good hunting dogs. However, with so many breeders to choose from, it can be hard to decide which one is the best fit for you and your family. California is a great state to get a Golden Retriever, and there are plenty of reputable and ethical breeders to choose from. I have compiled a list of the top 14 Golden Retriever breeders in California, based on their breeding history, customer reviews, and service quality. Most of these breeders are hobbyists who breed for love, not money. With this list, you should be able to find the perfect Golden Retriever for your family. They are located in Southern California and they pride themselves on being an ethical breeder of quality Golden Retriever dogs. They source their breeding stock from all over the USA and Europe. This allows them to get the best genetics possible and produce healthy offspring. They want all of their puppies to go to good homes where they will be loved as family members. Additionally, all puppies are sold with limited registration. This means that the new family will not be able to breed their dog. The breeder only wants their puppies to go to homes where they will be treated as family dogs and not used for breeding purposes. The pups come microchipped, vets checked, dewormed, and doggy door trained. They also come with a 1-year health guarantee. Golden Retriever Breeder Info:. Did you ask the owner where they got it, and how much it cost them? The most often asked question I get by e-mail is how much does a golden retriever puppy cost to purchase. Even more specifically, how much does a golden retriever puppy cost in California? In this article, I will discuss how much a golden retriever can cost and why the variation in prices. Often, but not solely, it depends on the investment the breeder has in the parents as well as the time invested in the pups. A reputable breeder will research their lines extensively. When I research buying a pup from other breeders I check all their certifications, pedigrees, as well as the age of death and whether or not they died of cancer. Purchasing a pup with full rights can be expensive. A breeder generally should get OFA certifications on both parents. Many breeders will get preliminary consults at one year of age which doubles the cost. There are additional tests that breeders can also get for their Goldens. Assuming a breeder owns both parents, the cost for the OFA certifications are doubled. Many breeders show their dogs. The costs of showing are in the thousands of dollars, per dog. AKC shows can cost in the thousands for a single weekend. Many breeders have to travel hundreds of miles, pay for a hotel, pay for groomers, hire handlers, purchase crates, and spend hundreds of dollars for entrance fees. To gain an AKC championship you have to attend multiple shows. Conformation in a show does not mean the dog is healthy. This is an entirely different topic that can open a can of worms. Another cost to a breeder is the cost of the litter occur themselves. When I have puppies, I have a room dedicated in my home to the pups. It is tiled, and has an expensive whelping pen, pads, heaters, toys and so much more. Every day we clean up after the pups multiple times. Cleaning supplies can be expensive. I know many breeders who breed in kennels. They just spray down the kennels with water. The socialization of pups alone is why many breeders I know charge more. It is my opinion those who socialize their pups in their home offer a better quality pup in terms of temperament. Not only does it cost more, but the investment in time is unquantifiable. Lastly, most breeders vaccinate, deworm, microchip, and visit the vet for a puppy well check. God forbid any problem to occur with the mother and a cesarean is needed. Sometimes breeding has unintended consequences. Say a dog fails their certifications or needs unexpected surgery, that investment has to be recuperated somehow. A few years back Ember had to have surgery. She decided to chew on some plastic that got lodged in her stomach. She nearly died and was in the hospital for two weeks. After recovering from surgery, I had all her certifications done, and at the age of 2, she got pyometra. Another 10 grand, and we had to spay her. She never had puppies. Unexpected costs like this make breeding an expensive endeavor. In the long run, the costs to treat those illnesses can far surpass the initial high price of purchasing a healthy pup from a reputable breeder. You may have to work on training more extensively, but it is very rewarding. For a list of Golden Retriever rescues in Southern California click the link. As we discussed throughout this article the price will depend on whether or not you purchase a puppy from a reputable breeder, or a run of the mill breeder trying to turn a quick buck. No matter how much a puppy may cost initially, you have to be ready for the cost of ownership once you are taking care of them. Once the pup is in your home, they should become another child. This oversight, aside from behavioral issues, is one of the biggest cause of pups ending up in a shelter. Research is key. Best of luck on your puppy searching adventure.

Aggression towards people, other animals Hyperactivity Sadness, depression and being withdrawn Counter-surfing Digging …to name just the most common few! As previously stated, many of these are perfectly normal behaviors but unwanted when living with a human family. But some are real psychological or pathological problems that need to be properly researched and skillfully addressed, most likely by a vet or professional behaviorist. If the behavior problem is just one of normal canine behavior such as digging, barking, chasing small animals or pulling on the leash, natural behaviors but that are unacceptable or unwanted by an owner, then training alternative and acceptable behaviors in their place is the answer. This still takes knowledge of the particular cause and motivation of the behavior, knowledge and skill to choose and train an alternative behavior and patience and dedication to see the solution through. But these types of problems are solvable by the average owner and solutions for these problems will soon be appearing on this site. The sort of advice that can only really be given and be correct if offered by a qualified and knowledgeable professional. The first step is to see a vet to either identify or rule out any physical or pathological problems, and then be referred to a certified and reputable behavioral specialist. Many cases require a unique approach for which the only advice that can really be given is to seek professional help. We have to remember that Labradors were bred for a particular job and come with hard-wired instinctive and driven behaviors that we developed in them through many generations of selective breeding. Labs have needs and desires that have to be satisfied. They have traits and behaviors so deeply genetically ingrained that you simply cannot eliminate them. Although in most cases you can train alternative more acceptable behaviors. There are of course also more severe and worrying behavior problems, stemming from either pathological or deep-seated psychological issues. With understanding, patience, dedication, a caring attitude and a carefully planned scientific approach, almost all problems can be overcome or at least successfully managed. Helps ease anxiety in their new home. We love using Bully Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors. For a list of all the supplies we get for our new service dog puppies check out our New Puppy Checklist on the PuppyInTraining. Behavior Article Links Some of these problems might seem trivial to others. But when it is you that is losing sleep, dealing with complaints from neighbours or repairing destroyed furniture, it is not trivial at all. In this section we take a look at common Labrador behavior problems. We will begin by giving you some general behavioural information and taking you through an FAQ of common Labrador behaviour problems and their solutions. We will then give you links to our most popular Labrador Behaviour articles where you will find detailed answers to your behavior questions. Bad Behaviour or Bad Training? Others are more complex and require deeper investigation. Knowing why a dog behaves as it does, and what caused the problem in the first place is not always helpful. Sometimes it is simpler to just treat the symptoms in front of you. For example, some labrador puppies will become quite aggressive around food at an early age. Others will let anyone take their dinner. At other times, a good understanding of what causes a behavioural problem, and steps may need to be taken to manage the dog, perhaps avoiding the fear trigger. Resolving behavioral problems Treating Labrador behavior issues is normally tackled in one of two ways Training Management Problems such as jumping up, running away, night-waking, dragging you along on the lead, and food guarding, are all best resolved by training. At other times a management approach may be more appropriate. For example, a rescue dog that has developed a deep seated fear of children may simply need to be kept away from kids. The trauma to the dog of trying to desensitise it, and