Congratulations!
You are now (or will soon be) the proud owner of an Eraky Labrador Retriever. The Labrador Retriever is an intelligent, active dog who loves human contact and being a part of the family. They excel in obedience work, and to bring out the best in your dog, enrolment at your local obedience club is recommended. Your local obedience club may be found through Dogs NSW on 1300 728 022.
Please read through the attached puppy information and don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions regarding your new puppy.
Click here for a printable version
Erin & Kyle Charnock
0411089635
Dogs NSW Member #2100013119
Your Puppy’s Diet
Breakfast
3/4 cup of Al A Carte All Life Stages biscuits soaked in hot water and Di-vetelact puppy milk(optional).
Lunch
Approx 125 grams raw chicken mince (human grade) mixed with 1/2 cup of Al A Carte All Life Stages biscuits soaked in hot water. Mix the mince and biscuits in together so that puppy cannot just eat the mince. Puppy will prefer it if the biscuits/mince mix is warm.
Dinner
3/4 cup of Al A Carte All Life Stages biscuits soaked in hot water, raw chicken mince and Di-vetelact (optional)
We put the biscuits in the puppy’s bowl and put enough boiling water in the bowl so that the biscuits are covered. We then leave the biscuits for one hour until they have gone soft. Then we mix in the Di-vetelact and raw mince. The puppies like eating their biscuits at a warm temperature.
After one week at home, you can start puppy on 1-2 chicken necks after her evening meal. At first give puppy one chicken neck (after she has eaten her biscuits) and expect her to take approx 10 minutes to eat it up.
Please do not to change this diet during the first few weeks at home as it may cause your puppy to develop an upset stomach. If you do want to change the brand of biscuits do so slowly over a few days.
Don’t worry if your puppy does not eat all of her food, as she has to adjust to her new home and one puppy does not eat as quickly as when she is with her litter mates.
The above feeding information is a guide only. Individual puppies require different amounts of food depending mostly on how active they are. As a general rule, you should be able to feel your puppy's ribs but not see them.
It is very important that whilst your puppy is growing (i.e. up to 12 months of age) it is not allowed to become overweight. An overweight puppy will be putting increased stress on its developing joints. Please contact us if you are unsure if your puppy is the correct weight.
We recommend that you switch your puppy over to q low protein adult biscuit at approx 3-5 months of age (e.g. Bonnie or Supercoat). Doing this will help to ensure that your puppy grows at a slower, more healthy rate and hence puts less stress on their developing joints.
The puppies are used to eating out of a stainless steel bowl similar to this one. If you buy one at approx 1L capacity this will last from puppyhood to adulthood. Stainless is better than plastic as it is easier to clean and puppy cannot chew it!
Additions to the Diet for Variety
Add raw crushed fruit and vegetables (carrots, pumpkin, bananas, apples, celery, cauliflower, broccoli etc), sardines, raw eggs, natural yogurt to her dry food to vary her diet
We suggest feeding three meals at three months, two meals at six months and one meal at twelve months with a large dog biscuit in the morning to keep teeth clean.
Raw Bones
Labs love to chew raw bones and this is also very good for them, especially while teething. It keeps the jaws exercised and the teeth clean.
Your puppy is ready to begin eating chicken necks and chicken wings. When they get older, other bones to consider are chicken frames (carcasses), lamb shanks, lamb flaps, lamb necks etc.
Never give your dog cooked bones as they are prone to splintering and may cause internal damage. Also, don’t give your puppy too many bones while they are young as it could cause the puppy to become constipated.
Immunisation
This is most important. Your puppy has had a temporary vaccination and must receive additional shots at approximately ten weeks and fourteen/sixteen weeks of age. Upon pickup we will provide you with your puppy’s vaccination card which will confirm when the next shot is due
Keep your puppy away from other (unvaccinated) dogs and do not take it out on the street (or to other public places such as the park or the beach) until one week after its second vaccination as up till then it has only temporary immunity.
Worming
Your puppy has been very well wormed since 14 days of age. Continue with the following program.
Use an All Wormer medication at the following intervals:
10, 12, 16, 20, 24 weeks of age. The 10 week worming dose is due 2 weeks after you pick up your puppy. We will confirm exact date at collection.
At six months of age worm your puppy every two months ie. 8, 10, 12 months of age. At twelve months of age worm every 3 months ie. 15, 18 months etc.
The brand we use is Milbemax. With Milbemax, one tablet will cover a puppy up to 25kgs. If you buy 6 (5-25kg) tablets this will cover all of puppy's worming doses to 6 months of age. We have found cheaper worming tablets (such as those you can buy at the supermarket) to be ineffective.
Heartworm
There are three choices for heartworm preventative – daily or monthly tablets or a yearly injection. Monthly is very highly advised as it is much more convenient. Monthly tablets can be obtained from the vet or pet food stores. We recommend you discuss heartworming options with your vet when your puppy receives its second vaccination.
Grooming & Bathing
Regular brushing is recommended, try to aim for at least twice per week. Puppies enjoy the handling and you can check their ears for any sign of infection, and if living in a tick area, daily checking is necessary.
It is best to groom and examine the dog in a stand position to get the dog used to being examined. For a young puppy we use a soft hairbrush. As they get older we use a rake type brush or a "furminator". The furminator is great for removing excess coat (although it is expensive).
Puppies should be bathed no more than once per fortnight. We use “Fidos” brand shampoos.
