Labrador Puppies
Lab puppies grow up fast! They bring a lot of joy, but quite a few challenges too. This page is your doorway to a vast library of information dedicated to helping you care for your Labrador puppy. You can use the links here to go quickly to the help you need, when you need it most.
Caring For Your New Labrador Puppy
Let’s start with some basic guides to puppy care. And help you with managing your puppy’s behavior.
getting started
It all starts here
your puppy guides
Puppy care basics
puppy behavior
Common problems
puppy GEAR
Things you might need
You can also search this site for the answers to your puppy questions
find more information about your puppy problem
Search For Puppy Answers
One of the great things about Labradors is their good nature. But did you know that even Labs need a little help in this direction?
Puppy Development And Growth
Puppy development is another area that can cause some worries. You may wonder if your puppy weighs enough, or too much. Or worry that they are not growing fast enough, or that they are much smaller than other puppies the same age. You’ll find information to help you in the articles below.
It’s fun to peek at what’s in store for you as your puppy grows and develops. But if you haven’t chosen your puppy yet, then you’ll need some information about planning, choosing and preparing for your new pup.
We’ll look at puppy planning before moving on to the puppy training and resources sections.
Need help planning your puppy?
Let’s get you started!
Not every Labrador puppy for sale is a great potential pet. Some will grow up to have health or temperament issues. And you need to know how to avoid these. Labrador puppies can be found in a huge range of prices, from $500 – $2500 and cheaper puppies aren’t necessarily a bargain. Check out How To Find A Good Breeder for more information
Preparing For Your Puppy
Good preparation creates a smoother transition into dog ownership. Make sure you have a plan in mind for who is going to care for your pup during the day if you work full time.
Doing things like puppy proofing your house before your dog arrives, will make the transition easier. Adding baby gates to the doorways, buying a puppy playpen, and removing any access to small objects or cables will all help.
Resources For Labrador Puppy Parents
You’ll find a fantastic community of Labrador puppy parents on our Labrador Facebook page. We also have a Facebook support group for dog parents with many Labrador members and other breeds and breed mixes too. It’s called Dogsnet Training & Support. You are very welcome to join.
Introducing
The Happy Puppy Handbook
a guide to the first few months
Puppy parents often ask me which book they need to help them raise a new puppy. I’m biased of course because I wrote The Happy Puppy Handbook. It’s a complete guide to a puppy’s first few months. And there are plenty of reviews to read before you make up your mind
VIEW ON AMAZON…(paid link)
(paid link)Once you puppy has settled in, you’ll want to start thinking about training.
Training Your Puppy
Modern puppy training is a lot of fun. We train puppies using games and lots of great rewards. Here are some key resources.
You’ll find information on obedience training in our main training section. And you can check out my online puppy courses over on the Dogsnet website.
Solving Puppy Problems
No-one gets through puppyhood without a few challenges! Here are some articles to help when you get stuck!
Hey Pippa!
I read all the previous questions and answers and it was really helpful. I have a two +months old lab. I have made him a comfortable bed besides my own bed. But he always want to sleep in my bed. If I don’t allow he makes a lot of noise. What should I do? Also, as he grows up should I leash him or put him in cage at night? Also I mean no offence but I gotta tell you the meaning of your name in Hindi used in India: a pippa is a metallic container built of iron or steel used for storing stuff. Hehe.
Hi. Im an indian. My black lab who is 4 months today weighs 12 kgs. Whats d right weight for dis age females!?
hi there,
I’ve got a 2 month old puppy and she is biting too hard. She has not been given injections yet as she too young for it. So do we need to go for rabies vaccine when she bites us?
Hi!