the time factor required to do so may be too great. It may be simpler to keep the dog muzzled in public and rehomed away from small children. Analysing Labrador behavior Our understanding of dog psychology has improved greatly in recent years, but perhaps there is sometimes a tendency to take an analysis of individual dog behaviour too far. If a problem with Labrador behaviour is disrupting your family life, it needs fixing, no matter what the root cause. Not only for the benefit of the dog, but also, in order that peace and harmony can be restored. Dogs do not fare well in households where everyone is stressed and upset. Not a problem dog? Whilst we cannot help loving our dogs, if we can avoid labelling them as having this problem or that problem, and just deal with any behavior that arises in a practical and appropriate way, I suspect their lives might be easier. Behavioral problems in Labradors can normally be successfully resolved. How do I stop my dog jumping up? Jumping up is quite cute in puppies, and of course many of us allow them to do this until they start knocking people over. Curing jumping up is not too difficult, but it requires patience and persistence. My dog is nipping my arms and it hurts! There is a lot of information on biting in small puppies on this website. But it can be very worrying when this behaviour persists, or reappears in an older dog. This is a common problem in families with a young dog aged between 6 and 18 months. At this age, your dog is still mentally a puppy, but he is now a very big puppy, and the biting really hurts. Most biting in older puppies is associated with over-excitement and inappropriate play rough housing with the dog. Check out these two articles for further information as well as the biting information link above. How to play safely with a Labrador How can I stop my dog whining? Dogs often learn to whine when they are crated or left. Happily, there is quite a straightforward training programme to teach your dog to be quiet in his crate. You can find the instructions here: click for quiet. Labradors love to carry things around in their mouths. This is partly because they are natural retrievers, but also partly because they soon learn that picking up your stuff gets them a whole load of attention! Avoid chasing your dog whilst he is carrying something as dogs love being chased, and this will only encourage him to run faster. So keep a little pot of yummy left overs in the fridge for this purpose. You may find your dog is less inclined to pick up your cushions etc, if you give him some soft cuddly toys of his own. Or you may need to pop a baby gate across the sitting room, to keep him away from the sofa and chairs until you are there to supervise. Help us stop our Labrador raiding the trash can! Some behaviours are so common as to be normal, and bin raiding is a universal problem for Labrador owners. And of course, he has all day to figure out how to get in there, whilst you do not have all day to figure out how to stop him. And punishing the dog when you return home and find the contents strewn across the kitchen floor, will only serve to make the dog fearful of you on your return. The best solution for bin raiding is therefore to place the can where the dog cannot get at it, or purchase a Labrador proof bin. How can I stop my Labrador running after other dogs? Most Labradors are very friendly indeed. And one of the biggest problems for many young Labrador owners, is getting them to come back when there are other people around, or other dogs to be played with. Teaching a dog to recall in the real world, where there are lots of temptations, is a skill. And it is one that you can teach to any dog provided you do so in a structured way. Check out our recall training centre for lots more information on recall in general, and this article: Proofing your recall which will help you teach your labrador to recall away from other people and other dogs. You might also find it helpful to read: Why has my recall broken down? My Labrador wakes up too early Early morning waking, or night waking is another annoying problem behaviour that may start in spring or summer as the lighter mornings set in. Sometimes there is a clear trigger for night waking to begin, but the waking carries on after the trigger is removed. In other cases, the early waking puppy just carries on early waking, with the addition of some increasingly demanding barking to hurry you downstairs. We look at night waking in some detail in this article. Night waking — how to restore the peace How can I stop my dog eating poo? This horrible habit is surprisingly common. We have devoted an entire article to what you can do to prevent or cure it. You can check it out here: Why dogs eat poop and what you can do about it. Eating poo is not the only horrible habit that Labradors may indulge in. Take a look at this article: Why do Labradors eat rubbish for more information and help. My dog is over a year old and still chewing up our home! We all know that puppies chew stuff. Especially when they are teething. But many people do not realise that Labradors can be particularly destructive towards the end of their first year, long after they are firmly in possession of a full set of adult teeth. This article: How to stop your Labrador chewing things takes a close look at chewing and other destructive behaviours, and what you can do to resolve them. My dog is so naughty… We all like a well-behaved dog. The answer to that is with a structured training programme. Behind every well behaved Labrador, lie many hours of training. Getting your dog trained may seem like an effort at times, but training brings huge rewards. A trained dog responds to your commands or signals without hesitation, not just at home, but when you are out and about, or visiting friends too. Getting to this point takes time, information and some effort. Check out How to cope with a naughty Labrador before you start. Then skip over to our training section. Once you make a plan and get going, training is actually a lot of fun. For you and for your dog. Getting started with Labrador training The pleasure of a well-trained and obedient dog are immeasurable. So do join the forum where you can chat with other labrador owners all at different stages of the training process. It is great to start training whilst your dog is young, but remember that a dog of any age can be trained. It is never too late to begin. There are many hundreds of articles on this site about Labrador behavior, why not check out the comprehensive list below for further help:. Twitter In the vast world of TikTok, heartwarming and adorable videos often capture our attention and melt our hearts. One such video that has taken the internet by storm features a furry companion and their owner sharing a precious moment of realization. Unleashing the Joy of Discovery As the video begins, the atmosphere is brimming with excitement and anticipation. Unaware of the important news, the dog curiously sniffs around its owner, seemingly searching for clues. This unknowing moment adds suspense, engaging viewers and drawing them further into the narrative. It catches a whiff of a change in its owner, an olfactory clue signaling the arrival of a different era. This adorable response amplifies the emotional connection between humans and their furry companions, highlighting the depth of their bond. Its eyes widen, tail wagging furiously, and it cannot contain excitement. The video captures this genuine reaction, showcasing the pure and unadulterated happiness that pets can bring into our lives. The viewer is instantly captivated by the heartfelt display of affection and the unique connection between the dog and its owner. The Power of Animal Intuition Animals possess an incredible ability to sense changes in their surroundings, including the physical and emotional states of their human companions. Consequently, this video serves as a beautiful reminder of their remarkable intuition. Dogs, in particular, have been known to pick up on subtle cues and changes in human behavior, making them cherished members of our families. Strengthening the Human-Pet Bond The heartwarming response displayed by the dog in this TikTok video emphasizes the deep bond between humans and their pets. The emotional connection we share with our furry friends can be strengthened through shared experiences, such as anticipating a new family member. This endearing clip is a powerful reminder of the profound connection between humans and their pets. Lastly, through engaging with videos like this, we gain a deeper appreciation for the unconditional love and unwavering loyalty our furry companions offer. Let this heartwarming video serve as a testament to the enduring bonds we share with our pets and the joy they bring into our lives, especially during special moments like the anticipation of a new family member. This faithful friend reminds us of the great connections we can forge with animals.

