Is it hard to take care of a labrador/golden retriever puppy?

Question

i will be getting a dog soon, and i want to know if it is hard or not to take care of a puppy.

Answer 1

All puppies are hard work, especially if you go for the breeds that are bred for working, like Labradors, pointers, terriers. even spaniels can be a handful, your best bet would be to find a local dog show and go along to that and speak to people there or even your local rescue center. Depending on your life style as well, its no good getting a dog if you are out the house for more than 4 hours at a time,, its not fair on the beasts, boredom is a frightful thing in a dog Good luck,, :-)

Answer 2

AW!!!!! come on a puppy hard work no ways, the worst thing is to train him/her to do their business outside and not in, by the time you get your pup then it is already weened and eating, so the hard work is over. The first step is the training, thereafter it is smooth sailing, at first you are going to want to spoil the pup, BUT you will sit with a problem of crying when you put the pup outside, train the puppy to stay outside from the beginning, get him a nice comfortable bed and don't forget the waterbottel, that will make the little pup feel like it is sleeping by mum. While the pup is growing feed him three times a day and then at about six months cut down to twice a day unless you are working stick with twice a day. As the pup matures feed it only in the mornings so that the dog is alert at night. Please don't forget the dogs vaccines. Six weeks, three months, six months and then yearly. Enjoy your new baby, but remember they are very playful so you are have to get the little thing some toys.

Answer 3

Any puppy is work. You have to train, feed, exercize, train, clean up after, train, bathe, train....but it is very rewarding in the end, when you have a well behaved best friend by your side through thick and thin.

If you are uncertain about a specific breed-retrievers are pretty high maintainance as puppies and can be as adults. But their desire to please their human is so strong (even in the stubborn labs as mentioned above!) that they are not too hard to train. However! Because they are so intelligent and so energetic, they need a great deal of attention. Plus, as far as grooming, goldens have long thick hair that requires more grooming. Labs have shorter hair, but it is quite thick and they shed. Alot! Both breeds shed and labs often "molt". Their fur comes out in great gobs. Also, often times they have issues with their ears (both breeds) with mites and infections because of the way their ears hang. A condition called dysplasia often effects them as they get older, as well. When you are looking for a breeder, try to find one whose dogs are certified. Dysplasia is heart breaking-it's kind of like severe arthritis in the hips and eventually it cripples the dog.

Those things aside...retrievers are fantastic dogs! Loyal, loving, great with kids. The above mentioned stuff is the absolute worst case scenerio for these breeds. The best case scenerio (and most realistic one) is the fact that they are great dogs and make fabulous pets.

I hope I didn't scare you away, but these are all things you need to know. Talk to the breeder (Surely you are not looking at pet store dogs, right?) explain your lifestyle, and ask if he/she thinks this is the right breed for you.

Good luck! I'm sure you will make a good "mommy" to some puppy out there.

Please pardon any missellings here! Spell check isn't working!

Answer 4

It is hard to take on ANY lifetime commitment it sounds like you want it to be really easy if thats the case dont get a dog......High energy breeds such as labs and retrievers are especially high maintenance as they have alot of energy that can be easily turned into a destructive force in the form of separation anxiety and boredom......Here is what you have to look forward to when getting a puppy, cleaning up poop and pee probably every morning since pups cant hold it for long,possibly for months depending on how good you are at housetraining a dog, chewed up shoes, baseboards, cords, couches, Garbage etc, hyperactivity which has to be expended by DAILY walks, cost of vet bills including dewormer, flea meds, heartworm meds, vaccinations, spay neuter and possibly emergency care related to puppies habit of chewing and eating everything they get thier teeth on all costing many hundreds of dollars almost annually. Also if you want your adult dog to be well adjusted you have to spend hours and hours of one on one training including socialization and obedience etc. Also the constant cost of food, toys, collars, leashes, treats, grooming tools....and dont forget that this will be an animal that lives 14 years and up and deserves to have the best care possible not just a half effort because you got bored when the job of raising and caring for the dog became to hard. So the answer to your Question is YES caring for any living creatures needs is HARD and it takes alot of money and time!!!!!

Answer 5

Puppies are alot of fun and give lots of love.
They need alot of attention,being let out to potty on a regular basis,proper food and fresh water.Going to the vet on a regular schedule for shots and upkeep.
They need to know right from wrong and you need to be the parent and teach them.It takes alot of time and patience.

Answer 6

YES!! Of course! NO magic wand. Hard work,every day,for the next 15+/- years. You are obviously too ignorant to have ANY dog.

Answer 7

no, but you have to raise it the way you want it to be when it is older. i had a golden retriever and they are nice friednly dogs. you should get a golden retriver

Answer 8

Labs are WAYYYYY too playful for my tastes.

but yes if the mother has died it's realy heard to bottle feed & such.

if you get them affter 3 months your in for a loving, even if it is SPUNKY, playmate for the rest of your life.

Answer 9

Lab's are very stubborn , mine is 11 years old and just as stubborn as when he was a pup.