Bedding
Your puppy’s bed must be warm and free from any kind of dampness or draughts. Our dogs sleep on raised dog beds with a hession bag on top which you can buy from any pet shop. We also get woollen blankets as it gives extra warmth and something for the dog to cuddle in to.
If you would like your puppy to sleep in a kennel bear in mind puppies like being very close to their human companions. A kennel placed too far way from the back door is unlikely to be used.
Flies
Labrador’s ears are highly prone to fly bites during the warmer months pf the year. To prevent flies biting you dog’s ears we recommend the use of a fly repellant spray twice per day over the dog’s head and body. We use Troy Repel-X
Socialisation
It is most important that you begin socializing your puppy as soon as you take her home. This will ensure your puppy grows up to be a happy, well-adjusted dog. You should socialize your puppy the following ways:
- Introduce your puppy to as many different people as possible
- Take your puppy for regular car rides
- Take your puppy to new places – eg beach, park, markets etc – after the second vaccination
- Introduce your puppy to strange noises – eg vacuum, washing machine, loudspeakers etc
House Training
Puppies have no control over their bladders and need to relieve themselves frequently. They usually need to go outside when they wake up, after eating, after an active play and when they start to wander around in a circle sniffing the ground. They tend to want to go outside about 2-5 minutes after eating and sleeping. When we take our puppies outside we tend to stay with them until they do what they have to and then give lots of praise and take the puppy inside as its reward.
Lead Training
Lead training can be started at an early age but only for very short periods of time. Playing is the best kind of exercise for a young puppy and they shouldn’t be taken on long, tiring walks whilst their bones are still developing (i.e. up until the puppy is 12 months of age).
As a guide, a puppy should not be walked any further than 1km per day until it is over 12 months of age.
Jumping & Playing
Whilst the puppy is under twelve months old it is best that they be encouraged not to jump. Jumping off furniture, staircases, retaining walls etc may do irreparable damage to their developing joints. Puppies also should not be allowed to run on slippery surfaces such as polished floorboards.
Similarly, puppies should be supervised when they are playing with older dogs whose rough play may accidentally hurt the puppy.
Water and Milk
Fresh water should always be available for your puppy. We recommend that a strong bowl (terracotta or concrete) be used for their drinking water as puppies tend to play in their water and can knock plastic bowls over very easily. We don’t suggest giving your puppy normal cows milk as this can cause digestive upsets. We usually buy puppy/pets milk from the pet store. The brand we use is called Di-vetalact
De-sexing
De-sexing of both males and females is highly recommended. It usually has a calming effect on both sexes, reduces the incidence of cancer and controls the problem of unwanted puppies. De-sexing is very easy on young animals especially if they have never had a season (Labradors generally come in season for the first time at 10 months of age or later).
De-sexing can cause some dogs to gain weight. However this is easily rectified by decreasing the dog’s food intake by a quarter to a third and increasing its exercise.
Limited Register
Puppies purchased as pets from us are registered on the “Limited Register” with the Royal NSW Canine Council. The limited register was devised by the RNSWCC so that concerned breeders had some say over which animals were used in a breeding program and exhibited.
The details of the Limited Register are as follows:
A dog on the Limited Register CANNOT be exhibited at a dog show or have any of its future puppies registered with the Canine Council. It CAN compete in official obedience trials, agility trials and of course be a loving family companion.
A dog registered on the Limited Register is just as good as one on the Main Register, but a puppy bought as a pet is not always a show dog, nor should every dog be bred from. The use of the Limited Register is to protect you, your new puppy and the breeders.
In the meantime, enjoy your puppy for what it is, a happy fun loving Labrador Retriever.
Pet Insurance
All our puppies are sold with six weeks pet insurance from Petplan. The cover starts 72 hours after puppy goes to its new home. Further details will be posted directly to you in the near future. As a general guide, the policy covers:
- Up to $3000 for veterinary fees resulting from injury or illness
- Death from illness or injury
- Loss by theft or straying
- Up to $400 for advertising and reward
There is a $300 excess on the puppy policy
Flea Control
For the control of fleas we recommend the use of Bayer Advantage or Advantix. These are simple spot treatments where you squeeze the liquid onto the dog’s neck.
Precautions to Help Prevent Bad Hips & Elbows
There is research to suggest that genetics is only responsible for about 25% of the bad hips and elbows in dogs. This means that 70% to 75% of the bad hips and elbows are caused by environmental issues.
There are things that you can do to help your puppy:
- Keep your dog thin – This means you can see a definition between the ribs and loins of your dog. I cannot stress this enough. The more weight a dog carries the more pressure on the hips. This is extremely important when the dog is growing (between 8 weeks and 18 months)
- Do not over-exercise your young dog. DO NOT TAKE A PUPPY JOGGING !!! Not until its older than one year of age. Over exercise is the fastest way to destroy hips.
- Feed a low protein diet once puppy is 12 weeks of age until puppy is 12months of age. Look for an adult biscuit with a protein ratio of approx 20%-22%. We feed our young puppies Supercoat Adult biscuits
- Swimming is the best exercise you can do for a dog. It is much better than jogging the dog.
Crate Training
Refunds & Re-homing:
Very occasionally, a new puppy may not fit in with their family. If this happens, please contact us immediately. Provided the puppy is returned to us within 3 days and in good health we will provide a refund of the purchase price – less $500.
We are happy to help with re-homing your Eraky Labrador at any stage of their lifespan if your circumstances change and you are no longer able to look after your dog. Please contact us.