Temperament Affectionate, friendly, loving, playful, and good with children. Pug mixed with Pomeranian makes one small dog, so you can expect a relatively light dog easy to carry around. Its ears may either be erect if it takes on the Pomeranian side and Floppy if the Pug side. The color can be unpredictable, and you can expect to either have a pure black or tan dog or sometimes a combination of both. Moreover, since Pomeranians are fluffy dogs, you can expect your dog to look like a pug but with a fluffy coat. Most of the time, however, you can expect the right combination of features of both dogs. Just make sure, however, to give them regular brushing to prevent fur tangling. The most important thing you need to know about Pug mixed with Pomeranian is their personality. Overall, their temperament is a great asset for the breed, as they can get along with almost anyone without any problem. They are incredibly loyal and affectionate, but can sometimes be stubborn and mischievous too. Pomeranian and Pug Cross Puppies for Sale The essential step in buying your puppy is choosing who to buy from. You want to make sure you buy from a reputable breeder, who employs ethical practices and has a standard. You can begin your journey by doing short research or getting recommendations from your friends, on where to get your forever companion. Are they a registered breeder? Health conditions of the existing animals in the area. Ask to look at the parents of the puppies. The health of your pups also depends on the health of its parents. Make sure they seem happy, healthy, friendly, and clean. The unfortunate reality of breeders is sometimes they keep breeding puppies without full regard with the condition of the parent dog, especially the mother. Ask for their health screening on all dogs. A good breeder will, at all times, have their dog parents and puppies regularly checked for any health conditions. How many dogs they have for sale? Are you buying from a breeder who runs a puppy mill, because as much as possible you want to avoid buying from those places? The breed is easy to manage, and it includes essential grooming responsibilities such as: Brush their coat at least two or three times a week to make their skins look shiny and beautiful. You want to avoid their fur from getting tangled, especially if they take on the coat of Pomeranians. Keep their eyes and ears clean. Using a soft towel, wipe any debris or discharge around their eyes, to prevent health complications from arising. Brush their teeth regularly to prevent plaque from accumulating and tooth decay. Give them regular baths, as necessary. Doing this prevents ticks from hiding within its coat. The Pomeranian and Pug cross is easy to manage, and you only need to be reminded of these important details for their grooming: Dedicate time to regularly brush their coat, using a metal-pin slicker brush, to help detangle their coat. Bathe them regularly, especially during the allergy seasons of the Pomeranian crossed with a pug. Make sure to use products which are gentle on the skin. Clip their nails, especially since the Pug mixed with Pomeranian are hyper and playful dogs. You want to avoid any situation of being unnecessarily cut. However, there may be some instance when they suffer from seasonal allergies and dry skin, which can nevertheless be treated. However, there are some health problems common to small dogs, such as the Pug and Pomeranian Cross which you need to watch out for. Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome — this is a condition which affects the upper airways of dogs, common in most flat faced and short-nosed dogs. This may be present in your Pomeranian mixed with a Pug if the dominant gene your pup will have is that of the Pugs. If you notice your dog becoming lethargic, or tremoring in the face, then they may be having an attack. Some causes include being obese, or too much exposure to smoke and dust. Whelping complications — this occurs among female dogs who experience giving birth. Since their pelvic opening is narrow and limited, giving birth can be limited. Here are also some health problems which may be particular to the Pomeranian Pug Mix: Dry Skin — this can be caused by allergies, parasites, or other medical disorders. For this specific kind of breed, its source should come from allergies. Left untreated, the skin condition worsens to atopic dermatitis and lead to secondary skin infections. Symptoms — the symptoms are easy to identify such as itchiness, flaking, scabs, and hair loss. Prevention — feed them with high quality and balanced diet, and groom them regularly to prevent any buildup of debris and dirt. Eye Infections — Some allergies can cause eye discharge, which is results in mucus-like substances forming around the eye and getting in the eye. If your pup takes on the eye of Pugs, you have to be particularly careful with their eyes, as it often protrudes from its face. Be mindful, however, that they still need to receive their daily nutritional requirements. A mixed-breed can inherit any combination of traits from their parents. Should a Pug Mix take after their Pug parent, they will be an affectionate, social dog that loves their families. A Pug tends to be playful, social, friendly, and gentle. They thrive on attention and affection and tend to get along well with children, other pets, and other dogs. As long as they are well-socialized, they also tend to be open and friendly with strangers. They can be prone to barking and it can become a nuisance behavior if you do not train your dog to stop barking early on. If the other parent breed has a similar temperament, then you can expect the same from a Pug Mix. You still want to ask the breeder about the other parent breed as they will likely introduce their own potential quirks. You can also meet the mother in person to get a sense of her temperament and see the behavior she is modeling for her puppies. Although the breeder should have started socialization and training, it is up to you to continue to train and socialize a puppy once you get them home. Pugs are moderately adaptable dogs. Although they do well in apartments as well as larger homes, they are particularly sensitive to heat and cold as a snub-nosed dog breed. They also do not like to be left alone for long periods of time. If the other parent breed is similar, then you should be able to expect the same from a Pug Mix. The other parent breed could still introduce some traits that affect adaptability, so you do want to ask the breeder about them. Mixed-breed dogs can sometimes be healthier than purebred dogs, but it is not a guarantee. They can inherit none, some, or all of the conditions common to their parent breeds. From the Pug side, potential health conditions to be aware of include eye problems, luxating patella , encephalitis, and hip dysplasia. As a brachycephalic, or snub-nosed, dog, they are prone to allergies and respiratory issues. Reputable breeders will screen their dogs to avoid passing preventable issues on to puppies. So, make sure you ask about the health and genetic history of both of the parents. You can also ask about any health tests or clearances that have been done. A Pug is eager to please and tends to pick up on things quickly. They tend to be a good fit for owners of all experience levels. The other parent breed could make a Pug Mix easy to train or more difficult, so you want to make sure you ask the breeder about them. A Pug Mix can inherit a coat similar to one of their parents or a coat that is truly a mix of both. Should they inherit the Pug coat, it will shed a bit year-round, require weekly brushing, and the occasional bath. Cutting nails once or twice monthly keeps them from growing too long. Ear checks on a weekly basis with careful cleanings as needed can help prevent ear infections. Brushing teeth or using an enzyme toothpaste every day in addition to cleanings at the vet as needed are ideal dental care for dogs. Pugs tend to sit in a low to moderate energy range. Usually, daily walks and some playtime are enough to keep them happy and healthy. They may be up for more activity, but can also get easily overheated. There are safe ways to exercise flat-faced dogs to help make sure they get enough activity. If the other parent breed also has a low to moderate activity level, then you can expect something similar from a Pug Mix. However, if the other parent breed is a higher energy dog, then you will want to make sure you are prepared for the potential of a high-energy dog. Fully-grown Pugs are usually inches tall and weigh pounds. The other parent breed can have a big effect on this, especially if they are the mother. Although it is not a guarantee, you can meet the mother in person to get an idea of what to expect in a fully-grown Pug Mix. A Pug generally lives for years. Although the other parent breed may affect this slightly, but you should be able to expect a similar average life span from a Pug Mix. Featured Pug Mix Article.