Just reading ‘The Happy Puppy Handbook’ in preparation for our new puppies arrival in 3 weeks. Noticed you recommend on arrival allowing the puppy to relieve herself outside….so is this ok prior to inoculations? At the moment she goes on newspaper that’s placed a small distance from her bed
Hi Keeley, the book does talk about the pros and cons. This is not something even all vets agree on, so you’ll need to decide for yourself. Have a look at this article for more information https://www.thelabradorsite.com/new-puppy-is-it-safe-to-put-him-in-the-garden/
My lab pup is 14 kg and it is 4 months old female is the weight correct fr her age???
Hi, I’m adopting a 9 month old male chocolate lab named Scotty. I wondering what is best for him while I’m at work at his age: crate or crate him off in the kitchen for more space or no crating at all?
Thank you!
Marty
I would crate him to begin with just so he gets used to a routine with u, dogs like routine and when he’s more trained to ur routine then start to introduce more space, our 5 1/2 month old puppy was crate trained then we bought ber a bed and still kept the crate but encouraged her to use her bed .. We gated the downstairs and she’s brilliant! totally housetrained and when we go out she only has to see me putting a coat on and she’s straight in her bed, hope this helps amd good luck 🙂
hi pippa,
wondering what your personal view was about the first night with my new pup read many different things
Every dog is different. Maybe your dog won’t cry or whine at all. I haven’t met your dog, so I don’t know his/her personality. Good luck!
Nora
my labrador pup has its second front toe missing at birth will this effect it in later life,it seems to walk and run about ok just now
Hi I have a 5 month old black lab. He has very dry skin on the top of his back and it’s flaking. He is also losing hair slowly under his arms and legs and belly. I’ve heard it’s just the weather turning cold and to put olive oil in his food. I’ve done this for a week and it still seems to be progressing. Please help!
hi pipa
sad to say that i had a girl lab but last sunday she left us alone due to pravo. we misss her soo much she was just 2.5 month old, it was my 1st time with a dog it was really a great, her absence make us too much sad so i take a back male lab again wish for his long life, he is just 35 day old i just want to know more about how to care him more, about feeding, and its winter here so plz guide me, thanks
Hello Pippa,
I would like to know that what weight should be of Labrador puppy of 2 months old and how much diet we should give. Waiting for your guidelines…. Thanks.
Hi Pippa !
We have a 15 wk old black lab Daisy, shes really very good, in her crate shes excellent and happy to ‘go to bed’ she likes to retrieve stones and sticks from the garden and has walked perfectly on her lead until about 3 days ago, she walks outside and sits down, walks another 10 steps and sits down, shes very friendly and wants to greet everyone and just sits and stares at people who don’t make a fuss of her (quite embarrassing and ive tried distracting her attention back to me with a treat, shes not that bothered) main issue is she just suddenly springs to life and grabs the lead, pulling it and thinking its a game, ive tried shortening the lead but unfortunately she grabbed my finger, ive tried a firm ‘NO’ but it didn’t work and treats didn’t work, I end up stuck on a pavement with a puppy tugging at the end of the lead, I vary her walks so its somewhere different for her, makes no difference … I just want to walk Daisy without the danger to her pulling the lead out of my hand and I would like to keep all my fingers ! haha could you advise me please.
That’s what’s happening to my pup too! Daisy is probably just teething . She sounds very cute, though!she might stop when she stops teething! Best of luck!
Norm
I mean nora!
Hi, how do I remove oil stains from my golden lab’s coat? He is only 11 weeks old and decided to rub himself against my husbands bike chain in the back garden! Not sure what to use that won’t irritate his skin.
Many thanks.
sir i have 4 month old lab puppy he is around 20 kg is its weight normal coz he dosnt look fat i feed him pedigree and meat what should be my diet plan for him and quantity too
hi we have a 8wks black lab how much water should she drink in a day. All she seems to do drink water its not in long till she p’s. Could she have a wee kidney infection
Morning said with a huge yawn! Advice needed, my 8 wk old is doing so well during the day but however night time is not going so well. When he goes in his pen we settle him but will only sleep for an hour or so then starts to cry and messes all over his stuff it’s like he is panicking head butting the pen etc. Is he just trying it on or is he really not liking the pen?
my lab is 16wks old, yeps when i touch her face around the mouth . could it be new teeth coming in?
