When Can You Start Walking A Labrador Puppy

From 8 weeks on our puppy training schedule guides you through ages and stages of Labrador puppy training. It is very tempting to get carried away with puppy training. These little Labradors are so willing to please and such fun to be around. But it is important to go at a ‘happy’ pace.

When can you start walking a labrador puppy. It's great to get puppy out and walking as soon as they are protected by their vaccine protocol. The age at which this occurs depends on the vaccine brand and the individual protocol, and can vary hugely from 10 weeks to 16 weeks. Labrador puppies can climb stairs around 4 or 5 months old. At this age, the puppies are old enough to safely navigate them without falling. Going up and down stairs at this age will not cause hip dysplasia. Climbing stairs too soon, however, can exacerbate the condition if it is already there. During the socialisation phase, 8 - 16 weeks, you will need both leashes as you expose your labrador pup to other dogs. As you walk your dog, you will come across small and large dogs that are aggressive. Walking on either leash will give your complete control. And it will ensure safety at all time. You new labrador pup has no innate road sense. If you over-exercise a growing puppy you can overtire it and damage its developing joints, causing early arthritis. A good rule of thumb is a ratio of five minutes exercise per month of age (up to twice a day) until the puppy is fully grown, i.e. 15 minutes (up to twice a day) when three months old, 20 minutes when four months old etc.

Leash-Training Troubleshooting. Even though your puppy may be learning to walk on a leash very nicely, you’re likely to run into some issues as he gets older, goes new places, and experiences. Practice backing away in the house for a day or two. Then start walking around with house with your dog by your side. When your Labrador Retriever is comfortable doing that, you can then start taking them into the yard. After that, head for local parks. Before you know it they will be walking, running and jumping for joy! You can also let it run around inside with the leash on for a little bit so it gets used to it. Then, take your puppy for a walk and bring treats with you to reward good behavior. Before you start walking your puppy around the block or taking him to the dog park, make sure he has had 3 to 4 full sets of puppy vaccines, including for rabies. Reward and praise him for stopping. Once your puppy can start and stop with one step, begin to increase the amount of steps. This teaches your puppy to start and stop when you stop and that you are in control. Once you reach 6 or 7 steps in a row, you are really walking your puppy on a leash.

However, it is best to consult with your dog's veterinarian who will advise you on when to begin to bathe your dog depending on its age and breed. In addition, you should also be aware that: If you do bathe your puppy avoid doing it in the shower, it's a very large space and your dog can slip; try to do it in bowls or a sink.; It is recommended that the water you use to bathe your dog should. On average, this will be completed between 12 and 16 weeks of age. Walking your puppy in areas frequented by other dogs can expose him to some viruses and parasites that are potentially fatal, including parvo. Although protocols vary, a puppy is usually fully vaccinated against a variety of serious diseases by 20 weeks. A socialized puppy will be a happy, well-adapted puppy! Retrieving. You can start teaching the basics of retrieving to your puppy when she is about 8 weeks old. Many Labrador puppies adapt to this game very quickly. Inside your home, you can use a tennis ball or something softer if you prefer. Labradors should only start climbing stairs after 12 months of age, or when they become too heavy for you to carry them up and down yourself. In some instances, fairly young adult dogs with genetic dispositions can also end up with hip dysplasia if caution isn’t practiced.

The general advice is to ‘let them be a puppy’ and don’t start training too young. But then many respectable trainers and books state you should (or can) start training your Labrador as soon as you get them home at just 8 weeks of age. They’re very opposite views so which is it? 8 weeks or 6 months? Puppy training should start very early – as early as 8 weeks old! If you wait until your dog is older, perhaps as much as 6 months, you might regret it. “By 6 months of age, almost all behavior problems are already in place,” says Dr. Carmen Battaglia. Many dog breeders suggest the ‘five minute rule’. This rule of thumb says that a puppy should have no more than five minutes of walking for every month of his age. So that would be fifteen minutes a day maximum for a three month old puppy, twenty minutes for a four month old and so on. A Labrador puppy doesn’t need any form of ‘structured’ exercise during its first 3 months as they’re only small, tire quickly and are sufficiently exercised with just their normal play. During the first 3 months, it’s more important not to ‘over-exercise’ your pup.