They are outgoing, active and affectionate companions who have a lot of energy and love making their owner happy. They have strong retrieving instincts as they were bred to be gun dogs, so they love both soft toys and diving into bodies of water. It is highly unusual for the puppy's owner to care for them during this time and is best left to a responsible, reputable breeder. Your puppy's body will double in weight as their muscles, organs and bones develop. Nutrition During the neonatal stage, your Labrador puppy will get most of their nutrition from their mother's milk. At around 4 weeks you may wish to introduce a mush of minced protein such as beef, but always consult your vet first before changing your puppy's diet at this stage. Health During this time it is important to monitor your Lab for any infections, diseases or birth defects. Puppies are unable to urinate or defecate by themselves initially, so their mother helps them but may additionally require your assistance. Keep your vet's contact details close by and educate yourself thoroughly on this stage of puppy development. By the end of this period, your puppy will be mobile and will explore the world mouth first — be sure to keep choking hazards and toxic foods out of their reach. Behaviour During most of this time your Labrador puppy will be asleep or inactive, but they will soon be playing with their brothers and sisters. After weeks they will go through as much sensory development as a human baby does in a few months. It is important to avoid disturbing the puppies' mother as she will be likely be protective, but some interaction with the young pups is normal so they become used to human touch. This is a formative time for your puppy and will be when they learn to walk, play, bite, hold their bladder, and interact with others. You will soon notice their attentiveness to you and their intense love of play — many Labs keep this caring and fun attitude for their whole lives if you foster it. Nutrition During the weaning stage, you should slowly introduce into their diet a nutritionally complete dog food which is appropriate to your Labrador's large size and young age. Labs are notoriously greedy and will quickly gobble down food and snatch treats from hands. You should familiarise yourself with lists of toxic foods and plants to avoid and hide as your puppy will soon find ways to get into forbidden snacks found only in bins. Labradors puppies instinctively like to 'dig' inside their water bowls so much of their water will end up on the ground. Make sure to get your puppy used to touching inside their small ears as they are prone to ear infections and will need regular checkups. Behaviour Due to the changes in their environment, your Labrador puppy will likely be under a significant amount of stress. It's important that you provide lots of attention and positive reinforcement for good behaviour at this time to establish boundaries early. Labradors are eager to love anyone but can be overbearing, so you should introduce them to a number of different people and environments so that they are not overwhelmed with excitement later in life. PUPPY By the time your Labrador Retriever reaches puppyhood their personality will be well developed and you will have established a loving, social friend who wants to maximise time with you and others. Your Labrador puppy will do well socially and behaviourally from puppy training classes as long as treats are involved. Nutrition Your Labrador puppy's diet should be based around a high quality, nutritionally complete puppy food. You may also wish to introduce them to fresh, lean raw meat — however, don't feed your puppy any meat you would not feed to a fellow human being. Bloat is potentially fatal but can be combatted by feeding your dog two smaller meals per day, a habit you should start while they are a puppy. A rough guide is that they should exercise for minutes per day and less after 5 years when many lose their appetite for long marathons of activity. Your pup will need brushing every few days, with more frequent grooming during seasonal changes to combat shedding. Bathing should be infrequent as this can damage the waterproofing of their coats, however, you should wash them after swimming or rolling in muck. After around 8 weeks your puppy will be due for some vaccinations, so they will need a checkup at the vet and to arrange for boosters after that. Studies showed that dogs supplemented with a diet of bovine colostrum had a quicker and stronger immune system response to CDV vaccine as compared to dogs fed a control diet. Colostrum supplemented dogs maintained a higher antibody level even after 40 weeks A diet supplemented with Colostrum helps bridge the immunity gap in puppies that occurs between 3 weeks and 5 months of age. Behaviour Do not be complacent with training your Labrador puppy — almost all are very gentle and well behaved, but this does not mean that training is unnecessary. Labs are very loving and patient with all that they meet, but they often do not know their own size. To combat this, they should be trained in how to act around small dogs and children to avoid intimidation or accidental injury. They will also benefit from obedience training to drop things from their mouths, avoid rushing across busy streets and make sure they come when called. Recommended Articles. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. As we all know too well, what we put in our belly has a huge impact on our health, vitality, length and quality of life. They have to strike a fine balance between getting enough nutrients to grow and avoiding an over-abundance that can lead to abnormal growth and disabling conditions. In this article you will learn precisely how to feed your puppy. What they can eat, what they should not, how many times you should feed them each day, basic information on home-made diets and the pros and cons of various commercial dog foods. The majority of Labrador owners feed their puppy kibble. Kibble is ground meal, shaped into dried biscuit-like pellets that are extremely convenient to buy, store and feed, providing everything a puppy needs in one easy to handle product. All the major brands carry a range of kibble and many are specifically formulated to suit the precise needs of puppies. For our recommendations of the best puppy food for labs, please read our article on: The Best Food for Labrador Puppies. Good breeders will supply you with all the information you need to feed your new puppy and you should follow this advice. Puppies almost always get upset tummies during a change of diet. The stress of moving to a new home is enough to deal with without them potentially having tummy upset on top. So try to avoid this. But expect your puppy to get diarrhea after such a sudden change. What Can Puppies Eat? With a bewildering choice of different puppy foods available, what to feed your puppy may not be the easiest decision to make. You Can Feed Your Puppy Kibble Kibble is ground up food, formed into pellets and dried for easy storage and convenience. It is a specially formulated, complete and balanced diet, containing everything a puppy needs to grow and be healthy. Many people believe kibble is the best way to feed a puppy, with it being so easy to buy, store and feed while containing every nutrient a puppy needs in the right proportions. Wet, Complete Puppy Foods Are An Option As the name suggests, complete wet dog food is complete and balanced, meaning nothing should be fed in combination. Everything needed is included in this one food. Complete wet foods come in individual pouches or tins with one pouch or tin containing one single serving. In the main these foods are low in nutrition, contain a high amount of cheap fillers, by-products and water and need mixing with a biscuit to give them some substance and to make them more complete. Because the food is such low quality, you have to feed a lot of it. And what goes in, must come out. This type of feeding was popular decades ago and I do remember my parents feeding our first dogs this way, but most people have moved on from this and are feeding their dogs in better ways now. Raw Food, BARF And Home-Made Diets Raw feeding is a diet that consists of mostly raw meat, edible bones and animal organs, though most practitioners also mix in small portions of fruit, veg and selected other foodstuffs. There are many people feel strongly that this is the best possible way to feed a dog. But I would caution most people that to feed this diet successfully, you need to do A LOT of research, gain a lot of knowledge and truly understand a dogs nutritional needs to make sure they get exactly what they need in the right amounts. Many people wonder if they can feed their puppy human foods, anything found in the fridge or larder. Furthermore, there are many human foods that are toxic to dogs that you should avoid at all costs. Too much of some nutrients can be bad in itself, but also prevent the absorption and use of other nutrients too. So supplementing a balanced diet is a bad thing to do. Can You Give Puppies Milk? Assuming you get your puppy at the recommended 8 weeks, they will have been fully weaned before you bring them home. Many puppies are intolerant of cows milk and drinking it leads to an upset tummy and diarrhea so you would do best to avoid giving your puppy any milk at all. One exception is for very young puppies under 6 weeks of age. When we have newborn puppies at our house we sometimes need to supplement and use Esbilac Milk Supplemen t. However, if you have a very young puppy that you think may need supplementing please first consult with your veterinarian. Are They Necessary? You will likely be feeding your