Get the vet to take a look at her Don. Teething does not normally have this effect.
Hey , i have a 2 months old lab puppy.. he doesnt drink water at all.. if i will mix bit of milk to change the color of water like 3-4 drops of milk.. then he start to drink it otherwise it wont.. and he does pee a lot.. and when i feed him , his stomach size increases.. but in 1-2 hours , he pees a lot then he is back to thin look again.. sometimes he becomes so thin.. i am feeding him 4 times a day ,1> 6 to 7 am 2> 12 to 1 pm 3> 5.30 to 6.30 pm and 4.> 9 to 10 pm .. lunch time and dinner time.. have some more food.. .comparison of breakfast and tea time.. i am feeding him milk , bit water , and samolac at breakfast and tea time. and milk , bit water , and rice at lunch and dinner time.. …
when he is thin , his front legs are from the bottom look bit twisted.. i hope this is not the issue… Please let me know any guidelines needed.. You can contact me personally to my email id for extra info..
thanks
waiting
regards
Your puppy’s diet is inappropriate. To find out how to feed a puppy check out this article, and do have your puppy checked over by your vet.
Hi. We just got a puppy yesterday from a breeder who said the puppy was born 7/1/11 so he is 8 weeks old today. The 2 siblings were the same size so I did not question anything. (However, he is very small compared to my sister in law’s puppy who was born 7/5/11.) Our puppy only weighs 7lbs. This puppy did not come with any papers as his mother is only 18 months old and does not yet have her certifications. Nor does the father who is 22 months old. I am taking him to my vet tomorrow. Will the vet be able to tell the age of the puppy? Thank you.
I have 2 labs and they are now going to be 3 months old on Sep 1 but they are not growing and putting on weight as normal labs do! I can see their ribs! I used to give them cerelac when the were above 43 days but later started to give them milk(after adding water) with bread. Please tell me, what to do or do I have to change the diet plan and the food ? Please tell me, ASAP!
Hi Dee, please read the puppy feeding instructions here. Three month puppies don’t need milk, they need a good diet of either commercial food or a raw meat and bones in the right proportions.
Hello,
I have a 10 week old female chocolate lab. She weighs around 8.8 lbs and I am feeding her natural balance 1/2 cup 3x/day. Is she underweight for her age? Should I be feeding her more?
Thanks!
Hi Pippa,
I have a one year old yellow male lab who weighs 94lbs. My breeder told me by looking at his paws that he will be a big dog and same did a pet store supervisor say looking at his paws. But I am depressed as he doesnt seem to have grown tall. He is just 23″ in height (floor to middle of the back). We thought he will be a 26-28″ tall dog. Will he still grow? Could his height have stopped because we got him on adult dog’s food when he was 6 months old? We are now feeding him Old Dog’s food which has little protein (13%) and Less fat as he developed Pano 4 times in last 6 months. The doctor advised to lower down his proteins. Do I start puppy food again or regular food? I feed him Kirkland’s Chickn dog food 2 times a day which has a 4 star rating on Dogfood advisor. Please advise how we can make him grow taller.
Hi Pippa,
I have a one year old yellow male lab who weighs 94lbs. My breeder told me by looking at his paws that he will be a big dog and same did a pet store supervisor say looking at his paws. But I am depressed as he doesnt seem to have grown tall. He is just 23″ in height (floor to middle of the back). We thought he will be a 26-28″ tall dog. Will he still grow? Could his height have stopped because we got him on adult dog’s food when he was 6 months old? We are now feeding him Old Dog’s food which has little protein (13%) and Less fat as he developed Pano 4 times in last 6 months. The doctor advised to lower down his proteins. Do I start puppy food again or regular food? I feed him Kirkland’s Chickn dog food which has a 4 star rating on Dogfood advisor. Please advise how we can make him grow taller.
