12 week old lab puppy boy?

Question

I'm looking for any advice and stories to prepare for the new member in our family. We also have a 7, 5, and 2 year old cat.

Answer 1

Oh Boy your in for a ton of fun!!! He will try to play with the cats for sure. If your cats still have their claws one thing I always told my clients is to watch out for the cats swatting the puppy near it's face. Those claws are sharp and can scratch the puppy's eye. So until they have gotten used to each other watch the cats.
Labs are great fun to own. Make sure you have a place for him that is his own. Like a crate. Have large breed puppy food for him. Get him on a schedule for eating and potty time this way he will learn to potty train much quicker. Find a puppy kindergarten for him and you to attend. They are wonderful fun and both you and your pups will learn tons of things. Get him into the vets within a few days of bringing him home for a new puppy check up.
Then just enjoy him and love him!

Answer 2

Labs are great!

Be prepared for a tail that is a coffee table cleaner. The tail is very strong - even at a young age.

I have know labs to love to pick up rocks and carry them around like some dogs carry tennis balls.

Very smart in alot of ways - easily trainable - enroll him in a puppy training class right away and you and the dog will benefit greatly.

Look into crate training while he is still young - read up on it, don't be like a lot of people here and just try it on your own without researching. He may not like it in the beginning, but he will grow to feel like the crate is "his room" and you will be much happier because he won't destroy things while you are gone.

Our Maxwell didn't like the pool in the beginning which we found odd and disappointing. A lab that didn't like water - unheard of; then we took him camping. He was able to walk into the water gradually and "we were never able to get him out."

Max never really cared about the cat much - he was curious but after a few deep sniffs he went about his business. But the cat would sit on the chairs outside and bat at Max's tail.

Labs are one of my favorite breeds, and I would consider another one in a heartbeat! Enjoy your new little one!