puppy a commercially available complete and balanced dog food, in which case you certainly should not supplement their food. Supplementing this will mean too much of one or more things, making it unbalanced which can actually lead to harm. But an excess amount of calcium in the diet of a Lab puppy can lead to skeletal development problems. So adding a calcium supplement to an already complete diet can actually do more harm than good. There may also be times your vet advises you to do so. But if feeding raw, you should know more about nutrition than I do. This is a hard question to answer and sadly I cannot give you a definite quantity or weight to feed them each day. Puppies grow at different rates, some are more active than others and there can be large differences between metabolisms too. However… The biggest determining factor is how concentrated the nutrients and calories are in the brand of food you feed them. High quality foods are nutrient rich and give a puppy all they need from quite small amounts of food. But cheaper brands are full of low quality and nutritionally empty fillers that mean a puppy needs considerably more to get what they need. Start by feeding your puppy according to the guidelines on the label of the puppy food you buy for them. Then see how their body develops. Puppies should not be fat! But at the other end of the scale if they start to look and feel a little slim, up their portion sizes a little. The guidelines on the food you buy are just that…guidelines. You might also be interested in:. We may receive commissions from purchases made via our links. Once they reach eight weeks, changing to dry kibble food is best. We recommend feeding a Labrador puppy dry kibble for the first months before changing to an adult food type. But to remain healthy, owners should know what to feed them. Dog owners should feed a Labrador puppy dry food kibble , wet food, or fresh human food, depending on their budget and lifestyle. There are many options for food for dogs, and it can become challenging to determine which one is the best option for the dog. We have found the best options and listed them below. They help us with our daily tasks, are always there when we need them, and bring great joy to our lives. But, it is essential to ensure that our dog gets the best nutrition possible. They have a lot of energy and need to be fed accordingly. This includes the number of calories, food type, and the number of meals per day. We will explain all of these factors to help understand what to feed these precious animals. A Labrador puppy needs high-quality protein in their diet, so they should not be fed just any type of food. This is why we recommend three food options: dry food or kibble, fresh food or human food, or wet food. We prefer using dry food or kibble in most cases, but it is beneficial to start with wet food for young puppies and transition to dry food after a few weeks. Feeding a puppy human food is possible, but it can be more expensive and requires extra work to stick to a cleaner diet at this age. We have found it to be a healthier and more convenient option for our pets. It is also a good alternative to wet food which can be difficult to store and prepare. The benefits of dry dog food are that it offers the pup a balanced diet that doesn't need refrigeration. It also offers convenience because we can buy it in bulk and store it in the pantry or freezer until needed. Dry dog food is also less expensive than wet food, which is another benefit for pet owners. Fresh Food Human Food Feeding a Labrador puppy a diet of fresh, real human food is one of the best things to do for their health and well-being. It will not only make them happy and content, but it will also keep them healthy. This eliminates the guessing game; they are only fed real, natural foods with no unknown ingredients. However, it will become expensive and require regular cooking and preparation. Wet Food Wet food is recommended for Labrador puppies when they are first born and for the first weeks while they grow. It can be either raw or cooked. Wet food is a good source of water and minerals, which are important in the early days of their life to help them grow strong bones and teeth. It should be given to a puppy as soon as it comes out of its mother's womb, but it must not be given before it starts eating solid foods because it will cause diarrhea. Once they get more mature, moving to kibbles is best. It is known for its low level of grain and carbohydrate content and high protein content. Once they reach the week mark, there are better options to help the puppy continue to develop and grow. This food also helps with digestion and weight management. It also promotes proper bone growth with antioxidants and necessary nutrients like vitamin E. The kibble is also shaped strategically to help puppies who chew fast while helping with jaw growth. Overall, this is the best food option for a Labrador puppy. It is designed for all life stages, from puppies to seniors, and we love the benefits it provides to younger labs. The product features a blend of highly digestible proteins, omega-6 fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, taurine, and glucosamine. This ensures the dog gets the nutrition they need while also reducing the risk of digestive tract problems such as bloat or pancreatitis. It also has a low glycemic index and no corn, wheat, or soy in the recipe. Dog owners can also expect an excellent protein ratio when using this food. Both veterinarians and nutritionists have recognized it for its high-quality ingredients for young puppies. The Acana High Protein formula is made with a blend of chicken, turkey, and fish meals, whole eggs, and natural beef or lamb meal. The product has a limited ingredient list with no corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors, or preservatives. It also has no added sugar and a low glycemic index. This food also contains probiotics and prebiotics to help the pet maintain a healthy immune system. This is the perfect dry dog food for puppies after eight weeks old. This brand is also very affordable for those who want to feed their dog a healthy diet without breaking the bank. It features a patented recipe that helps to promote healthy digestion, strong teeth and gums, healthy skin and shiny coat, a strong immune system, healthy joints and muscles, and a healthy heart. This is a high-protein food option for Labradors too. It promotes lean muscle growth and improved body health with omega fatty acids, antioxidants, glucosamine, probiotics 5. It is made with high-quality ingredients and has a great taste and texture for labs to enjoy. This food is to help with puppy development and is suitable for all Labradors under one-year-old. This wet food provides the perfect balance of healthy proteins to support a dog's growth while providing the energy they need to maintain its fitness levels. This can be fed as a meal or as an occasional snack between meals. It has no artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, or added sugar. It also contains omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, which are important for healthy skin and the dog's coat. They are large, strong, intelligent dogs that need a lot of attention, exercise, and food. These dogs can be picky eaters and usually need a lot of calories because of their size. This is especially true for puppies so they can grow properly and remain healthy due to their increased risk of health issues. Food Type Labrador puppies' most popular dog foods are kibbles and canned wet food. Kibbles are the best option for a puppy because they are easy to chew and digest. Canned food is a good option for pups who have difficulty chewing or digesting dry food and would benefit from a little moisture in their diet. The food type also depends on the owner. Dry food or kibbles are faster to prepare, while serving human food to a lab puppy requires extensive prep time. Nutritional Value When it comes to nutritional value, we want dog food that has high-quality protein and carbohydrates. This will help the puppy grow strong and healthy. This is why we need to take into account the nutritional value, quality of ingredients, and taste. It should be made with all-natural ingredients that are sourced from human-grade materials such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. A brand should have all the essential nutrients for a pup but still, be low in toxic elements and preservatives too. Dietary Restrictions Lastly, consider the dietary restrictions of the Labrador puppy before choosing a dog food option. This includes any allergies or health concerns for the dog and shopping for something that suits them best. For example, lab puppies must reach a certain carbohydrate and protein number daily. Labradors are also known to have allergies, especially young ones, so planning around this is crucial. A puppy should be fed at least three times a day, with a meal size that is appropriate for its body weight. They should also be given small daily snacks to keep them satisfied and happy, including treats to help with training. We feed our puppies the best that we can. We want to give them all the nutrients and vitamins