Hi.
I have a 18 week chocolate Labrador. He is healthy, lively and full of puppy teeth !! But I am worried about his size. He weighs 8.6 kilos, but compared to other puppies he has been by is tiny. He is 3-4 inches shorter than a 19 week black female and 1 inch smaller than a 12 week yellow female!! He is currently on a biscuit food that has a mixture of fish, meats, but no grain etc. (ancestral canine) the vet said that the weight sounded fine but whenever anyone sees him they all say he is tiny for his age!! His fur has gone quite coarse as well and I am trying to think if this is al food related???
Thank you!!!
Amy
hello,i hae a 45 day old lab,,please help me on what to to feed him?
i have a 1 month lab,can any one plz help me about its diet.like what to feed,how much to feed and all
Hello… My chocolate lab is 2 months old. I’ve had him for 2 days. The last 2 mornings he has woken up at 5am and I have got up. He has poo’d in his bed. (We are crate training) is this normal and how can I train him to stop. We make sure he goes to the toilet before bed. 🙂
Hi Pippa,
I have a male lab RAW aged 9 months,and he is not showing proper growth,I am giving him proper diet and protein also,but still he is 40 lbs,even my vet. Also advice me to feed some more and from,last 10 days I am feeding him more than normal,but still no result,one more problem is that he always feel like hungry and eat anything if someone is not watching,pleSe advise as I am worried about his weight and growth?
Hi,we have a two months chocolate lab,i prepare food for her.I cook chicken or beef with different kind of vegetables it seems she really likes her food.I also add fruits to her food,she is ten pound.Do you think we should feed her dog food or it is ok to feed her the way we do.
hey Pippa i have 2months old black lab he is very naughty never sit relaxed….tell me what should i give him to eat i usualy give him one piece bread with one cup of milk 5 times a day
Hi Jatin, the information on feeding is here You need to get your puppy on to a proper diet, bread and milk is not appropriate.
Hii.. I am having a 7 month old female lab.. Earlier she use to eat everything we give her banana,eggs,biscuits,rice,chapatti,curd,chicken,veggies,dog foods etc. Suddenly from last 10 days she is not at all interested in any kind of food. We are trying to feed him with hands Bt she is eating very few. We are bit tensed with this kind of behavior.
P.S-
*she is still very jolly and plays with us.
* potty seems slightly slimy sometimes.
*she still didn’t have her 1st heat.
Please any suggestion…
Hi Sagardeep, you need to feed your puppy a more appropriate diet. You can find information here
Hey, my lab is 4 month old and I want to know that how many times a 4 month old lab should poop in a day?
Hello! I have a 4 and a half month black lab! We are a bit unsure of how much food we should be giving him and how much he should be weighing as we do not want to overfed him as we know labs can become overweight very quickly!
Would love to hear back
Thank you
hi mam
our puppy is just 2 months old now..s it a right time to feed her with egg?
or suggest me the inital feed for the growth
Here is the information you need Sundar https://www.thelabradorsite.com/feeding-your-labrador-puppy/
I got a male n a female lab from a same mother , my question is can they have a baby???
Physically they are capable of making puppies, but you must not let them. Mating brother and sister is inbreeding and can lead to genetic defects.
Greetings. I have a lab and is really skinny. At 3 months he only weighs 3.25kg. Is this normal?
Hi, i have a 2 months old lab (Alice). may i ask what food is the best for 2 months old lab puppy. thx.
Hi, im having a german shepered dog shes 2 months , am feeding her cerelak and recently her stool turned yellow , can you help me what shud i feed her to stop this condition thanks
Anyone experience a lab puppy (sub-11 weeks old) peeing on his/her dog bed (not in crate) — including just after relieving self outside? Any idea why? How to prevent?