they need. We also want to make sure that they are getting a balanced diet. The most important thing when feeding a Labrador puppy is that they get enough calories from their food every day. In the first weeks, the puppy should eat four smaller daily meals. Once the lab reaches three months, this can be changed to three meals per day. And after months, we recommend two meals per day. The key is not to change the calories much when the meals change but to simply modify the size of each meal to fit the total daily food amount. Feeding a Labrador puppy is not rocket science, but there are some things everybody should know about what to feed them and when to feed them. We have covered this basis, but changes need to be made as they age. This leads to a common question about changing food to fit the needs of a grown adult Labrador. The dog's age will determine how quickly they grow and how much energy they need. Lab puppies can stick with kibbles for up to 12 months. Active, eager to please and easy to train — with the waggiest of tails and smiliest of doggy faces — when it comes to being a good-natured family pet, Labrador Retrievers tick all the boxes. How trendy is your dog? The breed has certainly come a long way from its hard-working Canadian roots — in 16th century Newfoundland, the ancestors of the Labrador Retrievers we know and love today were used to help fishermen retrieve nets and lost lines and pull carts loaded with fish. Labs will try their hardest to beg, steal or borrow just about any kind of food , even if it will do them absolutely no good at all. Sensitive puppy food is suitable for feeding Labrador puppies from 6 weeks to 12 months old. Shop sensitive puppy food. A recent scientific study has shown that a gene alteration specifically found in Labs indicates greater food-motivated behaviour than in other breeds. Researchers discovered that this variation occurs more frequently in Labradors chosen as assistance dogs and might explain why these canines seem more trainable with food rewards. When searching for the best diet for Labradors, look for recipes that are made from premium ingredients such as lamb , turkey and salmon to ensure excellent quality and superior taste. Shop high-quality Burgess dog food. Dogs need a balance of vitamins and minerals, and their food must contain zinc and copper supplements. They also need a little bit of fibre in their diet to help maintain a healthy gut. Burgess Sensitive dog food range caters for your dog at every stage of their life — all the way through from puppy to senior. Sensitive puppy food is suitable for Labrador puppies from 6 weeks to 12 months old and nursing mothers. Sensitive adult dog food is designed for dogs over the age of 12 months. For dogs over the age of 7, sensitive senior dog food is the perfect food for your Labrador dog. Our Labrador has a sensitive stomach and took to this change of food well. Healthy and balanced! We tried various diets, and this was the only one that settled him. She produces smaller poos! Dry kibble dog food is widely acknowledged to be a great way to deliver a nutritious, balanced, complete diet. The best dry food for adult and puppy Labradors is carefully crafted to provide exactly the right balance of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, and fats that your dog needs, in an easy-to-feed form. When introducing a new food to your dog, you should do it gradually to avoid upsetting their digestion. Mix in the new food with the old over a period of 7 to 10 days until the new food completely replaces the old diet. How often should you feed a Labrador Retriever and how much? Puppies, with their small stomachs need three or four small meals a day, while adult dogs generally have two meals a day. Sometimes, elderly dogs benefit from three or four smaller meals. If you feed treats for training or when out on walks, this should also be taken into account. Remember that treats should be just that — something special, fed occasionally, in small amounts. Feeding frenzy? While some dogs like to savour every mouthful of their food, you might find that when feeding your Labrador puppy or adult dog, that they scoff down their dinner in seconds, which is really not good for them. Eating food too fast can cause digestive upsets, some of which can be very serious, requiring immediate veterinary attention. By switching the food you are feeding them to something more nutritionally beneficial you may be able to change your Lab's eating behaviour and allow them to slow down. What foods are dangerous to Labrador Retrievers? Here are some of the main foods that are dangerous for dogs and should be avoided in a Labrador diet. If you suspect your Lab has eaten any of the following, consult your vet immediately. Alcoholic beverages Can cause intoxication, coma, and death. Chocolate, coffee, tea Contain caffeine, theobromine, or theophylline, which can be toxic and affect the heart and nervous system. Fat trimmings Pits from peaches and plums Can cause obstruction of the digestive tract. Grapes and raisins Contain an unknown toxin, which can damage the kidneys. Gravy If made from meat juices, it can contain high levels of fat, which can cause pancreatitis. Large amounts of liver Can cause Vitamin A toxicity, which affects muscles and bones. Macadamia nuts Contain an unknown toxin, which can affect the digestive and nervous systems and muscle. Milk and other dairy products Some adult dogs do not have sufficient amounts of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down the lactose in milk. This can result in diarrhoea. Mouldy or spoiled food Can contain multiple toxins causing vomiting and diarrhoea and can also affect other organs. Mushrooms Can contain toxins, which may affect multiple systems in the body, cause shock, and result in death. Onions and garlic raw, cooked, or powder Contain sulfoxides and disulfides, which can damage red blood cells and cause anaemia. Garlic is less toxic than onions. Potato, rhubarb, and tomato leaves; potato and tomato stems Contain oxalates, which can affect the digestive, nervous, and urinary systems. This is more of a problem in livestock. Raw eggs Contain an enzyme called avidin, which decreases the absorption of biotin a B vitamin. This can lead to skin and hair coat problems. Raw eggs may also contain salmonella. Raw fish Can result in a thiamine a B vitamin deficiency leading to loss of appetite, seizures, and in severe cases, death. More common if raw fish is fed regularly. Excessive salt If eaten in large quantities, it may lead to electrolyte imbalances. Sugary foods Can lead to obesity, dental problems, and possibly diabetes mellitus. Table scraps in large amounts Table scraps are not nutritionally balanced and if excessively fed can lead to obesity. Fat should be trimmed from meat; bones should not be fed. Xylitol This artificial sweetener sneaks its way into all sorts of foods — from peanut butter to jellies and jams and is highly toxic to canines. After a dog consumes a significant amount of xylitol, there is a massive release of insulin from the pancreas. This, in turn, results in a dangerously low blood sugar level and symptoms such as weakness, trembling, seizures, collapse, and even death. Is a Labrador Retriever the right breed for you? These easy-going, rewarding dogs have high energy levels, and will thrive on lots of attention, positive reward-based training , plenty of exercise as well as the right nutrition to keep them happy and healthy throughout their lives. How often and what time to feed I will show you the best puppy foods, whether dry, wet, or raw, and look at food safety, together with schedules, quantities and even a handy puppy diet chart. Best Puppy Food for Labs The best Labrador puppy food provides a diet that is nutritious, healthy, and tasty. So, what is the best puppy food for your Lab? Puppy kibble or dried food is the most popular option. Kibble is complete and can give a perfectly balanced diet. Puppy kibble and tinned dog meat combined is another common choice among puppy parents. Feeding your Labrador puppy on home cooked food or on a totally raw diet is also possible. Raw puppy food is growing in popularity, and there are pros and cons to raw feeding your puppy. People often feel very strongly that one way of feeding is better than another, and you can always find evidence to support your view. Dog breeders, veterinarians and even nutritionists have their own strong views. The dire consequences they list for not listening to them can have puppy owners very worried. The truth is that there is no good quality evidence showing that kibble is better for the long term health of your dog, or that raw feeding is better. There are risks and benefits to both, and the main thing is to ensure that your dog has good quality food to eat. Puppy kibble suits some better, and raw puppy food is better for others. Puppy Kibble for your Labrador Puppy food made into pellets is called kibble. An airtight plastic container or tin will do the job, although you should make sure it is food grade quality. Puppy kibble is the best way of feeding your Labrador according to most breeders and your veterinarian is most likely to support this method of feeding. Good puppy kibble will contain every nutrient your Labrador puppy needs in order to grow and remain healthy. The kibble pieces will be tasty, good for keeping teeth healthy, and free from additives that can provoke allergies or stomach problems. Labrador puppy kibble only needs to be fed next to water. Puppy kibble from a reputable manufacturer is intended to be a complete and balanced food. But some owners like to mix in canned dog food or even scraps of raw food with kibble. Your puppy is likely to get an upset stomach or to not have the right balance of nutrition when fed this way. Whether you decide to feed only with kibble or you want to mix it up, pick a good dried food manufacturer and stick with them. Feeding your Labrador puppy raw food has its benefits and drawbacks. One of the downsides is that there is a lot to learn. Here is a link to the articles you need to help you decide whether or not raw feeding is for you: Although I like the raw diet for my dogs, most puppies fed kibble go on to have long and healthy lives. Whatever puppy food you choose, the most important thing is portion control. How Much to Feed your Labrador Puppy? People often tell me how much their puppy weighs, and ask how much puppy food they should give him. Your Labrador is particularly at risk if they grow too quickly. The following diet chart is for kibble fed puppies and does not apply to raw fed pups. It gives you an idea of how much to feed your Labrador puppy Lab Puppy Feeding Chart The Lab puppy feeding chart below is only a very rough guide. The quantity of food you need for your puppy will vary depending on your puppy and on the brand of food you are feeding him. Labrador puppy food must be aimed at medium to large breed dogs. Check the pack carefully and look at the dietary charts. Ideally, you want the optimal protein content and the lowest amount of additives. Part of this always comes down to the cost. The healthiest puppy food is usually the most expensive and may not be affordable for some families. The Cost Of Puppy Food Some puppy food brands are more concentrated than and contain a higher proportion of proteins, essential oils, and other nutrients. The absence of these fillers means that you can often feed lower quantities of more costly food, making them less expensive than they first seem. You might also find that cheaper brands make your puppy poop more due to those extra fillers going straight through him. While some brands are beyond the budget of many families, it is usually good to buy a premium brand. High Quality Brands of Puppy Food Some brands of puppy food have developed a reputation for producing a high quality product and have many devoted supporters, including breeders that have fed them to generations of puppies. You are planning to adopt a Labrador puppy, or already are a proud pet parent of one, you must be anxious about how best to assure optimum growth and health to your pup. This piece of writing is an attempt to give you some useful information about the kind of food which you can feed and also about how best you can feed it. In earlier times, the breed was mostly utilized and appreciated for being a versatile hunter. It can hunt on land as well as water; besides, this intelligent dog is a possessor of a gentle temperament, which makes it easily fit into the role of a friendly family dog. Types of Dog food Broadly speaking, the food for your pet is available in three forms — Wet, Dry and Raw. Wet food is the commercially manufactured food which offers chunks of meat, with or without gravy, with added vitamins, minerals and other important elements to make it nutritionally complete and balanced. Dry food consists of pellets called kibbles of food, which are easy to store and convenient to serve. The ready-made food bits meant for puppies consist of nutrients in the right proportions to support a healthy growth. Raw diet consists of raw meat, bones, fruits and vegetables. There are benefits and risks involved in administering a raw diet, which one should be aware of before adopting a fully raw diet. You may go for dry, wet or raw diet, or a combination of them. You may also consult your vet to guide in case you are confused about your choices. Labradors are always hungry and that is because of their huge appetites. As a pet owner you need to monitor the amount of food they eat, as their greed for food can easily drive them towards obesity, and consequently towards various diseases. Commercially made food Many companies categorize their foods on the basis of life stage puppy, adult, senior , breed large, medium or small , or may offer pet food specifically targeting a particular breed like Royal Canin Labrador Junior , which seeks to take care of a Labrador dog up to 15 months of age. The formulation of diets like this are based on the assumption that all pure breed dogs have their unique needs, which if addressed would bring the dog to an optimum level of health. Information from the breeders If you have brought the puppy from a breeder, then he would supply you a diet routine which needs to be followed, some food or may be some information regarding feeding. Follow it religiously for some days to give some sort of familiar touch to the puppy that is undergoing the stress of being separated from its mother and siblings. In absence of any information from the breeder, best thing would be to consult a vet. Milk for the puppy? Beware of confusing food labels Learn how to read a food label. The food label is given in decreasing order, making the first ingredient the biggest element in the food. That is why it is very important to know what the first two or three ingredients of the food are. Ideally, the first element of any dog food should be a specific kind of meat like chicken, duck, beef ; meat-by-product, meat or animal should not be mentioned on the package as they present an ambiguous picture. Leftover of slaughter houses can find its way to your dog food, something which cannot be classed in the category of healthy and complete food. So if you care for your dog, be aware and make the right selection. Water Make sure that water is available to the puppies at all times of the day, except for one hour before sleeping time. Divide the daily diet The daily dietary requirement of your Labrador pup should be properly divided into portions of meal to be fed at regular intervals. This would help in managing digestion and for keeping its overall health at a good level. You can begin by feeding four meals a day to your 8 to 12 weeks old puppy, and have a time marked for each. Have a gap of at least 3 hours in between each meal so that the little doggie is able to digest it well. Two meals a day is also something which most dog owners continue to feed even after the dog grows up. Feeding your dog once a day after 12 months of age can work as long as you feed it raw meat. The dry kibbles tend to swell once the dog drinks water, and this may cause bloating and also damage its stomach, hence is strictly not recommended. Teach the dog to eat at meal times Your dog would learn to eat the food when it is offered to it if you take back the bowl after a specific interval of time, say 15 to 20 minutes. Household scraps Avoid giving leftovers from your own meals to your puppy, unless you have enough knowledge and experience in dealing with the nutritional requirements of a growing canine. The nutritional needs of your puppy are different than that of humans; also it may differ from one breed of dog to another. The growing pup needs complete and balanced diet to achieve its potential growth, otherwise lifelong disabilities or problems can find easy entry into its life. As, your heartfelt, but nutritionally lacking edible additions might unbalance the diet of your dog. How much to feed? How much food to feed your dog each day is something no one can precisely tell. But the guidelines on the package of the food you are feeding, along with your observation of how the dog is doing with the quantity fed, would help you decide an adequate quantity. The important thing to remember is that the dog should neither be too fat or too slim. Following some instructions related to diet, regular appointments with vet, observing the puppy and showering it with lots and lots of love would give such environment to the little canine in which it would thrive. About Petsworld Team The blog editor of Pets World is a pet aficionado and fervently follows her pet-obsession. A pet parent to animals big and small for the past two decades. The sum of all experiences gathered is an amalgamation of useful knowledge and research. More like this. Although I am not a veterinarian myself, I have been a lab owner for 11 years and been in the pet food industry for the last 6 years. However, if this is not the case for your pupper, no need to worry. Be sure not to feed normal cerelac or cow milk as that will result in loose motion as well as stunted growth. At this tender age, you need to feed your lab pup via feeding bottle like you would feed a human baby of age 2 months. Milk is the only food apart from purified water which your dog is gonna need till 1. After this age, till 3 months you have two options. You can either continue with milk