Hey , I bought a pure black lab. He is 2 months old . He eat his food 4 times a day , but he looks a little skinny. Is it due to his growth??
Please reply asap
thank you
Or I have to increase his diet ?
Hi
We have a 9 month old Labrador, and today we just got a 1 year old poodle from a friend. Unfortunately when our lab saw the poodle, She kept on barking and would sound like she is sad. I really need advice. please, thanks, Ahmi
Hi ,
I have recentky adopted a 4 yr old golden lab.He weighs 35 kgs and is a plesant dog.however is drinks about 3 to 4 lits per day…I also live in a city where temperature shoots to 41 celcius.Is it normal for a dog of his size to consume so much water..thank you , major roop
Dogs do drink more in hot weather Roop. Do check with your vet if you are concerned.
Feedback on ‘The Happy Puppy’, which I am enjoying reading while I wait for my pup to be born! On some pages there is bleeding from the colour pictures onto the opposite pages, which I don’t mind but maybe the printers could look at.
Thank you for that information Jane, I’ll pass that on to the publisher. I hope it doesn’t spoil your enjoyment of the book. Pippa
My Lab Puppy is just not taking food. He was happily feeding the Pedigree for Weaning and all of a sudden he is not at all showing interest in the food. I’m a bit worried. Please advice. It was only two days ago we paid a visit to the vet and got the tonic for worm.
Hi Pipa.. I Bought a 48 days old female lab puppy, which is very active and playful.. We have Marbles in our house and the vet suggested not to allow the puppy to run on the marbles until it gets the good calcium.. and also suggested not take the puppy out until complete vaccination is completed.. would you please suggest how to exercise my puppy.. Thank you so much in advance for your help.
Sir, I have a 7 months old lab.
How many times should i feed him a day?
Twice a day should be fine 🙂
Hellooo! I was just given a “labrador” from my boyfriend and Idk where he got it but as I observe him I feel as though he isn’t all lab. He said he’s seen the parents, the dads brown and the moms yellow white and the dads big but the moms slightly small and i know for a fact that boy dogs are usually the bigger ones, I got him checked up at the vet already and they said he’s healthy. Ive looked at pictures of what my puppy should look like but i just assumed maybe its because he’s only a month old thats why i cant tell so much.. Any advice?
Hi Joey, I can’t advise you as to whether or not your dog is all Lab, if that’s what you mean? I should also mention that a one month old puppy should still be with his mother, and won’t be ready to leave home until he is eight weeks old. Pippa
sir i hav one month old lab puppy i jst want to knw dat which food shud i gve to my puppy & sir what is age when i shud gave meats chickens to my puppy . can i gve meat to my puppy sir plz tell me
Hi,
I am Mukesh and I live in INDIA. My Labrador puppy is 7 weeks old. I used to feed her cerelac(baby food) and Royal Canin until now. Of late i switched to home cooked food that would include rice and lentils, mashed potatoes and vegetables. But she doesn’t seem to eat properly. I am so worried about her not eating properly. Please help me out so as to what to feed her. She’s eight weeks old.
hi pippa
hi have a six week labra -charlie. he is a cute and adorable family member and eat every thing. i have few questions
he is only 2 kg in weight ;vet says its ok but web says its less . pls guide
he is on starter dog food; should i start some home coocked veg/non veg food for him.
how much should a three month old puppy weigh?
Hi Shenelle, check out this Puppy Growth FAQ
Hi i have a 2 months and 5 days old puppy. All i wanted to know is what should be the normal weight and height of the puppy should be.
Here you are: Puppy Growth FAQ
Hi – We were told yesterday that our 12 wk old boy pup is slightly overweight. We have been feeding him Purina Beta Puppy to the recommended amounts on the bag (it is quite a big portion range). The vet recommended a change to Royal Canin Large Breed. The vet surgery sells this. Any thoughts on either brand, or a different alternative? Kevin