or look at starter food options like Royal Canin Maxi starter , Drools starter, Farmina Puppy Starter, Canine Creek Starter , Orijen puppy and plenty of other brands which are available in the market. The kibble for starter food is small and most probably, your puppy will be able to chew it. Certain dry food can be extremely hard to chew, so depending on the toughness of the kibble you might have to break i. Puppies of age 1. You should be following this diet of starter food till 3 months age at least. Also, make sure you are vaccinating as well as deworming your pup at the right intervals. So, a proper nutritious diet is essential to achieve good growth. You can either go for Royal Canin Maxi Junior or Royal Canin Labrador Junior or puppy variants of other brands like drools, canine creek, Orijen Puppy and Junior Recommended , Acana large breed puppy, pedigree not recommended at this age. If you are giving a good diet like Royal Canin, farmina or even home-made food, growth should be good. For those who can extend their budget, you can go for something even more premium like Acana, Orijen, Arden Grange and the likes. No need to add additional supplements. If you are feeding home-made food like boiled chicken which itself is a very good food option, consider adding some fish oils like Beaphar Salmon Oil. However, a good diet is recommended to ensure a good life span above 12 years and muscle development. Homemade food can be a healthy option as well. Feeding guide amount to feed in grams depends on dog weight and varies from brand to brand. You will find the recommended portion for your brand based on the calories it carries on the packet you will buy. At other times, you can give chews or treats but whole meal should be fed not more than twice a day. Do not keep food available in front of the dog except during his eating time. However, you can keep water available in a bowl all the time. Sticking to schedule regularly is recommended. Wait, till now we have been speaking about commercial dry food. Yes, this happens to many dogs. While some dogs like pugs are voracious eaters, labs or goldens can be extremely choosy. They will eat whatever liquid you put in the feeding bottle at this age. However, once puppies mature and learn to eat themselves, they may not like dry food, rarely touch it. In these cases, the best option is to first add a home-made additive with the dry food. You may add many things dog like in small quantities of chicken stalk, chicken pieces boneless for puppies , curd, egg and others to the dry food. Changing or trying out another brand helps as well. I have seen many dogs who hate Drools but like Canine Creek although they are manufactured by same company. Every dog has a mind of his own. Most common diseases of Indian bred dogs like canine hyp dysplasia, ear infections, bent hind legs can happen to any dog. Take your dog to a registered veterinary practitioner in case such situations arise. Lack of appetite is also observed during this age at times. For not-so-severe cases, you may administer Himalaya Liv52 syrup or tabs or other appetite stimulants of various brands twice a day for days. In case, your dog has gastrointestinal disorders, referring to a prescription diet under the guidance of a veterinarian can be immensely helpful. This entry was posted in Pet Blog. Bookmark the permalink. The best food for Labrador puppies to consume in their first two to four months of life is milk from their mother. This specialised care is usually left to trained breeders or veterinarians, who are knowledgeable in caring for pups with no mother to nurse from. If you have recently brought a Labrador puppy into your family, they are most likely older than 8 weeks, and so have started to eat solid foods. You can do this by mixing some dry food with specially formulated puppy milk to form a soft mixture. You can feed your puppy this mixture three to four times a day. Over time, you can reduce the amount of milk you include in this mixture, until they are at the point where they are happily eating dry foods. Read on to learn how much you should feed a Labrador puppy as they get older. In their four months living with you, and once they are weaned off milk, Labradors are likely to reach almost half their adult weight. They will reach their full adult weight by the time they are 6 to 7 months old. With this rapid growth can come some risks. Labradors can be susceptible to bone growth disorders, like hip dysplasia and joint abnormalities that can start in puppyhood. Once your Lab puppy hits 6 months, their growth begins to slow down. Once puppyhood is over, you can move to feeding your lab twice a day instead of 3 or 4 times. Labs are still very active in their adolescent years, and so should be fed with this in mind. The transition from puppy food to adult food should happen at around 15 months. This is because, being a breed who grows very quickly, you want to ensure that you are feeding them according to their large breed needs. You need to take special care when considering what you should feed your Labrador puppy, as they require different nutrients compared to their adult counterparts. It is also dangerous for a puppy to overeat. Labradors are large breeds, which means they need plenty of nutrients and calories as they grow to ensure they go from being active puppies to healthy adult dogs. Labrador puppies need to eat food that is high in proteins and fats. Carbohydrates are also essential for supporting your active pup. Aside from nutritionally complete dry puppy food, Labrador puppies can benefit from the extra protein that raw meat can provide them with, such as lean beef, turkey, chicken, or fish. The amount of food you give your Labrador is determined by their weight, energy levels, and age. For most adult Labradors, around 1, to 2, calories per day from high quality food sources is ideal. Female Labradors, who tend to be around 5 to 10 kilos lighter than males, may need less food, as will less active dogs. Dogs who need less food, whether they are less active or simply older, will usually still need around 1, to 1, calories per day. You may want to alter the amount of food you are feeding your Labrador based on how calorically dense their food is. Adult Labradors should be fed twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. Their daily allotment of food should be split evenly between these two meals. For most dogs, it is recommended that you exercise your dog before meal times to assist with potty training. However, some dogs may benefit from exercise after eating: especially high energy Labs with a lot of energy to burn off. You should also try to give your Labrador a high quality food that is specially designed for large breeds, especially if they are very active. For example, less active senior dogs will need to eat less food as they will not be burning calories as quickly as a lively little puppy will. Senior dogs may benefit from a higher fibre and lower calorie diet. Your dog may also develop chronic or short term medical conditions that require specially formulated food. For example, Labradors can be particularly susceptible to obesity. As a breed, they tend to be one of the most commonly obese dogs in Australia. This is due to several factors, including a genetic predisposition to unhealthy weight gain and a famously large appetite. However, plenty of Labs suffering from obesity are simply overfed and not getting enough exercise. Choosing a low carb diet is crucial to preventing obesity in your Labrador. If you are unsure about what you should feed your Labrador, you should always consult your vet. They will be able to determine if your dog is suffering from any chronic health issues, and they will be able to create a nutritional plan to help keep your dog healthy and happy for many years to come. Wet food for Labradors is often high in protein and fat, and is better at keeping your dog hydrated than other food sources. Chewing on dry food can be especially good for teething Labrador puppies. A raw diet can be a good option for your Labrador as you have more control over the kinds of food and amount of nutrients your pup is consuming. For this reason, raw diets require a lot more work on your part as an owner. Whatever you decide to feed your Labrador, all dogs need a similar ratio of nutrients in their diets. Different dog breeds will need different kinds of nutrient support as they go through the various stages of their life. It can also be easy to overestimate the amount of food your Labrador needs to stay fit and healthy — especially if they are skilled at begging! You need to make sure that your dog is eating the right amount of food for their breed, their size, and activity level. You should also avoid foods that, while delicious for humans, can be harmful or toxic for dogs. Foods like onions, nuts, alcohol, cooked bones, and artificial sweeteners are commonly included in dinners meant for humans, but can cause serious health issues for your Labrador. No matter how old your Lab is, it is important to keep to a consistent feeding schedule. A feeding schedule can help you keep track of any changes in behaviour around food that might signal illness or physiological stress.